(All photos: Property of CBS)
Tickets, starting at $25, for a history-making event Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center at Newark, N.J., are available at Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (201) 507-8900, online at www.ticketmaster.com and at the Prudential Center website at www.prucenter.com. Doors open at 5 p.m. ET. The first live fight is at 6:30.
“I’m obviously very excited to come back to New Jersey, which is my home and a place where I served as a member of the board of the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board,’’ said EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw. “Newark is a great city and the Prudential Center is one of the newest, most modern facilities in the United States.
“No one is better at running an event center than AEG. I’m very pleased to be working with them again. From start to finish, it is going to be a spectacular, memorable night of exciting fights and entertainment for fans in the tri-state area. Top to bottom, everybody’s matched tough.
“Kimbo is really excited about returning to New Jersey to fight on May 31. I know he wants to put on a show and continue his magical trip from the street to Elite.’’
The card will be the first-ever MMA event shown live in primetime on network television. “CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS” will air on the CBS Television Network at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.
The incredibly popular Kimbo Slice (2-0) of Perrine, Fla., will face England’s James “Colossus’’ Thompson (14-8) in what will be a thrilling main event of an outstanding show.
In other televised fights, EliteXC middleweight champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4) of St. Louis, by way of Davenport, Iowa, will defend against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith (13-4) of Sacramento, Calif.; Gina Carano (5-0) of Las Vegas, Nev., faces Kaitlin Young (4-1) of Circle Pines, Minn., in an excellent women’s fight at 140 pounds; Phil Baroni (10-9) of Long Island, N.Y., faces Joey Villasenor (25-6) in a 185-pound scrap and unbeaten Brett Rogers (6-0) of Minneapolis throws down with Jon Murphy (4-2) of Minersville, Pa., in a heavyweight match.
The Lawler-Smith dispute, scheduled for five, 5-minute rounds, figures to be a slugfest. The other fights are slated for three, 5-minute sessions with the exception of Carano-Young, which is set for three, 3-minute rounds (see Fighter Pages below).
Matchups for non-televised, undercard bouts that will be streamed live at ProElite.com will be announced soon. Fans can watch pre- and post-fight interviews only at ProElite.com.
Kimbo Slice and Vernon Forrest
Kimbo, who’s trained by the respected legendary fighter and trainer, the no-nonsense Bas Rutten, has required all of 62 seconds to dispatch of his initial two MMA opponents. Kimbo, aka Kevin Ferguson, has shown ferocious striking skills but has yet to be taken to the ground.
“We’re continuing to work on polishing his striking and we’ve changed his stance, which has made him an even better striker,’’ Rutten said. “He is more explosive now and fit. But for a guy who has had only two MMA fights, Kimbo continues to do everything right.
“He is going to surprise everybody with his ground game, especially those who believe he doesn’t have one. After about 200 street fights, he is putting it all on the line and taking a big risk. James Thompson is going to be a great opponent.’’
Already a major MMA attraction, Kimbo made a name for himself on the Internet where videos of the bald, bearded, menacing-looking former underground bare-knuckle street fighter have been downloaded literally millions of times on YouTube.
Kimbo registered a 43-second, first-round knockout (punches) over Tank Abbott in his last start Feb. 16, 2008, in Miami, Fla. Dangerously explosive and always one punch away from ending a fight, Kimbo won his MMA debut Nov. 10, 2007, stopping Bo Cantrell in 19 seconds.
“I’m looking forward to fighting Thompson in Newark on CBS,’’ said Kimbo, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “But I love to fight and always look forward to fighting. It really doesn’t matter where or against whom. Everybody knows that.
“To all the MMA fighters who continue to disrespect me, to all those who say I don’t have a ground game, I lack this, I lack that, I say, ‘stop talking and bring it on. I’m ready.
"
Thompson, who trains with Randy Couture at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, could be Kimbo’s toughest test. Since going pro in January 2003, the former Pride and Cage Rage fighter has defeated the likes of Dan Severn, Japanese judo legend Hidehiko Yoshida and Don Frye.
The 29-year-old, six-foot-five Thompson possesses significant advantages in age (three years), height (three inches) and experience. The Brit has fought all over the world.
