Professional mixed martial artist Kimbo Slice died Monday at the age of 42.
The announcement of his death came hours after Slice was reportedly hospitalized near his South Florida home for “undisclosed reasons.”
Scott Coker, president of MMA company Bellator, confirmed the news.
“We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating and untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family,” Coker said in a statement. “One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport.”
Born Kevin Ferguson on Feb. 8, 1974 in the Bahamas, Slice first gained fame in the early 2000s as a backyard brawler whose street-fighting videos went viral online.
Slice made his MMA debut in 2007. According to TMZ, the 6-foot 2-inch, 225-pound brawler fought his last fight in February at Bellator 149, where he defeated Dada 5000. The victory, however, was reportedly overturned after Slice “tested positive for a banned steroid.”
Slice had a 5-2 record as an MMA fighter, his Bellator profile noted. He was also an undefeated professional boxer with a 7-0 record, TMZ reported.
Slice is survived by his longtime partner Antoinette Ray and six children.
Fans and fellow fighters took to social media to express their shock and sadness at the news of Slice’s death.
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