EliteXC out of business

[tn94z]

The parent company of the EliteXC mixed martial arts circuit is closing its doors for good, according to multiple reports. Sherdog.com reported that according to T.J. Thompson, an executive at ProElite Inc., he was informed that the company would close for good this week and would file for bankruptcy protection. And Sports Illustrated, on its Web site, reported that ProElite told its employees and fighters on Monday that it was shutting down, effective immediately, according to multiple sources.


Sherdog also reported that according to numerous sources, an EliteXC card scheduled for Nov. 8 in Reno, Nev., has been canceled. According to the report, Joey Villasenor, who was scheduled to fight Robbie Lawler for the circuit's middleweight title on the card, was informed Monday it had been scrubbed.

ProElite did not return calls seeking comment, according to the reports.

The shutdown follows an EliteXC card televised by CBS on Oct. 4, in which the circuit's biggest star, Kimbo Slice, suffered a 14-second TKO at the hands of a relatively unknown last-minute replacement, Seth Petruzelli. That bout is under investigation by the Florida State Athletic Commission, following comments Petruzelli made after the fight suggesting that he had been promised monetary incentives to trade punches with Slice, rather than employ a more technical game plan.

Showtime Networks, which owns a 20 percent stake in ProElite, on Sept. 17 filed a notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announcing its intention to enter negotiations to purchase the company outright.

But SI.com reported that according to a source inside ProElite, those negotiations failed and ProElite's funding disappeared, forcing it out of business.

I knew this was going to happen once Kimbo lost. Hopefully some of the fighters come to the UFC. I would really like to see Nick Diaz back in the UFC but I don't see that happening. I guess this is what they get for building their company around a street fighter with no MMA background.

[angryoldman]

Re: EliteXC out of business

Do you think Kimbo will come to the UFC to be exploited? I would love to see him come to the UFC. I think even Tank Abbott would come out of retirement to fight him. His record would be 0-15 before he retired.

[FUZO]

Re: EliteXC out of business

KIMBO KILLED ELITE XC WHAT A DAMN SHAME

[angryoldman]

Re: EliteXC out of business

KIMBO KILLED ELITE XC WHAT A DAMN SHAME

IMO, I think Kimbo was the only thing keeping it alive. People love watching brawlers. Mike Tyson, Tank Abbott, and Kimbo Slice. All people that we want to watch to see how bad they're going to destroy an opponent. I would be curious to see what % of viewers turned their TV's on or changed the channel to Elite when the Kimbo fight starts? What I mean is, if the first 2 hours, they have a 3 share, then once Kimbo comes on, do they jump to a 10 share, or down to a 1. Dana is a savy businessman. He may sign Slice for a few fights, because he knows people will pay to see him. But after he gets whooped a few times, he's gone.

[tn94z]

Re: EliteXC out of business

Dana is a smart business man and he knows that Kimbo can make the money, so I could see him signing him to the UFC. But Kimbo won't make it unless the UFC wants to really market him and build him up.

I thought Kimbo had already beat Tank Abbott?

[Stout1]

Re: EliteXC out of business

Dana already said he wont' sign KIMBO or even Gina

[tn94z]

Re: EliteXC out of business

Yeah, but money runs Dana. I mean at one time didn't Dana say that Randy would never fight in the UFC again either...? Dana said that he would like to see Kimbo go through the Ultimate Fighter. If he could get him on the show, then he would let him fight in the UFC. And as for Gina....why would he sign her...who in the UFC can she fight? He has said in the past that the UFC would not have a women's class.