The MMA Thread

[thedeadite]

I truly hope this doesn't come out to be true.

I have little to no respect for how EliteXC promotes their product. I think they have been handpicking opponents to build their promotion around a rookie and it really isn't fair to the established fighters that have worked hard most of their lives for where they are and isn't fair to Kimbo for having to take the weight of being their star guy when he is so green in the sport.

If this all does end up being true it could mean a big step back in the public's view of mma. There are still a lot of people who see it as either too violent or in the same vein of pro-wrestling. A company being caught fixing fights could push this perception further.

 

[BlackLantern]

my opinion of MMA is crafted by their fans....and their fans are *******s....raging *******s...it's cultivated this "I wanna be a badass" mindset that every gym rat with a tribal tattoo thinks he's an MMA fighter...

 

[Bcather]

my opinion of MMA is crafted by their fans....and their fans are *******s....raging *******s...it's cultivated this "I wanna be a badass" mindset that every gym rat with a tribal tattoo thinks he's an MMA fighter...

I see up and coming fighters have this exact mind frame you just described. Which is why only a few MMA fighters get my repsect such as

Fedor
Anderson Silva
Wanderlie Silvia
Quinten Jackson
and GSP GSP GSP GSP GSP GSP!

 

[BlackLantern]

Gsp??

 

[Bcather]

Gsp??

GEORGES ST. PIERRE!!!! come on man

 

[BlackLantern]

I'm more of a casual watcher...not up on all the nicknames

 

[NDX]

http://www.411mania.com/MMA/news/88...hat-EliteXC-Is-Officially-Out-Of-Business.htm

The following comes from Josh Gross of SI.com:

ProElite, EliteXC out of business

Less than two years following the formation of ProElite, Inc., the group notified employees and fighters Monday it was shutting its doors effective immediately, multiple sources confirmed to SI.com.

ProElite was an entertainment and media company founded in partnership with Showtime Networks and spearheaded by the mixed martial arts promotional brand EliteXC.

Representatives for ProElite, EliteXC and Showtime did not return calls for comment.

Through its partnership with Showtime and later CBS, which in 2008 agreed to broadcast four live EliteXC events in primetime, EliteXC gained a tremendous amount of visibility. The company, however, hemorrhaged tens of millions of dollars during its 22 months in operation.

In September, Showtime, which owned a 20 percent stake in ProElite, entered into preliminary negotiations to purchase a controlling interest in the company. When those negotiations failed, said a source inside ProElite who asked not to be identified, funding dried up and the company was forced out of business.

Beginning with Rumble on the Rock, ProElite purchased numerous MMA promotional brands around the world, including King of the Cage, Cage Rage, ICON, and Spirit MC. While these companies remained in operation, the focus was EliteXC, which held 17 events starting with its first card Feb. 10, 2007.

EliteXC's third card with CBS on Oct. 4 was also its last as a promoter. Headlined by the controversial Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, the event made headlines with discussion surrounding the legitimacy of the main event between Ferguson and Seth Petruzelli. The bout is currently under investigation by the Florida State Athletic Commission.

After debuting on May 31 to an audience of 6.5 million viewers, EliteXC's ratings on CBS fell significantly in its second effort drawing just 2.7 million in July. In its last event the numbers appeared to bounce back nicely, with an average audience of 4.5 million.

Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of programming operations at CBS, declined to comment on ProElite's demise.

EliteXC was scheduled to promote its final event of the year Nov. 8 on Showtime, however the manager for lightweight Nick Diaz, who was scheduled to fight Eddie Alvarez that night for the organization's 160-pound belt, said he was told the event would not take place absent a last-minute "miracle" investor.

 

[Dr. Evil]

Kimbo Slice = New Bob Sapp over in Japan
Gina Carano = Future UFC Ring Girl

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

If this all does end up being true it could mean a big step back in the public's view of mma. There are still a lot of people who see it as either too violent or in the same vein of pro-wrestling.

welll now it's got more in common with professional boxing than we thought. This is a HUGE blow to MMA in general if this is proven to have been fixed. EliteXC was really the first mainstream exposure of the "sport" and if its found out to be fraudulent, you wont have a big network touch MMA for a long time. It'll be back to the Versus Network and Spike TV.

Kimbo Slice = New Bob Sapp over in Japan

Gina Carano = Future UFC Ring Girl

Something tells me we'll see a "Where Are They Now?" segment on some sports show in 5 or 6 years and Kimbo Slice will be either working at a car wash or in prison.

As for Gina, I think she may be the only one to come out of this for the better. Her exposure was off the charts. I'm sure some other MMA circuit will pick her up and not as just a ring girl.

 

[BlackLantern]

maybe this is a case of MMA getting too big for its briches....every so often, one has to learn ones place in the universe

 

[Marx]

Kimbo Slice = New Bob Sapp over in Japan
Gina Carano = Future UFC Ring Girl

As for Gina, I think she may be the only one to come out of this for the better. Her exposure was off the charts. I'm sure some other MMA circuit will pick her up and not as just a ring girl.

I'm with Hulk on this one. I have a hard time believing that Carano will be 'a ring girl'.

