Gleason's Gym proudly Presents It's Famous Annual "Fantasy Boxing Camp" Kutsher's Country Club August 29-September 1st, 2008
THE HISTORY OF GLEASON'S GYM
Gleason's Gym is the oldest active boxing gym in the United States. We have trained 131 World Champions, two Olympic Gold Medallists and hundreds of amateur champions. The current 16,000 square foot facility on Front Street sits in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Many great champions have plied their craft at Gleason's Gym. Our "Hall of Fame" includes Jake La Motta "The Raging Bull", Ali, Tyson, Jones, LaPorte, Breland. Gleason's Gym is proud to be the home of Light Welterweight World Champion Paulie Malignaggi.
BOXING CAMP
If you like baseball you cannot go to Yankee Stadium and train with the Yankees, nor can you go to Madison Square Garden and shoot hoops with the Knicks. Boxing is the only sport where you can actually train next to champions and top contenders. We are offering you that same opportunity with our annual Fantasy Boxing Camp. Your camp will include intensive boxing discussions, coaching sessions, ring craft, sparring and training drills. At the end of the camp you will have the chance to showcase your new found skills in our Fantasy Camp Sparring Show. Our camp will give you the chance to learn from World class trainers such as Hector Roca, Olympic Gold Medallist & World Champion Mark Breland, 5 Time World Champion Carlos Ortiz and 2 Time World Champion Juan LaPorte amongst others. Professional and Amateur sparring partners will also be available to help with your training. Men, Women and children are all welcome. No previous boxing experience is necessary-we cater to all skill levels.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
FRIDAY
11.30-12.30pm
Arrival
1.00-1.45pm
Orientation
2.00-5.00pm
Training/Sparring
5.00-6.00pm
Dinner
7.00-8.00pm
3 Mile Run/Swim/Steam or Sauna
9.00pm
Video Viewing
of Classic Fight Tapes of Classic Fight Tapes
SATURDAY
6.30am
3 Mile Run or Swim
7.00-8.00am
Breakfast
8.30-10.30am
Free Time/Optional
Sparring session
12 Noon
Lunch
1.00-1.45pm
Boxing Discussion
2.00-5.00pm
Training/Sparring
6.00pm
Dinner
7.00-8.00pm
Optional: Run/Swim or Sauna Steam or Sauna
9.00pm
Video Viewing of Classic Fight Tapes of Classic Fight Tapes
SUNDAY
6.30am
3 Mile Run or Swim
7.00-8.00am
Breakfast
9.00-10.00am
Boxing Discussion
11.30-12.30pm
Optional Training
12.00-1.00pm
Lunch
1.00-5.00pm
Free Time
5.00-6.00pm
Dinner
7.00pm-9.00pm
Sparring Show
9.30-10.30pm
Cocktail Party
MONDAY
7.00-8.00am
Breakfast
8.30-10.30am
Final Workout
11.30-12.30pm
Lunch
1.00pm
Departure
KUTSHER'S COUNTRY CLUB
KUTSHER'S Country Club is a deluxe Complex located on over 1,200 acres in the magnificent Catskill Mountains. KUTSHER'S is a year round self contained Resort. Attendees of the Fantasy Boxing Camp will have full access to all the facilities that KUTSHER'S offers, including Bicycles, Canoes, Exercise Room, Fishing, Miniature Golf, Indoor and Outdoor pools, Health Club, Saunas and Steam Room at no extra charge.
The indoor pool is available for our exclusive use each morning and evening of the camp. As part of the Fantasy Boxing Camp you will be eligible for KUTSHER'S Full American Dining Plan, which includes three meals per day. Meals will be served privately in the Sportsman's Dining Room. All Boxing Camp training will be done in the Recreation Hall. All guest rooms have a private bath, color TV, direct dial phone, oversize closets and individual heat and air conditioning controls.
FEES AND TERMS
There is limited space for our 2008 FANTASY BOXING CAMP. Please make your reservations early. The deadline is AUGUST 1st, 2008.
A $500 non-refundable deposit will secure a place at the camp. The balance of the payment must be made by AUGUST 15TH, 2008.
Contact BRUCE SILVERGLADE at Gleasonʼs Gym for further information:
TEL: 718 797 2872
FAX: 718 797 2857
$1650 PER PERSON (BASED ON TWO PEOPLE
SHARING A DOUBLE ROOM). $2300 PER
PERSON ATTENDING CAMP ALLOWS PLUS
ONE (1) GUEST. $2850 PER PERSON ATTENDING
CAMP ALLOWS PLUS TWO (2) GUESTS. $1900
PER PERSON ALLOWS A PRIVATE ROOM.
GUESTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE FANTASY
BOXING CAMP BUT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO
ALL OTHER KUTSHERʼS FACILITIES.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Alicia “Slick” Ashley: Dancing’s loss, boxing’s gain, FSN Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period Card June 12 at Mohegan Sun
HENDERSON, Nevada- If not for a knee injury, three-time world champion boxer Alicia “Slick” Ashley would probably be a pro on “Dancing With The Stars” instead of in the ring.
Ashley (14-7-1, 1 KO), fighting out of Westbury (NY) challenges IFBA World junior featherweight champion Lisa “Bad News” Brown (14-3-3, 4 KOs) on Thursday evening, June 12 in the 10-round main event on Fox Sports Net’s Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period, presented by Cappiello Boxing in association with Hollybrook Regency, Inc., also features Russian invader Anastasia Toktaulova (12-8, 2 KOs) challenging IFBA World flyweight champion Elena “Baby Doll” Reid (19-4-5, 5 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Ashley moved to New York City from her native Jamaica with her family at the age of 11, fully intending to follow in the footsteps of her professional dancing father. A dance student since the age of six, she received scholarships to the renowned Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham schools. Her brother, Maurice, is the first and only black International Chess Grandmaster, and her other brother and head trainer, Devon, is 4-time World champion kick-boxer.
A devastating knee injury, however, prematurely ended Alicia’s dance career and could have destroyed her athletic ambitions as well. So, she got into karate to fill the void, excelled at it, and soon realized that she needed to develop boxing skills to successfully compete in kick-boxing, in which, she was 10-0-1 before switching to boxing in the mid-nineties.
“I started dancing when I was six with a goal to become a professional dancer,” the stylish southpaw said. “At 20, I partially tore the meniscus in my right knee and couldn’t dance anymore. I didn’t have surgery but took time off to go to college and get my degree in computer science. I’d always been in the spotlight and wanted to stay there. I started weight training and got into kickboxing. I kick-boxed against a boxer. I could drive my legs, but I didn’t move my head or punch. I freaked out and had to keep on the outside. I had the flexibility and discipline from dancing you need, but I knew that I had to learn how to box. I didn’t like boxing at first because I didn’t think there was art to it. I thought boxing was like Tyson knocking people out, but I learned the intricacies of the sport. I wish that I could have gone further in dance. I’d love to be on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ as one of the professionals.”
Ashley challenges Trinidad and Tobago born Brown, who moved with her family in 1988 to a suburb of Toronto. Brown is a late bloomer not having boxed until she was 26, after she watched Christy Martin fight Dierdre Gogarty on a Mike Tyson PPV card, as well in addition to being encouraged by her husband and former pro boxer, Errol Brown, who still serves as her head trainer.
“Lisa is strong, that’s the main thing,” Alicia evaluated her opponent, Brown. “I’m so much faster and speed will beat power. I’ve been trying to get a fight likes this for a while and I definitely looking forward to fighting in the 10-round main event on Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period on national television. This is what I’ve wanted so everybody can see what type of fighter – slick, entertaining. I’m a boxer, not a brawler, and I’m going to move and make you miss. That’s why a lot don’t want to fight me.”
On the undercard, Las Vegas undefeated star Melinda Cooper (18-0, 10 KOs) begins her comeback after nearly 18 months of inactivity against knockout artist Donna “Nature Girl” Biggers (19-7-1, 16 KOs), of Shelby, North Carolina, in a special 6-round junior featherweight bout.
In a pair of 6-rounders, junior featherweight contender Jeri Stizes (14-7-1, 6 KOs), of Springfield, Missouri, meets dangerous Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez (6-3, 2 KOs), fighting out of Jamestown, New York, while popular Jill Emery (8-2, 3 KOs) and experienced Cristy “Code Red” Nickel (7-6, 4 KOs) -- both fighting out of New York City, college graduates and physical training instructors – square off in a middleweight bout.
Tickets are priced at $10.00, $25.00 and $40.00 and on sale at the Mohegan Sun box office or online at www.mohegansun.com.
Go to www.ifba.com for more information. The undercard will start a 7 PM/ET, followed by the first of three scheduled televised bouts beginning at 8 PM/ET.
IFBA
Since its inception in 1997, the IFBA has sanctioned more than 100 women’s title bouts and was the first to sanction all-women’s cards on cable and broadcast television, including ESPN2, USA Network, Pay-Per-View, Fox Sports International and on SBS, MBC and MBC-ESPN in Korea. With the help of various State Boxing Commissions, the IFBA established many of the rules used in the sport today. The IFBA is sanctioning four championship bouts June 13, featuring a showdown between Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and Mary Jo Sanders for the vacant IFBA World junior middleweight title and pound-for-pound supremacy, live on pay-per-view television from Albuquerque. For more information, visit www.IFBA.com.
FSN
FSN is the nation’s leading provider of local sports. FSN’s 16 owned-and-operated regional networks and its affiliated networks reach more than 70 million homes across the U.S. FSN serves as the TV home to nearly two-thirds of all MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States. FSN also produces close to 5,000 live local events each year, including more than 1400 in high definition. In addition to its thousands of home team games and a wide variety of locally produced sports programs, FSN televises national sports events and programs, including Pac-10 and ACC basketball and Pac-10 and Big 12 football.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Ashley (14-7-1, 1 KO), fighting out of Westbury (NY) challenges IFBA World junior featherweight champion Lisa “Bad News” Brown (14-3-3, 4 KOs) on Thursday evening, June 12 in the 10-round main event on Fox Sports Net’s Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period card at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period, presented by Cappiello Boxing in association with Hollybrook Regency, Inc., also features Russian invader Anastasia Toktaulova (12-8, 2 KOs) challenging IFBA World flyweight champion Elena “Baby Doll” Reid (19-4-5, 5 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Ashley moved to New York City from her native Jamaica with her family at the age of 11, fully intending to follow in the footsteps of her professional dancing father. A dance student since the age of six, she received scholarships to the renowned Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham schools. Her brother, Maurice, is the first and only black International Chess Grandmaster, and her other brother and head trainer, Devon, is 4-time World champion kick-boxer.
A devastating knee injury, however, prematurely ended Alicia’s dance career and could have destroyed her athletic ambitions as well. So, she got into karate to fill the void, excelled at it, and soon realized that she needed to develop boxing skills to successfully compete in kick-boxing, in which, she was 10-0-1 before switching to boxing in the mid-nineties.
“I started dancing when I was six with a goal to become a professional dancer,” the stylish southpaw said. “At 20, I partially tore the meniscus in my right knee and couldn’t dance anymore. I didn’t have surgery but took time off to go to college and get my degree in computer science. I’d always been in the spotlight and wanted to stay there. I started weight training and got into kickboxing. I kick-boxed against a boxer. I could drive my legs, but I didn’t move my head or punch. I freaked out and had to keep on the outside. I had the flexibility and discipline from dancing you need, but I knew that I had to learn how to box. I didn’t like boxing at first because I didn’t think there was art to it. I thought boxing was like Tyson knocking people out, but I learned the intricacies of the sport. I wish that I could have gone further in dance. I’d love to be on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ as one of the professionals.”
Ashley challenges Trinidad and Tobago born Brown, who moved with her family in 1988 to a suburb of Toronto. Brown is a late bloomer not having boxed until she was 26, after she watched Christy Martin fight Dierdre Gogarty on a Mike Tyson PPV card, as well in addition to being encouraged by her husband and former pro boxer, Errol Brown, who still serves as her head trainer.
“Lisa is strong, that’s the main thing,” Alicia evaluated her opponent, Brown. “I’m so much faster and speed will beat power. I’ve been trying to get a fight likes this for a while and I definitely looking forward to fighting in the 10-round main event on Best Damn Championship Fight Night Period on national television. This is what I’ve wanted so everybody can see what type of fighter – slick, entertaining. I’m a boxer, not a brawler, and I’m going to move and make you miss. That’s why a lot don’t want to fight me.”
On the undercard, Las Vegas undefeated star Melinda Cooper (18-0, 10 KOs) begins her comeback after nearly 18 months of inactivity against knockout artist Donna “Nature Girl” Biggers (19-7-1, 16 KOs), of Shelby, North Carolina, in a special 6-round junior featherweight bout.
In a pair of 6-rounders, junior featherweight contender Jeri Stizes (14-7-1, 6 KOs), of Springfield, Missouri, meets dangerous Ela “Bam Bam” Nunez (6-3, 2 KOs), fighting out of Jamestown, New York, while popular Jill Emery (8-2, 3 KOs) and experienced Cristy “Code Red” Nickel (7-6, 4 KOs) -- both fighting out of New York City, college graduates and physical training instructors – square off in a middleweight bout.
