Former Bellator matchmaker, Sam Caplan shared a few interesting stories about his time with the promotion with Sherdog. Among these, is a story where he says that in 2010, they almost signed a then 3-0 Chris Weidman.
Another interesting and more recent tidbit shared on that interview was that just a few months ago, Bellator actually tried hard to convince Kimbo Slice to return to Mixed Martial Arts:
“I wanted Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson for [Bellator 123]. That was one thing we had looked at before Scott Coker came in. I had Bjorn sold on that idea. I started negotiations with Kimbo’s management, and Bjorn went down there to close, and he met with Kimbo’s manager in Miami. It was a great meeting. We thought it was going to happen, but I think Kimbo had some reservations about getting back into MMA. I think he wants to stick strictly to a stand-up fight style.”
Even 6 years after their first encounter in CBS, I’m sure a Kimbo vs. Thompson rematch would’ve still drawn headlines in 2014. It may not all be the good kind of press, but that’s the certainly type of spectacle that would’ve drawn attention.
Kimbo Slice of course, is 40-years-old, hasn’t competed in MMA since 2010, and hasn’t boxed for over a year. But hey, since when did freakshow bouts need legitimacy?
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