Kevin Ferguson, aka "Kimbo Slice" took the mixed martial arts world by storm when he first entered into the new and unfamiliar sport. Though he honed his skills in backyard brawls and private gyms all over the South of Florida, Kimbo parlayed those skills acquired into a some-what successful mixed martial arts career which eventually saw the 36-year-old make his way into the UFC, the worlds largest MMA promotion. Now, after severing ties with the organization and rumors of a professional boxing debut now squelched, it looks like that Slice will be venturing into some more unfamiliar territory when he competes now as a professional wrestler in the Japanese circuit. ...

Well, that didn’t take long did it? It hasn’t even been a week since I first reported that boxing promoter and notorious head honcho of the now-defunct Elite XC MMA promotion Gary Shaw was looking to scoop Kimbo Slice out of the unemployment line and put him in a boxing ring. Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, recently told ESPN New York that he is definitely making the transition from the land of cages and Octagons to the land of ten-ounce gloves and squared circles. The famous street brawling YouTube sensation hasn’t seen action of any kind since losing to Matt Mitrione at UFC 113 in May of this year. Despite going 1-1 in the UFC, and despite the fact that his surprise appearance on the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” brought in some of the biggest ratings of any TUF season ever, Kimbo’s inclusion in the sport’s biggest and best MMA promotion was all too brief, and if I may be so bold, shockingly uneventful. And yet I’m actually looking forward to seeing him in a boxing ring. ...

In the world of boxing, manager/promoter Gary Shaw is moderately famous. In the world of MMA, Shaw is decidedly infamous. Shaw was one of the driving forces behind the Elite XC promotion, including its shocking successes and its most humiliating defeats. After only two years, EXC landed a mammoth deal with the CBS network, broadcasting its fights live on national television, gaining the record for the highest ratings for a major network telecast of a MMA event in the process. Shaw helped introduce the world to fighters like Gina Carano, Cristiane Santos, even Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice. Of course, it would all come crashing down with the surprise KO of Slice by the little-known Seth Petruzelli, and the even-more-shocking charges of conspiracy and corruption that followed, as a scandal erupted due to Petruzelli’s remarks that Elite XC paid him more money in order to keep his fight with Kimbo standing. Shaw hasn’t been seen or heard from in MMA since then, but he recently made waves during a short interview, where he hinted that he would try to take Kimbo Slice out of the MMA game and put him in a boxing ring. ...

YouTube streetfighting sensation “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (4-1) and former Minnesota Viking lineman Matt Mitrione (1-0), both contestants on SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 10, will matchup at UFC 113 in Montreal May 8. ...

YouTube backyard brawler “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (4-1) did Saturday night at SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas what few thought he ever would when he got a UFC win by unanimous decision over “Assassin” Houston Alexander (9-5) in a 215-pound catchweight fight. ...

The tenth season of the UFC's mixed martial arts reality contest The Ultimate Fighter will conclude Wednesday night on SpikeTV at 9:00 PM, an hour earlier than the usual broadcast time. ...

UFC light heavyweight “Assassin” Houston Alexander (9-4) has confirmed his rumored matchup versus “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) at SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas December 5 during an appearance on The Todd N Tyler Radio Empire program on KEZO-FM in Alexander's hometown of Omaha. ...

“Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) and “Assassin” Houston Alexander (9-4) will matchup in a 215-pound catchweight fight at SpikeTV’s The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas December 5, according to a report at The Times of Northwest Indiana. ...

Light heavyweights “All American” Brian Stann (7-2) and “Sho Nuff The Master” Rodney Wallace (9-0) will matchup at SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in Las Vegas December 5, the UFC confirmed Tuesday. ...

WEC featherweight champion Mike Thomas Brown (18-4) joined Fighters.com's radio partner MMA Gospel Saturday for discussion of his upcoming title defense versus Nova Uniao’s “Junior” Jose Aldo (14-1) at WEC 44 in Las Vegas November 18. ...

“Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) is a fighter.  And, as MMA journalists who've interviewed Slice have known and viewers of The Ultimate Fighter 10 are discovering, he's a good man besides.  But, can Slice ever become a top mixed martial artist? ...

