MMAPredictions

Today Sam Caplan is confirming the news that appeared yesterday on OnTheMat.com that EliteXC is no longer.

So I wonder…

• Since EliteXC bought all those other regional promotions (King of the Cage, ICON, SpiritMC, etc), are those areas now bereft of MMA? If so, would the sport of MMA have been better if there were never an EliteXC?
• What happens to women’s MMA, and fighters like Gina Carano and Shayna Baszler? While EliteXC did do a great job of getting women’s MMA in front of millions of faces, to be honest there is no large outlet anymore for women. The UFC won’t touch them at this point.
• Most importantly, where in the world will we be able to watch KrazyHorse!?!?!??

- Caleb

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Kelly Kobold and Gina Carano square off at the weigh-ins. Image courtesy EliteXC.

PRESS RELEASE

Nine of the 10 fighters who will compete on CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS this Saturday, Oct. 4, attended Wednesday’s final press conference at the BankAtlantic Center at Sunrise, Fla.

The third installment of CBS’s primetime mixed martial arts event will be broadcast live from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

The televised lineup for CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS: Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock (heavyweights); EliteXC 170-pound champion Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley; Andrei Arlovski vs. Roy “Big Country” Nelson (heavyweights); Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold (140 pounds); and Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Benji Radach (middleweights).

Tickets start at $30 and are available at StubHub and at the BankAtlantic Center box offices (phone number (954) 835-7825).

The BankAtlantic Center box offices’ normal business hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The box office will be open the day of the event beginning at 10 a.m. The first live fight begins at 6 p.m. ET.

What the fighters had to say Wednesday:

KIMBO SLICE
“Ken’s fighting in Florida, which is no place for an old man. I’m mentally prepared and ready to do it and represent the crib. It’s going to be ‘305’ (his area code) all day.

“I work all the time on being an all-around fighter. I am very competitive by nature so I train very hard and have the best coaches (Bas Rutten and Randy Khatami).

“I am going to get criticized all the time, but I enjoy MMA and try to represent the sport the best way I can. I have kids. I want to be the best kind of example I can be.

“I do not feel like I am carrying (this promotion, the sport, etc). Gina, all these fighters, we are all in this together.

“I am going to win this fight in any fashion I can. I want to annihilate him and win by knockout, but if I win it on the ground, that is all good, too.

“I come from a bare-knuckle background, so fighting with gloves is like hitting with mittens.”

KEN SHAMROCK
“Kimbo has gained a lot of notoriety, but, in my opinion, he doesn’t deserve it. Snap, crackle pop. I am going to walk across the ring, hit him on his ugly beard and break his leg.

“I love to fight, that’s what I do. I want to thank CBS and EliteXC for putting me on this card. It is going to be a great one. I really appreciate all my fans’ support throughout all the ups and downs.

“What CBS is doing is really giving back to the fans. To just be able to turn on the TV and watch is a great thing.

“Most of the talking has all been said, so I will save the rest of my talking until Saturday.’’

JAKE SHIELDS
“It’s great to be back fighting on CBS and defending my title. I’m in great shape and ready to fight. I’m on a roll and want to keep it going.

“Having CBS involved has obviously been huge for this sport. Now, people of all ages are watching where, before, maybe only the hard-core fans paid attention.

“I know a lot of people watching now that never watched or maybe didn’t pay that much attention. Fans are getting an education and a good look at what MMA is all about, and I am proud to be part of it.’’

PAUL “SEMTEX’’ DALEY
“This is a huge opportunity for me and a huge fight for the fans in the UK. At the moment, I am very relaxed. I try not to focus too much on the magnitude of this fight, or the exposure I am going to get fighting on CBS. I don’t want to get nervous.

“For me, it was always about collecting belts and fighting the best and Jake is most certainly one of the best in the world. I want to make my country proud and want to thank ProElite, EliteXC and CBS for giving me the chance. I am very excited and looking forward to Saturday.’’

GINA CARANO
“It is an honor for me to be at the dais with all these great fighters. I am looking forward to an amazing match. I would like to thank CBS and EliteXC for continuing to give us the platform to show what we can do. Having two women’s fights on this card says a lot.

“Whether you’re in the arena or watching on television, it’s going to be a great night of fights.’’

