The Doggy Bag: Crossover Edition

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How many millions of people are going to tune into Shamrock-Slice to see a fight that lasts less than 60 seconds? I know it's Kimbo Slice's return and Shamrock still has a name. This fight still strikes me as a cruel and senseless way to set up a Kimbo-James Thompson rematch. I like freakshow fights but it feels like the well will dry up very quickly on viable fights for Kevin Ferguson. -- Eric from Parts Unknown

Tristen Critchfield, news editor: Your word choice – “cruel and senseless” – suggests a certain level of concern for Shamrock, a 51-year-old man who has won just three times in 12 MMA appearances since 2002 and hasn’t competed since 2010. Don’t cry for the “The World’s Most Dangerous Man.” Not only is he likely to be handsomely compensated for however long he spends in the Bellator cage with Slice, but Shamrock himself will tell you that he has earned the right to fight for fun.

If getting beat up by everyone’s favorite YouTube brawler is his idea of a good time, then who are we to argue? And keep in mind that if Bellator had not welcomed Shamrock, the UFC veteran already had designs on competing in a bare-knuckle boxing match in the spring, so it’s not like he was easing his way into a peaceful retirement.

To your other point, I’m not convinced that Slice-Shamrock is building to anything in particular. If Slice wins, Thompson could certainly be an option, but if he remains engaged and interested in MMA, Bellator’s heavyweight talent pool is shallow enough for “The Ultimate Fighter 10” alum to build momentum with a winning streak. That’s the ideal for the promotion, as it could conceivably ride the ratings the menacing Miami native would produce for several events.

However, even if Slice-Shamrock turns out to be so laughably bad that no self-respecting MMA fan (they do exist) would ever be willing to watch either compete again, it will still have likely served its purpose.

Bellator 138 is what promotion president Scott Coker likes to a call a tent-pole event. These are the organization’s showcase cards, a blend of the sport’s past and future designed to cater to a variety of audiences. Bellator 131, the first tent-pole event under Coker, followed the blueprint perfectly, drawing eyes to the card with a Tito Ortiz-Stephan Bonnar headliner in hopes that fans might also tune in early to see Will Brooks and Michael Chandler vie for lightweight gold.

Slice-Shamrock will, at least in theory, do the same for Bellator 138. Coker has already said that Bellator 138 will include at least one title bout. That’s part of the star-making process: Build the up-and-coming talent a fanbase on the backs of big names and familiar faces.

As laughable as it seems that Slice and Shamrock will be squaring off nearly seven years after they were originally supposed to fight at EliteXC “Heat,” how many times have you heard people complain about the pairing while vowing to watch in the same breath? Coker and Bellator know what they’re doing; based on the talent they have, embracing MMA’s freak show factor is imperative if they’re going to set themselves apart from the competition.

Perhaps Slice said it best: “If it makes dollars, it’s gonna make sense.”

The rest of us might as well sit back and enjoy the show, no matter how brief -- or cringe-worthy -- it turns out to be.

Continue Reading » Doubting the Shamrock's Luck