Fighting Capsules: Kimbo Slice is more than a brawler now

Kimbo Slice is deep in the second act of his uniquely American life. Although mixed martial arts already made him rich and famous, this time around he’s determined to really learn how to fight.

The man with MMA’s most fearsome face knows he doesn’t have to be sweating away in the American Top Team gym seven days a week in his native South Florida. The former street fighter easily could coast on his stardom after an unusual confluence of image, charisma and luck brought his glowering, heavily bearded visage into millions of homes on CBS a few years ago.

Yet the 36-year-old former street-fighting Internet sensation is sticking with MMA — and he actually decided to get good at it.

"I never doubted I could do it, because I knew me," Slice said in a phone interview from Montreal, where he’s preparing for his second UFC fight against former NFL fringe player Matt Mitrione on the undercard of UFC 113 on Saturday night.

"I know I’m really willing to give my trainers and coaches 100 percent of myself," Slice added. "I’m willing to make sacrifices and commitments, and they’re going to get 110 percent out of me. I never thought about taking the easy way. That’s not me."

Slice’s real name is Kevin Ferguson, but he’s always been called Kimbo by his friends — guys named Chino, Disco and Taco. The erstwhile strip-club bouncer with a penchant for filming his spectacular knockouts became an Internet sensation several years ago, back when Internet sensations were quite rare.

He parlayed his heavy hands and distinctive look — a full beard, a thick body and that menacing glare — into an MMA career that exploded when he appeared on CBS for the defunct EliteXC promotion.

Yet Slice was a target of ridicule inside MMA, where longtime martial artists could only laugh at his skills in jiujitsu, wrestling and kickboxing, among the sport’s several disciplines. Slice was just a puncher, and even UFC president Dana White made fun of him.

White also realized Slice never pretended to be anything but a crowd-pleasing brawler, and fighters who actually met him invariably were impressed by his humility.

Punching obviously is Slice’s strength, and he could have parlayed his CBS success into a career in boxing, where much more one-dimensional athletes than Slice can become consistent earners. Gary Shaw was among the promoters who were eager to sign him after EliteXC died — but after consulting with White, Slice chose a tougher route back into the spotlight, signing with the UFC and dedicating his life to justifying his fame.

"My heart went into it," Slice said. "Everything went into it. I just decided whatever the fight game has in store for me next, I’m going to go after it. I’m not afraid of getting in there to fight. I’m not afraid to get knocked out, and with that mindset, my opponents have a lot to worry about."

After agreeing to participate in the UFC’s popular reality show that doubles as an academy for aspiring fighters, he signed up to get the coaching he never received during his unlikely rise. Coach Ricardo Liborio at American Top Team has a long history of developing well-rounded fighters, and Slice has been at work improving his ground game and martial arts abilities for nearly a year.

Although his fame is unlikely to die down as long as he keeps his beard, Slice lives a fairly focused life, devoting his time outside the octagon to his six children.

"My life has always been kind of calm, because I always respect everyone," Slice said. "From the street to the cage, I live by the respect creed. I don’t walk around with a chip on my shoulder. I love life, and provide for my family. I’ve got three little sons, and that’s who I’m living for."

Those who have seen Slice in training say he’s making dramatic improvements. In his UFC debut last December, he beat Houston Alexander by unanimous decision despite Alexander’s apparent unwillingness to engage him — perhaps a remnant of Slice’s ferocious reputation from his street-brawling days.

Slice actually is more experienced and polished than Mitrione, an MMA newcomer who also appeared on "The Ultimate Fighter." Slice is likely to win if he shows off his improved technique.

And ever humble, Slice isn’t making any bold proclamations about taking over the UFC. He’s simply enjoying every stop on another remarkable ride.

"The guys who are holding the titles, heavyweight and light heavyweight, these guys are awesome," Slice said. "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. That’s really what I want to do. I’m not looking ahead to winning a title or anything like that. I’m just enjoying each fight as it comes."

Rua out to right a wrong vs. Machida at UFC 113

Almost nobody at Staples Center thought Lyoto Machida deserved to keep his UFC light heavyweight title after he fought Mauricio "Shogun" Rua last October.

Almost nobody except the judges.