Tickets are priced at $10.00, $25.00 and $40.00 and on sale at the Mohegan Sun box office or online at www.mohegansun.com.
Go to www.ifba.com for more information. The undercard will start a 7 PM/ET, followed by the first of three scheduled televised bouts beginning at 8 PM/ET.
IFBA
Since its inception in 1997, the IFBA has sanctioned more than 100 women’s title bouts and was the first to sanction all-women’s cards on cable and broadcast television, including ESPN2, USA Network, Pay-Per-View, Fox Sports International and on SBS, MBC and MBC-ESPN in Korea. With the help of various State Boxing Commissions, the IFBA established many of the rules used in the sport today. The IFBA is sanctioning four championship bouts June 13, featuring a showdown between Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and Mary Jo Sanders for the vacant IFBA World junior middleweight title and pound-for-pound supremacy, live on pay-per-view television from Albuquerque. For more information, visit www.IFBA.com.
FSN
FSN is the nation’s leading provider of local sports. FSN’s 16 owned-and-operated regional networks and its affiliated networks reach more than 70 million homes across the U.S. FSN serves as the TV home to nearly two-thirds of all MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States. FSN also produces close to 5,000 live local events each year, including more than 1400 in high definition. In addition to its thousands of home team games and a wide variety of locally produced sports programs, FSN televises national sports events and programs, including Pac-10 and ACC basketball and Pac-10 and Big 12 football.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Monday, May 26, 2008
Malignaggi’s hand fractured, Hatton fight not in jeopardy
BOSTON– IBF junior welterweight champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (25-1, 5 KOs) was examined today by his hand specialist, Dr. Steven Margles, at the Lahey Hospital in Burlington, Massachusetts. Dr. Margles confirmed that Malignaggi fractured his right hand during his win by 12-round decision against Lovemore N’dou last Saturday in Manchester, England.
Malignaggi will stay in the Boston area with Dr. Margles to pursue appropriate treatment. “I spoke with Dr. Margles after he examined Paulie and the prognosis is good,” Malignaggi’s promoter Lou DiBella said. “This should not affect Paulie’s big fight this fall against Ricky Hatton in any way.”
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Malignaggi will stay in the Boston area with Dr. Margles to pursue appropriate treatment. “I spoke with Dr. Margles after he examined Paulie and the prognosis is good,” Malignaggi’s promoter Lou DiBella said. “This should not affect Paulie’s big fight this fall against Ricky Hatton in any way.”
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Holm & Villasenor: fighters love story, Holm-Sanders headlines June 13 PPV show at Isleta Casino & Resort in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE– Women’s professional boxing champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm and her boyfriend, MMA star Joey Villasenor, met in an Albuquerque gym, where today they train and spar with each other as they both prepare for upcoming career-defining fights.
Seven-time world champion Holm (21-1-2, 6 KOs), recognized as the No. 1 welterweight in the world, will headline the June 13th “Finally” pay-per-view event against the world’s No. 1 middleweight, Detroit icon Mary Jo Sanders (25-0, 8 KOs), squaring-off in the 10-round main event for the vacant IFBA junior middleweight crown and universal pound-for-pound supremacy.
Villasenor (25-6-0, 11 KOs and 10 submissions) takes on Phil Baroni this Saturday night (May 31) in the EliteXC show on national television from Newark, New Jersey.
Holm and Villasenor have the same trainer, Mike Winklejohn, believes Holly and Joey are made for each other. “It’s tough on Holly,” Mike explained why relationships have often been difficult for her to develop and maintain. “She’s physical, athletic and everybody recognizes here in Albuquerque. It’s not going to work for a boyfriend who doesn’t have a lot of self confidence. Joey is a successful fighter in his own right, a star athlete, and that’s why it works for them. They fight (workout) all the time even though there’s a big weight difference (Holly is a natural 147-pound welterweight and Joey weights 185 pounds). Holly spars with everybody including Keith Jardine. The way our team (Jackson-Winkleton MMA Team) is set-up is everybody helping each other. That’s why we’ve excelled. The big guys spar with smaller guys for power versus speed, speed versus power.
“Holly could do MMA, but why? She could pick-up the game, but she’s a pretty girl and there’s no reason, especially for her to get hit with elbows. There’s less trauma to the head (MMA vs. boxing), but there are a lot of elbows thrown on the ground. The biggest differences between boxing and MMA is distance and different techniques. Boxing is at a longer range. If you throw a punch from a boxer’s range in MMA, you leave yourself open for takedowns. Boxers go right to left, leaving themselves open to get kicked in the head. MMA is forward and backward, up and down, which you don’t see in boxing. Joey’s very explosive. He had a great knockout in his last fight (Ryan Jenson by a punch). His techniques are better and he’s cleverer than Baroni. Holly out thinks her opponents and that’s why she’s so successful. It’s like a chess game for her. She has the smarts to out-think her opponents two or three moves ahead.”
Holm-Sanders is one of four world title fights for five different belts on the “Finally” PPV card, featuring the greatest collection of women boxers on one show, including five No. 1 independently rated fighters (view at www.wban.com). The Fresquez Productions, Inc.-promoted “Finally” is being produced and distributed by Integrated Sports for live viewing in the United States and Canada (10 PM/ET) on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN DEMAND, TVN, Shaw Communications, DirecTV, Bell Expressvue and StarChoice for a suggested retail price of only $24.95.
In the 10-round co-feature for the vacant IFBA lightweight championship, WIBA & IBA junior lightweight champion Chevelle “Fists of Steel” Hallback (26-5-2, 11 KOs), fighting out of Tampa (FL), squares off against WIBA featherweight title-holder Jeannine “G9” Garside (7-0-1, 3 KOs), of Ontario (Canada), in a potential female version of a Gatti-Ward showdown.
IBA junior flyweight champion Wendy “Little Thunder” Rodriguez (18-4, 3 KOs), of Los Angeles, will be seeking revenge against Hollie “Hot Stuff” Dunaway in their 10-round clash for the vacant IBA strawweight and IFBA mini-flyweight championships. Rodriguez, lost an eight-round decision March 15, 2007 to Dunaway (21-6, 10 KOs), the reigning WIBF-GBU/WIBC minimumweight title-holder and NABF flyweight champion, fighting out of Las Vegas by way of (Van Buren) Arkansas.
WBC 2007 Fighter of the Year, WBC mininumweight champ Carina “La Reina” Moreno (11-1, 5 KOs), of Watsonville (CA), meets WIBA flyweight title-holder Eileen “The Hawaiian Mongoose” Olszewski (5-0-1), fighting out of New York City by way of Honolulu, in a 10-round fight for the IFBA junior flyweight crown. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $50.00, $100.00, $150.00, $200.00, $350.00 and $500.00, are on sale at the Isleta Casino and Resort box office, www.tickets.com or at Fresquez Productions, Inc. (508.884.7484). For more information go to www.fresquezproductions.com or www.holmvssanders.com. Doors open at 5:30 PM/MT, first bout 7:00 PM/MT, first televised bout 8:00 PM/MT.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
STEVE “USS” CUNNINGHAM TO BE FEATURED AT PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BASEBALL GAME ON WEDNESDAY MAY 28TH
PHILADELPHIA— IBF Cruiserweight champion, Steve “USS” Cunningham will be featured on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during the Philadelphia Phillies – Colorado Rockies baseball game.
Steve Cunningham (R)
Cunningham and the world famous Phillie Phanatic will do battle and perform a skit for the fans in attendance.
“I am very excited to be recognized by the Phillies. I have been a Phillies fan my whole life. I have worn a Phillies cap for years and I wear it proudly especially when I am overseas and away from home.” Said Cunningham when told of the appearance
Cunningham, 21-1 with eleven knockouts is coming off a twelfth round stoppage over Marco Huck last December 28th in Bielefeld, Germany.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Steve Cunningham (R)
Cunningham and the world famous Phillie Phanatic will do battle and perform a skit for the fans in attendance.
“I am very excited to be recognized by the Phillies. I have been a Phillies fan my whole life. I have worn a Phillies cap for years and I wear it proudly especially when I am overseas and away from home.” Said Cunningham when told of the appearance
Cunningham, 21-1 with eleven knockouts is coming off a twelfth round stoppage over Marco Huck last December 28th in Bielefeld, Germany.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
6/6CASTILLO-HARRIS FOR THE WBC LATINO CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE ON JUNE 6TH AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON
CASTILLO-HARRIS FOR THE WBC LATINO CRUISERWEIGHT TITLE ON JUNE 6TH AT THE LEGENDARY BLUE HORIZON
PHILADELHIA— The stakes got even bigger for the main event that will take place on Friday June 6th at The Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.
Elieser Castillo of Miami & Adam Harris of Philadelphia will engage in a cruiserweight battle scheduled for twelve rounds and it will be contested for the WBC Latino Cruiserweight title.
Castillo, 30-6-2 with seventeen knockouts is no stranger to winning championships.
The Miami native has won titles such as WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title, IBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title, NABF heavyweight title and would like to add the WBC Latino cruiserweight bout to his already crowded trophy case.
Harris, 10-0 with seven knockouts has yet to win a title and is hungry to add a belt to his already undefeated record.
When a fighter who has fought the whose who of the heavier weight divisions such as Castillo taking on a hungry undefeated fighter like Harris, you can be sure that they will bring the best out of each other.
An outstanding undercard has been put together:
Jules Blackwell of Phoenixville, Pa (7-0-2, 2 KO’s) takes on Tyrell Samuel (9-2, 5 KO’s) of Baltimore in an eight round Featherweight bout.
Steve Chambers Upsher (16-1-1, 4 KO’s) and Jaime Morales (4-7, 2 KO’s) get it on in a six round Jr. Welterweight battle of Philadelphian’s.
Ran Nakash (12-0, 8 KO’s) of Haifa, Israel return to the Legendary Blue Horizon when he takes on James Porter (5-12-1, 1 KO) of Terre Haute, Indiana in a six round Cruiserweight bout.
Fresh off his impressive debut at The Blue Horizon on April 11, Mario Mina (1-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, New York gets it on with Robert Florentino (2-3, 2 KO’s) of Indianaplis, Indiana.
Gerald Smith (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on Ronnie Boyd (5-3, 2 KO’s) of Washington, DC in a four round Super Featherweight fight.
Paul Fernandez (2-1-1, 2 KO’s) takes on Ian Ransburg (1-0, 1 KO) of Indianapolis in a four round Featherweight bout
June 6 will also mark the return of Jr. Middleweight Orlando Lewis (4-1, 4 KO’s) of Vineland, New Jersey
The show is presented by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions Inc.
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
PHILADELHIA— The stakes got even bigger for the main event that will take place on Friday June 6th at The Legendary Blue Horizon in Philadelphia.
Elieser Castillo of Miami & Adam Harris of Philadelphia will engage in a cruiserweight battle scheduled for twelve rounds and it will be contested for the WBC Latino Cruiserweight title.
Castillo, 30-6-2 with seventeen knockouts is no stranger to winning championships.
The Miami native has won titles such as WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title, IBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title, NABF heavyweight title and would like to add the WBC Latino cruiserweight bout to his already crowded trophy case.
Harris, 10-0 with seven knockouts has yet to win a title and is hungry to add a belt to his already undefeated record.
When a fighter who has fought the whose who of the heavier weight divisions such as Castillo taking on a hungry undefeated fighter like Harris, you can be sure that they will bring the best out of each other.
An outstanding undercard has been put together:
Jules Blackwell of Phoenixville, Pa (7-0-2, 2 KO’s) takes on Tyrell Samuel (9-2, 5 KO’s) of Baltimore in an eight round Featherweight bout.
Steve Chambers Upsher (16-1-1, 4 KO’s) and Jaime Morales (4-7, 2 KO’s) get it on in a six round Jr. Welterweight battle of Philadelphian’s.
Ran Nakash (12-0, 8 KO’s) of Haifa, Israel return to the Legendary Blue Horizon when he takes on James Porter (5-12-1, 1 KO) of Terre Haute, Indiana in a six round Cruiserweight bout.
Fresh off his impressive debut at The Blue Horizon on April 11, Mario Mina (1-0, 1 KO) of Brooklyn, New York gets it on with Robert Florentino (2-3, 2 KO’s) of Indianaplis, Indiana.
Gerald Smith (2-0, 1 KO) of Philadelphia takes on Ronnie Boyd (5-3, 2 KO’s) of Washington, DC in a four round Super Featherweight fight.
Paul Fernandez (2-1-1, 2 KO’s) takes on Ian Ransburg (1-0, 1 KO) of Indianapolis in a four round Featherweight bout
June 6 will also mark the return of Jr. Middleweight Orlando Lewis (4-1, 4 KO’s) of Vineland, New Jersey
The show is presented by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions Inc.
