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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

DAMN! They Were Good celebrates the careers of our favorite fighters in MMA history. On this episode, the MMA Fighting staff takes a deep dive into the late Kimbo Slice, an internet legend who became the biggest star in MMA.

Back in the early 2000s when MMA was still making its way into the mainstream, the more sophomoric corners of the internet birthed an entirely different kind of combat sport: bareknuckle fights in backyards and boatyards all across Miami. At the time, Kimbo Slice – real name Kevin Ferguson – was a driver and bodyguard for a pornography company, and began engaging in street fights for extra money. Not long after that, Kimbo’s friends decided to video those fights and upload them to the internet, and almost overnight, a sensation was born.

Thanks to those videos, Kimbo Slice became one of the most talked about fighters on the planet, rubbing shoulders with real life celebrity A-listers. Soon afterwards, he made the move into MMA, headlining the first MMA show on network television and then even joining up with the UFC. A move to Bellator and then boxing followed, and all the while, Kimbo remained a beloved figure in the space until his tragic passing in 2016 at age 42 due to congestive heart failure.

But though Kimbo is gone, his spirit lives on as do the many legendary moments he gave us. Which of those were our favorite and what was it like to live through the Kimbo Slice era? Listen in as the MMA Fighting crews remembers remembers the life and times of one of MMA’s greatest stars.

New episodes of the DAMN! They Were Good podcast come out biweekly and are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts. This week’s episode can be heard below.

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A piece of advice
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UFC

Former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will make her return for UFC 300.

If you think that’s a weak addition to the April 13 lineup, then you don’t dislike women’s MMA — you just dislike women. Andrade, 32, holds multiple UFC records in the strawweight division including most finishes, most knockouts, and most post-fight performance bonuses with four “Fight of the Night” honors.

What more do you want from a fighter?

Andrade (25-1), who was last seen beating the brakes off Mackenzie Dern at UFC 295, will tangle with fellow Brazilian bruiser Marina Rodriguez (17-3-2), fresh off her brutal technical knockout finish over Michelle Waterson at UFC Vegas 79.

Andrade is ranked two spots above Rodriguez at No. 4.

MMA fans are understandably frustrated over the promotion’s delay in announcing a championship main event. The UFC 300 pay-per-view (PPV) has one of the best fight cards of the year (see it here) but at the present moment, falls short of the “insane” lineup UFC CEO Dana White promised to deliver just a few weeks back.

Hopefully that status changes sooner, rather than later (or not at all).

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

UFC lead commentator Jon Anik is getting a bit fed up with the negative portion of the MMA fanbase, and rightfully so, which has led him to ponder his future as a broadcaster in this space. Quite frankly, Anik deserves much better, and the UFC watching experience would change drastically if he weren’t around.

On an all-new edition of Heck of a Morning, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses Anik’s comments on his podcast, it being more than OK that he expressed those feelings about the situation, and how this is the new norm for the sport and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Additionally, listener questions include Kayla Harrison’s UFC signing, if any other PFL or Bellator fighters will follow suit, Alex Pereira’s next move — whether he would face Magomed Ankalaev or Jamahal Hill next — and much more.

You can listen live to Heck of a Morning Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10 a.m. ET on the MMA Fighting Twitter Spaces.

If you miss it live, audio-only versions of the podcast can be found below, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

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Tony Ferguson blew out his MCL ahead of a UFC 296 return against Paddy Pimblett in December.

El Cucuy‘ is currently tied with Octagon legend BJ Penn for the longest losing streak in UFC history after suffering his seventh-straight loss at the promotion’s final pay-per-view of 2023. Determined to get back into the win column against the fast-rising Liverpudlian, Ferguson instead succumbed to a unanimous decision defeat following another lackluster performance.

And while Ferguson makes no excuses for once again coming up short, the former interim titleholder revealed on Instagram that he recently underwent surgery to repair a torn MCL that he sustained before his fight with Pimblett.

“Two weeks before Thanksgiving I f*cked my sh*t up during a practice sesh, MCL tear,” Ferguson wrote. “I kept it to myself and put it behind me ‘til after the fight. I trained like no one knew, sh*t hurt so good. Three weeks before fight time told a few of my crew. Nothing changed.

“I recently took care of my leg (my MCL) and had surgery last Thursday, one week after my elbow/arm surgery (both arthroscopic). Thought I would get them both done and double-down. Got it over with so I can do what I do best. Beyond rage is an understatement. I feel no despair, just repair.”

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Tony Ferguson has no intention of retiring

Ferguson, who is just a few weeks shy of turning 40, has been urged by practically everyone, including UFC CEO Dana White, to hang up his gloves. ‘El Cucuy’ has refused to do so, suggesting that he is “just barely hitting” his prime.

Despite his string of losses, Tony Ferguson is a future first-ballot UFC Hall of Famer, having at one time amassed a 12-fight win streak in one of the promotion’s most loaded divisions. He holds victories over notables, including Anthony Pettis, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone, Rafael dos Anjos, Edson Barboza, and Josh Thomson.

LowKickMMA.com

UFC

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts