MMA SUBMISSION: KIMBO SLICE GRACES THE COVER OF THE MAG!

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He might not be for real, but Kimbo is still good for MMA.

Psst, over here. Got a secret for you. Tomorrow, on ESPNthemag.com, we'll be posting the Kimbo Slice feature in the newest issue of ESPN The Magazine. Oh, did we mention that he's on the cover? Yep, only the second MMA fighter to ever be on our cover.

Okay, so MMA news sites and message boards have known about this and been arguing about our cover for two weeks now.

On our end, I'm really proud of the product in the magazine and on our site. The photos are amazing; our writer, Dan Le Batard, wrote a great story that really puts Kimbo's rise in perspective; and I think our two sidebars are solid. One is on Sean Gannon, the only man to ever beat Kimbo, and the other provides a web video guide to some of Kimbo's lesser-known clips. Even for those who've read a lot about Kimbo Slice, it's worth a look.

But I want to address the complaints that are already reverberating on the web from the die-hard MMA crowd. This bunch whines that Kimbo isn't any good, that he would get crushed by a decent UFC fighter, that there are 50 more deserving fighters out there, blah blah blah. And believe me, as the MMA editor, I know and understand those arguments because we've had those same discussions at The Magazine. But in the end, I got behind the story after reaching the same conclusion that you all should: Whether Kimbo's ground skills are legit or not, or whatever other criticisms you may have of him, it doesn't matter.

What does matter is this question: Is Kimbo Slice good for the sport? The answer is, yes, and it's not even really up for debate. He's popular and he's intriguing. People want to know about him and see him fight, and that's going to bring lots of eyeballs to the TV to watch him fight. And lots of eyeballs means lot of money, exposure and opportunities for the sport and fighters. Not sure how you could possibly argue that that's a bad thing, though I'm sure some would try.

As a member of the media who's fighting for more coverage of MMA, that's a constant frustration for me. Die-hard fans want it both ways. They scream when the sport doesn't get enough attention from the media. Yet when we do pay attention, the immediate reaction is usually aggravation and annoyance that the so-called "mainstream media" is clueless and doesn't understand the nuances of the sport. Basically, fans want to complain about a lack of respect for MMA, but also want to huddle in the corner of the sports world and cradle MMA as their little secret.

I guess the point is this: Even if Kimbo is a fraud who would be grounded-and-pounded by a middle-of- the-pack UFC fighter, he's generating excitement and discussion about mixed-martial arts. After his May 31 fight, regardless of the outcome, more people will be interested in the sport than they were on May 30. For MMA fans, I ask you this: How is that a bad thing?

CBS hopes for 3 to 4 million viewers for Kimbo's fight. I understand the need to keep expectations low, then get 5.5 million and spout off what a stunning success the show was. But man, three to four million? Personally, I think that'd be a disastrous figure. Realistically, the bar should be set at about seven million. Anything over that figure is tremendous. Anything below that would have to be a disappointment. My guess is that the fight does 7.5 to 8 million viewers.

• Lyoto Machida is a pretty fascinating fighter. As detailed in Dave Meltzer's column this week, he doesn't have a superstar personality, and his style isn't exactly thrilling. Instead, he's all business: a very talented technical fighter and a matchup nightmare for most guys. That's why I think he'll send Tito Ortiz out of the UFC this weekend on a bad note (I'll say unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards). Machida is a stick-and-move guy, not inclined to engaging in a brawl. Can that style succeed in the UFC? Yes and no. Yes, because he's going to be tough to beat and thus could stay unbeaten for a long time. But no, because he's going to struggle captivating hordes of fans.

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