Heavyweight “Big Country” Roy Nelson (13-4) TKO'd “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-1) by referee stoppage in the second round of an exhbition fight on The Ultimate Fighter 10 Wednesday. ...

"Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-1) will make his Octagon debut versus "Big Country" Roy Nelson (13-4), himself debuting, on The Ultimate Fighter 10 on SpikeTV at 10:00 PM EST on Wednesday. ...

The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-1) will make a cameo in the crowd at World Championship Fighting 8 at Aleppo Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington, Massachusetts north of Boston on September 26, WCF announced Friday. ...

ProElite, Inc. has cancelled it's 8 November EliteXC MMA event, ceased operations, and filed for bankruptcy, according to numerous reports. ProElite, Inc. is the parent company of the EliteXC promotion that is nationally broadcast in the States on CBS, as well as owner of the MMA brands King of the Cage, CageRage, ICON, and Spirit MC. ProElite's website is functioning and has no mention of the company's bankruptcy. However, Gracie Fighter, the website of EliteXC fighter Nick Diaz's  (18-7) manager, Cesar Gracie, posted Monday evening, "We are confirming that EliteXC has folded." The cancelled event was to have taken place in Reno and aired on Showtime featuring title fights in two weight divisions. ...

Fighters.com caught up with WEC featherweight title challenger Mike Thomas Brown  (19-4) on the horizon of the most important fight of his career in Sunrise, north of Miami, 5 November. Fighters.com: On November fifth you're facing "California Kid" Urijah Faber (21-0) for the WEC featherweight title.  Some analysts have labeled Faber the best MMA featherweight in history.  Does facing a popular fighter like Faber bring intimidation or do you find motivation in the potential dethroning of a champion during the peak of his career? Mike Thomas Brown:  I love being the underdog.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  Urijah is a very tough guy; but, I train with tons of tough guys.  It's just another day at the office. Fighters.com: Would you say that the approaching title bout is the most important fight of your life? ...

"Silverback" Seth Petruzelli (10-4) TKO'd "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-1) in 14 seconds Saturday night in Sunrise, north of Miami. "Everyone said what it was.  It was an opportunity for me to step up," said Petruzelli after the win. Petruzelli and Slice agreed to fight just 40 minutes before CBS EliteXC Fight Night went live after Slice's original opponent, "World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock (26-13-2), bailed with a cut over his eye suffered while warming up Saturday. Shamrock's brother, EliteXC broadcaster Frank Shamrock (23-9-2), called Ken "a discrace" on air. "Honestly, man, it was a crappy situation for both us," Petruzelli said.  "It was unfortuante what happened to Ken.  This is professional fighting.  It's not supposed to be like it is on the streets." But, if it was like a street fight, Slice, the "YouTube street fighting sensation", should've had the advantage. Slice pressed Petruzelli at the bell and ate a front kick immediately.  Petruzelli followed with a straight right that sent Slice to his hands and knees.  Slice never got back up as Petruzelli rained right hooks, then lefts to Slice's skull.  The referee stepped in to end the fight; and, Slice, stunned, grabbed the referees leg. After his first MMA loss, Slice told his hometown crowd, "It's all good.  It's all good.  It was unexpected."  Then Slice plugged his sponsors and after party. For MMA aficionados, Slice's loss wasn't so much an upset as a confirmation that mixed martial arts can't be picked-up by any fighter off the streets in a year. ...

"I'm gonna look [Kimbo Slice] in the eyes and let him know.  He's gonna feel that fear, " "The Grim" Brett Rogers (8-0) warned Wednesday at Team Bison's Brunette's gym beneath an American Legion in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The undefeated EliteXC heavyweight is still waiting for his shot against mainstream MMA poster boy "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0). In June, at a Minnesota MMA event, Rogers announced that he would be fighting Ferguson in October and "that motherfucker is getting knocked out." In Sunrise, north of Miami, 4 October, Ferguson will step into the cage to fight UFC Hall of Famer "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock (26-12-2). "You know what, man?  I really, honestly can’t tell you what happened.  I just know that it didn’t happen.  I’m a little upset about that and I’m going to take some frustration out on Mr. Slice when I get my hands on him." ...

