Proof of some justice in the world: for at least fifteen minutes Wednesday night, more Americans thought it would be more entertaining to watch a mixed martial arts contest than the tired, canned-ham patter of Jay Leno. Spike TV’s “Ultimate Fighter” -- for rock dwellers, the site of a Kimbo Slice bout against Roy Nelson -- drew a high of 6.1 million viewers during the fight quarter; Leno drew a piddling 5.9 million. As if we even care.
Slice was unable to break his own personal-best record, as roughly 7.2 million viewers watched him burst the ear of James Thompson during a 2008 CBS telecast.
A sad but true fact: personalities will always sell more than accomplishments. Something about Slice makes people want to see him fight. Winning doesn’t seem to matter much. Good work if you can get it.