Seth Petruzelli, a veteran of the UFC, Elite FC, Bellator, and K1, recently opened up about the dramatic aftermath of his infamous knockout victory over Kimbo Slice that derailed the popular fighter’s hype train and contributed to the downfall of the Elite XC promotion.
In a revealing interview on the MMA History Podcast, Petruzelli described the intense hostility he and his family faced following the shocking upset in 2008.
“My wife at the time was getting death threats, r*pe threats,” Petruzelli disclosed. “My brother was getting spit on, my sister was getting spit on. It was awful.”
The situation became so concerning that fight organizers took extraordinary security measures to ensure the family’s safety.
“I had like four cops that were hired to watch me that night, like stay around me the whole time at the hotel,” Petruzelli revealed. “We went out to have a couple drinks and the cops went with us and literally surrounded us the whole time making sure we’re okay.”
The bout, which Petruzelli took on extremely short notice after Ken Shamrock withdrew from the main event, ended with Petruzelli knocking out Slice just 14 seconds into the first round with a short right jab. The victory catapulted Petruzelli into the spotlight but also contributed to the demise of the Elite XC promotion, which had heavily invested in Slice as its marquee attraction.
Petruzelli also shared insights about the lead-up to the fight, revealing that he was originally scheduled for an undercard bout before being offered the last-minute opportunity to face Slice.
“I was literally putting my gloves on to warm up for my fight that I thought I had and they came in,” Petruzelli recalled. “They said, ‘Look, Ken’s hurt. We know you’re from Florida. We think that it’ll be a good fight since you’re both Florida guys. How would you feel about fighting him?'”
The fight agreement was so hastily arranged that the terms were written on a cocktail napkin rather than a formal contract. Despite the informal nature of the deal, Petruzelli received a significant payday that included a knockout bonus.
Following the event, Petruzelli described the somber atmosphere among the Elite XC executives: “All of them were sitting on a table drinking like literally like someone stole their pets. I went up to them like, ‘Hey guys, just so you know, I appreciate the opportunity you guys gave me and I’m going to be one of the best fighters I can be for you guys.’ And they’re just like, ‘Yeah.’ They look like they’re just so miserable and depressed.”
The Elite XC promotion folded shortly after the event, but Petruzelli has since found success outside the cage. He currently owns several MMA gyms in Orlando and has returned to his original passion of traditional Japanese karate, which he now teaches at his own dojo.
