{"id":40285,"date":"2026-09-04T05:24:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T05:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sherdog.com\/news\/news\/Jorge-Masvidal-credits-Kimbo-Slice-for-helping-launch-his-fighting-career-202661"},"modified":"2026-09-04T05:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T05:24:15","slug":"jorge-masvidal-credits-kimbo-slice-for-helping-launch-his-fighting-career","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.martialartskleinanzeigen.com\/videos\/jorge-masvidal-credits-kimbo-slice-for-helping-launch-his-fighting-career\/","title":{"rendered":"Jorge Masvidal credits Kimbo Slice for helping launch his fighting career"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n

Jorge
\nMasvidal<\/a> remembers exactly how Kimbo
\nSlice<\/a> influenced his career.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Daniel
\nCormier<\/a>, the former
\nUltimate Fighting Championship<\/a> title challenger and BMF champ
\ndetailed how a shared connection to Miami’s Freestyle Fighting
\nAcademy eventually led to him competing on Slice’s backyard-fight
\nplatform.<\/p>\n

\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Jorge Masvidal recalls how Kimbo Slice gave him a shot on his
\nbackyard-fight platform<\/h2>\n

Masvidal revealed that he and Slice came from nearby areas, had
\nmutual friends and began training together at the same gym. By
\nthen, Masvidal was already pursuing mixed martial arts
\nseriously.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, particularly with Kimbo, it just so happened we didn\u2019t grow
\nup far from each other,\u201d Masvidal said. \u201cWe had some friends in
\ncommon and we ended up at the same gym, Freestyle Fighting Academy,
\nand we started training.\u201d<\/p>\n

Masvidal recalled already having amateur fights and grappling
\nexperience when one of the gym owners asked Slice to watch him
\nspar. At the time, Slice\u2019s videos were generating massive attention
\nonline.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the gym owners asked him, goes, \u2018Man, I got a really
\ntalented dude. I want you to watch him spar and see if you\u2019ll put
\nhim on,\u2019\u201d Masvidal said. \u201cI always give him big props because he
\nput me on his platform. He didn\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Masvidal said the fights were kept secret because organizers risked
\nfines and potential arrest, and recalled receiving just two hours’
\nnotice before one event. The first event took place in Liberty
\nCity, Miami, behind a laundromat. Before Masvidal’s bout, Slice
\nwarned him about his opponent’s right hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to give you the location right now. You got two hours to
\nget there,\u201d Masvidal recalled being told. \u201cHe comes back about 20
\nseconds later and he goes, \u2018Keep your left hand up. He\u2019s got a
\nreally, really good right.\u2019 So, we got in there, and we made magic,
\nman.\u201d<\/p>\n