Winston Duke, aka ‘Black Panther’ bae M’Baku, to star as Kimbo Slice in new biopic

Black Panther bae Winston Duke has secured a role as the bearded MMA fighter Kimbo Slice.

Jul 10, 2018

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According to Deadline, Black Panther bae Winston Duke has secured a role as bearded street fighter turned MMA fan favorite Kimbo Slice in the upcoming Backyard Legend biopic.

Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson rose to fame on the internet posting videos of his savage knockout victories. He died unexpectedly in 2016 at the age of 42.

Duke, who played M’Baku in Marvel’s billion-dollar blockbuster Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War,is an especially good pick because he has the acting chops and the physique fit to play the MMA fighter.

Kimbo Slice’s Story

“It’s a rich and layered tale about this man’s incredible journey from a poor neighborhood in Miami to becoming a worldwide phenomenon. We are ecstatic that Winston has decided to take on this both physically and emotionally challenging role. We simply could not find a better Kimbo!” said producer Steve Lee Jones of Bee Holder Productions.
Duke adds “I’m looking forward to exploring Kimbo’s story and interrogating the expectations society places on men like him who are their own special breed of hero.”

Slice was a strip club bouncer who began competing in unsanctioned street fights in 2003. Videos of his savage knockout victories in the bouts became wildly popular online. He studied MMA and eventually competed in the UFC and Bellator, which staged his last two fights.

Slice died suddenly in June 2016 from heart failure and a liver mass. Before dying Slice was prepping to fight James Thompson in the main event Bellator 158. His family, however, had mixed emotions as his health continued to deteriorate, reports Deadline.

From Deadline:

”White Boy Rick scribe Andy Weiss is writing the screenplay about the Bahamian-born backyard brawler who rose from homelessness to mixed martial arts fame after his brutal backyard fights drew a huge YouTube audience. Though he battled high blood pressure for years, Kimbo Slice insisted on boxing months before his death, winning a three-round heavyweight match against Dhafir “Dada 5000” Harris at Bellator 149 in Houston.”

Michael Imber, Kimbo’s longtime friend, manager and employer, will also be prominently depicted in the picture (the role has yet to be cast), will also serve as an executive producer, according to Deadline.