Ticket prices for this great night of boxing are $200 for Queen Seating, $125 for Presidential seats, $65 for VIP, $55 for Ringside, and $45 for General Admission and can be purchased by calling The Legendary Blue Horizon at 1-215-763-0500 or by logging on to comcasttix.com. Doors open at 6:30 PM / 1st bout begins at 7:30 PM
The Legendary Blue Horizon is located at 1314 North Broad Street in Philadelphia, PA
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
COTTO, MARGARITO READY TO ROCK ON NATIONAL TOUR!
COTTO, MARGARITO READY TO ROCK ON NATIONAL TOUR!
Welterweight superpowers Miguel Cotto and Antonio 'Tijuana Tornado' Margarito will begin an international tour on Monday, May 19 to talk about their upcoming 'The Battle - La Batalla!" on July 26 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Cotto, the WBA welterweight champion, will take a flight with his team Sunday from San Juan to Mexico City. Margarito, who will be at ringside Saturday night at Top Rank's Latin Fury 4 in Aguascaliente, Mexico, will be in Mexico City on Sunday night.
Cotto vs. Margarito 'The Battle - La Batalla!" will be available on HBO Pay Per View.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Welterweight superpowers Miguel Cotto and Antonio 'Tijuana Tornado' Margarito will begin an international tour on Monday, May 19 to talk about their upcoming 'The Battle - La Batalla!" on July 26 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Cotto, the WBA welterweight champion, will take a flight with his team Sunday from San Juan to Mexico City. Margarito, who will be at ringside Saturday night at Top Rank's Latin Fury 4 in Aguascaliente, Mexico, will be in Mexico City on Sunday night.
Cotto vs. Margarito 'The Battle - La Batalla!" will be available on HBO Pay Per View.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
“Affliction Banned” NYC Presser; “Affliction Banned” takes Big Apple by storm and pulls our their Trump card!
NEW YORK– A large, enthusiastic crowd welcomed some of the world’s top mixed-martial-arts fighters to New York City at today’s “Affliction Banned” press conference in Trump Tower.
Affliction Pulls Out Their Trump Card: 'Affliction Banned' press conference in NYC's Trump Tower was a star-studded event where Donald Trump took the podium for the upcoming July 19th Fedor vs. Sylvia fight at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
Donald Trump welcomed everyone to Trump Tower. “These are all tough guys,” he said as he looked across the head table. “We’re all tough, right? I asked one of these guys how long I’d last and looked at me like I was kidding. Affliction is going to do very well and I look forward to being there for it.”
Affliction will make history July 19 presenting its own Mixed-Martial-Arts pay-per-view event in association with Roy Englebrecht Events, appropriately named “Affliction Banned,” featuring the much-anticipated return of Russian heavyweight superstar Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko in association with M-1, supported by an All-World caliber undercard, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
“July 19th is going to be a milestone for both Affliction and Mixed Martial Arts,” remarked Tom Atencio, Vice President of Affliction. “For fans of Affliction and core fans of MMA this event not only features an incredibly stacked card with the best fighters in the world, but, more importantly, it marks the emergence of a new era in MMA. Affliction Clothing is proud to be at the forefront of this new time, when promoters and fighters can come together and produce the fights that fans want to see. Our mission is simple: support the people who have supported us and bring the fans of MMA the best fights possible with the best fighters from around the world. Ladies and gentlemen, I formally announce to you Affliction’s entry into the arena of MMA and I’m extremely excited to introduce you to the fighters of Affliction Banned.”
Fedor Emelianenko, Donald Trump and Tim Sylvia
Fedor (27-1), the former undisputed PRIDE® heavyweight champion and Russian M-1 legend, has been universally recognized the past five years as the most dominating heavyweight in the world. He will fight former 2-time UFC® heavyweight title-holder Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (24-4), fighting out of Iowa by way of his native Maine.
The exciting four-fight undercard is loaded with Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett (21-5), of Seattle, facing-off stateside for the first time in two years in a grudge match against the only opponent to ever knock him out, Brazilian strongman Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-7). Three-time All-America wrestler Mike Whitehead (20-5), of Salt Lake City, will battle Brazilian sensation Renato “Babalu” Sobral (29-7), of Costa Mesa, California. 2000 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (20-5), of Oregon City, faces Brazilian favorite Fabio “Negao” Nascimento (8-3). Former IFL® titlist “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5), of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is scheduled to fight an opponent to be determined in this groundbreaking event.
Tickets for “Affliction Banned,” ranging between $50.00 and $1,000.00, are on sale at the Honda Center box office. More than $250,000 in ticket sales was reportedly sold within the first 30 minutes of release this past Tuesday. Tickets to the event are currently available online at Ticketmaster.com.
“Affliction Banned” will be distributed on Pay-Per-View and air live (9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT) on cable and satellite viewing in the USA and Canada via iN DEMAND, TVN, Shaw Communications, Viewer’s Choice Canada, DirecTV, DISH Network, Bell ExpressVue and Star Choice for a suggested retail price of $39.95. The telecast will be available in both standard and high definition television. The PPV telecast will be available in both standard and high definition television.
Fox Sports Net television will broadcast a non-paying per view undercard live, including fighters such as Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Fedor’s brother, Aleksander Emelianenko, leading into the monster pay-per-view event.
True to its foundation in fashion, Affliction passed out thousands of T-shirts and posters to the crowd. The eight fighters, including Fedor and Sylvia, were able to meet-and-greet fans as well as sign shirts following the press conference.
To download all video, photos and PR related media go to: http://www.afflictionbanned.com/media.html
Affliction
Already a mainstay for the most elite athletes, heaviest bands, A-listers and the fashion conscious, Affliction Clothing’s ability to set the bar high in fashion is evident in its collection’s indulgence of style and design, focus on quality, and its trademark series of divinely executed, dark and powerful themes.
PRESS CONFERENCE FIGHTER QUOTES
Fedor Emelianenko: “I want to thank Affliction for giving me this opportunity to fight the strongest athletes in the world. My respect to Tim. I’m sure you’ll all love the show on July 19th.”
Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia
Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia: “July 19th is going to be a great show. I’m fortunate that Affliction got me on this card. A lot of people have been after Fedor and I got him. He’s a great athlete and fighter deserving of everything he’s received. I’ve been known to throw a money wrench into the worlds and I plan on doing it again. The whole card is stacked and that’s what fans want. Tune in July 19th for an awesome show in Anaheim. I’m no sacrificial lamb. A lot of guys won’t fight Fedor but I will. He’s been like a myth. This will be only his second fight in the United States. If I do my best I believe I’ll be victorious. He’s 6-feet, I’m 6-8, so I want to fight standing up.”
Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett: “It’s nice to have a press conference like this. I just got off a plane from Japan (where he won a fight). I’d like to stress that this event crosses over to all sports and entertainment, not only the MMA community. You can have all of the fireworks but it’s up to us (fighters) to make the biggest bang. We will be spending a lot of time in the gym to give everybody everything they want. It’s not enough to just have a fight. We want to give fans an event that they’ll talk about for a long time.
“You play football. You play basketball. You don’t play fighting. Playing isn’t involved in this sport. We take it to the extreme – the people out there believe a kick in the head, or a punch in the eye, is extreme – but we get to know who we really are and see true characters even in this violent sport. I love Pedro; he’s a wonderful guy. I love him so much I’m going to hug him to death on July 19th.”
Pedro Rizzo and Josh Barnett
Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo: “Affliction has put together a great card. It’s going to be the best of the year, maybe ever, on July 19th.”
Mike Whitehead: “I want to thank Tom and Todd (Affliction) for giving me this opportunity. Fans who’ve followed me throughout my career know that I’ve always wanted to get into a fight like this against a tough guy like ‘Babalu.’ The best way to show respect is to be the best we can be for fans who will be there or watching on pay-per-view. I’m meeting ‘Babalu’ and when we get in there it’s going to be like cartoons – dusts and fist flying and we’ll see what happens when the dust settles.”
Mike Whitehead and Renato Sobral
Renato “Babalu” Sobral: “I’m very proud to be here with all of these stars. My opponent is a very tough guy. This
show is going to sellout in my backyard, Orange County.”
Matt “The Law” Lindland: “I’m so excited to be part of this show. I’m excited to get back in the gym. It’s been since April against since I fought this guy (Fedor). I don’t know why I moved up to two divisions to fight him. I’m honored to be part of this great card. I love fighting in this arena more than in politics (last Tuesday Matt won the Republican nomination for House District 52 in Oregon). I know who my opponent is in the ring. I look him right in the eyes.”
Matt Lindland
Fabio “Negao” Nascimento: “I’m happy to be part of this great event. It’s going to be a great honor
fighting the caliber of fighter like Matt Lindland. It’s a great honor to fight for all of you guys.”
“Big” Ben Rothwell: “It’s an epic card. I’m honored to be on it and up here with all of these great fighters. Affliction has stepped up to give fans what they deserve. July 19th is going to be one helluva show.”
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Affliction Pulls Out Their Trump Card: 'Affliction Banned' press conference in NYC's Trump Tower was a star-studded event where Donald Trump took the podium for the upcoming July 19th Fedor vs. Sylvia fight at Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.
Donald Trump welcomed everyone to Trump Tower. “These are all tough guys,” he said as he looked across the head table. “We’re all tough, right? I asked one of these guys how long I’d last and looked at me like I was kidding. Affliction is going to do very well and I look forward to being there for it.”
Affliction will make history July 19 presenting its own Mixed-Martial-Arts pay-per-view event in association with Roy Englebrecht Events, appropriately named “Affliction Banned,” featuring the much-anticipated return of Russian heavyweight superstar Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko in association with M-1, supported by an All-World caliber undercard, at Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
“July 19th is going to be a milestone for both Affliction and Mixed Martial Arts,” remarked Tom Atencio, Vice President of Affliction. “For fans of Affliction and core fans of MMA this event not only features an incredibly stacked card with the best fighters in the world, but, more importantly, it marks the emergence of a new era in MMA. Affliction Clothing is proud to be at the forefront of this new time, when promoters and fighters can come together and produce the fights that fans want to see. Our mission is simple: support the people who have supported us and bring the fans of MMA the best fights possible with the best fighters from around the world. Ladies and gentlemen, I formally announce to you Affliction’s entry into the arena of MMA and I’m extremely excited to introduce you to the fighters of Affliction Banned.”
Fedor Emelianenko, Donald Trump and Tim Sylvia
Fedor (27-1), the former undisputed PRIDE® heavyweight champion and Russian M-1 legend, has been universally recognized the past five years as the most dominating heavyweight in the world. He will fight former 2-time UFC® heavyweight title-holder Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (24-4), fighting out of Iowa by way of his native Maine.
The exciting four-fight undercard is loaded with Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett (21-5), of Seattle, facing-off stateside for the first time in two years in a grudge match against the only opponent to ever knock him out, Brazilian strongman Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-7). Three-time All-America wrestler Mike Whitehead (20-5), of Salt Lake City, will battle Brazilian sensation Renato “Babalu” Sobral (29-7), of Costa Mesa, California. 2000 Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt “The Law” Lindland (20-5), of Oregon City, faces Brazilian favorite Fabio “Negao” Nascimento (8-3). Former IFL® titlist “Big” Ben Rothwell (29-5), of Kenosha, Wisconsin, is scheduled to fight an opponent to be determined in this groundbreaking event.
Tickets for “Affliction Banned,” ranging between $50.00 and $1,000.00, are on sale at the Honda Center box office. More than $250,000 in ticket sales was reportedly sold within the first 30 minutes of release this past Tuesday. Tickets to the event are currently available online at Ticketmaster.com.
“Affliction Banned” will be distributed on Pay-Per-View and air live (9 PM/ET, 6 PM/PT) on cable and satellite viewing in the USA and Canada via iN DEMAND, TVN, Shaw Communications, Viewer’s Choice Canada, DirecTV, DISH Network, Bell ExpressVue and Star Choice for a suggested retail price of $39.95. The telecast will be available in both standard and high definition television. The PPV telecast will be available in both standard and high definition television.
Fox Sports Net television will broadcast a non-paying per view undercard live, including fighters such as Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Fedor’s brother, Aleksander Emelianenko, leading into the monster pay-per-view event.
True to its foundation in fashion, Affliction passed out thousands of T-shirts and posters to the crowd. The eight fighters, including Fedor and Sylvia, were able to meet-and-greet fans as well as sign shirts following the press conference.
To download all video, photos and PR related media go to: http://www.afflictionbanned.com/media.html
Affliction
Already a mainstay for the most elite athletes, heaviest bands, A-listers and the fashion conscious, Affliction Clothing’s ability to set the bar high in fashion is evident in its collection’s indulgence of style and design, focus on quality, and its trademark series of divinely executed, dark and powerful themes.
PRESS CONFERENCE FIGHTER QUOTES
Fedor Emelianenko: “I want to thank Affliction for giving me this opportunity to fight the strongest athletes in the world. My respect to Tim. I’m sure you’ll all love the show on July 19th.”
Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia
Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia: “July 19th is going to be a great show. I’m fortunate that Affliction got me on this card. A lot of people have been after Fedor and I got him. He’s a great athlete and fighter deserving of everything he’s received. I’ve been known to throw a money wrench into the worlds and I plan on doing it again. The whole card is stacked and that’s what fans want. Tune in July 19th for an awesome show in Anaheim. I’m no sacrificial lamb. A lot of guys won’t fight Fedor but I will. He’s been like a myth. This will be only his second fight in the United States. If I do my best I believe I’ll be victorious. He’s 6-feet, I’m 6-8, so I want to fight standing up.”
