Dana White feared the worst as he entered a Las Vegas hotel room to negotiate Kimbo Slice’s signing with the UFC.
Before Kimbo Slice made his first appearance under the UFC spotlight via The Ultimate Fighter 10, UFC CEO Dana White viciously mocked him in the media, calling him a ‘bum’ and discrediting his fighting attributes. When White and the UFC decided to give Slice a chance after several knockout wins in EliteXC, White was concerned Slice would make him pay brutally for his rhetoric.
Slice made a name for himself in unsanctioned mutual combat street fights in South Florida backyard brawls. His fights with street gang members and other willing opponents accumulated millions of views online.
Despite Slice’s fame and notoriety, White was one of Slice’s most vicious critics in the public eye. But as White’s perception of Slice quickly changed, and he agreed to negotiate a contract with the street fighting superstar, he worried a Las Vegas hotel room would be the site of a gruesome beatdown.
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Dana White tells a hilarious story about first meeting Kimbo Slice
During Episode 317 of the IMPAULSIVE podcast, White explained his first face-to-face meeting with Slice and his manager.
“I used to talk all kinds of s*** about Kimbo, when he wasn’t in the UFC. ‘He’s a bum, he’ll always be the toughest guy at the barbeque’ and s*** like that,” White said of Slice. “But then we ended up talking, we ended up doing this deal with these guys. We met them in a hotel room in Las Vegas, me and Lorenzo [Fertitta[, and we’re going into this room with Kimbo Slice and I’m like ‘We might go into this room and he might beat the s*** out of me and leave!’.
“The nicest f***ing guy in the world. And his manager, Mike, was one of the best guys I’ve ever done business with…don’t judge books by their covers.”
Slice fought twice in the UFC Octagon during his 5-2-1 MMA career, defeating Houston Alexander by unanimous decision on the TUF 10 Finale. The promotion cut ties with Slice following his TKO loss to fellow TUF 10 standout Matt Mitrione at UFC 113.
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Kimbo Slice’s life and career are detailed in a brand-new documentary
Slice’s extraordinary life and career are featured in a VICE TV documentary series entitled Dark Side of the Cage. He passed away in 2016 due to a heart condition.
White, as evidenced by his past takes on Slice, isn’t afraid to make his opinions known on fighters outside of the UFC. But Slice’s approach to their first face-to-face meeting quickly changed White’s perception of the legendary brawler.
White and Slice’s relationship ended up being an amicable one, despite White’s past criticisms and mockery. Years after Slice’s first meeting with White, the south Floridian made a lasting impact and impression on the UFC leader.
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