Think EliteXC President of Live Events Gary Shaw isn’t stoked?

But that’s not what this article is about. So let’s get right down to it: Who wins, the former internet street fighter or the former muscle bound former PRIDE fighter that they call The Colossus?

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson at EliteXC on CBS

Kimbo Slice is 2-0 with one KO and one submission victory ( really a knockout that took the form of a man tapping ) to his credit in MMA. Further, if you count his guillotine choke victory over former heavyweight champion boxer Ray Mercer in an exhibition bout, then you could call him 3-0.

But what do we really know about Slice beyond the aforementioned and the fact that he’s training with MMA legend in Bas Rutten?

Well, actually, we know as much as you can about a guy with only two official MMA fights to his credit.

First, Slice has a nasty streak that you just can’t teach. Check out this quote if you don’t believe us: “The only thing I want to do is win, but the main this I want to break something along the way—a chin or jaw, rib, arm, some skin, anything.”

Further, in the only two real fights we’ve seen him in, he’s looked good in a technical sense on his feet. Beyond that, he’s demonstrated the power and explosiveness that was evidenced during his internet fights and then some. Heck, he even got tagged by Tank Abbott in his last fight and took the punch like it wasn’t even there.

What are his ground skills like? Well, that’s the question. But unless James Thompson can get him to the ground, that doesn’t matter. Speaking of James Thompson.

James Thompson possesses an overall MMA record of 14-8 with nine (T)KO’s and four submission victories to his credit. That said, his career has been on somewhat of a downward turn as he’s lost six of his last eight by stoppage.

In the end, Thompson is very strong but his technical skills are lacking (though improving). However, he’s the kind of guy that comes in to fight and can hurt you if you leave an opening.

Said another way, Thompson has stopped Don Frye and Hidehiko Yoshida by TKO over the course of his last five fights. Now if either of these guys were about to fight Kimbo Slice, well, it’s hard to know who would be favored.

Interestingly, Thompson— a fighter known for being rather amped up— looked much less so than he used to during his PRIDE appearances in his last fight against Brett Rogers. Needless to say, Rogers knocked him out.

Along with this, Thompson has proven to be susceptible on his feet during his MMA career. In other words, he allows people to hit him and sometimes his jaw doesn’t hold up ( The Colossus has been knocked out seven times in MMA bouts ).

That can’t be good news against a guy that likes to bang like Kimbo Slice.

Prediction for Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson

Word is that James Thompson is working with Marc Laimon out in Las Vegas to prepare for this bout. Could that mean that he’s hoping to bring this one to the ground?

Maybe. That said, it’s hard to change your style as a fighter drastically between fights, and Thompson has always been about knocking someone out or getting knocked out himself, which seems to play into Slice’s hands. Yes, it’s hard to know what to expect from Slice in this fight, and if the odds makers make Thompson a huge underdog he might be a good guy to take a chance on. But in the end, you’ve got to think that Slice is the more confident fighter (and better one) on his feet. And since James Thompson hasn’t proven to be a fight ending grappler during his MMA career. . .

Kimbo Slice wins via TKO late in round one. However, you never do know.

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