My EliteXC: Heat Predictions

Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock

This is the crappiest main event I have ever seen in a big show.  I know that Kimbo and Shamrock are big draws because of their names, but these guys would be on the undercard of a UFC event if it was based on talent levels alone.  This fight is another gimme for Kimbo, but if Shamrock can take Kimbo down I think he can win and ground and pound him some.  I am torn with how to pick this fight.  The EliteXC is pulling for Kimbo and if he loses it will kill EliteXC.  Shamrock is old and has lost his last five fights.  He is on his way out of the fight game.  I would think he would want to win badly here though.  I am rooting for Ken in this one.  Kimbo’s cardio will be an issue as will his groudn game.  No doubt he can strike and hit hard, but Shamrock is very well experienced.  With that said, I still think Kimbo wins this fight by KO, however I wouldn’t bet any money on Kimbo. 

Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley

I believe Jake Shields is a top 5 welterweight in the world.  I’d love to see him against top notch competition, which he won’t get in EliteXC.  Paul Daley is a good fighter, but I do not think he is on Jake Shields’ level.  I think his previous opponent, Nick Thompson was tougher than Daley.  I look for a entertaining fight that ends with a first or second round submission victory for Jake Shields.

Anrdei Arlovski vs. Roy Nelson

I’d be shocked if this fight is competitive.  Arlovski will be much quicker and much more talented all around.  Don’t get me wrong, Roy Nelson can bang, but he can’t bang with Arlovski.  If I was Arlovski, I would box him and then take him down and ground and pound the big bellied former IFL champ.  I think Arlovski’s speed and all around skills will be too much for Nelson.  I pick Arlovski to win by second round TKO.

Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobald

It is hard to pick against Gina Carano.  Quite honestly, I know nothing about Kelly Kobald, but I like Gina Carano.  I am not a huge fan of women’s MMA, but I could watch Carano all day long.  I hope Carano wins and that the fight with her and Cyborg will be set up.  I think Carano is well trained and now re-focused.  I just hope she makes weight.  I think it will stop in round 2 with ref stoppage or rear naked choke.

Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Benjo Radach

I hope this fight makes the CBS televised section because Ninja is a great fighter.  He is in his brother’s shadow, but he is good.  It appears that Villasenor will get the next title shot at Robbie Lawler on November 8, but Rua is in the mix as well.  I would think that it is possible that if Ninja wins here he could take on Frank Shamrock at the next EliteXC on CBS event for the number 1 contender spot.  I think Ninja wins this by unanimous decision. 

Cristiane Cyborg vs. Yoko Takahashi

This fight won’t be televised, but I think Cyborg will dominate.  First round KO.

MMA News: Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley at EliteXC on CBS

Jake Shields apparently is set to return to the EliteXC on CBS cars on October 4th.  His first welterweight title defense will be against Paul “Semtex” Daley.  There had been many rumors about Shields’ next fight.  Some have speculated he would fight Matt Lindland at Affliction’s next card and others mentioned possible a bout between Shinya Aoki and him.  This fight seems to be more for marketing purposes as Paul Daley has  a big following in England.  This fight will help give the CBS card credibility.  That card should feature Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano, both of whom are very popualr and very large draws.  However, Shields should help with harcore MMA fans.  This should be an exciting fight which Shields should be heavily favored to win.  This next CBS card is huge for EliteXC seeing as how they are in such financial trouble.  EliteXC is also hoping to add a fight between Nick Diaz and KJ Noons for the lightweight strap, but don’t hold your breath.

Elite XC on CBS II on July 26

At Last night’s EliteXC event it was announced that EliteXC and CBS will in fact move forward with their second show in late July. Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler will headline the card in a rematch for the EliteXC Middleweight Championship.

Smith and Lawler first fought two weeks ago at EliteXC ‘Primetime’ on CBS which was turning out to be a classic fight, however the fight came to a sudden end when the champ Robbie Lawler accidently poked Scott Smith in the eye.  Both fighters were willing to continue, but doctors called a stop to the fight due to the fact that Smith said he couldn’t see.  The fight was shaping up to be fight of the night by far.  “Neither one of us wanted the fight to end that way, so we definitely have some unfinished business we need to take care of,” Smith said during Saturday’s broadcast. Smith said his eye is fine, and though he initially thought he had broken his foot in the fight, he said it, too, is completely healthy. “I’m more confident going into this rematch than I was going into the first fight,” Smith said. “I’m really excited for this.”
When asked about a potential re-match, EliteXC president gary Shaw said, “I’d like to bring these guys back.” “They’ve got unfinished business. That could be the name of the show, ‘Unfinished Business,’ because that’s what it is.”