Josh “The Baby Faced Assassin” Barnett: “It’s nice to have a press conference like this. I just got off a plane from Japan (where he won a fight). I’d like to stress that this event crosses over to all sports and entertainment, not only the MMA community. You can have all of the fireworks but it’s up to us (fighters) to make the biggest bang. We will be spending a lot of time in the gym to give everybody everything they want. It’s not enough to just have a fight. We want to give fans an event that they’ll talk about for a long time.
“You play football. You play basketball. You don’t play fighting. Playing isn’t involved in this sport. We take it to the extreme – the people out there believe a kick in the head, or a punch in the eye, is extreme – but we get to know who we really are and see true characters even in this violent sport. I love Pedro; he’s a wonderful guy. I love him so much I’m going to hug him to death on July 19th.”
Pedro Rizzo and Josh Barnett
Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo: “Affliction has put together a great card. It’s going to be the best of the year, maybe ever, on July 19th.”
Mike Whitehead: “I want to thank Tom and Todd (Affliction) for giving me this opportunity. Fans who’ve followed me throughout my career know that I’ve always wanted to get into a fight like this against a tough guy like ‘Babalu.’ The best way to show respect is to be the best we can be for fans who will be there or watching on pay-per-view. I’m meeting ‘Babalu’ and when we get in there it’s going to be like cartoons – dusts and fist flying and we’ll see what happens when the dust settles.”
Mike Whitehead and Renato Sobral
Renato “Babalu” Sobral: “I’m very proud to be here with all of these stars. My opponent is a very tough guy. This
show is going to sellout in my backyard, Orange County.”
Matt “The Law” Lindland: “I’m so excited to be part of this show. I’m excited to get back in the gym. It’s been since April against since I fought this guy (Fedor). I don’t know why I moved up to two divisions to fight him. I’m honored to be part of this great card. I love fighting in this arena more than in politics (last Tuesday Matt won the Republican nomination for House District 52 in Oregon). I know who my opponent is in the ring. I look him right in the eyes.”
Matt Lindland
Fabio “Negao” Nascimento: “I’m happy to be part of this great event. It’s going to be a great honor
fighting the caliber of fighter like Matt Lindland. It’s a great honor to fight for all of you guys.”
“Big” Ben Rothwell: “It’s an epic card. I’m honored to be on it and up here with all of these great fighters. Affliction has stepped up to give fans what they deserve. July 19th is going to be one helluva show.”
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
CBS Conference Call Quotes: Kimbo, Colossus, Bas Rutten, Gary Shaw; CBS Media Day Photos at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19
Good day and welcome to the CBS EliteXC Fighter conference call. Today’s conference is being recorded.
At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mitch Graham. Go ahead please, sir.
Mitch Graham: Hi, everyone. This is Mitch Graham from CBS Publicity. Welcome to the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights Main Event conference call.
On the call, we have our headliners, Kimbo Slice and James Thompson along with Kimbo’s trainer Bas Rutten and EliteXC Live Events President Mr. Gary Shaw. Kimbo and James are headlining the inaugural CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Saturday May 31 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. on CBS.
L-r, Doug DeLuca, Executive Chairman, ProElite, Kelly Kahl, Sr. Executive VP, CBS Primetime and Gary Shaw, Live Events President, EliteXC during a press conference at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Obviously, we are thrilled to have teamed up with EliteXC to bring fans everywhere the first ever MMA event live on network television and primetime. EliteXC has put together an outstanding five-fight card for the first show on CBS.
And with that, I’ll now turn it over to Mr. Gary Shaw.
Gary Shaw: Thank you, Mitch and thank you James and Kimbo and Bas for joining us and the rest of the press. It’s a huge day on May 31st, 9:00 p.m. primetime on CBS for all of mixed martial arts. It’s the opportunity for it to be seen by a hundred million eyeballs, plus it’s the opportunity for everybody to understand that mixed martial arts is really a sport, and the athletes are true athletes with many different disciplines.
It’s going to be an exciting night, five fights headlined obviously by Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, and a great cast of characters and fighters that you have seen before, with Robbie Lawler fighting to defend his world championship against Scott Smith and obviously our featured women’s fighter, which is Gina Carano.
MMA fighter Gina Carano performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008
Rockstar is one of our major sponsors, and we thank Rockstar and we thank the union of EliteXC along with CBS to bring together the first ever mixed martial arts show on terrestrial TV. I don’t want to take up any more time. It’s about the fighters.
I’m going to let James Thompson open up with a few words first, then I’m going to have Kimbo, and then we’re going to throw right to the questions. So James, you want to make any opening comments?
James Thompson: Yes, cheers, Gary. I just want to say it’s James “Colossus” Thompson here on the phone from England. I’m training hard and really looking forward to May 31st. It’s going to be a war.
Gary Shaw: OK, thank you. And Kimbo?
Kimbo Slice: Hey, Gary; how’s it going, buddy?
Gary Shaw: Good, good. I miss you, buddy.
Kimbo Slice: All righty.
Gary Shaw: You want to make any opening statement to the press, Kimbo?
Kimbo Slice: Nope, not at all.
Gary Shaw: OK. Operator?
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Operator: At this time, ladies and gentlemen, if you do have an audio question, simply press the star then one on your touch-tone phone. You may withdraw your question at any time by pressing the pound key.
And we’ll first go to Michael Wood from ESPN Magazine. Go ahead please.
Michael Woods: All right. Kimbo, Gary, Colossus, thanks for taking the time out. I appreciate it. Kimbo, have you seen the cover of yourself on the cover of ESPN Mag yet?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, I thought it was amazing, man. You guys did great work. Thanks guys so much for also taking the time to show me that kind of love.
Michael Woods: Yes, it looks great, and we’re hoping for a great show and for your continued success because it’s a great story for the building up of MMA. James, I want to ask you first very quickly.
James Thompson: Yes.
Michael Woods: I was referring to the fact that Kimbo was on the cover of ESPN Magazine this week, and the press coverage of him has been amazing. There’s been so many people grabbing him, and I’m wondering if you think that possibly he’s concentrating too much on that kind of stuff, getting caught up on that and overlooking you?
James Thompson: Well, you know, we can only guess. I mean Kimbo’s got a lot to display. He’s with a professional team with Bas Rutten, and I’m not. And I’m sure he realizes – I mean what sort of stage you know what I mean so – and I’d like to say he’s got some kind of real concern with what we’ve got. I won’t be thinking he’s taking it lightly.
Michael Woods: And Kimbo, I’m guessing the answer is no, but I’ll ask it to you anyway. I know you like to keep your eye on the prize, but what are some of the things that you do so you don’t get too caught up in the media hype and ‘damn, my face is on the cover of that magazine’ and get your head too big? How do you deal with that?
Kimbo Slice: Well, I look at it like this. Those type of things are more for the fans than anybody, and I continue to concentrate on my training and what I have to do. Like he said, I know what is at stake here and I know what it means to me you know, so to take a few minutes or an hour out of my time you know that’s fine, that’s cool. You know when I get back to training you know I train and that’s what’s up.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Michael Woods: Thanks. Good stuff. Hey guys, have a great fight. Everyone stay safe and we’ll talk to you again soon. Take care.
James Thompson: Yes, thank you. I appreciate it.
Operator: We’ll take our next question from the side of Beau Dure with USA Today. Go ahead please.
Beau Dure: Hello. This is a question for Kimbo, and I want to point out that I am just a messenger here. This is not me saying this. This is a quote that I want to get your reaction to. It’s Dana White, and it says ‘B.J. Penn at 155 pounds would destroy Kimbo Slice. Kimbo Slice isn’t anywhere near that type of level. He’s not a professional athlete.’ So, Kimbo, and then I guess Gary too, your reactions?
Gary Shaw: I’ll do it first. Dana White is a j***-off. That’s what Dana White is. He’s a f***ing idiot and you can quote me on that. If he cared about mixed martial arts and the sport instead of caring about his big-a** swimming pool and his own personal gains, he would understand that statements like that make someone into a jerk.
First of all, I love B.J. Penn and he is a friend of mine. And his brother J.D. Penn works with our company. Kimbo Slice with one shot would knock out B.J. Penn, a 155 pounder. But they’re never going to fight. It’s an idiotic statement from a complete idiot.
Kimbo doesn’t need to say anything at all. But I understand you’re the messenger. I don’t mean it against you, but this is a conference call about fighters, two fighters fighting each other and a real competitive match-up on a first-ever CBS live MMA event, and Dana White is an idiot. And if he wasn’t an idiot, May 31st would’ve been the UFC instead of EliteXC. I rest my case.
Beau Dure: All right. Thanks, Gary. Kimbo, do you want to take it?
Kimbo Slice: You know, it’s a free country. You know, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.
Beau Dure: All right. Thanks, Kimbo.
L-r, Nick Diaz, Jake Shields, Scott Smith, Kimbo Slice, Gary Shaw, Gina Carano, Phil Baroni and Robbie Lawler during a press conference at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Operator: We’ll take our next question from Denny Burkholder with CBSSports.com.
MMA fighters, l-r, Robbie Lawler, Kimbo Slice, Gina Carano and Scott Smith at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Denny Burkholder: Hi, guys. I’d like to offer a question for Bas. You’ve been a player in this sport for years and I was just wondering what it’s like for an MMA pioneer like yourself to see the sport finally broadcast on primetime network TV?
Bas Rutten: You know, that’s what we all are fighting for. I expected this way sooner when I had my first fight in Japan. The next day, they stopped me on the street. I was thrilled. This is going to be the biggest thing, and you will see it got bigger.
That was in the beginning there, and I said it. This was in 1993. I said the first person who’s going to put this on free TV, regular TV, is going to make a killing because that’s what they want. But the world wasn’t ready for it yet. And now the world is ready for it, so I think it’s great.
Denny Burkholder: OK, now a question for James. James, you were knocked out by Brett Rogers in February, and now you find yourself fighting in the main event against Kimbo Slice. What happened in that last fight and how will you avoid this same thing happening versus Kimbo?
James Thompson: Well, what happened in the last, you know, it’s very hard to predict what will happen in a fight. You do all your training, so – I mean you go out there and I’m hoping to win it. It didn’t happen for me on that occasion. And basically I look at (the line). I look at where there’s long (goals) in my game, etc., go back to the drawing board. I just keep on drilling things, keep on being positive and (that’s what he can do).
Denny Burkholder: OK, now a couple of questions for Kimbo. Kimbo, you’ve become so popular in such a short period of time., you’re fighting in main events despite still being relatively new to the sport. My question is where do you think your MMA skill level is at right now? Do you feel like you still have a lot to learn?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, yes. I will always feel that way no matter what level that I’m going up to, no matter the magnitude, the popularity. I will always feel like I’m a baby at the sport and the game. I’m always willing and ready to learn.
Denny Burkholder: OK, now we know you’re training with Bas. You haven’t had a chance yet to show us your ground fighting. Are you looking forward to showing more versatility or would you just be happy to keep things standing?
Kimbo Slice: I think each fighter (is effective) and I never underestimate our opponent. You know, if I was training someone to fight me, that’s what I would work on. I would have my opponent try to take me to the ground, but that’s where they’re going to underestimate me you know.
Denny Burkholder: Very good, OK. Now I have a couple of questions for Gary. Gary, following up on a (question), you said numerous times that MMA promoters should work together for the fans. EliteXC has been very active working with Strikeforce, DREAM and other groups. Would you all work together with Affliction or were they – are they the exception?
Gary Shaw: Right now they’re the exception because they’re a clothing company. Would I work with them in a fight? Yes, I would work with them in a fight. And then would fighters wear Affliction clothing on our telecast? No because I don’t let – allow them to wear competitors’ clothing on our telecast. Would I work with Affliction in the co-promotion? Yes.
Denny Burkholder: Now I’m going to the topic of fighter sponsorships and you know wearing sponsors on your clothing on your way to the cage. One of Kimbo’s sponsors is Reality Kings, and Reality Kings operates a number of pornographic Web sites. Was there ever any discussion of banning Reality Kings from sponsoring Kimbo on the CBS show due to being on primetime network TV?
Gary Shaw: Yes, Reality Kings will not be on his clothing.
Denny Burkholder: OK. Was that a EliteXC call or CBS call or what?
Gary Shaw: It’s both. We understand what’s socially responsible, and CBS has a very high standard for standards and practices. And every logo we put on or whatever we do goes through CBS in their standards and practices.
Denny Burkholder: I know that sponsorships are a pretty big chunk of fighter income. Was there any – did you do anything to make that up to Kimbo that he wouldn’t getting that sponsorship money?
Gary Shaw: You know I gave him a big hug. I showed him love.
Denny Burkholder: All right, very good. Thanks, guys. Best of luck next week.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Jaime Martinez from No Holds Barred. Go ahead please.
