The fight was the Bellator debut of both men, both of whom hadn't fought for five years. Ken Shamrock entered the fight as undoubtedly the oldest man to ever compete in the Bellator cage, at fifty-one years of age.
The first round began. Shamrock tries a double early. Kimbo stuffs it to the clinch. Shamrock gets a trip, Kimbo standing and does to the clinch. They trade a knee each to the body. Ken knees the body. And another. 4:00. They break. Shamrock gets an easy telegraphed single, gets the back, both hooks. Working for a choke, flattens him out first. Works for the choke. Has it. It's in. Kimbo is grimacing, not tapping though, fighting the choke. Kimbo was almost out there. He's still conscious though. 3:00. Shamrock lost it. Kimbo turning out and stands, lands a right, another and another, another, right uppercut, left, right, another drops Shamrock. Goes in for another but the ref stops it. "I have evolved," Kimbo tells the cameras. 2:22 R1. Shamrock gave respect. "You gotta show respect to the guy who beat you." Expressed frustration about fucking up the submission.