EliteXC has confirmed several bouts for the 4 October event to air on CBS’s Saturday Night Fights, happening at the BankAtlantic Center near Fort Lauderdale, FL. UFC Hall of Famer and “World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock (26-13-2) was named as “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson's (3-0) opponent for the night’s main event. Fighters.com’s third-ranked welterweight Jake Shields (21-4-1) will defend his EliteXC title for the first time against Brit “Semtex” Paul Daley (18-6-2). Benji Radach (18-4) will make his EliteXC debut against “Ninja” Murilo Rua (16-8-1) in a middleweight match-up. ...

EliteXC’s third installment of Saturday Night Fights will air on CBS 4 October. The announcement was made during EliteXC’s event Saturday. It will take place at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL, near Fort Lauderdale. “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (3-0) and Gina Carano (6-0) will feature on the card, although no opponents have been named yet. Both fought at EliteXC's network television debut in May. ...

I snapped this shot at the entrance to a bar on Broadway in Nashville Friday.  Notice anything? Is this a victory for the UFC or a problem? The MMA nation cringes when a newbie refers to mixed martial arts as "ultimate fighting". (On teleconferences, I parse the serious fight writers from the general press corp by just that phrase.  One would expect a sports journalist at bare minimum to know what the sport they're covering is called.) For years the UFC encouraged the press to refer to MMA as "ultimate fighting". ...

"That motherfucker is getting knocked out!" said EliteXC heavyweight "The Grim" Brett Rogers (7-0) about "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) Friday night at Brutaal Fight Night in Maplewood, northeast of Minneapolis. Rogers added his confirmation to Slice's and EliteXC President Gary Shaw's that the showdown Rogers called for last month will get on in October. When questioned by the ring announcer, Rogers panned Slice, "You gotta be able to do everything... stand up, ground game, whatever." Rogers called Slice "garbage" immediately following EliteXC's CBS broadcast on 31 May, claiming that Ferguson had tapped out to "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9) in the second round. Thompson had lost his preceding fight to Rogers by knockout; but, for his effort, Rogers fought first on CBS while Thompson scored the main event versus Ferguson. ...

Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight,current UFC co-Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Famer "The Natural" Randy Couture(16-8) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com from his Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas Monday afternoon. Couture graciously confronted and answered questions about his beef with the Zuffa, LLC and UFC President Dana White and third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-4) and his own prospective fight with sixth-ranked "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), shared opinions about fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-7), "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), and Brock Lesnar (1-1), and made picks on future fights. Fighters.com: You've said you've accepted that you might get a bad court ruling and not fight again. Have you lost some competitiveness from being inactive for so long? The Natural: I still want to compete. I'm still in training as much as I can be with all this other stuff going on. I still seem to be able to hold my own, even with the lack of serious, hardcore training, with all the top guys that I have in the gym. I'm having fun being in the gym learning new tools, new skills and being there with a lot of the other guys that have been there for me, so I'm not too worried about that. The courts are going to do what the courts are going to do. We'll deal with it when it comes in. Fighters.com: Not many fighters have wives who also train. Does that give you both a different perspective and more understanding? ...

"I've got to fight ["The Grim" Brett Rogers (7-0)] now, man.  This man just called me out," "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) told The Dan Le Batard Show Thursday. Slice was referring to Rogers's post-fight comments last weekend in Newark, outside of New York City, in which he referred to Slice as "garbage", even questioning Slice's manhood. Slice won a third-round TKO over "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9) and Rogers TKO'd Jon Murphy (4-3). Slice referred to Rogers's outburst as a marketing ploy, saying, "He's going to get big money to fight me.  From a business point of view, who's ever in his ear, they did their part." The fight will "probably be in October," Slice added. ...

