posted October 4, 2008 at 09:00 in UFC / MMA Free Picks
MMA Betting Free Picks – Kimbo vs. Ken
by Charles Jay
The biggest fight in the career of internet phenomenon Kimbo Slice is almost here - and is about to take place on Saturday night at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, to be televised on CBS. There is no title on the line, but there may be plenty at stake, as the fight could possibly be the most watched ever.
BetUS MMA Betting Odds
Heavyweights – October 4, Sunrise, FL
KIMBO SLICE -350
KEN SHAMROCK +250
There is something of a gap between those fans who like the "old school" aspect of mixed martial arts and those who are more attracted to the spectacle, and two are not necessarily mutually inclusive. Their feelings can be summed up in part by Frank Mir, who beat Brock Lesnar earlier this year and fights for the UFC heavyweight title in December.
Let's face it, the public's perception of MMA is not exactly fantastic," Mir told one internet MMA site. "Every time guys like Tank Abbot or Krazy Horse (Charles Bennett) fought or even now with Kimbo Slice; every time Kimbo fights it sets the sport back."
Here's what some other people are saying, culled from sources around the internet:
Ken Shamrock, to SI.com: "I think that the biggest difference is that I'm going to this fight healthy. I don't have any injuries, and that is the biggest difference of any of the other fights I've had in the last three or four years."
Kimbo Slice, to the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel: "Anything that Shamrock tries on me, I am prepared for. I am looking forward to beating Ken and kicking his butt. I am hoping to see the best of Ken because he'll see the best of Kimbo."
Randy Couture, former UFC heavyweight champion: "If he just goes out and knocks Ken out, I don't know that that does a lot for him."
Jim Ross, WWE announcer: "Shamrock taking too many hard shots really concerns me and to think that this might be the fight that ends Ken Shamrock's storied career isn't the way I would have preferred to see Ken exit a sport he helped pioneer."
Dana White, UFC president: "Ken is way past his prime. It gets to the point where it's dangerous for that guy to still be fighting. That being said, he still might beat Kimbo. Kimbo sucks."
Jake Rossen, Sherdog: "Propagandists will tell you Shamrock’s submission acumen will be a good test for Slice, that his years of experience will threaten to topple the barely professional status of the reformed backyard brawler. Reality check: Shamrock has one submission win in 12 years -- over a man who currently has 20 losses against 7 wins on record. The vast majority of his ligament attacks came in Pancrase, where opponents wore massive leather boots that kept limbs free of sweat. Observers cannot recall the last time he even tried tackling an opponent, a probable result of decaying agility and stilted muscle activation."
Alex Marvez, Scripps-Howard News Service: "Shamrock is 44 years old and has lost all five of his MMA matches since 2005 in the first round. There are serious questions whether Shamrock should even be sanctioned to fight. He was atrocious during a knockout loss to journeyman British fighter Robert "Buzz" Berry in March. Shamrock and David "Tank" Abbott -- the 1990s Ultimate Fighting Championship star -- should both be retired from MMA competition."
Joe Ferraro, Sportsnet.ca: "If Shamrock plays his cards right and does not let his ego get in the way of an effective strategy, he may just be able to pull off a huge upset here. If Shamrock can protect his chin while taking Kimbo to the ground early, his legendary leg lock submission game can end this fight quickly, ala Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar."
Gregg Doyel, CBSsports.com: " Kimbo Slice is not good for MMA ... unless he has improved as a fighter. That doesn't mean making his punches more powerful, because he already has enough power to fell an elephant. Slice punches so hard that his first professional opponent, Bo Cantrell, took a dive after feeling the wind from a missed Slice punch."
Tom Donelson, BlackAthlete.net: "Slice will be tested and the fight may even be closer than what the pundits predict for the simple reason, we don’t know how he'll react when he actually has a big name in front of him, even one past his prime."
John Whisler, San Antonio Express-News: "Shamrock's chin is suspect, as is his conditioning, and his once-heralded submission skills have faded. But people likely will buy the PPV — Slice vs. Shamrock has curb appeal. The reason? Shamrock is still one of the sport's premier salesmen."
Tom Kim, Seattle Post-Intelligencer blogger: "Being a fan of Shamrock since his early days in the UFC, it's been somewhat difficult to watch him lately. I will still root for him, but I don't see him stopping his losing streak and fear Slice may cause him some serious harm."
Dave Sholler, Corpus-Christi Caller-Times: "Watching Kimbo jockey for ground position is like watching an elephant try to pull its feet out of quicksand. Bluntly put, Kimbo Slice is a marginal fighter with limited ability."
Tony Kornheiser, ESPN: "I know that Kimbo struggles in the ground and pound. That is a very difficult place to struggle."
I agree. Despite some interesting opinion to the contrary, I am going stand up for the "old school" element and take Ken Shamrock at +250 in the BetUS MMA betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: SHAMROCK TO WIN (+250) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)
(Charles Jay of www.ebookies.com is a former manager, matchmaker and color commentator in professional boxing. He currently pulls no punches in the BetUS Locker Room)