However, who knew that he would soon die tragically, well before anyone anticipated. Kmiotek said there is no active police investigation, and no foul play is suspected. Kimbo Slice dies at age 42 - ESPN Even when he was short of breath, he just knew it was going to be a miracle. Slice's death was confirmed by Mike Imber, his longtime manager. Slice's team stated they did not want him fighting Frank no matter how much money was offered to them, so Lappen decided that Petruzelli was the best option for the main event. His three youngest -- Keiyera, Kassandra and Kevlar -- attend primary and secondary school in Florida. You're right about it. Making his name in street fights, Ferguson endured damage that would normally be treated by medical professionals in mainstream fights. Though one of the judges had each fighter winning one of the first two rounds, Slice's opponent James Thompson won both on total points[20][21][22] by repeatedly taking down Slice and grounding and pounding. He died on 8th October. [38] Slice was the number one pick for coach Rampage and the second pick overall. "Never, in a million years, would I have thought he only had a few days left," Imber said. I said, 'It's because we love you, it's not about being right or wrong. ", Kimbo Slice: A fighter until the end (5:56), The final days of MMA fighter Kimbo Slice, Song punishes Simon in one-sided TKO victory, Sources: Dos Anjos-Luque to top UFC Fight Night, Sources: Injured Hermansson out of Allen fight, Masvidal keeps door open for return to cage, Adesanya: Title-winning KO made with torn MCL, Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, Loughnane, Wilkinson headline PFL second round, Johnson's next ONE bout may be his last in MMA, UFC 288: Why Burns and Muhammad are taking the biggest fight of their careers on short notice, MMA divisional rankings: Sergei Pavlovich moves within striking distance of the top. Although Slice never reached the sport's competitive heights, his aura never waned among MMA fans: His bout with Harris four months ago drew the largest television ratings in Bellator's history. Both were exhausted immediately -- too exhausted, it seemed, to throw a punch capable of knocking the other out. Kimbo Slice, who rose from obscurity to become one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts (MMA), died Monday at a Florida hospital. Like many younger siblings, Black was born with an innate talent of pushing his older brother to the edge. In January 2015, he signed a contract with Bellator MMA. Sports exclusive: Kimbo gets TUF - UFC - Yahoo! From 2008: It's time to reappraise Kimbo Slice. His next stop would be on the organ donor list. Staff were in the process of preparing to transfer Slice to a medical centre in Cleveland where he would be put on an organ donor list but he died at 7.30pm on Monday evening. The documentary Dawg Fight, which examined Fergusons background in the underground, is a must-watch for those curious about the Florida fight scene. Imber was in London alongside him, as his manager and friend. [25][26] However, Shamrock received a cut to the left eye during a warm-up only hours before the fight was to take place. At home, his health had grown increasingly worrisome near the end. He was scheduled to headline the Bellator 158 card in London next month against James Thompson, in a rematch of the 2008 fight Slice won by TKO. Clarke remembers one fight, when she found herself breathing down the neck of a cameraman cageside, with no recollection of ever leaving her seat. ', "But when he made it, everyone left. Police are currently considering the case a medical incident and say they have not found any sign . In 2005, Slice started training in martial arts at the Freestyle Fighting Academy under Marcos Avellan and David Avellan. It is not clear if an autopsy will be performed. Slice complained of "severe abdominal pain, shortness of breath and nausea . Ferguson II on a college football field in Missouri. This was soon followed by three unanswered punches to a standing Thompson, which led to a referee stoppage and the controversial win for Slice. Kimbo Slice passed away at the age of 42 on Monday. "And he said, for the first time, 'You know, Mike, I'm scared. While some media reports suggested he consumed illegal drugs, others went as far as linking it to foul play. [6][8][65] At the time of his death, he was engaged to his long-time girlfriend. Carla Kmiotek said. On February 16, 2008, Slice fought Tank Abbott in the main event at EliteXC: Street Certified. Kimbo Slice Dead at Age 42 - CW Atlanta - CBS News In April 2016, Bellator President Scott Coker announced on ESPN's SportsCenter that Slice would have a rematch against James Thompson in the main event of Bellator 158, which would take place on July 16, 2016 at London's O2 Arena. You can tell it brings her joy. Kimbo Slice, real name Kevin Ferguson, has passed away at 42 years old.Ferguson's cause of death was heart failure, according to his training partner, Tyler Cook. He stayed in the intensive care for several days, after suffering from the grave effects of congestive heart failure. Kimbo was trying to make a comeback. The family accepted the decision with mixed emotions and one unifying feeling of powerlessness. Canada Sports", "Bellator MMA Adds Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson to Roster", "To family, MMA star Kimbo Slice is a hulk with heart", "Former Heavyweight Boxing Champ to Take on Kimbo Slice", "Cage Fury Fighting Championships thriving after some early hits", "SamCaplan.proelite.com Exclusive: Gary Shaw comments on Kimbo Slice and Nick Diaz signings: EliteXC, Gary Shaw, Kimbo Slice, Nick Diaz: SamCaplan article", "EliteXC "Primetime" aftermath: Kimbo Slice needs work, Brett Rogers wants a piece", "Exclusive: Judges Scorecards for Slice/Thompson", "Primetime pressure nearly sinks Kimbo - Mixed Martial Arts - NBCSports.com", "Frank Mir says every time Kimbo Slice fights it sets the sport back in new exclusive 5 Oz. One of the matchmakers for CFFC asked Slice for his assurance so that an October 12 bout at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 6 between Slice and "Tank" Abbott could be organized. Four months prior to his hospitalization, Slice appeared in a heavyweight fight against Dhafir "Dada 5000" Harris at Bellator 149 in Houston. She was 62, The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. [23] Frank Mir was also a critic of Slice, stating in an interview that "every time Kimbo Slice fights, it sets (mixed martial arts) back". [9], For college, Ferguson attended both Bethune-Cookman University and the University of Miami, where he held an athletic scholarship[10] and studied criminal justice. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Doctors were preparing to transfer Slice to a different medical centre where he would be placed on an organ donor list but he died, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. That was my thing only. The cause of death was still unclear . JUST IN: Beloved Actress Forced To Leak Her Own NUDE Photos After Being Blackmailed And Extorted For Revealing Photos Of Myself, Bar Forced To Backtrack After Facing Boycott Over Dylan Mulvaney Controversy, BREAKING: Legendary Guitarist And Vocalist Dies From Medical Complications, Woman Who Dies Three Times A Month Claims She Met Jesus And Walt Disney During Her Episodes, JUST IN: Bam Margera Vows To Stop Drinking After Being Arrested For Alleged Assault And Threats, [rsnippet name="termsofservice" multi-site="true"]. Next, the examiner talked about how there was also zero truth in regards to foul play. Slice, whose actual . Kimbo Slice's sudden death Monday night at the age of 42 came after the mixed martial arts star was rushed to the hospital on June 3 having suffered congestive heart failure and a liver mass, according to information provided to the Broward County medical examiner's office by the hospital, via the Sun-Sentinel. Keiyera in a state track and field meet this past spring. For other uses, see, Originally a TKO win for Slice; overturned after he tested positive for, Linda, Robertson (February 10, 2008). He was like, 'I'm going to get up out of this hospital and I'm going to fight.'". [48] Following the bout it was reported that Slice had failed his pre-fight drug test. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The kind who makes you naturally lean forward when you first meet, so as to not miss a word. The ex-doorman for a strip club, Kimbo Slice, leaves behind a wife and 6 kids. Unfortunately, that news also meant something bad. He just felt he wasn't done.". Kimbo Slice died on June 6, 2016, at the age of 42. Just hours after news of Kimbo Slice's passing was confirmed on June 6, his alleged cause of death was also revealed by . Slice is survived by six children, and he credited his MMA career for allowing him to send them to college. ", "Kimbo Slice scores exhausted TKO at Bellator 149", "Bellator's 'Kimbo Slice' settles with Texas commission following failed steroid test", "Bellator 149 peaked at 2.7 million viewers", "Kimbo Slice-James Thompson II booked for July 16 in London", "Kimbo Slice Has Jumped to Boxing, Roy Jones Jr. Says He's Willing to Fight Him", "Roy Jones Jr: "I might give it to Kimbo", "Opponent Announced for 'Kimbo Slice' Boxing Debut", "UFC vet Kimbo Slice proves victorious in professional boxing debut", "Boxing News: Kimbo Slice Returns to the Ring October 15th", "Kimbo Slice Wins! But, certain medications like chemotherapy, illicit drugs such as cocaine, can lead to heart failure, Dr. Nina Radcliff tells HollywoodLife.com. Kimbo Slice Cause of Death, How did Kimbo Slice Die? [39] Slice later turned down the opportunity to take Matt Mitrione's place in the quarter finals after it was revealed that he had arthritis in his knee. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kimbo Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, went from being an athlete at the top of his profession to a mere mortal in a hospital bed. section: | slug: kimbo-slice-died-of-heart-failure-needed-heart-transplant-before-death | sport: mma | route: article_single.us | "That was one of our disagreements," Antoinette said. Kimbo-Legacy and Isis were both born after Slice's death. A hospital report has revealed shocking details about the health of Kimbo before his sudden death. In the first round, both fighters gassed out almost immediately, and Slice went on to win an uneventful fight via TKO when Dada collapsed from apparent exhaustion in the third round. The 42-year-old street-fighting legend, real name Kevin Ferguson, was told he . On the 1-year anniversary of his death, his family and friends celebrate . Slice also fought at UFC 113 in Montreal, losing to Matt Mitrione before taking his five-year break from MMA.<\/p>\n

