Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson has passed away in a Florida hospital. Bellator MMA president Scott Coker confirmed the news on Monday evening. He was 42.
Ferguson became famous for his backyard brawls on YouTube in the early 2000s, which launched a legitimate fighting career. He was signed by Elite XC and made his professional debut in November 2007.
After suffering his first career loss to Seth Petruzelli in 2008, Ferguson appeared on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He fought twice in the UFC, defeating Houston Alexander and losing to Matt Mitrione. He was released from the organization after the Mitrione loss.
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He found a new home in the Bellator MMA promotion and debuted under the Bellator banner in June 2015, defeating Ken Shamrock. He last fought at Bellator 149 in February, defeating Dhafir “DaDa 5000” Harris. “Slice” was scheduled to headline Bellator 158 on July 16 in London.
Coker released a statement on Ferguson’s passing.
“We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family. One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport,” read the press release.
“Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo’s friends, fans, and teammates.”
Ferguson’s cause of death remains unknown. He was admitted into a Florida hospital on Monday for undisclosed reasons. There was no police or medical call to his residence prior to him being hospitalized, Sgt. Carla Kmiotek of the Coral Springs Police Department told ESPN.