For 25 fascinating minutes, Rua discovered and exposed cracks in the formerly impenetrable style of Machida, the Brazilian karate expert whose unorthodox abilities appeared to make him unbeatable. Machida had never even lost a round in any of his first 15 pro fights, yet Rua broke apart his game with leg kicks and tenacity.

The Los Angeles crowd mostly reacted with disbelief and anger when Machida won a unanimous decision with identical 48-47 edges on all three judges’ scorecards. Even UFC president Dana White said he disagreed with the decision — and unlike the fans, White can do something about it.

He ordered a rematch to headline UFC 113 in Montreal on Saturday night, matching Machida against the countryman who solved mixed martial arts’ biggest riddle last time out.

Rua wasn’t a sore loser, and he refuses to get worked up about the chance to right what’s widely considered one of the UFC’s strangest decisions in recent years.

"This is all in the past for me right now," Rua said through a translator. "And what gives me comfort is the fact that I’m having another shot at a title, and I’ll fight for the world championship again."

Machida and Rua will meet in front of Canada’s famously passionate MMA fans on a card including Josh Koscheck’s 170-pound fight with Paul Daley, along with Kimbo Slice’s second UFC bout against former NFL player Matt Mitrione.

The pressure is on Machida in the rematch to prove he’s still a confounding opponent. Machida, who had surgery on his left hand one week after the victory, has studied everything from sumo to boxing, yet he built his streak of eight consecutive UFC wins on a game grounded in the traditional martial arts, rather than wrestling.

"There’s not too much that’s going to change," Machida said. "I’ve worked on certain areas of my game to improve, but for the most part I’m going to come in and apply my strategy. ... The great thing about the rematch is that we’re both a lot more familiar with each other than we were the first time we met, so I think it just makes the chance all that much greater for a better fight this time around."

Rua spent six months training for Machida last year, and he ratcheted up his work level for the rematch, even perhaps getting a head start while Machida recovered from surgery.

"I’m training for all situations so I can get no surprises when the fight starts," Rua said. "But actually I have to also think on different game plans and different approaches to the fight in case Lyoto comes up with something different. I have to be prepared."

Rua largely hurt Machida with a nonstop attack of leg kicks, preventing much of Machida’s unorthodox style from ever getting off the ground. Yet such a strategy sometimes doesn’t show up on the scorecards in MMA, where judges must weight multiple disciplines and methods of showing progress in a match.

Some judges highly value leg kicks, which were used by Jose Aldo and Matt Hughes in recent weeks to dominate fights. Other judges aren’t impressed by the kicks, which cause soreness and movement-hindering bruises, but no blood or drama.

Rua would love to see more concrete guidelines for scoring such an attack, since he clearly got little benefit from the strategy at Staples Center.

"I don’t think about controversy or any thoughts or what happened, because I think this can only hinder an athlete," Rua said. "The fight sometimes doesn’t end really as the fans want, because it’s not easy to do whatever you want. Obviously I always fight trying to look for a knockout, and that’s what I’ll do again. But Lyoto is a great fighter, so it’s not an easy thing to achieve."

Boxing

Celebrity-style comeback needed for D-list boxing

PHILADELPHIA — Damon Feldman throws up his hands. Yup, he’s guilty.

Damon once billed a local chicken wing eating champion as a celebrity for one of his D-list boxing bouts.

"That might be a bit of a reach," a laughing Feldman said.

Yes, the "celebrity" tag should be reserved for the true former TV and sports figures who bravely wear headgear and 18-ounce gloves for their three, 1-minute rounds of, ahem, uncoordinated flailing and flinching.

Names like Jose Canseco and Danny Bonaduce. Rodney King. Yes, even "Charles in Charge" actor Willie Aames.

They all stepped into a makeshift ring at ice rinks and gyms throughout suburban Philadelphia over the last two years as part of Feldman’s Celebrity Boxing Federation. His main events are straight out of central casting for reality shows, featuring celebrities well past their 15 minutes of fame.

"If it’s a regular actor, they’re not going to sell. You have to have controversy," Feldman said.

Feldman’s hands are full these days with his own controversy.

He’s in the thick of a legal scandal — the kind that might land an entertainer with similar woes a contract with the CBF. Feldman and his promotion are on the ropes, and his dream of building the World Wrestling Entertainment of boxing could get KO’d.

