Kimbo Slice vs.
Ken Shamrock or Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture?
 While one of these
fights is confirmed and the other is just pure speculation right now,
I want to take a look at both of these fights and what they
mean to their respective companies. Both fights consist of a rising
MMA star fighting a chiseled veteran. But why does one make sense and
the other doesn’t?
Kimbo Slice (-575)
is an internet sensation. His “backyard” fights
are one of the top searched subjects on YouTube. Since his transition
to MMA, he has gone 3-0 but with fights again Bo Cantrell, Tank Abbott
and a questionable stoppage against James Thompson has been mostly protected
in order to build him up as EliteXC’s big star.
His counterpart in the UFC, Brock Lesnar, is a former NCAA Division
1 champion. His size and athleticism may be unmatched in the heavyweight
division. He holds a 2-1 MMA record and has gone 1-1 in the UFC. To
build Lesnar up as the future of their heavyweight division, the UFC
has thrown him into the fire as he has faced former UFC heavyweight
champion Frank Mir and the very experienced Heath Herring.
 For their next fights,
both fighters look to be facing veterans of the sport. Kimbo facing
Ken Shamrock (+350) and Lesnar (-115) facing Randy Couture (-115).
A Kimbo Slice vs.
Ken Shamrock fight doesn’t make much sense to
me. It is abundantly clear that EliteXC is just trying to Kimbo over
by giving him opponents that could make for great finishes. Although
that didn’t happen in his fight with Thompson, the stoppage was
still questionable. What does a win over Ken Shamrock do for Kimbo? For
the real fans, absolutely nothing. Remember, it was just a few months
ago that Shamrock was knocked out in the first round by Robert Berry.
In his last 10 fights, Shamrock is 2-8. The real question is what damage
can be done if Shamrock wins? EliteXC’s biggest star will have
just lost to a fighter that should have hung his gloves up a long time
ago.
Now, Brock Lesnar
vs. Randy Couture is something to get pumped about. Even at 45, a year
older than Shamrock, Randy Couture is still a legitimate
contender. Coming out of retirement, he defeated Tim Sylvia to recapture
the heavyweight title and then successfully defended it against Gabriel
Gonzaga. Brock Lesnar will be challenged. Lesnar’s strength is
in his wrestling and so is Randy’s. How is Lesnar’s cardio?
I am sure that is a question that The Natural is thinking A win against
Randy Couture will put Lesnar right at the top of the food chain. What
will a loss do? Not much. He will have lost to Randy Couture!
When athletes begin
to get old, they are credited with great experience. Now, that sentiment
is always followed by “but he is no Randy
Couture,” and Ken Shamrock is for sure “no Randy Couture.” |
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