 

[Whirlysplat]

maybe this is a case of MMA getting too big for its briches....every so often, one has to learn ones place in the universe

All MMA needs is tighter quality control. It is a valid sport and extremely technical. The very best are incredibly skilled and it proves the old boxing adage styles make fights. As a good exponent in many styles can beat a poor exponent in many others. It also shows how athleticism can often triumph over skill with the brawl and sprawl style. It has changed so much since the early nineties. I think it will change even more. Strikers have made a comeback and I can't wait till a top notch boxer enters the MMA arena. It will happen!

 

[BlackLantern]

All MMA needs is tighter quality control. It is a valid sport and extremely technical. The very best are incredibly skilled and it proves the old boxing adage styles make fights. As a good exponent in many styles can beat a poor exponent in many others. It also shows how athleticism can often triumph over skill with the brawl and sprawl style. It has changed so much since the early nineties. I think it will change even more. Strikers have made a comeback and I can't wait till a top notch boxer enters the MMA arena. It will happen!

I wasn't talking about the sport...I meant in terms of business and public perception. MMA still has a bit of a stigma to overcome. EliteXCs problems, IMO, came from buying those smaller promotions and keeping them going with their own bankroll. What they should have done was buy those smaller companies, disolve them, and cherry pick the best fighters. I think UFC and WEC do well because they are focused on catering to their specific audiences

 

[Whirlysplat]

I wasn't talking about the sport...I meant in terms of business and public perception.

Absolutely true. People still relate it to bare knuckle boxing, cornish wrestling and "real" Vale Tudo. All of which I enjoy watching far more than MMA.

EliteXCs problems, IMO, came from buying those smaller promotions and keeping them going with their own bankroll. What they should have done was buy those smaller companies, disolve them, and cherry pick the best fighters. I think UFC and WEC do well because they are focused on catering to their specific audiences

Elite XC was a joke. It was nearly as funny as the WWE.

 

[BlackLantern]

I do not know what its perception of MMA in the UK is...but here in the US it still has a bit of a negative perception....

 

[Whirlysplat]

I do not know what its perception of MMA in the UK is...but here in the US it still has a bit of a negative perception....

Yup, it has a negative perception here for some. However, given all the "popular" sports some people are negative towards in the U.K. it doesn't really affect it. Almost every working clas young man in the U.K. likes to fight and trains in something. The U.K. is very different to the U.S.

I own a house in a village on the edge of London. I know where to watch locally - a number of illegal sports including dog fighting. I also know where to watch real no holds barred fights.

Negativity is not really an issue here. The U.K. is a crazy place and I love it for being that.

 

[BlackLantern]

It is a bit different here....you have a lot of fast food martial arts instructors and schools trying to capitalize on the MMA craze...most people view it as something roid heads and frustrated frat boys watch....

 

[Whirlysplat]

It is a bit different here....you have a lot of fast food martial arts instructors and schools trying to capitalize on the MMA craze...most people view it as something roid heads and frustrated frat boys watch....

England really is a violent place and we English are a visceral lot. We love violence in sports, remember we once had the largest empire the worl has ever seen. It's our mentality to fight and we pass this on to the people who immigrate here. We as a nation see ourselves on some level as the worlds warrior elite. We see the fact we even fought the war of indepence against the U.S. given the logistics and numerical superiority of the settlers as amazing. We also love the fact the battle of Britain pilots won against 3:1 odds. We are a strange blood thirsty lot. Scratch below the surface of a lord or lady and you have a chav waiting to explode.

 

[BlackLantern]

England really is a violent place and we English are a visceral lot. We love violence in sports, remember we once had the largest empire the worl has ever seen. It's our mentality to fight and we pass this on to the people who immigrate here. We as a nation see ourselves on some level as the worlds warrior elite. We see the fact we even fought the war of indepence against the U.S. given the logistics and numerical superiority of the settlers as amazing. We also love the fact the battle of Britain pilots won against 3:1 odds. We are a strange blood thirsty lot. Scratch below the surface of a lord or lady and you have a chav waiting to explode.

Quite the bit of insight there.....so under all that British resolve and stiff upper lip and "we are not amused" facade....are people who like to hit stuff...? cool

 

[Whirlysplat]

Quite the bit of insight there.....so under all that British resolve and stiff upper lip and "we are not amused" facade....are people who like to hit stuff...? cool

Yes we really are, hence why we have such an insanely large professional army for such a small nation. Even our socialists love to fight. Think about how well we do in boxing for such a small nation or how we have the 4th largest economy in the world.... We got all this from our imperial past.

 

[JayCaz]

Kimbo needs to get on his knees & kiss either Vince Mcmahon's or Jeff Jarrett's BUTT and beg for a contract in WWE or TNA respectively. Can't see him making big bucks any other way.

 

[DeaDheaD]

He makes big enough bucks now...I hear it's 250,000 just to show up.

 

[Dr. Evil]

It is a bit different here....you have a lot of fast food martial arts instructors and schools trying to capitalize on the MMA craze...most people view it as something roid heads and frustrated frat boys watch....

and disgruntled pro wrestling fans.

 

[0neDisturbedSOB]

I see Kimbo going to Japan and becoming the next Bob Sapp. Japanese people love to watch big guys like Kimbo compete. He'd be more of a spectacle than a serious fighter, but IMO if he's making $250,000 or more, I doubt he'd care.

 

[BlackLantern]

I think what happened is that Elite XC thought that getting a special on network TV would help legitimize their brand and MMA...but network TV isn't the force it once was...UFC has done very well doing their broadcasts on Spike and doing their PPV's