CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. -- Mixed Martial Arts legend Kimbo Slice has died, his fight promotions company Bellator confirmed Monday night.
Kimbo Slice, whose real name was Kevin Ferguson was hospitalized near his Coral Springs home Monday, according to reports from Miami NBC station WTVJ. They quoted a TMZ report as saying his situation was "dire."
Bellator president Scott Coker released a statement on their website late Monday on the passing of Kimbo Slice:
We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family. One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport.Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans, and teammates.
The 42-year-old first came to prominence on the Internet in backyard fighting videos before becoming an MMA fighter. His last bout was in February 2016 -- a victory which was overturned after testing positive for anabolic steroids.
No additional details on his hospitalization or his death were immediately available.
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