CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Friends and fans mourned the loss of MMA fighter Kimbo Slice on Tuesday, a day after sources told Local 10 News that the fighter had died at a Coral Springs hospital.
"We're locals, we see Kimbo all the time. He is nice to my kids," Kimbo's neighbor, Janet Adair, said.
Sources told Local 10 News Monday night that Kimbo, whose real name was Kevin Ferguson, had a heart attack and that he had been living with an enlarged heart.
"(He was a) nice guy, gentle, he would do anything for us. I've seen him help people down here," Adair said.
Word of the 42-year-old's death was all the talk on sports radio as Kimbo was a popular MMA fighter who grew up in Miami and became famous after taking part in filmed backyard brawls.
"I could say (he was) a gentle bear. He was a big guy. He would look at you. It was an honest look. He would listen to you and he was compassionate," Adair said.
"Of course he is going to missed. He will definitely be missed. It's sad," Kimbo's friend, Nick Davors, said.
The president of Bellator, Scott Coker, released a statement after news of Kimbo's death broke, saying:
"We are all shocked and sadden by the devastating and untimely loss loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family. One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport. Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. His loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo's friends, fans and teammates."