The distant clattering you hear is the sound of jaws dropping all over mixed martial arts.

UFC President Dana White, a man who takes obvious pleasure in making “big announcements” that he often claims will “shock the world,” actually made good on one this week when he publicly – and without warning – confirmed that Kimbo Slice will be a contestant on the next season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality show. 

Yes, you read that right. Slice – the Internet sensation turned MMA fighter turned disgraced pariah after his 14-second loss to Seth Petruzelli at EliteXC’s final show last October – has agreed to shack up at the UFC’s pad in Las Vegas with 15 other up-and-coming heavyweights and fight it out to see who pockets a “lucrative” six-figure contract with the company. 

In a sport that is often bizarre, or at least claims to be, it may well be the strangest plot twist in history. 

Slice, who became the first MMA fighter to headline a card on network television in just his third pro bout and was publicly mocked by White throughout EliteXC’s disastrous bid to make him a superstar, will shed his personal belongings for the next several weeks and bunk with a crew of low-profile Joes while cameras record the entire process. 

Three days later – even as I type it now – it still seems like a crazy dream. Kimbo in the Octagon? On “The Ultimate Fighter,” no less? Can this really be happening? 

Believe it. The Slice Man already made an initial appearance on White’s popular video blog this week. In it, he’s seen rolling dice on a hotel room table while his ever-present entourage (Team Kimbo) loiters in the background. 

“I gotta eat somehow,” Slice says by way of explaining his sudden arrival in the UFC. “Man, there’s a recession on.” 

Times must be particularly tough for a man who was once arguably MMA’s most recognizable face, once made the rounds as a guest on the late-night talk show circuit and graced the cover of ESPN the Magazine. White said this week that Slice isn’t even being paid to appear on the UFC’s show, that he’ll take his chances with the customary $5,000 stoppage bonus for each fight, just like everybody else. 

For the UFC, those relatively low stakes make this a no-lose situation. Putting Slice in the TUF house under scheduled coaches Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans instantly revitalizes a TV franchise that had started to feel stale and past-its-prime in recent seasons. 

While Online betting sites are already laying odds on whether Slice makes the finals of the tournament, the results don’t really even matter the UFC. Even if Slice loses his first or second fight on the show, the company will still drive up its ratings and profit from booking him in a bout on the live finale. 

If Slice goes two-and-out, White can always say “I told you so,” and ship him off to the land of the terminally overrated. If he turns out to be the real deal, his professional life belongs to the UFC. It’s an enviable situation that White and company seem to find themselves in a lot these days.

For Slice the stakes are only marginally higher. Obviously his reputation will suffer if he doesn’t fare well on the show, but his reputation has already been dragged through the mud in the wake of his embarrassing loss to Petruzelli. Plus, something tells me Slice will always be something of a draw, not matter how many times he loses. Fans love a hard-slugging heavyweight. Just look at Tank Abbott. 

At this point, it seems unquestionable that season 10 will be the greatest installment of “The Ultimate Fighter” ever. Win, lose or draw Slice is certain to make things interesting. 

Just make sure there are enough bunk beds in the TUF house for Team Kimbo.

Chad Dundas edits the blog mma-america.com and writes a weekly MMA column for CraveOnline. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.