MMA's Post-Kimbo Limbo

The YouTube video of that fight (in which Brown seems to have the upper hand before Imanari strikes with his devastating leg lock) had 37,120 views. It's a respectable number, but not close to the millions that Slice's street-fighting videos average.

I asked Brown about Kimbo Slice.

Ivon David Rojas

The sport is in post-Kimbo limbo.

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More About

• Kimbo Slice
• Seth Petruzelli
• Michael Wilbon
• Martial Arts
• Mixed Martial Arts

"He's nowhere near the best in the world. He's not even in the top 30 or 40," Brown said. "But he's exciting, and he sells a lot of tickets. I was even excited to see him fight."

Does Brown think Slice threw the Petruzelli fight?

"No way," he said.

Added Guerriero: "That's just an ignorant idea. He just got caught and fell."

Video of the fight seems to support Guerriero's assertion. Slice was coming at Petruzelli when the smaller fighter landed a jarring right hand. It is probably one of those fights that will forever be debated — and derided.

In the end, though, those 14 seconds of infamy have already prompted a necessary cleansing of the sport, which is now in post-Kimbo limbo. Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, has been disgraced; it is unlikely anyone will ever again try to pretend he is a great martial arts fighter.

But guys such as Mike Brown, the guts of MMA, are here to stay.