State of Alabama Road Map A.K.A The Face of Kimbo Slice

The title of this article is not intended as any type of clever cultural of sociological examination. Simply put, the face of Kimbo Slice looked like a State of Alabama road map on Saturday night after his upset loss to Seth Petruzelli in just 14 seconds. That's right fight fans, 14 seconds.

For those of you not quite as familiar with the sport of mixed martial arts, because you have been too busy surfing for web net conferences or looking up what you believe to be the best gangster poems ever written, Kimbo Slice is a mixed martial artist who made a name for himself as a street fighter. He had most of his fights video taped and became and internet phenomenon. He is now taking his shot at prize fighting in the mixed martial arts market. Not too sure what kind of shot that's going to be.

The world of mixed martial arts has become known as ultimate fighting. Kimbo believes he has what it takes to be a champion. There are numerous dissenters. Take Saturday night's fight for example. Slice was scheduled to fight Ken Shamrock. A man in his own right who at one time was an ultimate fighting superstar. Shamrock is now 44 years old and has lost several of his last fights. His glory days have long since gone away. Yet, he was selected to challenge Kimbo for this, one of his first organized fights. It begs the question, how serious is anybody taking Kimbo? He is after all 34 years old himself and just learning a few other disciplines besides wildly throwing his fists. If you look at his opponents in his many internet fights, they are usually out of shape, old and don't possess much fighting skill.

So the fight gets scheduled for this past Saturday night and lo and behold, Shamrock has to pull out. Apparently, he injured himself prior and required stitches to his head forcing him out of the fight. Enter Seth whats-his-name. This guy was supposed to fight on the under card and at the last minute, as he approaches his locker room, he is told to fight Kimbo for the Main Event. This guy doesn't know Kimbo, hasn't had a chance to study him or his fighting style but takes the fight of course because that's the name of the game.

The theme of the fight could have been Unleashed 2008, if that wasn't already the name of some book. Kimbo looks like an uncaged beast man. I wish I could use some good turning forty jokes to describe him but as I mentioned he is 34 but appears to be in his mid 40's. Petruzelli is 28 and in the ring just before the fight started, appeared to be searching for something to hit Kimbo over the head with like a candle stick or Bell South phone book.

The bell rang to begin the first round and as they approached one another it felt like watching something at any one of several youth boxing clubs. They both appeared anxious and off balance and before there was a chance to settle in to enjoy it, the fight was over. A quick right jab followed by a flurry of looping right hooks had the referee stepping in to stop the fight since Kimbo was on his back and could no longer defend himself. My mistake, the action at most youth boxing clubs usually lasts a little longer and the fighters have some potential. I'm not sure what the future holds for this Kimbo Slice but in the fight game, time is not on his side. Perhaps he took one too many street fights. Perhaps he should consider something that might come a little easier like figuring out a geometry triangle formula. Whatever he decides, he better figure it out before whatever Kimbo that is left in him gets sliced.