642 shares SHARE TWEET SMS SEND EMAIL HOUSTON – Kevin “” Ferguson may have outlasted first-time headliner Dhafir “” Harris in the cage at Bellator 149, but not by much. Both men were severely exhausted by the time Slice (6-2 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) landed a combination that at the 1:32 mark of the third round. 5000 (2-1 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) required oxygen both in the cage and backstage after the bout. Asked why he tired so quickly in the Bellator cage, Slice pointed to mismatches in the gym and said the Spike-televised headliner at Houston’s Toyota Center was a learning experience. “It lets me know that I have to continue to train with a little bit bigger guys, get used to that weight,” he told MMAjunkie following the Spike-televised main event. “He’s a pretty strong dude; he took punches better than I thought, but hard work in training camp pays off. “It was really his weight. I underestimated the weight. It’s all good. It went three rounds, I did good, but I underestimated his weight.” MMA fanswho’ve witnessed for Slice’s career might remember the another time he went into deep waters, lumbering through a 2008 bout with James Thompson before a TKO victory under the now-defunct EliteXC banner. Both that matchup and Friday’s contest resembled each other at times for the wild-swinging punches and exhaustion that followed in the cage. A three-rounder in 2009 with Houston Alexander in the UFC’s octagon was a far more tactical affair, though it was equally tough to watch. Slice doesn’t plan to take any time off after dispatching his rival, targeting a July return and more time in the gym to improve his MMA skills – which have always been a work in progress – under American Top Team veteran (and career featherweight) Mike Brown. Slice said despite his flagging energy, he was never in danger of giving up. “Losing is not an option for me,” he said. “You’ve got to really just beat the hell out of me. I’m not going to give up. I don’t care of you have a submission – you’re going tohave to break it or choke me out and put me to sleep – and if you’ve got better hands, you’re going to have to knock me silly for the ref to stop it. I’m that type of fighter. I’m not going to ever give up. As long as I can breathe, and I can get back to my feet, we’re going to go.” With more time to get some natural oxygen, Slice was refreshed at the post-fight podium. It was his second win in the Bellator cage after a knockout of UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock this past June. And while his return was not one for the highlight reels, it may have breathed a little more life into his improbable MMA career. For additional coverage of , check out the section of the site. , , , , , ,   More News