We knew that CBS wanted to do another show and play off the success of the last show and it looks like it will happen, however it will happen without the two biggest stars in Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano.  I have a feeling a better card will be developed.  Rumor has it that Antonio “Junior” Silva will be on the card to fight for the first Heavyweight title.  Many opponents have been mentioned such as Roy Nelson and even Brett Rogers.  Also, it is likely that a welterweight belt will be issues as well.  It is certain than Jake Shields will fight for that title, but his opponent is yet to be known.  Some have speculated it could be Drew Fickett, which is most likely, but also it could be IFL’s Jay Hieron.  Those three fights alone would make a great card.  Perhaps they could also showcase some new talent like Paul Daley or Rafael Feijao.  Gary Shaw said that they will cut down on the showiness and the antics more this time, I hope they do.  It could be a great card and not so much a joke.  It looks like about every other week has a major MMA event through the summer. 

Fox News Talks EliteXC on CBS

Interesting perspective on EliteXC on CBS I on Fox News.  One news anchor on here got it right when he said UFC is the priemere promotion and EliteXC is secondary.  Also some interesting commentary on Gina Carano’s fight. 

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The Good, Bad and Ugly of EliteXC on CBS I

The Good:

·         Brett Rogers was impressive with his striking and quick KO of Jon Murphy and I think Kimbo will be up next for him.  I’d like to see that fight. 

·         Joey Villasenor looked far superior than Phil Baroni and could be a serious contender

·         Gina Carano unfocused and under trained is still one of the best women fighters in the world

·         Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith had an exciting fight going on

·         Kimbo Slice proved he can be a MMA fighter.  I don’t think he was great, but he showed some ground game, he had a good reversal or two.  Most of all I liked that he said afterwards that he knew he had a lot to learn.  He is a work in progress, but showed he is a serious MMA fighter.  I don’t have a problem with that stoppage as I think Thompson was on his way out. 

·         I thought the commentators did a pretty good job, and I liked the way Frank Shamrock covered the MMA basics for potential new viewers

The Bad:

·         I thought the show was tasteless.  From the nasty dancers who I have no idea why they were there, to the Busta Rhymes performance.  Phil Baroni led the way in tastelessness with his entrance.  He showed exactly what mixed martial arts is not about.  I was sickened by him coming in dancing with women dancing all around hum while they rubbed him down.  And could someone please tell me what was with all the fat guys in red after Rogers’ win.  It was way showier than I would have liked.  Joey Villasenor said in his post fight interview that Baroni was a good entertainer and I think he is right.  What a difference in how the two took the fight in their own minds, and look who won.  I would have liked more focus on the fights and less talk and less show. 

·         I thought the stoppage of the Laweler/Smith fight was sad.  Yes, I think Smith was doomed to be KO’d as Lawler was starting to pick him apart, but that stoppage nearly ruined the night.  I wanted to see it finish.  I think the stoppage was premature and Smith could have continued. 

·         Gina Carano, although she looked good needs to decide what she wants to do with her life.  She spent a lot of time videoing American Gladiators and too little time training.  If she trains more she will be dominant.

·         I didn’t like that Gary Shaw seemed to have his thumb on everything.  He stood over every fighter’s shoulder during every interview

·         Did anyone else notice that the former UFC sponsor “Mickeys” was a sponsor at this EliteXC event. 

The Ugly:

·         James Thompson’s ear.  That thing was nasty before the fight can you imagine it now?  I would have to get that thing fixed somehow. 

·         When the fans were booing the Lawler/Smith fight I was frustrated.  What a sorry bunch of fans!  They must not know anything about MMA, that was shaping up to be a great fight.  There was great action and good striking. 

·         The bottom line is that this show came nowhere near a UFC show and proved to me that UFC is far superior to EliteXC.  I argued constantly that EliteXC could compete with the UFC and now I am proven wrong and I will go eat crow.  They emphasized the show to the loss of the fights; they could have gone quicker and showed an undercard fight.  They could have pulled Phil Baroni aside and taught him that this is Mixed Martial Arts and now a Wrestling league. 

·         Overall, I think the show was only so-so.  I thought there were a few good fights and some good KO’s.  There was some good stand up fights, but I would have liked to see some technical ground fighting and jiu jitsu on display for America and MMA newcomers to see.  I thought the lack of class of the dancers, Baroni, and Rogers’ big boy posse proved that point and I am sure left a bad taste in some people’s mouths.  People will now think of WWE when they think of MMA.  I would like to see different guys next time like Jake Shields, Nick Diaz, Antonio Silva, or Paul Daley.  In other words, EliteXC on CBS I made it, but not as grand as it could have been. 