Jaime Martinez: First question I have was for Kimbo Slice. Kimbo, because James Thompson is ataller opponent than others, have you had to adjust your training schedule and your trअ ining technique?
Kimbo Slice: Because he’s what?
Jaime Martinez: Taller.
Gary Shaw: Well, James Thompson’s taller than a lot of the other opponents.
Jaime Martinez: Have you had to adjust your training because of that?
Kimbo Slice: I have a pretty long reach.
Jaime Martinez: OK, and Gary, I wanted to ask you about what kind of ratings you were expecting because from what I understand, it’s around three to four million viewers. Is that right?
Gary Shaw: Well, you know, everybody has their own expectations. I don’t know what CBS’s expectations are. I think it’s a new timeslot for sports on Saturday evening’s primetime. It’s definitely a new spot for mixed martial arts that’s never been seen. So, we’re not really sure where the ratings are going to be. I’m hopeful we hit a home run. CBS has put all their assets behind us in this promotion. I couldn’t ask for anything more, and I believe we’ve done our job and we’re sure our athletes have done their jobs in helping to promote the show. So, you know, let’s talk after the 31st. The chips will fall where they may, and we’ll make whatever adjustments we have to afterward.
Jaime Martinez: All right, gentlemen, I appreciate it. Thank you.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: We now move on to Jason Probst from Sherdog.com. Go ahead please.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Jason Probst: This question is for both Bas and Kimbo. Obviously it’s a lot of transition to make the move to mixed martial arts. Kimbo, what were your impressions of Bas when you started working with him and what point did you decide that ‘this is the guy I want to work with’?
Kimbo Slice: Actually about a year ago. I have a great impression of Bas. Bas is the man. You know what I’m saying? Can’t get a better trainer, a better coach a better adviser of the sport and of the game. I mean he explains everything to me why. And to my knowledge I can pick it up better. I can understand the cause and the effect of everything, and I wouldn’t want to change that.
Jason Probst: And Bas, what were your initial impressions of Kimbo? Obviously this guy was an Internet phenomenon but what did you think coming in when you started work with him and at what point did you say this is a guy that can make the transition?
Bas Rutten: Well, with him being so big and popular already and to put all – everything on the line to go pro -- and there’s a big chance of losing it all because like they say you know he can be a tough guy on the street, but that doesn’t mean anything if you’re going to do it against a pro. But he said, “No, I want to (go) with the pros.’ And I think that has something to say about his motivation, and that’s what sparked interest with me.
He took that risk to go pro so at least, you’re not going to be a guy who’s going to say, ‘Oh, I fought through on the street fights I never won – I never lost.’ You know I want a guy who actually does it against guys who also full time train and you get that.
Jason Probst: Bas, obviously mixed martial arts has a huge grappling in it. With such a short time frame to get Kimbo acclimated to that, did that change the strategy you used to kind of get him to use certain submission tactics versus making it more complex? How did you address getting up, going on the ground, takedowns, clinches and things like that. How did you incorporate that into Kimbo’s game?
Bas Rutten: Like I do with everybody else, I had to learn the hard way. A long time ago I lost – when I lost my last fight against Ken Shamrock, I said, ‘You know what, I don’t like losing. I’m not going to lose anymore.’
So I start training two, three times a day and won my next eight fights I won by submission. So that actually my record shows I beat more people by submission than by knockout.
So right away when Kimbo came in, we already started working on it. I knew he was going to be a striker. I think that Kimbo’s hands are better than 80 percent of the guys in the mixed martial arts game right now. Why would you play? They’re going to try to take him down, so that’s what we really expect is going to happen.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Damon Martin of MMA Weekly Radio. Go ahead please.
Frank Shamrock emcees an MMA demonstration by Nick Diaz (black shorts) and Jake Shields (white shorts) at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Damon Martin: Thanks for doing the call everybody today. First question is for James. James, you had worked for a little bit with Xtreme Couture in Vegas. And I think you said you’re back in England now. Can you talk about who you’re training with and what it was like with Xtreme Couture?.
James Thompson: I’m training with a team called London Street Fighters at the moment in England. You know I spent some time actually (deciding where to train). I joined a great team with great people. I learn from them. The problem was Sean Thompkins has done a lot of work with Bas and Kimbo. I didn’t want to put him in such an awkward position. Sean is a great guy. So I started looking for all the teams and followed up on one in England. It’s all been going great for me.
Damon Martin: And so you would work with him again in the future?.
James Thompson: Yes, yes, yes. I would. I mean London – I hope that for next fight, too. I have really enjoyed working with them. I’ve had fine training.
Damon Martin: Very good. And for Kimbo, we talked about some of the negative stuff but recently a lot of fighters have come out supporting you – Josh Barnett, B.J. Penn and Tito Ortiz said he’s really changed his opinion of you, so a lot of positivity coming from a lot of long-standing MMA fighters. What does that mean to you as a guy who’s still kind of new in the sport to get that support and kind of turn those people around your way?
Kimbo Slice: My feeling about those guys has never changed. I’m not a sometimes person. I still have love for the sport. I still have love for all my brothers and sisters in the MMA world. They know it. And we’re only going to get bigger and better and make more money doing what we do. And this is what we love to do; (we) fighters entertain. And you know and that’s where I stand with that.
Damon Martin: Gary, in one of the conference calls previously, you mentioned the women’s title coming soon. What about the heavyweight title and where does Antonio Silva and maybe Kimbo or James Thompson fit into that picture?
Gary Shaw: Right now we’re close to doing a heavyweight title. We’ll probably do the heavyweight title in 2008 and Kimbo’s there and James Thompson is there and obviously Junior Silva is right there at the top.
Damon Martin: All right, thanks, everybody. I appreciate it.
Gary Shaw: Thank you too.
Operator: We now go to Bernard Fernandez from the Philadelphia Daily News.
Bernard Fernandez: Before this thing came up about May 31st, I had seen pretty much all of Kimbo’s fights on YouTube because my son had downloaded all of them and has made me watch them. But Gary, on the conference call (Wednesday), Frank Shamrock said that this was a day that was 15 years in coming. And he also said that he got into MMA from watching Bruce Lee movies.
Frank Shamrock emcees an MMA demonstration by Nick Diaz (black shorts) and Jake Shields (white shorts) at the CBS
I’m just wondering, in watching those YouTube tapes of or download of Kimbo, if he’s not really like real-life embodiment of the Philo Beddoe character played by Clint Eastwood in those “Every Which Way but Loose” and any-which-way-but-you-can movies from 20 years ago. I mean it’s not like street fighting. It’s something that street fighting livens or something that just came up. I mean can you kind of address that?
Gary Shaw: Sure. I watched. (Jared) my son made me watch Kimbo’s downloads. That’s how I got interested in Kimbo. I didn’t know Kimbo Slice existed.
When I saw him obviously this very first thought in my mind is he is a purebred heavyweight fighter. I watched the way he moved. He reminded me of Tyson. He has natural head movement. He fought side to side. He did things very naturally. I didn’t think of him as a backyard or a street fighter. I immediately thought of him in boxing.
Jared then told me, ‘Dad, he’s training in MMA, and I believe he’s training with Bas Rutten.’ That’s all I needed to know. And having an MMA company, I put two guys on a plane. There’s no more to the story. I sent them to Florida. I told them, ‘Don’t come back (until) we had Kimbo Slice’s signature not only on a piece of paper but every page of the contract.
And so I didn’t look at him as a character or anything else. I looked at him as this big, mean fighting machine that I thought that I could turn into a superstar. Having met Kimbo and having bonded with Kimbo, he’s triangular. He’s got an on-off switch like Tyson. He can baby-sit your kids and be sweet. He is a real mean fighting machine that you don’t want to meet in a backyard or an alley or anywhere else.
And then there’s the third part of the triangular, which is that he is a very complex individual. So, he’s a lot of different things and a family man, and he has what it takes to be a superstar. And that’s why we’re backed up with over a 150 requests right now for interviews. And that’s why he’s on the cover of ESPN Magazine. And now there are other magazines wanting to cross over that have nothing to do with sports. And I know, Bernard, how long you’ve been covering boxing, and you know the difference between a fighter, a star and a superstar. Kimbo Slice is a superstar.
Bernard Fernandez: OK, I appreciate it.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: We next go to Sharon Robb from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Go ahead please.
Sharon Robb: Kimbo, hello. Mixed martial arts has been around for a very, very long time and finally it’s a very hot sport. I’m curious what your initial attraction was and what took you so long to get involved with it?
Kimbo Slice: My initial attraction -- and I’m not saying this because he’s here -- was Bas Rutten. (When I saw how he loved the sport and lived, I said then) if I’m going to train with anybody, it has to be that guy. That’s what made the transition for me to cross over to the MMA world and leave street fighting alone.
Operator: We’ll move on to the side of Pedro Gonzalez from Sports Review. Go ahead please.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Pedro Gonzalez: Hi and thanks for giving us the time. Kimbo, I grew up in Cutler Ridge close to Goulds and Perrine (Florida) areas. How much did growing up in a rough area attribute to your toughness?
Kimbo Slice: It doesn’t have a lot to do with it. It comes with (the) neighborhood. I actually went to schools -- Cutler Ridge Middle, Bel-Air Elementary, Richmond Middle and also Palmetto Senior High. You know those neighborhoods are pretty rough, (but) it was school. (If it is time to throw down), we’ve got to throw it down.
Pedro Gonzalez: What is your ultimate goal with MMA? Where do you see yourself in five years?
Kimbo Slice: To continue to be fighting. I see myself receiving one of the heavyweight titles whether it’s boxing or MMA and holding on to them.
Pedro Gonzalez: Are you ever scared or nervous when you approach a fight?
Kimbo Slice: No.
Pedro Gonzalez: Who do you think punches harder? You or Mike Tyson?
Kimbo Slice: I don’t know. We have to do a test to find that out.
Pedro Gonzalez: How often do random people in the street cause problems with you or try to challenge you to a fight?
Kimbo Slice: Never. It never happened.
Operator: We now move on to Eddie Goldman from No Holds Barred.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Eddie Goldman: Thank you. Hello, everybody. Kimbo, besides the financial aspects, how is becoming a professional mixed martial arts partnered with EliteXC changed your life? Or has it?
Kimbo Slice: It’s changed my life tremendously. I’ve learned – I guess that I’ve learned -- discipline. I’ve learned (commitmentship). I’ve learned to be more loyal to something that I love (besides) my family.
When I’m in training mode, it’s a three-month or for however long (stint). There’s no drugs, there’s no smoking, there’s no drinking and there’s no sex. And that’s some serious (commitmentship) and I’m loyal.
This does mean something to me. I’m fighting for a reason. I’m fighting for my family. I’m fighting for myself. I’m fighting to never go back into the gutter again. I’m fighting to raise my kids up to be in a different environment. There’s a lot I’m fighting for.
I’m not just in there slugging it out you know. It’s a chess game. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned to use my brain. I can drink a cup of water and also write something and watch TV and read a book. I can do all. I’m versatile now. You know, I’m no longer one dimensional in my life. I can do a lot of different things now that I’m training.
Eddie Goldman: There was a recent article by a writer on ESPN.com that was very critical of your image and used a lot of epithets about you.
Gary Shaw: Don’t even go there, Eddie, because any article that starts, ‘Although I’ve never spoken with the man and although I’ve never met the man,’ -- that alone disqualifies the article and doesn’t warrant a question. And I’m not going to let Kimbo even give an answer.
Eddie Goldman: Well, I just wanted to get his rebuttal to it.
Gary Shaw: There is no rebuttal. Anybody that will write an article that’s speaking third person
and without meeting the person is not a journalist.
Eddie Goldman: OK. I’m not disagreeing with you. I just wanted to …
Gary Shaw: OK, well …
Eddie Goldman: … get his take on it.
Gary Shaw: … forget it.
Eddie Goldman: I’ve got a question for James also. James, you’ve been brought into this fight. Kimbo is the big star attraction on the cover of ESPN Magazine and is the main one being …
James Thompson (interrupting): Some people don’t even say hello to me.
Eddie Goldman: I know. I’m sorry about that. (But) how are you going to approach this fight? Do you think you’re being brought in to be knocked out? And obviously you want to win this fight on this big stage and being on CBS. How are you going to approach Kimbo?
James Thompson: You know, obviously, I’m being brought in to – I’m mean I’m a big guy, I’m an exciting fighter, I look big and mean but you know they’re hoping I get knocked on the chin and that’s not over for me. I mean fans will call me “James See You Later.’’
It doesn’t matter to me. That doesn’t bother me at all. It doesn’t bother me because it gives me a chance (to make amends). I mean after my last few fights, I don’t think I really deserve the chance. But to get this chance (is massive) to me. I mean it really is a big thing and I intend to take full advantage of it.
Eddie Goldman: I want to ask also finally Kimbo and James. Do you guys both expect this to be a short fight over in the first round? Kimbo first.
Kimbo Slice: Well, I’m expecting the fight to go to the ground. I’m expecting to do some of my ground game. Man, you don’t understand. I’m more excited about going to the ground than I am standing up right now. You know the last quarter of our training has been ground by ground by ground. I’m really looking forward to that right now.