But the key may be whether a veteran known for heavy hands will come out and look for takedowns and try to use his size to wear down Kimbo from the top position on the ground.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I will have a solid game plan for it,’’ said Thompson, who has won four times by submission. “The world will be watching. I’ll be ready.’’
Long regarded as one of the world’s most gifted middleweights, Lawler will be making the first defense of the EliteXC belt he won in dramatic, convincing fashion with a third-round TKO (strikes) over defending champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“I fought a smart and controlled fight and kept my distance, but that is how I fight these days,’’ Lawler said. “I told my corner after the second round that I was going to knock him out.’’
Lawler rocked and mocked Rua several times before dropping him with a left hand. After a series of jackhammer right hands and two more lefts, the referee halted matters at 2:04.
While he performed with poise against Rua, the crowd-pleasing Lawler is known for an aggressive, unbashful, at times swing-for-the-fences style, and for putting as much heart and bad intentions behind his punches and lethal flying knee attacks as anyone could expect.
“Every fight’s big, at the time,’’ said Lawler, who recently re-signed with EliteXC. “You live by the moment, fight for today. May 31 is obviously a big fight for me, and more people will be watching. But once I’m in the cage, they’re (his fights are) all equal.”
Smith is a “freestyle” fighter and knockout artist who comes out throwing bombs with an abandon that’s made him a huge fan favorite. Aptly nicknamed “Hands Of Steel’’ -- he’s a union field foreman in his family’s steel business – he’s won 11 of his fights by KO or TKO.
But one of the most dangerous strikers in the business also owns a strong wrestling background and possesses terrific cardio. Smith’s two other triumphs were by submission.
In his EliteXC debut, Smith rallied after losing the first round to knock out Kyle Noke at 0:07 in the second. Two brutal, picture-perfect right hands did all the damage.
“I didn’t fight the first round like I usually do, but I started to get comfortable and find my range toward the end of it,’’ said Smith, who has won nine times in the first round. “I came out pumped for the second and made up for it. Once I got inside – bam -- I knocked him down.”
Until numbing Noke, Smith was best known for his dramatic comeback victory over Pete Sell in perhaps the most totally unexpected, shocking ending to a MMA fight in history.
“Fans know I come to war, that I’m a fighter,’’ said Smith, who rallied from the brink of defeat to score a second-round knockout over Sell Nov. 11, 2006. “I think they love that I engage and I keep punching until I knock you out. They can read that when they watch me in the cage.’’
Since its inception, EliteXC has consistently included women's fighters on its cards. None is more popular than Carano, the most recognizable female MMA fighter in the world.
Carano, aka “Crush” on American Gladiators, will be making her first start since she got up from a hard early takedown to record a 2:53, first-round submission (rear naked choke) over Tonya Evinger on Sept. 15, 2007, in Honolulu.
“When she got me down, I knew I couldn't freak and had to keep my composure,’’ said Carano, who celebrated her first submission by running around the cage. “After reversing her, I considered standing up. But I've been practicing working on top, so I just went through with it.''
It’s apparent the moment you meet Carano that she’s the epitome of strength; a strong woman: mentally, spiritually and physically. Yes, she is more than a pretty face. And the Muay Thai specialist also is smart enough to know she had better not underestimate Young.
“I don’t take anyone lightly,’’ said Carano, who trains at Xtreme Couture gym and also recently re-signed with EliteXC. “I’ve got a big target on me.’’
Carano, who’s not afraid to hit or get hit, garnered national notoriety in 2007 for her quote: “We're not hitting tennis balls. We're hitting people. Isn't that more exciting?”
The talented Young, a devastating striker with excellent skills and a solid Muay Thai background, is excited about getting the chance to test her skills against Carano.
“I’m totally pumped,’’ Young said. “Gina always comes to fight and doesn’t seem to have an off day. I think on paper we are probably even. One of my greatest advantages is definitely that I have a very aggressive striking style. I think it’s more aggressive than Gina’s.’’
Young won her pro debut with a second-round TKO on Oct. 4, 2007, and then gained instant notoriety the following Nov. 24 by registering three devastating first-round knockouts to win a HOOKnSHOOT eight-woman, single night tournament in Indiana. Total fight time: 1:53.
Baroni is a flamboyant, trash-talking, KO artist who exploded on the scene in 2001.
