Bellator 149: Who Takes “King of the Hood” Title?

Things just got real.

In the co-main event of Bellator 149, “Kimbo Slice” and “Dada 5000” will attempt to take care of their personal beef once and for all. Though, if they had their druthers, it’d be a no-holds-barred affair; everything including the kitchen sink. Still and all, the stakes for this must-see, and maybe sanguinary (a gawker’s wish) battle are so off the hook high, you have to inhale—then kiss the sky.

Up for grabs? The enviable title: “King of the Hood.” 

You know this is going down coated in unmitigated violence—all of the time—for as long as it lasts.

Kimbo (5-2 MMA; 1-0 BMMA), real name Kevin Ferguson, was once a street brawling YouTube sensation—an illegal métier that eventually got him the attention of several MMA promotions which subsequently signed him; EliteXC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and now Bellator.

Prior to signing with the Las Vegas-based promotion, the 42-year-old took a sabbatical from mixed martial arts to dabble in the sweet science; professionally, that it is. His record: 7-0, 6 KOs.

Slice last threw down at Bellator 138, in June of 2015, TKO’ing Ken Shamrock, who headlines this event with legendary BJJ practitioner Royce Gracie. 

Slice Sound Bites

“For this piece of sh-t, I’ve got a level of respect that I’m going to knock his ass out; I’m coming in with the intentions that I’m going to make this motherf-cker respect me,” Slice told MMAJunkie. “He’s going to respect who I am. He’s going to respect the nature of who I am and the work that I’ve put in. For you to make a mockery and try to copy and steal my image and run with it then you talk sh-t about me and try to be like me? That in itself is something I’m fighting for. I’m fighting for my f-cking respect right now. This isn’t a title fight. This is for my f-cking respect.”

Dhafir Harris, the erstwhile bodyguard of Kimbo, and one of the head honchos of South Miami’s underground fight scene is 2-0 in his MMA career; Florida Regional promotion. However, the former backyard brawler heads into this clash of machismo (Bellator debut) having not competed for five years.

Harris Sound Bites: 

“I’m a slugger, I’m a brawler, and I’m coming in there,” he said. “I just got my black belt. What’s it in? It’s in blunt-force trauma. Everybody’s going to earn their money come Friday night. 

I believe this ill-willed match-up for Hood Fiefdom will be a street fight with some semblance of MMA rules; no biting, eye gouging, fish hooking and/or nut cracking. Nonetheless, it’ll be devoid of wrestling, grappling and/or leg kicks (though, an occasional elbow or two might make an appearance).

This is gonna be center-of-the-cage action. And with extreme bad blood brewing between these two foes, expect every swinging punch to be thrown with bad intentions; Mike Tyson’s modus operandi. Albeit, with a combined weight of nearly 500 lbs., blink, and it’s over.

Prediction: Contrary to my better judgement (bats in the belfry might be a better assessment of my state of mind), and though Slice is five fights more savvy, whilst Harris is five years removed from the mix (I’m being munificent here); I’m gonna stick my neck out—Louis XVI style—and before you release the blade; Dada 5000 to weather the early onslaught before claiming the “The King of the Hood” crown via first-round TKO.