Eddie Goldman: And James, how do you see it? Do you think it’s actually ending up going to the ground or do you think it’ll be a stand-up battle?
James Thompson: There are so many different elements in it. I wouldn’t even like to predict where the fight’s going to go. All I know is I’m training hard. I’m sure Kimbo’s training hard. You know we both come to fight, we both come to entertain and we both come to give our all. So all I know is it’s going to be one exciting fight.
Operator: We next go to Steve Feitl from Home News Tribune of East Brunswick. Go ahead please.
Steve Feitl: Hi, good afternoon, everybody. My first question is for James. With Kimbo being a relatively young fighter and you know knowing how his skills are developing, does that make it somewhat more difficult to prepare for fighting him?
James Thompson: To a certain extent because you have this – well you know obviously Kimbo’s very aggressive. Obviously. he’s got a good stand-up. You know that’s what we’ve seen. And you can answer with a question mark. All I can do is see what I’ve got to work with and where my game is and fill in the holes I have and fight hard.
Steve Feitl: Kimbo, this is obviously a huge night in the world of mixed martial arts, a big opportunity for mixed martial arts. Do you feel any extra responsibility considering you’re kind of the guy that they’re kind of building this all around as far as EliteXC?
Kimbo Slice: You know I know what I have to do and I never had a problem doing what I have to do.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Doug Jeffrey. Go ahead please.
Doug Jeffrey: Thank you for your time. I appreciate it very much you guys. James, your walk-ins are very, very intense. What goes through your mind during that time you are walking in to the cage?
James Thompson: Nothing really goes through my mind. It’s just a mixture of adrenaline. It’s there. It’s kind of all those kinds of things mixed in together, which you kind of just go along with. It’s kind of the kind of what comes out of your end. You know I mean that kind of intense amplifier.
Doug Jeffrey: OK. What is your biggest concern with Kimbo?
James Thompson: His beard. I don’t want to get the oval bed rush. You know I mean that’s what I mean. Now I mean obviously he’s an aggressive stand-up fighter. I’ve got holes in my stomach defense. I mean I’ve got to make sure I’m tight and you know I mean I don’t want to be going to war with Kimbo. I mean that’s no secret. Eventually, I want it to go to the floor and see what he’s got there.
Doug Jeffrey: Bas, can you assess Kimbo’s skill level?
Bas Rutten: Well, it’s up there you know. The thing is we fought three fights with a two-minute-and-twelve-second total time. There’s nothing much we can say from that, right? So we got to fight – I foresee everything being really good because the way he is before a fight, he’s very relaxed.
He really likes to fight. He keeps his mind together which is a very difficult thing to do for a fighter because you see a lot of fighters who are really good in the dojo, but then once they bring it to the fight they get stage fright and they lock up there and like only 20 percent comes out. But I don’t see a problem, so I think he’s going to have a great career just as long as there are no injuries -- that’s the only thing I wish because that’s what happened with me. Then, I foresee a great career.
Doug Jeffrey: Kimbo, what is your biggest concern with James going in to the fight?
Kimbo Slice: I don’t have one.
Doug Jeffrey: Totally confident and ready to go?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, sir.
Doug Jeffrey: OK, good deal. Thanks for your time, you guys.
Gary Shaw: OK, Doug. Take care, man.
Operator: Your next question comes to us from Jack Encarnacao from The Fight Network. .
Jack Encarnacao: Hi, guys. Thanks for taking the call. I really appreciate it. Gary, how close were you guys to making a Kimbo versus Ken Shamrock fight for the CBS debut?
The CBS Broadcast Team, l-r, David Dinkins, Jr., cageside reporter Karyn Bryant, play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, analysts Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Gary Shaw: Not really close. Ken is one of our fighters and we absolutely would’ve considered him had he won in England, but the fact is that he didn’t win and I didn’t like the way he lost. I didn’t think it was appropriate for the first CBS telecast.
Jack Encarnacao: How about in James Thompson’s case, who also is coming off a loss like Ken?
Gary Shaw: I think he just walked into (a shot). It was a different type of loss. I mean it was more competitive. I thought he walked into a punch. He fought Brett Rodgers, who we have a lot of respect for, so much respect that he’s on this CBS telecast. Somebody asked before about James coming in to be a sacrificial lamb for Kimbo. Well, a lot of people thought that Brett Rodgers was a sacrificial lamb for James Thompson. I’ve been in the fight game long enough to know that anything can happen on any night. And if you’re not well prepared, then you know you are in a problem. But as Buster Douglas showed when beat Mike Tyson, anything can happen on any night. That’s why the smart people will tune in on May 31st primetime, 9:00 p.m, on CBS.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, why do you think so many people want to see you fight?
Kimbo Slice: Because you’ve got a lot of people out there who love the sport. They love the fact that people who love boxing are transitioning now over to MMA. And they love a battle like back in the days when the Romans just filled their buildings up with millions or hundreds of thousands of people to watch the Roman gladiators go at it. This is the modern day time. Now we’re in the new millennium, this is a new era, and it’s the same thing you know. People love to be entertained. You know man to man. That’s what people love. Luckily for me, I’m one of those gladiators. I love to fight. I love to perform. It’s your move and my move. It’s one on one. You know I can take a punch. Can you take a punch? You know you’re going to put me in a move. I’m going to try to get out and I’m going to slip you in a move. And that’s what it’s about with me.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, do you get a sense that you are bringing new people into the sport that don’t watch right now?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, I’ve been all around and I’m getting that and, you know, that’s good. That’s good that we’re able to be a positive influence on the public; that people are getting more involved. That is a good thing because that means that we are part of -- you know James, myself and , everybody on this fight card -- we’re going to (show that this really is a) sport. And that’s what it’s about.
Jack Encarnacao: Bas, you’ve been around the sport pretty much longer than anybody else, and I wondered if you have ever seen anything in Japan or even in America like what’s happening with Kimbo? Can you compare it to anything as far as the general interest in this and his story?
Bas Rutten: I would say Bob Sapp in Japan. But then, Bob, I think got more attracted to pro wrestling and then they started doing more and more interviews and TV and he got sidetracked a little bit. In the beginning, let’s not forget that he gave Antonio Nogueira a run for his money, pile driving on his head. But then when they started pulling away because he was so big – I had dinner with Bob Sapp one time and they had to close the restaurant because people were gathering in the front of it. We had to escape from the back.
With Kimbo, it’s the same. Wherever you go, people recognize him. Kids recognize him, all those people. He rams his car into another car you know in front of a church very close to my gym. And the people from the church, they ran out and they go, ‘Oh my God, Kimbo Slice. We were watching you before we went to church on YouTube.’ I will say also that Kimbo is really focused on the training and we have tried to keep him away from the movies for now.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, do you follow all the press about you? Do you ever look at it or do you completely shut it out?
Kimbo Slice: I completely shut it out.
Jack Encarnacao: Except ESPN The Magazine, right?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Jack Encarnacao: All right. It’s all good. Thank you, guys.
Operator: Thank you. We’ll now move on to Kevin Garvey from TheGARV.com. Go ahead please.
Kevin Garvey: Hey, guys. Thanks for taking the call. Kimbo, you did a lot of bare knuckle boxing in your day. How are your knuckles, your hands now? Are they in good shape?
Kimbo Slice: My hands are great.
Kevin Garvey: Kimbo, you mentioned that you’d like to possibly be the heavyweight champion in boxing. Do you see a pro boxing match in your future?
Kimbo Slice: It’s going to be up to my promoter and my manager. They’ll work together and decide what is best for the future and my career.
Kevin Garvey: Kimbo, you have a lot of fans but there are some people who feel that you should not be headlining this because of your lack of experience. How would you address that?
Kimbo Slice: They’re right.
Kevin Garvey: They’re right, huh?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Kevin Garvey: That’s interesting. Bas, I know that you’re working on the ground game with Kimbo. How would you rate his ground game?
Bas Rutten: Kimbo’s take-down defense is really good actually. There are certain ways to take people down. And we’ve got great (fighters) for takedowns, so you know whatever comes, he’s going to counter with something. And if they go for a takedown, he’s going to reverse them and end up on top. (That’s because) of his size and his power. That’s going to be a great position to be in.
Kevin Garvey: All right, it sounds great, guys. Thanks very much.
Mitch Graham: Guys, we have time for two more questions.
Operator: We’ll go next to Stephen Marrocco from Full Contact Fighter. Go ahead please.
Stephen Marrocco: Kimbo, you seem to be a lot more talkative today (then you were) at the press conference in Los Angeles on CBS Media Day. Were you shy in front of so many cameras?
Kimbo Slice: No.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, you mentioned that you had to be prepared for whoever won the main event, Kimbo or James Thompson. What is the plan if Kimbo loses?
Gary Shaw: For me to hang myself on TV. (Seriously) I never think of any of my athletes losing on either side. I’m at it promoting an event, so put on a great and a winning experience and the millions of viewers that are going to watch on Saturday, May 31st, (will get) a great show. So I don’t really look forward – well if he loses, what do we do? I don’t even look forward if they win when they do. I take one of them at a time and one side at a time. And that is the truth.
As far as the question about Kimbo headlining a show – headlining a show has nothing to do with experience. It has to do with fighting ability and entertainment value. And Kimbo Slice brings to the arena and to television great fighting ability and great entertainment skills.
And Bas – and I don’t know Bas that well, but I could tell you that many, many people have told me the same thing: If Bas didn‘t believe Kimbo was real and Kimbo couldn’t fight, Bas would not put his name attached to Kimbo and walk down that cage war with Kimbo. And he could – Bas could speak for himself, but I can guarantee you that he’ll back up what I’m saying right now.
Bas Rutten: Yes, I would.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, if you matched the ratings expectations on Saturday, what do you expect from the other networks in the future?
Gary Shaw: That’s a great question. I believe if we do the ratings that I personally am expecting then I think you’ll see other networks – NBC, Fox, probably go right into mixed martial arts because they’ll see the entertainment value, they’ll see the ratings value, they’ll see the sponsorship money come in. And it’s the new wave sport. It’s here. And I don’t believe anything’s going to stop it as long as we give competitive fights and great entertainment value.
And I think not because it’s a show that I’m promoting, but I believe in the product. And if it’s done right, I believe you’ll see others jump in immediately.
Stephen Marrocco: And if you miss the mark, what do you expect other than a trip to the gallows for yourself?
Gary Shaw: If I miss the mark, I’ll be very disappointed in myself and my leadership. I’ll forever question what went wrong and why it didn’t do the ratings. And the only thing that I could think of on this conference call is maybe we’re just a little ahead of the time. But I don’t expect that to happen. I don’t think CBS is expecting it to happen. And truthfully I’m not prepared for if it doesn’t happen. It’s a very good question. I gave you an answer with maybe not a lot of thought but from my heart.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, do you have any comment about Carina Damm’s positive test for steroids and do you have a replacement for her on June 27th?
Gary Shaw: Well, she’s obviously suspended from fighting for us. I’m very disappointed in any athlete that takes steroids. That’s one thing that I won’t tolerate as a formal regulator and someone that really cares about the health, welfare and safety of every fighter. There’s just no reason for that, no reason to get an unfair edge. So, yes, we’ll have replacements, and she’ll be suspended maybe even longer than her athletic suspension.
Stephen Marrocco: OK, great. Thank you very much.
Gary Shaw: Thank you very much.
Operator: The last question will come from Alberto Martinez from URDirt.com.
Alberto Martinez: James, how do you feel fighting so close to New York City, which has historical value as far as big events go and do you see the future of New York chasing up for you guys?
James Thompson: Yes, although I am not really following it much where the fight’s taking place. Obviously it’s in America, it’s on CBS. It’s primetime, it’s a massive historical event and the fact it’s kind of near New York or in New York. I hope New York gets a license so they can have actual MMA fights. I’m not going to give it much thought, though.
Alberto Martinez: Kimbo, how close do you feel to being ready to fight Tim Sylvia or Fedor?
Kimbo Slice: I’m willing to fight anybody. I’m willing to take any challengers. I don’t turn anyone down.
Alberto Martinez: Kimbo, do you have a prediction?
Kimbo Slice: He’s going to throw punches. It’s going to go to the ground.
Alberto Martinez: Are you prepared for that, Kimbo, if it goes to the ground?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Alberto Martinez: James, how does it feel being a sacrificial lamb in the media actually feel?
James Thompson: The actual title of being a sacrificial lamb is unofficial. I’m not sure what – it doesn’t bother me. This is such a memorable event. I’m all good and I’m all ready to go.
Alberto Martinez: Thank you.
Mitch Graham: All right everyone. Thank you so much for calling in today. Thank you Kimbo, James, and Bas and Gary. MMA fighter Gina Carano performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008
I think all of you have our information. And thank you again for calling in today and tune in on May 31 on CBS 9:00 to 11:00. Thanks, everyone.
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At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mitch Graham. Go ahead please, sir.
Mitch Graham: Hi, everyone. This is Mitch Graham from CBS Publicity. Welcome to the CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights Main Event conference call.
