When former YouTube fighter Kimbo Slice takes on Roy Nelson this week on TUF 10, it will undoubtedly go down as the second biggest fight in TUF history next to Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar, and will likely be the most watched ever. Say what you will about Kimbo, but he certainly does draw in fans. On the flip side, Nelson is a former IFL heavweight champion for a reason- the guy is very good. So what are some of the things to look for in this TUF 10 match up?
What Kimbo Slice (3-1) brings to the table: Kimbo Slice has some very good striking skills. Though many underplay his talents in this arena, the man knows how to box, hits very hard, and has seen what good stand up training is via his work with Bas Rutten. Unfortunately for Slice, his ground game is lacking. This was never more on display than against James Thompson, a man that isn't exactly stellar on the ground himself. In the end, Kimbo won that fight against Thompson- it will live on in infamy because of Thompson's swollen cauliflower ear- but did not impress and had a lot of trouble on the canvas. That said, Slice's takedown defense has looked improved on the show versus what we saw earlier in his career.
What Roy Nelson (13-4) brings to the table: Nelson is a pretty big guy with one of the largest bellies in MMA. Don't let that fool you, however, because he has strong striking skills and a huge power punch to go along with some underrated wrestling. Beyond that, Nelson is very tough, having only lost via stoppage once against Andrei Arlovski (KO) throughout his career. Though Nelson really isn't known as a submission fighter, he does have four submission victories to his credit, making him more proficient in this arena than Slice.
What will make the difference: This one isn't all that hard to call. If Nelson is smart, he'll try and use his wrestling skills to get this fight to the canvas. If he is able to get by Slice's takedown defense, he should dominate. Now if he is unable to get Slice to the ground or chooses not to it should make for a more exciting bout. Slice is good on his feet. So is Nelson. And that means a fight that could end on the drop of a hat.
This is as exciting as TUF gets, wouldn't you say?
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