Fighters.com's fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-6) posted about last Saturday's controversial stoppage of the EliteXC middleweight title bout between champion and sixth-ranked middleweight "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) and "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) on his blog Monday: "I know Scott had a hurt leg from throwing kicks and Scott started to look very frustrated.  I think Scott’s aches and pains and frustrations had maybe a little to do with the stoppage.  That’s just my opinion." Hughes trains Lawler and was cageside cornering his H.I.T. Squad student. No one has been willing to state blatantly that Smith encouraged the controversial doctor stoppage Saturday night in Newark, outside of New York City, after he was poked in the right eye by Lawler's thumb. However, Hughes's opinion bolsters New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Counsel Nick Lembo's description to Fighters.com of events inside the cage immediately after the eye poke. ...

New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Counsel Nick Lembo told Fighters.com Monday that "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith(13-4) told two Control Board, cageside doctors he couldn't see after absorbing a thumb in his eye from Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) in an EliteXC title fight in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night. The exciting stand-up war was stopped by doctors at 3:26 of round three for a no contest. "I can't see," Smith told Dr. Angela Gagliardi, the first doctor in the cage, according to Lembo. Lembo wanted a second opinion and, after 30-seconds or so, called on veteran fight doctor Sherry Wulkan.  "I told her, 'This is a title fight,'" Lembo stressed. According to Lembo, Wulkan asked Smith, "What's wrong?" Smith told the second doctor, "I can't see!" "You took a finger in the eye," Wulkan explained.  "What do you mean you can't see?  Is your vision blurry?  Dark?" Smith repeated, "I can't see." Wulkan asked, "Is it getting better?" ...

CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights was a success! According to Nielsen, ratings for Saturday's first nationally broadcast, prime time MMA event lead in all key demographics. Perhaps most importantly and telling, like the original The Ultimate Fighter finale that lit MMA dynamite in North America three years ago, viewers of CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights increased as the night went on. Mikey liked it! The face of EliteXC, heavyweight "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) got a scare from as close to a mixed martial artist as he's been locked in a cage with, "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9). Thompson isn't a great martial artist, but the big lug has cage cred having stood across from Fighters.com's tenth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) and "Ironhead" Kazuyuki Fujita (15-6) and even beating Hidehiko Yoshida (7-6-1) and "Predator" Don Frye (19-6-1) in the September of the former UFC champion's years. With what looked like about two weeks of jiu-jitsu and an intensive course in basic wrestling with the cauliflowered left ear to prove it, Thompson beat Slice for two rounds before Slice popped Thompson's ear with a right hook and the prime time neutered ref waved the fight over. In the post-fight press conference, the fighter who had kayoed Thompson in Thompson's previous fight, "The Grim" Brett Rogers (7-0) called slice "garbage". ...

Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight and EliteXC Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) and "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) sizzled in three-and-a-half-rounds of stand-up in Newark, outside of New York City, Saturday night in the prime time network premier of mixed martial arts. In the main event, "Colossus" James Thompson (14-9) exposed "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0) in a third-round stoppage loss. Former Ultimate Fighters Lawler and Smith fought to a controversial no contest halted when Smith absorbed a finger in his right eye from a defending Lawler. Smith protested the end of a fight that was building into the primetime MMA era's sequel to Griffin v Bonnar, while Lawler hung his head in disappointment. "Hands of Stone" opened round one of his title challenge establishing his high kick.  Lawler was cagey in defense, pawing a jab and feigning a takedown. It wasn't long before the fireworks shot off and didn't end.  Lawler countered a Superman punch from Smith with a straight right.  Smith belted back with a right high kick, backing up the champion.  Lawler threw haymakers in defense, then clinched up to throw hooks to Smith's head.  The warriors traded body kicks to end round one. Lawler established his jab in round two, setting up an uppercut.  Smith defended with Thai clinch in which he landed knees and elbows as Lawler struggled to free himself.  The fighters crashed into the cage and dirty boxed, Lawler landing uppercuts while Smith countered with elbows. The fireworks came to an anti-climactic end in round three as doctors inexplicably called an end to the fight after Smith took a Lawler finger to the eye. ...

