EliteXCHeat Overview

EliteXC is back on October 4th with its third show on CBS, and this latest offering features the biggest collection of mixed martial arts star power ever assembled on free television.

Ultimate Veteran against Internet Sensation

Headlining the event is UFC hall of famer Ken Shamrock against internet brawler Kimbo Slice.

Those of you familiar with old-school mixed martial arts or pro wrestling already know who Shamrock is: a veteran of the sport who fought in the first UFC events and went on to fame in the WWE.

Despite being a relative newcomer, Kimbo Slice’s history is no less interesting. He rose to fame via streetfights posted up on YouTube, and when the opportunity came to turn legit he took it and has been the crown jewel in EliteXC’s promotion dynasty for the past year.

Women’s’ MMA in the Spotlight

Also on the card is American Gladiator’s Crush, aka Gina Carano.

Those wondering about the legitimacy of an American Gladiator fighting for real need not worry - Gina started out as a Muay Thai fighter and was approached for a gladiator position specifically because of her cagefighting skills.

She will be facing off against Kelly Kobald, a hard hitting striker who trains out of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy with UFC contenders Brock Lesnar and Sean Sherk.

It’s USA vs. UK for the Welterweight Title

Rounding out the main events is a welterweight title fight between American Jake Shields and British fighter Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley.

This is a classic striker-versus-grappler bout, with Shields holding the advantage on the ground and Daley living up to his explosive nickname on the feet.

Seeds of the Future

Also on the card: Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua against Benji Radach and (if time permits) Cris ‘Cyborg’ Santos against Yoko Takahashi.

These are bouts for contendership, with Rua and Radach competing for the right to challenge current middleweight champ Robbie Lawler, and Cyborg/Takahashi facing the winner of Carano/Kobald for the EliteXC women’s belt.

EliteXC’s Future Hangs in the Balance

A lot is riding on the success of this show. EliteXC has been struggling to compete effectively against the Ultimate Fighting Championships, spending large amounts of money to expose and build their stars up on network television.
This third primetime event represents a real test for the company: can they keep people interested in the product, or has the novelty of their product worn off after two events?

Regardless of the results behind the curtains, this show promises to be another entertaining night of fights. Unlike the UFC, who has their events down to a dry science, EliteXC events often have more than their fair share of unexpected surprises.

While the experts (this one included) might mutter that many of the fights are rather predictable, we’ll all be tuned in come October 4th - because we know that with EliteXC, anything can happen … and it often does!