KELLY KOBOLD
“Thanks to CBS and EliteXC, I do not have to explain to everyone what I do. The exposure women’s MMA is getting has been fantastic and has opened a lot of doors for us. We are legitimate fighters. I am absolutely thrilled to be part of this event. I would be very disappointed and surprised if this wasn’t the best fight of the night.’’

ANDREI ARVLOSKI
“Fighting on CBS is a very big opportunity for me and very exciting. I promise I will show a great fight.

“They are talking like the winner of my fight will face Fedor, but I have heard that kind of talk before. I have learned not to believe anything until it happens. So I will wait and see and continue to only focus on Saturday and on Roy.

“I am happy to be on a show with so many great fighters. Fans new to the sport or fans who know the sport very well are in for a great fight. I want to thank all the fans for their support.’’

MURILO “NINJA” RUA
“I’ve trained very hard for this fight and will show the fans how much I have prepared. I have a good opponent. This could be the fight of the night.’’

BENJI RADACH
“This is an excellent matchup and style-wise should be a tough and exciting fight. Ninja is strong and big with heavy hands and comes to fight. But I feel I match up with him very well and will control the fight.

“Obviously, I am looking forward to fighting on CBS and getting the exposure that comes from fighting on CBS, and making my EliteXC debut.

“Being on CBS means even the casual fans, or sports fans unfamiliar with us, can watch. It is a tremendous deal for the fighters, fans, everybody.’’

CRIS CYBORG
“I am very happy to be fighting on this card and thank everyone involved for making it happen. I expect a hard fight. I want to win and then fight Gina. That would be a fight the fans would love to see.’’

Gina Carano at the workout session for the press this week. Photo courtesy EliteXC.

“Everyone has their own niche in life. I just seem to gravitate towards physical violence.” So says Gina Carano, one of the major attractions on the upcoming EliteXC on CBS.

At a recent conference call held for the press, Carano gave the impression she is training hard at Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture and takes her opponent seriously. Here are some quotes from the call:

“I’ve got one of the toughest fights of my life coming up. I’m coming ready to fight. I’m going to give it my all.”

“I’ve handled the press and won’t let it get to my head. I’m just living my life and doing my best.”

“It’s been unbelievable to be at the forefront of women’s MMA. Raising the recognition of the sport has been a blessing. The fan support has been amazing. I’m standing up here because of the fans.”

“There is something so pure and honest about two women fighting. The fans just love it.”

“My dad told me to stay in school because he wanted the best from me. But I think I’ve learned some of the best lessons in life from fighting. I don’t have the college degree I was going for, but I have the experiences.”

“America is a strange place to be when you are a star. I wish our culture would respect people as human beings and not as objects. When you’re in the spotlight they love you, but that is very short lived.”

“This training camp has been going very well. I have a lot of knowledge of what I’ve been doing right and what I’ve been doing wrong.”

“I’m a fighter. My job is to fight.”

“EliteXC is doing great things for the sport. I’m not trying to be a promoter. I just put on a good show and hope that people watch it.”

“I am a recognized female in the sport, but I don’t think that I am the face of women’s MMA. It’s just a label. I’m Gina Carano. You can label me that.”

“I am a different person everyday. I may not look my best at a weigh in, but I’ll be good the next day.”

“Kelly Kobold is well rounded and she is coming to fight. I’m glad I’m going to be tested.”

“My game plan is to fight a good fight. I’ve been studying her style, how she reacts under pressure and when she gets hit, but nothing compares to when you get in there and the fight starts.”

“I’m a fighter first and foremost. American Gladiators was a good experience. I’m motivated by learning experiences, not by money or fame, so it opened my mind to a lot of things.”

Will Gina be able to keep her undefeated streak alive? Kobold, from Minnesota, is a tough fighter indeed with three times Carano’s MMA experience!

- Caleb

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Well the television audience numbers for EliteXC CBS Saturday Night Fights were not much to speak of, but there is a silver lining for the folks at EliteXC: the California State Athletic Commission is reporting that the following athletes’ tests for banned substances came back clean:

• Rafael “Feijao” Custodio
• Travis Galbraith
• Wilson Reis
• Brian Caraway

EliteXC’s next show is supposed to include the return of its two most popular names, Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano, although their opponents have not been officially revealed yet.

- Caleb

Wondering what is up with your prediction data? Read this!

Here are the details if you want to watch the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights tonight!