"This is the kind of thing I've tried to stay away from," UFC President Dana White said Thursday when asked about "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (2-0) becoming the mainstream face of MMA when he headlines 31 May's CBS-broadcast EliteXC card. CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights will be the North American broadcast television unveiling of our sport. "This is more than a spectacular opportunity for Kimbo to be in front of a potential audience of 100-million plus eyeballs," said EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw, also on Thursday. "I think it sucks," White concluded.  "Kimbo Slice isn't a mixed martial arists.  This is a guy who was fighting in your back yard three months ago.  Now he's headlining on CBS." For those behind White, the argument runs: MMA has gone from groin strikes to Unified Rules since UFC 1, from Kevin Rosier (2-6) to "Rush" Georges St. Pierre (16-2).  Kimbo Slice erases the last 15 years of the sport's evolution. How many years does Brock Lesnar (1-1) erase?  At least 12, back to the beginning of the powerful Hammer House era. Lesnar headlines the UFC's August card in Minneapolis versus Hammer House's original "Hammer" Mark Coleman (15-8). But, an argument that either Slice or Lesnar is going to convince the mainstream that MMA peaked in 1996 is misguided. That's what they already think. We're blinded inside the MMA bubble to the reality that Slice and Lesnar still represent what the mainstream thinks MMA is. A backyard brawler or former pro wrestler sell tickets and PPV buys because that's still the mainstream expectation of MMA. Despite the last three years of North America  MMA eruption, the mainstream still considers MMA a blood-thirsty, no-holds-barred duel of brutes. Few minds will be changed, but continued mainstream ignorance may be encouraged.  There's still so many to educate about the sport. Notes From Around MMA * Last Wednesday on TAGG radio, “El Matador” Roger Huerta (20-1-1) became the latest UFC fighter to complain about his compensation, saying, “It's kind of sad, you know, when the company comes out on the cover of Forbes, and then you definitely just know where all the money is going to. It's kind of like, 'What the hell?'" * TUF 7 cast member Jesse Taylor (6-2) told the North County Times, “"Let's just say I'm undefeated so far,” about his record on the SpikeTV reality competition show. * When asked by Eastside Boxing what his most satisfying moment was, “Stitch” Jacob Duran said, “For MMA the most satisfying moment came during the Forrest Griffin/Mauricio Rua fight.  I was working Forrest's corner during this fight when he received a lightning bolt gash on the center of his forehead.  It was a really bad cut and the fight was close to being stopped.  I managed to get it under control for about four minutes, and Forrest went out and submitted Rua.”  Fifth-ranked light heavyweight Forrest Griffin (15-4) thanked Duran with a card and gift certificate to an upscale restaurant. * “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1) is urging UFC President Dana White to make a fight between UFC Welterweight Champion St. Pierre and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (21-4), the top-ranked welterweight and middleweight respectively.  "If Dana can make that fight, I'll be in the line to buy a ticket," Silva told Yahoo!Sports. * “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1) was discharged from the South Korean military two days after reporting for mandatory service.  Officials cited Choi’s brain tumor pressing against his optic nerve as the reason for his dismissal. ...