On the call, we have our headliners, Kimbo Slice and James Thompson along with Kimbo’s trainer Bas Rutten and EliteXC Live Events President Mr. Gary Shaw. Kimbo and James are headlining the inaugural CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Saturday May 31 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. on CBS.
L-r, Doug DeLuca, Executive Chairman, ProElite, Kelly Kahl, Sr. Executive VP, CBS Primetime and Gary Shaw, Live Events President, EliteXC during a press conference at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Obviously, we are thrilled to have teamed up with EliteXC to bring fans everywhere the first ever MMA event live on network television and primetime. EliteXC has put together an outstanding five-fight card for the first show on CBS.
And with that, I’ll now turn it over to Mr. Gary Shaw.
Gary Shaw: Thank you, Mitch and thank you James and Kimbo and Bas for joining us and the rest of the press. It’s a huge day on May 31st, 9:00 p.m. primetime on CBS for all of mixed martial arts. It’s the opportunity for it to be seen by a hundred million eyeballs, plus it’s the opportunity for everybody to understand that mixed martial arts is really a sport, and the athletes are true athletes with many different disciplines.
It’s going to be an exciting night, five fights headlined obviously by Kimbo Slice and James Thompson, and a great cast of characters and fighters that you have seen before, with Robbie Lawler fighting to defend his world championship against Scott Smith and obviously our featured women’s fighter, which is Gina Carano.
MMA fighter Gina Carano performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008
Rockstar is one of our major sponsors, and we thank Rockstar and we thank the union of EliteXC along with CBS to bring together the first ever mixed martial arts show on terrestrial TV. I don’t want to take up any more time. It’s about the fighters.
I’m going to let James Thompson open up with a few words first, then I’m going to have Kimbo, and then we’re going to throw right to the questions. So James, you want to make any opening comments?
James Thompson: Yes, cheers, Gary. I just want to say it’s James “Colossus” Thompson here on the phone from England. I’m training hard and really looking forward to May 31st. It’s going to be a war.
Gary Shaw: OK, thank you. And Kimbo?
Kimbo Slice: Hey, Gary; how’s it going, buddy?
Gary Shaw: Good, good. I miss you, buddy.
Kimbo Slice: All righty.
Gary Shaw: You want to make any opening statement to the press, Kimbo?
Kimbo Slice: Nope, not at all.
Gary Shaw: OK. Operator?
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Operator: At this time, ladies and gentlemen, if you do have an audio question, simply press the star then one on your touch-tone phone. You may withdraw your question at any time by pressing the pound key.
And we’ll first go to Michael Wood from ESPN Magazine. Go ahead please.
Michael Woods: All right. Kimbo, Gary, Colossus, thanks for taking the time out. I appreciate it. Kimbo, have you seen the cover of yourself on the cover of ESPN Mag yet?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, I thought it was amazing, man. You guys did great work. Thanks guys so much for also taking the time to show me that kind of love.
Michael Woods: Yes, it looks great, and we’re hoping for a great show and for your continued success because it’s a great story for the building up of MMA. James, I want to ask you first very quickly.
James Thompson: Yes.
Michael Woods: I was referring to the fact that Kimbo was on the cover of ESPN Magazine this week, and the press coverage of him has been amazing. There’s been so many people grabbing him, and I’m wondering if you think that possibly he’s concentrating too much on that kind of stuff, getting caught up on that and overlooking you?
James Thompson: Well, you know, we can only guess. I mean Kimbo’s got a lot to display. He’s with a professional team with Bas Rutten, and I’m not. And I’m sure he realizes – I mean what sort of stage you know what I mean so – and I’d like to say he’s got some kind of real concern with what we’ve got. I won’t be thinking he’s taking it lightly.
Michael Woods: And Kimbo, I’m guessing the answer is no, but I’ll ask it to you anyway. I know you like to keep your eye on the prize, but what are some of the things that you do so you don’t get too caught up in the media hype and ‘damn, my face is on the cover of that magazine’ and get your head too big? How do you deal with that?
Kimbo Slice: Well, I look at it like this. Those type of things are more for the fans than anybody, and I continue to concentrate on my training and what I have to do. Like he said, I know what is at stake here and I know what it means to me you know, so to take a few minutes or an hour out of my time you know that’s fine, that’s cool. You know when I get back to training you know I train and that’s what’s up.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Michael Woods: Thanks. Good stuff. Hey guys, have a great fight. Everyone stay safe and we’ll talk to you again soon. Take care.
James Thompson: Yes, thank you. I appreciate it.
Operator: We’ll take our next question from the side of Beau Dure with USA Today. Go ahead please.
Beau Dure: Hello. This is a question for Kimbo, and I want to point out that I am just a messenger here. This is not me saying this. This is a quote that I want to get your reaction to. It’s Dana White, and it says ‘B.J. Penn at 155 pounds would destroy Kimbo Slice. Kimbo Slice isn’t anywhere near that type of level. He’s not a professional athlete.’ So, Kimbo, and then I guess Gary too, your reactions?
Gary Shaw: I’ll do it first. Dana White is a j***-off. That’s what Dana White is. He’s a f***ing idiot and you can quote me on that. If he cared about mixed martial arts and the sport instead of caring about his big-a** swimming pool and his own personal gains, he would understand that statements like that make someone into a jerk.
First of all, I love B.J. Penn and he is a friend of mine. And his brother J.D. Penn works with our company. Kimbo Slice with one shot would knock out B.J. Penn, a 155 pounder. But they’re never going to fight. It’s an idiotic statement from a complete idiot.
Kimbo doesn’t need to say anything at all. But I understand you’re the messenger. I don’t mean it against you, but this is a conference call about fighters, two fighters fighting each other and a real competitive match-up on a first-ever CBS live MMA event, and Dana White is an idiot. And if he wasn’t an idiot, May 31st would’ve been the UFC instead of EliteXC. I rest my case.
Beau Dure: All right. Thanks, Gary. Kimbo, do you want to take it?
Kimbo Slice: You know, it’s a free country. You know, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.
Beau Dure: All right. Thanks, Kimbo.
L-r, Nick Diaz, Jake Shields, Scott Smith, Kimbo Slice, Gary Shaw, Gina Carano, Phil Baroni and Robbie Lawler during a press conference at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Operator: We’ll take our next question from Denny Burkholder with CBSSports.com.
MMA fighters, l-r, Robbie Lawler, Kimbo Slice, Gina Carano and Scott Smith at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Denny Burkholder: Hi, guys. I’d like to offer a question for Bas. You’ve been a player in this sport for years and I was just wondering what it’s like for an MMA pioneer like yourself to see the sport finally broadcast on primetime network TV?
Bas Rutten: You know, that’s what we all are fighting for. I expected this way sooner when I had my first fight in Japan. The next day, they stopped me on the street. I was thrilled. This is going to be the biggest thing, and you will see it got bigger.
That was in the beginning there, and I said it. This was in 1993. I said the first person who’s going to put this on free TV, regular TV, is going to make a killing because that’s what they want. But the world wasn’t ready for it yet. And now the world is ready for it, so I think it’s great.
Denny Burkholder: OK, now a question for James. James, you were knocked out by Brett Rogers in February, and now you find yourself fighting in the main event against Kimbo Slice. What happened in that last fight and how will you avoid this same thing happening versus Kimbo?
James Thompson: Well, what happened in the last, you know, it’s very hard to predict what will happen in a fight. You do all your training, so – I mean you go out there and I’m hoping to win it. It didn’t happen for me on that occasion. And basically I look at (the line). I look at where there’s long (goals) in my game, etc., go back to the drawing board. I just keep on drilling things, keep on being positive and (that’s what he can do).
Denny Burkholder: OK, now a couple of questions for Kimbo. Kimbo, you’ve become so popular in such a short period of time., you’re fighting in main events despite still being relatively new to the sport. My question is where do you think your MMA skill level is at right now? Do you feel like you still have a lot to learn?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, yes. I will always feel that way no matter what level that I’m going up to, no matter the magnitude, the popularity. I will always feel like I’m a baby at the sport and the game. I’m always willing and ready to learn.
Denny Burkholder: OK, now we know you’re training with Bas. You haven’t had a chance yet to show us your ground fighting. Are you looking forward to showing more versatility or would you just be happy to keep things standing?
Kimbo Slice: I think each fighter (is effective) and I never underestimate our opponent. You know, if I was training someone to fight me, that’s what I would work on. I would have my opponent try to take me to the ground, but that’s where they’re going to underestimate me you know.
Denny Burkholder: Very good, OK. Now I have a couple of questions for Gary. Gary, following up on a (question), you said numerous times that MMA promoters should work together for the fans. EliteXC has been very active working with Strikeforce, DREAM and other groups. Would you all work together with Affliction or were they – are they the exception?
Gary Shaw: Right now they’re the exception because they’re a clothing company. Would I work with them in a fight? Yes, I would work with them in a fight. And then would fighters wear Affliction clothing on our telecast? No because I don’t let – allow them to wear competitors’ clothing on our telecast. Would I work with Affliction in the co-promotion? Yes.
Denny Burkholder: Now I’m going to the topic of fighter sponsorships and you know wearing sponsors on your clothing on your way to the cage. One of Kimbo’s sponsors is Reality Kings, and Reality Kings operates a number of pornographic Web sites. Was there ever any discussion of banning Reality Kings from sponsoring Kimbo on the CBS show due to being on primetime network TV?
Gary Shaw: Yes, Reality Kings will not be on his clothing.
Denny Burkholder: OK. Was that a EliteXC call or CBS call or what?
Gary Shaw: It’s both. We understand what’s socially responsible, and CBS has a very high standard for standards and practices. And every logo we put on or whatever we do goes through CBS in their standards and practices.
Denny Burkholder: I know that sponsorships are a pretty big chunk of fighter income. Was there any – did you do anything to make that up to Kimbo that he wouldn’t getting that sponsorship money?
Gary Shaw: You know I gave him a big hug. I showed him love.
Denny Burkholder: All right, very good. Thanks, guys. Best of luck next week.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Jaime Martinez from No Holds Barred. Go ahead please.
Jaime Martinez: First question I have was for Kimbo Slice. Kimbo, because James Thompson is ataller opponent than others, have you had to adjust your training schedule and your trअ ining technique?
Kimbo Slice: Because he’s what?
Jaime Martinez: Taller.
Gary Shaw: Well, James Thompson’s taller than a lot of the other opponents.
Jaime Martinez: Have you had to adjust your training because of that?
Kimbo Slice: I have a pretty long reach.
Jaime Martinez: OK, and Gary, I wanted to ask you about what kind of ratings you were expecting because from what I understand, it’s around three to four million viewers. Is that right?
Gary Shaw: Well, you know, everybody has their own expectations. I don’t know what CBS’s expectations are. I think it’s a new timeslot for sports on Saturday evening’s primetime. It’s definitely a new spot for mixed martial arts that’s never been seen. So, we’re not really sure where the ratings are going to be. I’m hopeful we hit a home run. CBS has put all their assets behind us in this promotion. I couldn’t ask for anything more, and I believe we’ve done our job and we’re sure our athletes have done their jobs in helping to promote the show. So, you know, let’s talk after the 31st. The chips will fall where they may, and we’ll make whatever adjustments we have to afterward.
Jaime Martinez: All right, gentlemen, I appreciate it. Thank you.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: We now move on to Jason Probst from Sherdog.com. Go ahead please.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Jason Probst: This question is for both Bas and Kimbo. Obviously it’s a lot of transition to make the move to mixed martial arts. Kimbo, what were your impressions of Bas when you started working with him and what point did you decide that ‘this is the guy I want to work with’?
Kimbo Slice: Actually about a year ago. I have a great impression of Bas. Bas is the man. You know what I’m saying? Can’t get a better trainer, a better coach a better adviser of the sport and of the game. I mean he explains everything to me why. And to my knowledge I can pick it up better. I can understand the cause and the effect of everything, and I wouldn’t want to change that.
Jason Probst: And Bas, what were your initial impressions of Kimbo? Obviously this guy was an Internet phenomenon but what did you think coming in when you started work with him and at what point did you say this is a guy that can make the transition?
Bas Rutten: Well, with him being so big and popular already and to put all – everything on the line to go pro -- and there’s a big chance of losing it all because like they say you know he can be a tough guy on the street, but that doesn’t mean anything if you’re going to do it against a pro. But he said, “No, I want to (go) with the pros.’ And I think that has something to say about his motivation, and that’s what sparked interest with me.
He took that risk to go pro so at least, you’re not going to be a guy who’s going to say, ‘Oh, I fought through on the street fights I never won – I never lost.’ You know I want a guy who actually does it against guys who also full time train and you get that.
Jason Probst: Bas, obviously mixed martial arts has a huge grappling in it. With such a short time frame to get Kimbo acclimated to that, did that change the strategy you used to kind of get him to use certain submission tactics versus making it more complex? How did you address getting up, going on the ground, takedowns, clinches and things like that. How did you incorporate that into Kimbo’s game?
Bas Rutten: Like I do with everybody else, I had to learn the hard way. A long time ago I lost – when I lost my last fight against Ken Shamrock, I said, ‘You know what, I don’t like losing. I’m not going to lose anymore.’
