Bellator have announced two fights that will front their first ever show in London, England on July 16th.
The promotion’s CEO Scott Coker revealed that heavyweight brawlers Kimbo Slice and James Thompson will fight for a second time at the show.
The two had previously fought at Elite XC: Primetime back in 2008 earlier in Kimbo’s MMA career, and he emerged victorious on that occasion by a third round TKO.
The 42 year-old Kimbo last competed at Bellator 149 in February against fellow backyard brawler Dhafir ‘Dada 5000’ Harris in a fight that was marred by controversy. The fight itself was dreadful, but worse was to come after Kimbo’s third round TKO win when it emerged that ‘Dada 5000’ had been rushed to hospital suffering from renal failure and two cardiac arrests.
To make matters worse, Kimbo then tested positive for steroids, and is currently facing a potential one year suspension from the sport, but Bellator have pressed ahead with his next fight regardless, due to the UK being outwith the reach of any ban he might be handed down.
Coker also unveiled a second fight for the show, with bitter rivals Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley set to re-do their infamous encounter at UFC 113 in 2010 which was relatively uneventful for 15 minutes, with Koscheck using his superior wrestling to control the dangerous striker on the mat.
However, the end of the fight was highly controversial, as Daley stood up after the final bell and sucker-punched Koscheck in the face, leading to a life-time ban from the UFC.
Koscheck would go on to fight GSP for the UFC welterweight title after that, but lost and would go on to experience a slump in form shortly afterwards that saw him lose five fights in a row before being released by the promotion last year.
Daley has been a man of many promotions since being kicked out of the UFC, fighting for the likes of Strikeforce, BAMMA and Bellator, and is currently on a five fight winning streak.