 

EliteXC and Their Future

We have seen many fight promotions come and go.  Dana White has stated that he isn’t worried about EliteXC, but Satuday is a big day for the EliteXC and for all MMA.  So, how will EliteXC on CBS do?  There are a lot of questions about Mixed Martial Arts on primetime television.  This deal is obviously big.  There are many Kimbo haters who don’t think he is right for the main even, but I disagree.  The main event isn’t necessarily about the best or most experienced fighter or even what will be the best fight, but about what will sell the most tickets and that is Kimbo.  Kimbo Slice is a gold mine.  This fight may determine a lot about hsi MMA future.  I’d like to see him fight a bigger name guy and if he wins Saturday he will.  EliteXC, Affliction, and DREAM seem to be the biggest competition for the UFC, so how will they do?  There are a few ways to determine that.  The UFC has been a model of success in MMA, let’s see what EliteXC needs to do.

FIGHTERS IN THE ORGANIZATION

This does not just mean having a host of fighters, but it means having good fighters and more importantly marketable fighters.  The UFC has that. Does EliteXC.  Here are their top fighters…

• Kimbo Slice
• Gina Carano
• Jake Shields
• Robbie Lawler
• Eddie Alvarez
• Frank Shamrock
• KJ Noons
• Nick Diaz
• Kala Hose
• Antonio Silva
• Joey Villasenor
• Phil Baroni
• Murilio Rua
• Paul Daley
• Jon Murphy
• Brett Rogers
• Rafael Feijao
• Ricco Rodriguez

In that group they have some recognizable names (Sheilds, Diaz, Carano, Slice, Lawler, Baroni, Rodriguez).  They have a few good prospects (Rogers, Feijao, and Murphy).  They have a couple of true stars (Slice and Carano).  Carano is a babe, a good fighter, an American Gladiator star, and one of the most searched for names on the internet.  Kimbo Slice is a You Tube sensation and perhaps will evolve into a decent MMA fighter. However, they only have a couple of legit top level fighters (Lawler. Alvarez and Shields).  Don’t get me wrong their all around talent can draw a crowd and is better than most.

REVENUE

They are still operating in the red, but that will change.  I don’t expect money to be an issue right now for EliteXC

EVENTS

Here is where EliteXC will struggle.  They hav a great card set up for Saturday, but can they consistently do that?  With about 20 guys that are main card worthy can they put on more than two or three cards?  The answer is…no.  They need to sign more talent.  I don’t know how often they plan to be on CBS Primetime, but they need better events and Kimbo and Carano can’t be on every big card they have.

MANAGMENT

Gary Shaw knows what he is doing, but the question is, does he have the savvy that Dana White has?  Time will tell if he makes good busisness moves and this CBS deal is key.  We will see how it does on CBS.

EliteXC is not going to dissolve any time soon, however, they need more talent and not just marketability. I think EliteXC on CBS this Saturday will fair very well.  They will get large audiences and new fans.  It will help all MMA. 

My EliteXC on CBS I Predictions

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson

Gary Shaw had to set this match knowing that James Thompson may be the perfect guy for Kimbo to beat.  Thompson has lost three of his last four fights via knockout in round 1.  Kimbo hits hard and will come at him.  I don’t expect this to be much of a fight, but I expect it to be exciting and I expect Kimbo to win.  EliteXC needs Kimbo to win.  A Kimbo loss on their CBS debut would hurt them.  He needs to win and win by TKO and in doing so win the fans over.  Kimbo is the hope of EliteXC.  He has star power.  Dana White of the UFC has asserted thta Kimbo is overrated and that even lightweight champ B.J. Penn could beta Kimbo.  I don’t know about that, but B.J. boxing did look good.  I still think Kimbo wins by TKO in round 1. 

Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith

I like Robbie Lawler.  He is a good fighter and can hang with the best middleweights in the world.  His only losses are to quality guys.  He lost to Jason Miller, Nick Diaz and Evan Tanner.  He does have one loss to Pete Spratt.  Lawler wins via TKO most of the time and I doubt this will be any different.  Scott Smith is not bad, but he isn’t Robbie Lawler.  Lawler has beaten much better guys.  Of course that doesn’t mena anything when they get into the ring. Smith struggled in the UFC going 1-3.  I don’t expect Smith to be able to hang with Lawler.  This is a title fight and Lawler is a champ.  I predict Lawler by TKO in round 3. 

Joey Villasenor vs. Phil Baroni

Phil Baroni is overrated.  He struggled in the UFC and did fair in PRIDE.  Not much to this fight.  It will be intense, but I predict Villasenor by unanimous decision.
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young

I don’t know much about women fighters.  I do know Carano is good.  She could be a star of women’s fighters.  My worry is she could be too concentrated on American Gladiators to train much.  I still think Carano will win by submission in round 2.

Brett Rogers vs. Jon Murphy

Gary Shaw said that EliteXC will have a heavyweight title in 2008.  It very well could be the winner of this fight vs. the winner of the Kimbo vs. Thompson fight will get the chance to square off for the first EliteXC heavyweight title.  Brett Rogers is a sort of brawler who wins most fights by KO.  I think this will be the same and it would be a good match to see Rogers vs. Kimbo.  I pick Rogers to beat Murphy by KO early in round 1.