"He carried himself as a true professional during his time in our organization," the UFC's statement read. [28] Petruzelli defeated Slice by TKO 14 seconds into the first round of the bout.[29]. I agree to receive the "CBS Sports HQ Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. I like to knock people the fuck out. I was confident in Kimbo's ability to go across the cage, bing bang boom, throw hard punches, find his target and land one in the first minute. Baby Slice in the cage. All rights reserved. The Kimbo Slice cause of death is congestive heart failure. We care. In 2002, he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon[9] and in 2003, he began his career in unsanctioned mutual combat street fights. Kimbo Slice, the bearded street fighter who turned his internet popularity into a mixed martial arts career and worldwide fame, has died. He leaves behind six children, including his autistic son who joined him in the gym for his fight with Shamrock. Slice also had a pro boxing career between stints in the cage, going 7-0 with six knockouts from 2011-13. Slice also had a son named Kevlar and a daughter named Kassandra. And that too, near his liver region. By. He was in Miami, but planned to drive to the hospital that afternoon. As you can probably expect, many believed it related to his alleged drug use of nandrolone. Kimbo Slice diedat the shocking age of 42, reportedly due to heart failure. "[52], Roy Jones Jr. had said he would like to fight Slice, but that Slice would likely need a number of boxing matches beforehand in order to gain experience and exposure in the sport. In December, Chinese fighter Yang Jiang Bing died from a heart attack suffered while trying to cut weight. Kimbo Slice, whose given name . Weight-cutting is a common problem in fighting sports, and sometimes it can have serious consequences. [7][9] Ferguson maintained close ties with Reality Kings throughout the rest of his life; company representatives accompanied him, as his fight entourage, under the name Team Kimbo. He won the fight via KO at 0:10 in the first round. If youre wondering where all of these controversies stemmed from in the first place, well, the answer is his troubled past. Kimbo Slice cause of death: MMA fighter needed heart transplant before he died aged 42. Before he died, he enjoyed spending time with two of his grandsons, K3 and JuJu (Akieno). That's really what I want to do. The recent death of street fighter, boxer, and mixed martial artist Kevin Kimbo Slice" Ferguson due to heart failure is an unfortunate event that has fans and media speculating if past anabolic steroid use may have played a roll. [63] He made his official acting debut when playing the character Bludge on Nickelodeon's 2008 holiday special, Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh. The Reasons behind the death of Kimbo Slice aka Kevin Ferguson (February 8, 1974 - June 6, 2016) Follow me on IG @jonnybravotvWatch the JonnyBravo RealityTV . An official cause of death for . It's like, when a baby knows that bottle is going to keep him fed and is always going to make him feel good at the end -- that was what fighting was for him.". His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans, and teammates., Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. "We lost our brother . He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. She describes him as always being a protector, too. In the same way, medical experts explained how they discovered a large mass. Kimbo Slice had been diagnosed with heart failure and needed a transplant days before he died on Monday, according to newly released hospital records. As the MMA world waits to find out what exactly killedKimbo, an expert EXCLUSIVELY tellsHollywoodLife.comwhat could have possibly causedhisheart to tap out. Framed pictures of Slice literally cover the walls of his family home, Clarke's home, and his high school friend and longtime manager Mike Imber's home. "I'm really just having happy days in the midst -- being among them, fighting on the undercards, just contributing to the UFC and the sport. Fergusons last professional fight was in February, when he headlined a Bellator event fighting against Dhaffir Dada 5000 Harris. He also played an inmate named JC in 2009's fighting film Blood and Bone. Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. The coaches for the show were Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans, both former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions. The duo had a big rivalry between them due to their old street fight legacies they had in Perrine, Florida. He was signed by Xtreme Combat in 2007 and continued to fight regularly until taking a break in 2010. So, it's over.'". [3] He defeated Ken Shamrock by first-round TKO in his June 19 debut at Bellator 138. Slice was diagnosed with heart failure and placed on a ventilator in intensive care after being admitted to the hospital due to stomach pains, nausea and shortness of breath. If he say he gonna do something, he gonna do it. In his first taped fight against a man named Big D, Ferguson left a large cut on his opponent's right eye which led Internet fans to call him Slice, becoming the last name to his already popular childhood nickname, Kimbo.[9][14]. Kimbo Slice fought at heavyweight, weighing in at 232 pounds during his last fight. American Top Team, the prominent South Florida gym where Slice trained for many years, mourned his passing. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.