SHOWTIME fights begin at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Three fights will be shown there during a one hour show:

• Antonio Silva vs Justin Eilers
• Travis Galbraith vs Rafael Feijao Custodio
• Wilson Reis vs. Brian Caraway

The fights on CBS will run from 9 p.m.-11 p.m. ET/PT and include:

• Scott Smith vs Robbie Lawler
• Shayna Baszler vs Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos
• Thomas Denny vs Nick Diaz
• Nick Thompson vs Jake Shields

- Caleb

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Thomas Denny (l) poses with Nick Diaz at the weigh-ins. Image courtesy EliteXC.

Well Nick Diaz has been saying it for a while now: he does not like it when MMA fighters like Thomas Denny decorate themselves for the purpose of getting attention.

The two fighters were supposed to fight in early 2007 at the Gracie Fighting Championships, an encounter which never materialized. In the interviews leading up to the fight, Diaz stated that Denny, “seems like the type that juices up, dyes his hair, and is basically a walking billboard.”

Tomorrow night the two Californian MMA fighters will have a chance to finally work out their differences live on national television at CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights, which begins at 9pm Eastern and Pacific.

- Caleb

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Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano will be signing autographs for fans before the seven fights start tomorrow at the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights tomorrow.

They will be there to offer autographs for fans from 2:30 p.m. PT until 3:15 p.m. PT, which is when the first fight starts at the Stockton Arena.

Fights from the event will be televised on SHOWTIME premium cable television channel for one hour and another two hours will be displayed on CBS.

California’s Jake Shields will take on Minnesota’s Nick Thompson. Shields, whose training partner Nick Diaz will also be fighting that evening, said he has been spending time with Jon Fitch to prepare for Thompson.

Thompson, who has been competing in MMA all over the world since March 2003, is now splitting his time between fighting and studying for the bar exam to become a lawyer.

- Caleb

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In an interview with The FightWorks Podcast to be released on Sunday, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and MMA fighter Wilson Reis stated that he recently learned he will be fighting on the upcoming CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights to air live on July 26th.

Reis stated that his opponent has not been finalized but will likely be either Bao Quach or Mark Oshiro.

Reis was raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil but has resided in Philadelphia in recent years and trains at BJJ United. He obtained his black belt under Roberto Godoi.

A rematch between Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler has been officially announced by EliteXC for this event. In their first encounter, Lawler garnered 88% of predictors’ confidence here on MMAPredictions.com. However that encounter ended in a No Contest due to an accidental thumb to Smith’s eye, which ended the fight.

- Caleb

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This is the third in a new series of MMA commentary here on MMAPredictions called TKO: Tall Kid’s Opinion. Our commentator Eric Davidson is way too tall and way too brainy. Readers are encouraged to agree or disagree with his comments in our MMA Forum. - Caleb

Recent Events Begin to Paint Contrasting Colors

Recently, after EliteXC’s Return of the King, Nick Diaz appeared on the stage (and I emphasize stage) and blasted the recent victor, K.J. Noons, and his family in an apparent effort to promote their upcoming fight. What ensued made my stomach churn; Diaz’s provocations caused an uproar between the two families that exploded into a physical altercation that I was half expecting Jimmy from the Jerry Springer show to break up. Watching Noons’ father grabbing Diaz by the hair and conduct his own form of fighting was sickening.

Nick Diaz has come out saying that none of it was staged, that he was merely asked by producers to go out to the ring and promote their future fight. If you believe that then I have some cage-side seats to sell you for the Kimbo Slice/Jerry Lawler fight in August. This is the same group who use fireworks and dancing girls (see previous T.K.O.) to demonstrate the extreme nature that is their fighting atmosphere. Maybe Nick Diaz was right, maybe he really had no idea that he was walking into a Hatfield-McCoy type situation. In my mind’s eye, I can see an executive from CBS entertainment sitting in a large plush chair overlooking the events, stroking his long haired cat and slyly grinning to himself as a poster of Vince McMahon looms in the background. Okay, so maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it isn’t too far off from what the EliteXC is looking to become. I’m sure it was hard for Goldberg not to try and bounce off the cage and clothesline someone as they were running across the ring.

In the UFC, more specifically, The Ultimate Fighter, we see for the first time, a contestant kicked off the program after the show was over. Jesse Taylor, a fighter who looked promising going into the finals, was booted from broadcast following a drunken parade of poor behavior that is unbecoming of a professional fighter. In the video taken from what looks to be a hotel security camera, Taylor kicks out one of the windows of a limousine before running inside of the casino, wresting about with some of the other contestants, and hitting a slot machine. Forrest Griffin said it best after watching the video, “Alcohol is bad!” Dana White, who had a talk with the finalists before setting them loose in Las Vegas about proper conduct, kicked Mr. Taylor off of the show shortly after showing the video to the coaches.

