The way I look at it, EliteXC had two major requirements when searching for the perfect opponent to take on their star fighter, "Kimbo Slice."

1. A fighter that they are confident the YouTube street fighting sensation can knockout but one that will still put up a good fight.
2. A fighter with maximum selling power.

It seems the energetic and outspoken Ken Shamrock, who has only won two of his last ten fights and lost five straight, fit the bill perfectly. Sherdog.com confirmed the bout with multiple sources close to the fight and also stated that a press release to officially announce the bout is expected later today.

Hand picking inexperienced fighters or fighters who are on their way out, seems to be the trend for EliteXC when searching for opponents to take on their number one draw, Kimbo Slice. And while they might be building the Ultimate MMA star, they are ultimately damaging the 34 year old’s reputation as a fighter. Here are some stats to give you an idea of the level of competition that Kimbo has faced.

Kimbo Slice’s First Four Opponents

• Bo Cantrell, Last 5 fights (0-5), Last 10 fights (5-5), Overall (10-11)
• Tank Abbott, Last 5 fights (1-4), Last 10 fights (2-8), Overall (9-14)
• James Thompson, Last 5 fights (1-4), Last 10 fights (3-7), Overall (14-9)
• Ken Shamrock, Last 5 fights (0-5), Last 10 fights (2-8), Overall (26-13-2)

His first 4 opponents have won a total of 2 out of their last 20 fights and 12 out of their last 40 fights. That being said, I don’t blame Kimbo for his recent opposition. I think Slice is an exciting fighter and I like to watch him fight. I just think it is time for him to be tested so that he can advance as a fighter.

Winning all of his fights isn’t going to help him grow as a fighter. I think one loss to an elite level fighter would help him more than his first four victories combined.

In the end EliteXC just can’t allow Kimbo to lose, which is why they chose Shamrock over Brett Rogers and Sean Gannon who were originally considered as opponents for Slice. A loss for Kimbo would mean a significant loss in future PPV sales. With the organization planning a PPV show in early 2009, this would be a major set back.

Shamrock vs Kimbo Slice will headline EliteXC’s third installment of "Saturday Night Fights" on October 4 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL.