The main event of Bellator 138 is a three-round heavyweight bout between Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock. According to the current betting lines available at Several Bookmakers, Slice is a -265 favorite (bet $265 to win $100) while Shamrock is a +205 underdog (bet $100 to win $205). MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened up Slice at -405 and Shamrock at +285, and more action has surprisingly come in on the underdog Shamrock. I’m a bit surprised by the action coming on on Shamrock as I fully expect Slice to win this fight by knockout. Here’s why. Slice (4-2) is a former backyard street fighter back from the mid 2000s, but transformed into a pro mixed martial artist and pro boxer after earning fame fighting on the internet. The 41-year-old Bahamian is making a return to MMA after five years away doing boxing. He was a competitor on TUF 10, losing to Roy Nelson on the show and then beating Houston Alexander in the UFC before losing to Matt Mitrione and getting cut; he hasn’t fought since. Slice is a one-dimensional fighter. He has no grappling whatsover, but he has good boxing and extremely powerful hands. If he touches anyone’s chin, he can knock out pretty much anyone out there. Having said that, his own chin is a bit questionable (see: Seth Petruzelli fight), he has bad cardio, and he’s old. Fortunately for Slice, he’s fighting another elder veteran of the sport in Shamrock this weekend, someone with a questionable chin who is actually older than he is, and that’s why you see him open as a big favorite, as it’s a good style matchup for him as long as he doesn’t get taken down. Shamrock (28-15-2) is a Hall of Famer and one of the all-time greats in MMA. Having said that, the American is now 51 years old, he hasn’t fought in five years, and the last time we did see him fight he hurt himself in the fight. All told Shamrock has lost seven of his last nine fights dating back a decade. His only wins in the last 10 years are over Ross Clifton and Jonathan Ivey. His chin is very questionable, having been knocked out nine times, and it remains to be seen if his body can take the punishment of an MMA fight in 2015. Having said that, he’s still a dangerous submission threat, having won 22 career fights by tapout. He will need to get Slice to the ground in order to use those submission skills, but it won’t be easy to do that, and the longer the fight stays standing the more likely it is he gets knocked out. But if he can get a takedown, who knows, maybe the old man can turn back father time. We’ll find out this weekend. I don’t know how anyone can like Shamrock here. Yes, he’s in the Hall of Fame, but he’s also over 50 years old, hasn’t fought in forever, and hasn’t looked good in a decade. Slice isn’t an MMA fighter, but he has a lot of knockout power in his hands, and Shamrock’s chin is extremely questionable at this point of his career. I just can’t see this ending in any way other than Slice knocking Shamrock out, probably in the first minute of the fight. Yes, Slice’s wrestling is terrible and his ground game is iffy, but even with that said I just can’t see Shamrock getting him down, and the longer this fight stays on the feet the more it favors Slice. I like the Internet legend to pick up the win here, and I see some value in the betting line as I think he should be a bigger favorite, so I will be looking to put him in a parlay this weekend. I’ll also be keeping an eye out on the Slice wins by T/KO prop as I think that’s his most likely method of victory.