I’ve been reading on the forums that some people have found this to be a case of punishment not fitting the crime. I couldn’t disagree more. Dana White is constantly fighting an uphill battle to keep a positive image (which has been discussed in this column more than once).

With groups like the EliteXC making a show of the sport, and the upcoming Affliction: Banned, which despite a decent fight card is having Megadeth perform at their event, the question becomes “what is the true face of Mixed Martial Arts on television right now?” (I, unlike my superior, and I use that term loosely, am not a huge Megadeth fan, sorry Caleb.) So, at the moment, I will continue to give my backing to the UFC and the WEC, despite the recent toy line…Mr. White. Winner by T.K.O.: the UFC and its subsidiaries.

- Eric

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This is the second in a new series of MMA commentary here on MMAPredictions called TKO: Tall Kid’s Opinion. Our commentator Eric Davidson is way too tall and way too brainy. Readers are encouraged to agree or disagree with his comments in our MMA Forum. - Caleb

I like to think that there are two kinds of MMA fans out there: The ones who enjoy an EliteXC event, and those who try everything not to go into a catatonic coma in between the actual Elite XC fights. What I am referring to is the showy, hammed up, urban themed, hip-hop, flashily lit, drawn-out, WWE styled walk outs that CBS Entertainment somehow deems crucial to a fighting arena.

For the MMA purist, this is torture. For anyone who has had any kind of fighting background (a serious fighting background, not just some bar brawls over who-spilled-whose Red Bull and vodka), watching these athletes come out dancing to the latest rap song or heavy metal tune is almost a slap in the face to martial arts. Yes, a good entrance is an entertaining way of introducing a fighter to the arena; something that sets the tone for who the fighter is, or just something to get him pumped up as he enters the arena. However, CBS Entertainment must think that the MMA crowd has the mind of a five-year old; enticing our minds with bright lights, fireworks, and loud music.

Kimbo Slice lays it on James Thompson at CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights. Photo courtesy EliteXC and Tom Casino.

Let’s take a look at what a well trained fight is. Having two competitors who’ve trained for months for a (max of) twenty five minutes in the ring together, both utilizing their preferred styles of combat, is a special happening that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Combat is one of, if not the oldest forms of interaction between mankind. Now that we’ve become civilized fighting is a sport, a way for two people to compete doing something they love. If it was a Spartan-sport there would be no cameras, just two men, a floor, and a cage.

However, since there are pockets to be filled one must appease the crowds and mass audiences that hold the means to fill these pockets. The UFC and the WEC do a very good job of balancing the two. The walk out is just the fighters taking the path from the back to the front, much like an NBA team does before a game. This pumps up the crowd and gets the fans eager to support their chosen player. The same goes for MMA. Then we move on to the dancing girls. Oh the dancing girls. If you are sitting at home or in the stands and watching the girls bump and shake every wiggly part of their body, and thinking to yourself “This is why I love this sport,” stop watching. Or, if you must continue to watch, please don’t go out and tell people that you’re a huge MMA fan. This is embarrassing for those of us who have a great love for the ideal of martial arts, not just a way to watch two guys pummel each other for 3-5 rounds. It seems as if the EliteXC panders to the latter crowd exclusively.

Those of you who watched the most recent EliteXC broadcast, you may have noticed that the championship bout was not the main event. Instead, EliteXC held their ratings trump card (a.k.a. – Kimbo Slice) until the end of the night. Was it worth the wait? Not even close. Watching Slice and James Thompson duke it out was not a far cry from Kimbo’s street fighting days. I don’t like reviewing the EliteXC for a reason, it would take too long for me to get anything out of the muck that goes around the actual fights. Therefore, I won’t get into why the fight was bad. Youtube it if you must.

All of these things seem to come down to one major point, one thing that puts the EliteXC at the bottom wrung of the MMA broadcasters: lack of respect for the sport. Instead of realizing what makes this sport stand alone from others, and using this to build a concrete arena for the viewers and practitioners, their mentality seems to be just make everything, bigger, louder, and more “extreme.” Winner by T.K.O.: all the other MMA broadcasters.

- Eric

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