EliteXC expected to air on CBS

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Thursday will be an historic day for mixed martial arts, when CBS and Elite XC announce a deal that will bring the sport to network television for the first time.

Details of the deal, first reported by MMAjunkie.com, are sketchy, but is believed to be a four-fight deal that will begin in April.

Kevin Ferguson, the Internet street-fighting sensation known as Kimbo Slice, is expected to headline the first fight card on CBS from either Atlantic City, N.J. or the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Elite XC president Gary Shaw declined comment on Wednesday, but he has been bullish on the company's future despite the fact it lives in the vast shadow created by the UFC.

The UFC had been attempting during the writer's guild to reach a deal with CBS to put fights on, but had been unable to finalize a contract.

Elite XC already had a relationship with Viacom, which owns CBS, because Showtime is an investor in the company and has been broadcasting its fights since February 2007.

Viacom also owns Showtime.

The cards on CBS are expected to be two-hour shows broadcast on Saturday nights. The exact time slot is unknown, though it is likely to be something like 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Eastern time zone and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Pacific.

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1. Posted by Nick M Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:52 pm EDT
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Mark cuban is really pushing the envelope on Dana White. To bad all ELite XC has is some freak like kimbo. Whatever he's popular and people will watch it and it will be successful. I just wish they had real fighters, people are gona see this as brawling instead of martial arts. Im not sure if Dana white can put together a basic cable program being with spike TV and what not.
2. Posted by D-BO Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:41 pm EDT
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it will be a success and a lot of popularity will come from it... kimbo will shake up the industry
3. Posted by Kronos Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT
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Great....Kimbo Slice headlining MMA to the free network audience. What a joke. Kimbo is a mediocre talent that Bob Sapp could beat. Heaven forbid that he should be the "Showcase" talent to try and appeal to the general public. You need an Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, Rampage Jackson, or Urijah Faber to show what MMA really is. Maybe even Tito Ortiz (despite the contempt I have for him).
Not even Bas Rutten can make Ferguson palatable. Kimbo is nothing more than a freakshow. Stop the insanity.
4. Posted by Kronos Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT
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great....kimbo slice headlining mma to the free network audience. what a joke. kimbo is a mediocre talent that bob sapp could beat. heaven forbid that he should be the "showcase" talent to try and appeal to the general public. you need an anderson silva, randy couture, rampage jackson, or urijah faber to show what mma really is. maybe even tito ortiz (despite the contempt i have for him).
not even bas rutten can make ferguson palatable. kimbo is nothing more than a freakshow. stop the insanity.
5. Posted by Kronos Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT
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great....kimbo slice headlining mma to the free network audience. what a joke. kimbo is a mediocre talent that bob sapp could beat. heaven forbid that he should be the "showcase" talent to try and appeal to the general public. you need an anderson silva, randy couture, rampage jackson, or urijah faber to show what mma really is. maybe even tito ortiz (despite the contempt i have for him).
not even bas rutten can make ferguson palatable. kimbo is nothing more than a freakshow. stop the insanity.
6. Posted by Jonathan L Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:56 pm EDT
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That's right Kimbo is "the Truth"...a born gladiator who in my opinion with the right mentor backin him up(Bas) will be able to conquer the sport in only a matter of time...of course your gonna see him lose but everybody loses in MMA
7. Posted by weedabater Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT
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Did you see how Brock Lesner lost, there is a much larger list of fighters that can beat Kimbo. He will NEVER be a top fighter because he is only starting to learn critical disciplines at 34 years old.
8. Posted by Dert P Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:45 pm EDT
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The last showing on the elite xc brand which headlined kimbo vs tank was entertaining. there was 4 ko's out of 5 fights. i know elite xc is supose to be the follower to ufc but it was entertaining.
9. Posted by Dert P Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:45 pm EDT
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I liked kimbo vs tank. But lets be honest. The proof is in the record. Floyd Mayweather has faced the best and has remained undefeated. Mayweather is the best pound for pound fighter PERIOD and if he plays his cards right he will retire undefeated and join the Rocky Marciano club. THE UNDEFEATED AT THE END OF YOUR CAREER CLUB
10. Posted by D C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:08 pm EDT
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i wish mayweather would fight MMA. then that perfect record would go right out the window. all he has is striking. BOXING IS A JOKE....FACE IT.
11. Posted by PM Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm EDT
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D C thank you! i agree with everything you said 100%
12. Posted by First L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:29 pm EDT
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its about time that the fans of mma get to see regular shows without ppv!! its great to see ufc's occasional live show, but to be able to watch an organization every sat night will be even better.
13. Posted by bhanson24 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:06 pm EDT
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Hey DC, Lesnar was winning right? Yep, right up until he lost. Lesnar and Slice are both older than Mir, both are one dimensional and both are more show than go at the moment. Lesnar will probably become a pretty dominant heavyweight simply because his size/strength/speed combo is off the charts and his wrestling is exceptional, he needs to develop some submission defense and he should be pretty good, maybe even great. Kimbo however is a mid sized heavyweight (230 and no legs) and a solid puncher (I would say striker but I've never seen him kick anyone). Slice has "victim" written all over him the minute he sets foot in the cage with even a mediocre fighter with takedown ability and blue belt jiu-jitsu. Good luck with the fan club though.
14. Posted by Da_Bay_Beast Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:33 pm EDT
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Let's not forget - Tank Abbott was the UFC's biggest draw when they first started. It has to start somewhere. So y not it be the biggest draw they can get. Ain't nobody leavin' japan or UFC for EliteXC(unless dana white boots 'em) so y not start with a fighter that has more buzz in the streets than any non-contender ufc fighter has right now. Remeber, at the end of the day it's numbercrunchers running a business, not people who wanna see dope fights! Dana White and the UFC put the best fighters together but not until Zuffa hired Dana White. UFC had a really rough start too.
15. Posted by buck i Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:29 pm EDT
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Seriously "Kronic" have you ever seen one of Kimbos' fights, not only does he have a great trainer but he is one of the strongest fighters in MMA.
16. Posted by The best Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT
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Yeah
17. Posted by The best Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:09 pm EDT
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I think so
18. Posted by GTOWNFELLA Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT
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Kimbo is a beast, simple as that!
You cant take down a bear without getting [profane]slapped first!!!
19. Posted by Adam L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:22 pm EDT
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This will attract more good fighters to EliteXC knowing they will get Major Network Coverage as opposed to just SpikeTV
20. Posted by arthur m Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:58 pm EDT
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Fedor could knock him out, The Red Devil is no joke either, and you know if it went to the ground, it would be over, fedor would submit him from the top or bottom!!!!
21. Posted by abdiver12 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT
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Dana better fold his cards and start accepting that cross-promotion is the best option or the UFC is going to be left behind soon. He's got to accept that they are no longer the only game in town.
22. Posted by abdiver12 Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:44 pm EDT
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dana better fold his cards and start accepting that cross-promotion is the best option or the ufc is going to be left behind soon. he's got to accept that they are no longer the only game in town.
23. Posted by yes it is Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:36 pm EDT
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kimbo is in his own rank in the mma world.I would think sapp and kimbo or antonio silva vs kimbo that would be awesome.If kimbo can beat antonio bigfoot silva,that would be a statement made about street fighting.street fighting is mixture of all worlds.Kimbo will lose eventually.Anybody think he is the next barry bonds of mma?lol just a thought