Elite XC promoter: Kimbo Slice was 'a hero to inner-city kids'

Former Elite XC promoter Jared Shaw shared a tribute of the deceased fighter on Monday's episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

Shaw's promotion gave Kimbo Slice his first professional MMA fight back in 2007, after he rose to prominence on YouTube as a bare-knuckle fighter.

"We needed that face to begin EliteXC and get noticed," Shaw said. "He was also coming in the height of YouTube coming into pop culture. He had 18-million hits. MMA was entering its prime limelight. All of a sudden, we were around and Strikeforce and IFL and PRIDE. Everyone wanted MMA."

Shaw, who says he immediately felt the star potential of the unconventional Slice, talked about what made the man born Kevin Ferguson so entertaining to watch.

"It was never about Kimbo being the best ever. It wasn't about that. It was look at this bigger-than-life personality who is probably going to knock the next guy out and the next guy out."

"He always knew he was outgunned in MMA, but he kept coming," Shaw continued. "He really did. He knew. But you can never take his heart from him."

That he couldn't translate his street success to ultimate MMA success wasn't important for Shaw. The fact that he continued to fight was more important and that's the legacy he'll leave behind to the next generation of fighters.

"Kimbo is a hero to inner-city kids," Shaw said. "Period. The man goes from the backyards to the major leagues of MMA. You can fight your way out, too. That's something positive.

"Somewhere in South Florida, some fighter, somebody is coming and it probably wouldn't have happened if they didn't get to see Kimbo first."