Fighters.com's numero dos heavyweight "The Natural" Randy Couture (16-8) told CagePotato today, "The exclusivity has to go away or else we’re going to have the same problems with becoming a fractured sport the way boxing has." With respect to MMA's classiest act, I disagree. The UFC's stranglehold over the top of the sport has ensured the best fighters fight each other. The best match-up in boxing right now is WBC welterweight titlist Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus WBA and IBF welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto. For those not in the boxing know, it ain't happenin'. Mayweather is ducking the young bull Cotto for more lucrative, less competitive rematches with Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.  Those happen to be match-ups Mayweather is more likely to win.  Hell, he's already beat them both. It's the UFC's umbrella over the sport that has made sure champions fight contenders, not pretenders who allow champions to hold on to belts maximizing the marketability of their reign. You see, when free agent fighters and their management pick their opponents, whether in boxing or MMA, they tend towards safe fights. Exhibit A:  Everyone's favorite MMA ducker, sixth-ranked heavyweight "The Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1). While a showdown with third-ranked "Babyface Assassin" Josh Barnett (21-5) has been an option, Emelianenko has picked fights against middleweight "The Law" Matt Lindland (20-5) and kickboxer "Techno Goliath" Hong Man Choi (1-1). Such is matchmaking when managers and free agent fighters seek to prolong their marketability versus the safest reasonable opponents. I mean, Lindland and Choi are both world champions, right?  Nevermind that their championships were in a different weight class and sport respectively than Emelianenko. I'm not advocating for the UFC.  I could care less about which promoter logo is atop a fight card.  It's the card itself that interests me.  The fact is, the UFC's centralized organization of the sport has produced the best fights and, by definition, avoided "becoming a fractured sport the way boxing has." Notes From Around MMA * Top Strikeforce lightweight contender “The Punk” Josh Thomson (14-2) maintains “The Carpenter” Clay Guida (23-9) oiled up before their March 2006 title fight, won by Guida by UD.  Thomson claims, “I mentioned it to Clay's brother one time.  I said, ‘Clay was really slippery in that fight…’  He just looked at me, shrugged, and said, ‘You do what you have to do to win.’  I just thought, ‘Whatever, douche bag.’  But, Clay…I think his career has leveled off.  He got a few big wins, but he's taken some losses the last couple of years.” * Couture (16-8) told IGN he’s pursuing a video game deal with EA Sports.  He also claimed, “I don't care where the fight happens,” in response to a question about fighting sixth-ranked Emelinanenko in the UFC.  Couture had previously expressed his desire not to fight Emelianenko in the UFC. * UFC middleweight Rob Yundt (6-1), who lost his UFC debut in February to “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-2), will return to the Octagon 21 June on the TUF 7 finale versus one of the TUF contestants.  The UFC won’t reveal Yundt’s opponent to him until that fighter is eliminated on the show. * The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize and sanction MMA in the state by a vote of 95-2.  The bill is held-up in the Senate by Senators Dewayne Bunch of Cleveland and Bo Watson of Hixson.  The two southeast Tennessee legislators have attached an amendment earmarking the profits from MMA events for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Division I wrestling team.  According to the Nashville Post, the amendment may violate NCAA rules.  Tennesseans are urged to contact their state Senators and urge the passing of the bill next week without the earmarking amendment. * Fourth-ranked welterweight “The Terror” Matt Serra (9-5) and UFC light heavyweight "The Hammer" Matt Hamill (4-1), both New York state residents, and UFC executive Marc Ratner were lobbying New York state Senators Tuesday to legalize and regulate MMA in the state.  A bill legalizing and regulating the sport in New York has passed the state’s assembly, but is opposed in the senate. * Canadian kickboxer “Black Sniper” Michael McDonald (1-1), 2002 and 2004 K-1 North American Grand Prix Champion, won a decision over American kickboxer “The Jet” Rick Roufus (1-1) in an MMA bout fought under the radar in Romania last month. * “Iceman” Chuck Liddell (21-5) and “Kimbo Slice” Kevin Ferguson (1-1) will go head-to-head 31 May in a ratings battle.  SpikeTV will air Ultimate Iceman to compete directly with CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights at 9:00 PM EST.  SpikeTV will air an entire day of UFC programming on 31 May, beginning at 11:00 AM EST. * Star magazine reported that actress/singer Mandy Moore has a crush on top-ranked welterweight “Rush” Georges St. Pierre (16-2).  Moore was in the UFC 83 crowd last month when St. Pierre claimed the UFC welterweight title from Serra (9-5). * You know it’s a slow MMA news cycle when eighth-ranked lightweight “The Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (32-2-1) testing negative for steroids in a Nevada State Athletic Commission test is a headline.  Of course he tested negative!  The headline is if he had tested positive…again. * As I concluded after the first episode of this season's The Ultimate Fighter, Jeremy May (5-5) is a douche bag and nothing could've made me happier than seeing him get smashed by fellow-Cincinnatian Matt Brown (9-6) last night. ...