MMA fans may love or hate him, but they can’t ignore a true showman and personality who always makes for entertaining, memorable, non-stop slugfests. His entrance alone, some say, is worth the price of admission. He is of the best interviews in all of sports.
With his pulverizing punching power and dynamic energy that triggers an edgy persona, Baroni truly believes -- sometimes until his very last breath -- that he’s going to win every time.
Baroni, who’s fought the best, may not always back up his words but he’s tough and courageous and one would be hard-pressed to find a fan seated during one of his fights.
“I am sick and tired of what’s been going on and someone’s going to pay and that someone is Villasenor,’’ said Baroni, who has lost two in a row (both were world title fights). “I am going to knock the s--- out of Villasenor and then go after one of the champions again.’’
Villasenor is a well-conditioned, determined, battle-tested, well-rounded veteran who’s always been willing to fight anybody, anytime, anywhere.
“I’ll fight whoever they put in front of me,’’ said a native of Albuquerque, N.M., and a protégé of MMA guru, Greg Jackson. “You can bet there will be a lot of fireworks in this one.’’
A former King of the Cage champion, Villasenor enters this one with momentum, having won his last two starts, including an exciting 4:45, first-round knockout over Ryan Jensen in a rousing battle that featured numerous exchanges on March 29, 2008, in San Jose, Calif.
“He caught me with some shots but then I really connected with that right hook, said."
Villasenor, who stopped Jensen with a series of combinations followed by the punishing right.
Rogers, a big, scary, intimidating sort, will be making his third consecutive appearance for EliteXC. “I’m extremely happy working for them,’’ he said. “EliteXC is a great organization and nothing compares to how I’ve been treated by them. They definitely take care of their guys.’’
The hard-hitting six-foot-five, 27-year-old Rogers has ended his last four fights in the first round. Only one of the relative newcomer’s fights has made it to the second.
“When I touch you with my fists, you are going down,’’ said Rogers, a member of Team Bison who has only been training two years.
Rogers got involved in MMA to keep him off the streets. “Life for me has never beeneasy,’’ he said. “I’d always lived in bad areas, terrible environments, first where I grew up on the south side of Chicago, and then in Minnesota where I moved to in 1992.
“You had no choice but to learn to pick things up. I’m a patient man but everyone has a breaking point. But I knew it was better to train and fight pro then fight on the streets. If I am going to fight, it had better be for the right reasons and get me paid.’’
Murphy scored a career-best 0:19, second-round knockout over Dave Huckaba in his last outing on Aug. 25, 2007, in Jackson, Miss. He dropped Huckaba with a series of punches, the most damaging of which were four vicious right hands.
The following December the former middle linebacker at Syracuse University underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Murphy was back in the gym by early January ‘08. Before resuming training, however, he had a complete hair makeover.
On New Year’s Day, Murphy, who hadn’t seen the inside of a barbershop since October ‘05, shaved his shoulder-length hair and donated it to Locks Of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children under 18 who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
“I had known about them for about a year,’’ Murphy said. “It took a while for my hair to grow the required 10 inches it took to donate. I wound up donating about 15 inches.’’
For more information on EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com.
Fighter pages:
Kimbo (http://kimboslice.proelite.com
Thompson (http://jamesthompson.proelite.com
Lawler (http://robbielawler.proelite.com
Smith (http://scottsmith.proelite.com
Carano (http://ginacarano.proelite.com
Young (http://kaitlinyoung.proelite.com
Villasenor (http://joeyvillasenor.com
Baroni (http://philbaroni.proelite.com
Rogers (http://brettrogers.proelite.com
Murphy (http://jonmurphy.proelite.com
About Pro Elite, Inc.
ProElite, Inc. delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment. The company has established a partnership with CBS that brings MMA to a major primetime network for the first time. Through acquisitions of MMA organizations in Asia and Europe, ProElite is a global leader with an exclusive distribution agreement for its program library with IMG Media. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. The company’s social media platform, ProElite.com, continues to add thousands of subscribers each month due to the large number of live streaming MMA events, social networking tools, and original and partner-driven content.
About The Prudential Center
Prudential Center is the first new, state-of-the-art facility built in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area in over 25 years. Located within 2 blocks of Newark Penn Station, it is the home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, NCAA Division I Seton Hall men’s basketball and the New Jersey Ironmen of the MISL. Prudential Center is managed by AEG, one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world.
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