Jorge Masvidal credits Kimbo Slice for helping launch his fighting career
· Yahoo Sports
Jorge
Masvidal remembers exactly how Kimbo
Slice influenced his career.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger and BMF champ detailed how a shared connection to Miami's Freestyle Fighting Academy eventually led to him competing on Slice's backyard-fight platform.
Masvidal revealed that he and Slice came from nearby areas, had mutual friends and began training together at the same gym. By then, Masvidal was already pursuing mixed martial arts seriously.
“Well, particularly with Kimbo, it just so happened we didn’t grow up far from each other,” Masvidal said. “We had some friends in common and we ended up at the same gym, Freestyle Fighting Academy, and we started training.”
Masvidal recalled already having amateur fights and grappling experience when one of the gym owners asked Slice to watch him spar. At the time, Slice’s videos were generating massive attention online.
“One of the gym owners asked him, goes, ‘Man, I got a really talented dude. I want you to watch him spar and see if you’ll put him on,’” Masvidal said. “I always give him big props because he put me on his platform. He didn’t have to.”
Masvidal said the fights were kept secret because organizers risked fines and potential arrest, and recalled receiving just two hours' notice before one event. The first event took place in Liberty City, Miami, behind a laundromat. Before Masvidal's bout, Slice warned him about his opponent's right hand.
“I’m going to give you the location right now. You got two hours to get there,” Masvidal recalled being told. “He comes back about 20 seconds later and he goes, ‘Keep your left hand up. He’s got a really, really good right.’ So, we got in there, and we made magic, man.”
Speaking to Daniel Cormier, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger and BMF champ detailed how a shared connection to Miami's Freestyle Fighting Academy eventually led to him competing on Slice's backyard-fight platform.
Jorge Masvidal recalls how Kimbo Slice gave him a shot on his backyard-fight platform
Masvidal revealed that he and Slice came from nearby areas, had mutual friends and began training together at the same gym. By then, Masvidal was already pursuing mixed martial arts seriously.
“Well, particularly with Kimbo, it just so happened we didn’t grow up far from each other,” Masvidal said. “We had some friends in common and we ended up at the same gym, Freestyle Fighting Academy, and we started training.”
Masvidal recalled already having amateur fights and grappling experience when one of the gym owners asked Slice to watch him spar. At the time, Slice’s videos were generating massive attention online.
“One of the gym owners asked him, goes, ‘Man, I got a really talented dude. I want you to watch him spar and see if you’ll put him on,’” Masvidal said. “I always give him big props because he put me on his platform. He didn’t have to.”
Masvidal said the fights were kept secret because organizers risked fines and potential arrest, and recalled receiving just two hours' notice before one event. The first event took place in Liberty City, Miami, behind a laundromat. Before Masvidal's bout, Slice warned him about his opponent's right hand.
“I’m going to give you the location right now. You got two hours to get there,” Masvidal recalled being told. “He comes back about 20 seconds later and he goes, ‘Keep your left hand up. He’s got a really, really good right.’ So, we got in there, and we made magic, man.”
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