Bellator 179's Kevin Ferguson Jr. plans to build on 'Slice' legacy, not just live up to it

LONDON – The jubilation Kevin Ferguson Jr. let forth after stopping D.J. Griffin was in stark contrast to his calmness leading up to Bellator 179.

For that matter, it was in pretty stark contrast to his relaxed vibe backstage after the win, which was his first as a pro fighter.

Ferguson (1-1 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) said his TKO over Griffin (0-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) brought out plenty of emotions at The SSE Arena in London. His Spike-televised welterweight opener also meant he has started down the path of trying to live up to the legacy left by his father, the famed “Kimbo Slice,” who died unexpectedly this past year.

“I definitely felt a lot of emotions,” Ferguson told MMAjunkie after the fight. “All the hard work and dedication that I put in paid off tonight.”

He said taking things easy leading up the fight was a measured approach. And in the wake of his highly anticipated debut this past fall, which ended in disappointment when he was tapped out by Aaron Hamilton at Bellator 165, keeping his emotions on an even keel may have been wise this week.

“I didn’t want to get over-excited before the fight and blow my gas tank, or do something stupid, until the fight,” he said. “I just tried to stay calm and stay focused – do what I was trained to do. If I get that finish, all the emotions come out then.”

That they did.

Ferguson said he wants to honor his father, of course. But at the same time, the 25-year-old has bigger goals than that.

In his fight against Griffin, Ferguson had to work through a pair of submission attempts before getting back to his feet. There, a pair of big punches put Griffin back on the ground, but defensive instead of using his jiu-jitsu. That’s where “Baby Slice” pounded him out.

But defending those submissions is something Ferguson is proud of, even if it meant he spent some time in danger in the fight.

“I want to continue the legacy and take the legacy to the next level,” he said. “I want to evolve the ‘Slice’ name. My dad was a brawler, a striker. He didn’t like going to the ground. He liked staying on his feet. As you can see, I defended a triangle (choke), I defended an armbar. So I’m showing that I have some ground skills and I can defend the ground.”

For more on Bellator 179, check out the MMA Events section of the site.