State Attorney General Tom Corbett disagrees that Feldman’s bouts are all in fun. He recently charged Feldman with fixing fights and staging them without a license.

Feldman is free on $50,000 unsecured bail, but he’s barred from staging any events in Pennsylvania as a condition of his release.

Even so, he’s going on with the show — in New Jersey. His next main event on Friday pits adult film star Gina Lynn vs. tabloid sensation Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, who has been linked to Jesse James.

Look out Vince McMahon. The CBF is on hold — for now. Feldman’s billing Friday night’s card as the debut of the Celebrity Wrestling Federation.

"If anybody asked me, I would say do not bet on this," Feldman said. "It’s entertainment."

Feldman was in his element Thursday at a sports bar sandwiched between Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks (it’s amazing he didn’t try and sign Pat vs. Geno for his next card). He played ringmaster to an oddball collection of pro wrestlers, muscle-head trainers, porn stars and tattoo artists.

Lynn arrived first wearing a tight "Team Sandra" T-shirt, referring to actress Sandra Bullock, who has filed for divorce from James. McGee was swarmed by photographers who wanted their shot at the accused mistress.

"I have more ‘Team Bombshell’ people on my side," McGee said. "As long as she’s not ‘Team Jesse."’

Feldman, a former amateur boxer, promised "100 percent excitement" between the porn star and the stripper. He’s hasn’t decided what style of match they’ll fight when it airs live on www.gofightlive.tv.

Has Feldman already picked a winner?

"I want to leave it up to you what to think," he said.

The state believes Feldman always knew who was going to win his boxing matches and promoted them as legitimate fights. He was charged with six counts of staging competitions without holding a promoter’s license from the State Athletic Commission and six counts of rigging fights at those events during a 16-month period that ended in December.

Among the complaints, state agents saw boxers not receiving prompt medical attention after being knocked out, the absence of doctors at ringside to tend to injured fighters and out-of-shape contestants dangerously matched against fighters with superior skills.

Feldman has a preliminary hearing on May 26.

"He doesn’t call himself the Celebrity Fake Boxing Association, he calls himself the Celebrity Boxing Federation," said Nils Frederiksen, a spokesman for the attorney general. "He holds them up as fights. They were staged as fights and he doesn’t have a promoter’s license in Philadelphia. If you listen to the people involved, they certainly believed they were real fights."

Bonaduce and Canseco fought to a draw last year. Bonaduce, the former "Partridge Family" star, said after the fight that Canseco, "hit me harder than I’ve ever been hit my entire life."

Former "Survivor" contestant Gervase Peterson said before his fight against a porn star that Feldman only told him he didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

"I told Damon, ‘If I’m going to fight, I fight. If I get knocked out, I get knocked out,"’ he said. "I’ve got no problem with that. I’m not going in there to throw a fight for somebody."

Feldman didn’t apply his "WWE defense" until he was arrested, Frederiksen said.

"If he said from the outset everything was fixed, everything was fake, would anyone have participated and would anyone have paid to go?" he said.

Feldman, a self-described hustler, said he always had an ambulance at his matches. Asked if outcomes were predetermined like a WWE match, Feldman said, "It all depends on the matches."

"What am I going to do, get Willie Aames knocked out in Philadelphia? I could have got Bonaduce knocked out several times here," he said. "Why would I do that? It’s about entertaining the crowds."

Frederiksen said there is no evidence of any participants knowingly throwing a fight. He said other complaints against Feldman included misrepresentation of charitable contributions. (Feldman denies this).

Feldman claims he’s the victim of a "personal vendetta" from Greg Sirb, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission. Feldman says Sirb, who competed twice in CBF events, became furious when he was passed over to fight Bonaduce. Feldman chose a local morning show DJ instead.

Sirb declined to discuss Feldman.

"We respect the charges. Other than that, no comment," Sirb said.

Feldman’s lawyer, Bob Bush, said the Commonwealth Court denied an injunction by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission in 2008 that would bar Feldman from promoting boxing events.

All of this is heavy stuff for a promoter who dreams of pitting Todd Bridges vs. Dustin Diamond for the child-star championship. He’s been planning a "Wrestlemania"-type dream card in Los Angeles or Las Vegas that would feature several of his former stars as headliners.

"You know who calls me all the time?" he says with excitement. "Eddie Munster!"

-- Dan Gelston