Troubled rapper DMX the latest celeb trying to cash in on MMA
By Maggie Hendricks
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The rapper DMX is scheduled for a fight against Eric Martinez on the same card where Butterbean will take on Tank Abbott.
Go ahead, read that sentence again, and let it soak in.
Thunder Promotions, who is putting on this card in Birmingham, Ala. on Dec. 12, must not have been satisfied that the Butterbean/Tank Abbott bout was enough of a freak show fight. Eric "Butterbean" Esch, at 5'11", 350 lbs., will likely outweigh the veteran Abbott by nearly 100 lbs.
But nothing screams freak show fights like a celebrity bout. DMX, the rapper who once was a part of Ruff Ryders, has become better known for his run-ins with the law than his musical talents. Cocaine and marijuana possession, theft, animal cruelty, criminal weapon possession, DUI, parole violations and giving a false name and social security number at a hospital are all part of his past.
In a recent interview, DMX said that he is working on two albums now because "the streets need him." He didn't mention any training for MMA, but hey, who needs to train for a fight? The good news for DMX is that MMA is not regulated in Alabama, which is why freak show fights like this can happen. Drug testing is usually under the control of the state regulatory commissions, so DMX will most likely not have to take a drug test.
Reality TV star Spencer Pratt and baseball player Jose Canseco have also dipped their toes in the MMA pool. With Canseco, his fight ended in 77 seconds. Let's see if DMX can last that long.
