Kimbo might just be the most known active MMA fighter in the United States, the guy's fighting style and looks helps his popularity greatly, as well as his legend status on youtube. I'm not that big of a fan of the MMA, but I find Kimbo extremely exciting to watch and for most of the younger crowd, he seems to have taken on the Mike Tyson aura of this generation of teens.
Which is exactly why there is a Kimbo backflash among serious MMA fans. We know he isn't an elite fighter in the sport, but all the hype can easily make it appear to the casual fan that he is. It's unfortunate that he ends up on the cover of SI when there are so many more deserving fighters who could have been there instead.
Exactly. At least Mike Tyson would back up all his hype. Clearly, he wasn't "unstoppable" as Buster Douglas proved in Tokoyo, but he plowed through some pretty solid competition. Casual fans think of Kimbo as this great MMA beast, but he can't even get through James Thompson. And yes, most of the problem here rests with Gary Shaw.
What's backflash? Are you jealous of his lats? Kidding, I make plenty of typos myself. Kimbo is easy to market. A back yard/boat yard brawler with his appearance is not hard to sale. He also comes across as a nice guy with a good work ethic. I'm actually surprised he is on the same level as someone with over 20 fights. James Thompson does have a winning record.
Heh, didn't notice that. I don't have anything against Kimbo, and I respect his efforts to become a legitimate MMA fighter. Hec, I was entertained watching his fight against Thompson. It's just unfortunate that some casual fans see him as the face of MMA, when he doesn't deserve to be the poster boy for the sport.
