Did anyone watch The Ultimate Fighter on Spike last night? I was waiting all week to see it. I remember the first time I saw a Kimbo fight on Youtube (Kimbo Fights), it was pretty awesome, and scary. It looked like the guy that fought Kimbo in the video almost lost an eye… for a better explanation, his eye was about to pop out of his broken face… Kimbo was a mysterious, scary dude…

Last night on Ultimate fighter, I saw Kimbo as a sweetheart. Really, he seemed like a really likable guy. His fighting skills are lacking when put in the ring with professionals but really having skill is only half the battle in the world of professional sports and media. Kimbo could have easily made mid 6 figures from Pay-Per-View sales on his lackluster fight. Ticket sales and fan fare have a lot to do with it also. Kimbo brings that to the octagon, at least he did until last night.

Kimbo used social media to become a fan favorite. Youtube in particular. I’m not sure he has a twitter account, let alone a computer or cellphone. He probably had no idea that his Internet videos would create such a buzz. If he did know he is a genius, up there with Tila Tequila, Kim Kardashian and the guy from Saved by the bell, Skreach, I think he was called.

The questions are:

how can someone that is such a badass on Youtube, seem like such a cool guy on TV, and in general, in person?
Did the badass persona help or hurt Kimbo?
Did it raise up his status to beyond what he could back up?
Should he go back to YouTube and fight in people’s backyards again?
Bottom line, what is Kimbo’s future????

I’m slowing learning how social media can benefit businesses. there are so many ways, but not one silver bullet to make your business skyrocket to the top. In the case for Kimbo, what can he do to keep this train rolling?

My answer:

He needs to ride his nice (sweetheart) personality all the way, but every now and then freak out and do something controversial. It works both ways. You can be good and go bad, or be bad and do something good. In a world with social media websites, you can guarantee no matter what you do they will make the news 10X bigger then it really is.

1. Terrel Owens… Hasn’t done Sh*t in the last 3 years, yet somehow he is regarded as one of the top receivers in the NFL? How does he do it. He uses the media all the time. He baits them to ask the controversial questions, and he gvive cryptic responses that leaves the media to create thier own views. Then every sports show, internet site, twitter account is giving their view of what T.O. said…
2. Tila Tequila… Whether you thinks shes a walking STD or internet marketing genius, you have to admit, everything she does gets amplified 100X. Last night on twitter she trended because she used her baby picture for your profile avatar. WOW!!! As soon as she fades away, she’s back, drunk as hell pressing charges against NFL linebackers. She’s lovable and loathable everyother day, and it works, we can’t get enough.
3. Mike Tyson… From Rape, streetfights, to heart warming documentaries, to losing his daughter… You never know what to expect from Iron Mike. He was around long before anyone else, and will be around long after.

The list goes on and on. I don’t even have to mention Mike Vick. Also, you can see that I do consider TV as social media. We all watch TV now with our laptops tweeting away. TV is as much social media as Facebook is.

Back to Kimbo… Kimbo will probably fade from The Ultimate Fighter, along the shows viewers, but what would happen if Kimbo goes MIA for a while, then all of a sudden he appears on Youtube again, kickin someones ass. It would go viral, it would make the news, it would trend on Twitter whether Kimbo new it or not. It would probably get him another shot at the UFC.

The videos of Kimbo on Youtube have given Kimbo the opportunity to make millions. Book deals, clothing, video games, are just a few of the potential products kimbo can market all from being a badass on Youtube.