So I start training two, three times a day and won my next eight fights I won by submission. So that actually my record shows I beat more people by submission than by knockout.
So right away when Kimbo came in, we already started working on it. I knew he was going to be a striker. I think that Kimbo’s hands are better than 80 percent of the guys in the mixed martial arts game right now. Why would you play? They’re going to try to take him down, so that’s what we really expect is going to happen.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Damon Martin of MMA Weekly Radio. Go ahead please.
Frank Shamrock emcees an MMA demonstration by Nick Diaz (black shorts) and Jake Shields (white shorts) at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Damon Martin: Thanks for doing the call everybody today. First question is for James. James, you had worked for a little bit with Xtreme Couture in Vegas. And I think you said you’re back in England now. Can you talk about who you’re training with and what it was like with Xtreme Couture?.
James Thompson: I’m training with a team called London Street Fighters at the moment in England. You know I spent some time actually (deciding where to train). I joined a great team with great people. I learn from them. The problem was Sean Thompkins has done a lot of work with Bas and Kimbo. I didn’t want to put him in such an awkward position. Sean is a great guy. So I started looking for all the teams and followed up on one in England. It’s all been going great for me.
Damon Martin: And so you would work with him again in the future?.
James Thompson: Yes, yes, yes. I would. I mean London – I hope that for next fight, too. I have really enjoyed working with them. I’ve had fine training.
Damon Martin: Very good. And for Kimbo, we talked about some of the negative stuff but recently a lot of fighters have come out supporting you – Josh Barnett, B.J. Penn and Tito Ortiz said he’s really changed his opinion of you, so a lot of positivity coming from a lot of long-standing MMA fighters. What does that mean to you as a guy who’s still kind of new in the sport to get that support and kind of turn those people around your way?
Kimbo Slice: My feeling about those guys has never changed. I’m not a sometimes person. I still have love for the sport. I still have love for all my brothers and sisters in the MMA world. They know it. And we’re only going to get bigger and better and make more money doing what we do. And this is what we love to do; (we) fighters entertain. And you know and that’s where I stand with that.
Damon Martin: Gary, in one of the conference calls previously, you mentioned the women’s title coming soon. What about the heavyweight title and where does Antonio Silva and maybe Kimbo or James Thompson fit into that picture?
Gary Shaw: Right now we’re close to doing a heavyweight title. We’ll probably do the heavyweight title in 2008 and Kimbo’s there and James Thompson is there and obviously Junior Silva is right there at the top.
Damon Martin: All right, thanks, everybody. I appreciate it.
Gary Shaw: Thank you too.
Operator: We now go to Bernard Fernandez from the Philadelphia Daily News.
Bernard Fernandez: Before this thing came up about May 31st, I had seen pretty much all of Kimbo’s fights on YouTube because my son had downloaded all of them and has made me watch them. But Gary, on the conference call (Wednesday), Frank Shamrock said that this was a day that was 15 years in coming. And he also said that he got into MMA from watching Bruce Lee movies.
Frank Shamrock emcees an MMA demonstration by Nick Diaz (black shorts) and Jake Shields (white shorts) at the CBS
I’m just wondering, in watching those YouTube tapes of or download of Kimbo, if he’s not really like real-life embodiment of the Philo Beddoe character played by Clint Eastwood in those “Every Which Way but Loose” and any-which-way-but-you-can movies from 20 years ago. I mean it’s not like street fighting. It’s something that street fighting livens or something that just came up. I mean can you kind of address that?
Gary Shaw: Sure. I watched. (Jared) my son made me watch Kimbo’s downloads. That’s how I got interested in Kimbo. I didn’t know Kimbo Slice existed.
When I saw him obviously this very first thought in my mind is he is a purebred heavyweight fighter. I watched the way he moved. He reminded me of Tyson. He has natural head movement. He fought side to side. He did things very naturally. I didn’t think of him as a backyard or a street fighter. I immediately thought of him in boxing.
Jared then told me, ‘Dad, he’s training in MMA, and I believe he’s training with Bas Rutten.’ That’s all I needed to know. And having an MMA company, I put two guys on a plane. There’s no more to the story. I sent them to Florida. I told them, ‘Don’t come back (until) we had Kimbo Slice’s signature not only on a piece of paper but every page of the contract.
And so I didn’t look at him as a character or anything else. I looked at him as this big, mean fighting machine that I thought that I could turn into a superstar. Having met Kimbo and having bonded with Kimbo, he’s triangular. He’s got an on-off switch like Tyson. He can baby-sit your kids and be sweet. He is a real mean fighting machine that you don’t want to meet in a backyard or an alley or anywhere else.
And then there’s the third part of the triangular, which is that he is a very complex individual. So, he’s a lot of different things and a family man, and he has what it takes to be a superstar. And that’s why we’re backed up with over a 150 requests right now for interviews. And that’s why he’s on the cover of ESPN Magazine. And now there are other magazines wanting to cross over that have nothing to do with sports. And I know, Bernard, how long you’ve been covering boxing, and you know the difference between a fighter, a star and a superstar. Kimbo Slice is a superstar.
Bernard Fernandez: OK, I appreciate it.
Gary Shaw: Thank you.
Operator: We next go to Sharon Robb from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Go ahead please.
Sharon Robb: Kimbo, hello. Mixed martial arts has been around for a very, very long time and finally it’s a very hot sport. I’m curious what your initial attraction was and what took you so long to get involved with it?
Kimbo Slice: My initial attraction -- and I’m not saying this because he’s here -- was Bas Rutten. (When I saw how he loved the sport and lived, I said then) if I’m going to train with anybody, it has to be that guy. That’s what made the transition for me to cross over to the MMA world and leave street fighting alone.
Operator: We’ll move on to the side of Pedro Gonzalez from Sports Review. Go ahead please.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Pedro Gonzalez: Hi and thanks for giving us the time. Kimbo, I grew up in Cutler Ridge close to Goulds and Perrine (Florida) areas. How much did growing up in a rough area attribute to your toughness?
Kimbo Slice: It doesn’t have a lot to do with it. It comes with (the) neighborhood. I actually went to schools -- Cutler Ridge Middle, Bel-Air Elementary, Richmond Middle and also Palmetto Senior High. You know those neighborhoods are pretty rough, (but) it was school. (If it is time to throw down), we’ve got to throw it down.
Pedro Gonzalez: What is your ultimate goal with MMA? Where do you see yourself in five years?
Kimbo Slice: To continue to be fighting. I see myself receiving one of the heavyweight titles whether it’s boxing or MMA and holding on to them.
Pedro Gonzalez: Are you ever scared or nervous when you approach a fight?
Kimbo Slice: No.
Pedro Gonzalez: Who do you think punches harder? You or Mike Tyson?
Kimbo Slice: I don’t know. We have to do a test to find that out.
Pedro Gonzalez: How often do random people in the street cause problems with you or try to challenge you to a fight?
Kimbo Slice: Never. It never happened.
Operator: We now move on to Eddie Goldman from No Holds Barred.
MMA fighter Kimbo Slice performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Eddie Goldman: Thank you. Hello, everybody. Kimbo, besides the financial aspects, how is becoming a professional mixed martial arts partnered with EliteXC changed your life? Or has it?
Kimbo Slice: It’s changed my life tremendously. I’ve learned – I guess that I’ve learned -- discipline. I’ve learned (commitmentship). I’ve learned to be more loyal to something that I love (besides) my family.
When I’m in training mode, it’s a three-month or for however long (stint). There’s no drugs, there’s no smoking, there’s no drinking and there’s no sex. And that’s some serious (commitmentship) and I’m loyal.
This does mean something to me. I’m fighting for a reason. I’m fighting for my family. I’m fighting for myself. I’m fighting to never go back into the gutter again. I’m fighting to raise my kids up to be in a different environment. There’s a lot I’m fighting for.
I’m not just in there slugging it out you know. It’s a chess game. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned to use my brain. I can drink a cup of water and also write something and watch TV and read a book. I can do all. I’m versatile now. You know, I’m no longer one dimensional in my life. I can do a lot of different things now that I’m training.
Eddie Goldman: There was a recent article by a writer on ESPN.com that was very critical of your image and used a lot of epithets about you.
Gary Shaw: Don’t even go there, Eddie, because any article that starts, ‘Although I’ve never spoken with the man and although I’ve never met the man,’ -- that alone disqualifies the article and doesn’t warrant a question. And I’m not going to let Kimbo even give an answer.
Eddie Goldman: Well, I just wanted to get his rebuttal to it.
Gary Shaw: There is no rebuttal. Anybody that will write an article that’s speaking third person
and without meeting the person is not a journalist.
Eddie Goldman: OK. I’m not disagreeing with you. I just wanted to …
Gary Shaw: OK, well …
Eddie Goldman: … get his take on it.
Gary Shaw: … forget it.
Eddie Goldman: I’ve got a question for James also. James, you’ve been brought into this fight. Kimbo is the big star attraction on the cover of ESPN Magazine and is the main one being …
James Thompson (interrupting): Some people don’t even say hello to me.
Eddie Goldman: I know. I’m sorry about that. (But) how are you going to approach this fight? Do you think you’re being brought in to be knocked out? And obviously you want to win this fight on this big stage and being on CBS. How are you going to approach Kimbo?
James Thompson: You know, obviously, I’m being brought in to – I’m mean I’m a big guy, I’m an exciting fighter, I look big and mean but you know they’re hoping I get knocked on the chin and that’s not over for me. I mean fans will call me “James See You Later.’’
It doesn’t matter to me. That doesn’t bother me at all. It doesn’t bother me because it gives me a chance (to make amends). I mean after my last few fights, I don’t think I really deserve the chance. But to get this chance (is massive) to me. I mean it really is a big thing and I intend to take full advantage of it.
Eddie Goldman: I want to ask also finally Kimbo and James. Do you guys both expect this to be a short fight over in the first round? Kimbo first.
Kimbo Slice: Well, I’m expecting the fight to go to the ground. I’m expecting to do some of my ground game. Man, you don’t understand. I’m more excited about going to the ground than I am standing up right now. You know the last quarter of our training has been ground by ground by ground. I’m really looking forward to that right now.
Eddie Goldman: And James, how do you see it? Do you think it’s actually ending up going to the ground or do you think it’ll be a stand-up battle?
James Thompson: There are so many different elements in it. I wouldn’t even like to predict where the fight’s going to go. All I know is I’m training hard. I’m sure Kimbo’s training hard. You know we both come to fight, we both come to entertain and we both come to give our all. So all I know is it’s going to be one exciting fight.
Operator: We next go to Steve Feitl from Home News Tribune of East Brunswick. Go ahead please.
Steve Feitl: Hi, good afternoon, everybody. My first question is for James. With Kimbo being a relatively young fighter and you know knowing how his skills are developing, does that make it somewhat more difficult to prepare for fighting him?
James Thompson: To a certain extent because you have this – well you know obviously Kimbo’s very aggressive. Obviously. he’s got a good stand-up. You know that’s what we’ve seen. And you can answer with a question mark. All I can do is see what I’ve got to work with and where my game is and fill in the holes I have and fight hard.
Steve Feitl: Kimbo, this is obviously a huge night in the world of mixed martial arts, a big opportunity for mixed martial arts. Do you feel any extra responsibility considering you’re kind of the guy that they’re kind of building this all around as far as EliteXC?
Kimbo Slice: You know I know what I have to do and I never had a problem doing what I have to do.
Operator: Our next question comes to us from Doug Jeffrey. Go ahead please.
Doug Jeffrey: Thank you for your time. I appreciate it very much you guys. James, your walk-ins are very, very intense. What goes through your mind during that time you are walking in to the cage?
James Thompson: Nothing really goes through my mind. It’s just a mixture of adrenaline. It’s there. It’s kind of all those kinds of things mixed in together, which you kind of just go along with. It’s kind of the kind of what comes out of your end. You know I mean that kind of intense amplifier.
Doug Jeffrey: OK. What is your biggest concern with Kimbo?
James Thompson: His beard. I don’t want to get the oval bed rush. You know I mean that’s what I mean. Now I mean obviously he’s an aggressive stand-up fighter. I’ve got holes in my stomach defense. I mean I’ve got to make sure I’m tight and you know I mean I don’t want to be going to war with Kimbo. I mean that’s no secret. Eventually, I want it to go to the floor and see what he’s got there.
Doug Jeffrey: Bas, can you assess Kimbo’s skill level?
Bas Rutten: Well, it’s up there you know. The thing is we fought three fights with a two-minute-and-twelve-second total time. There’s nothing much we can say from that, right? So we got to fight – I foresee everything being really good because the way he is before a fight, he’s very relaxed.
He really likes to fight. He keeps his mind together which is a very difficult thing to do for a fighter because you see a lot of fighters who are really good in the dojo, but then once they bring it to the fight they get stage fright and they lock up there and like only 20 percent comes out. But I don’t see a problem, so I think he’s going to have a great career just as long as there are no injuries -- that’s the only thing I wish because that’s what happened with me. Then, I foresee a great career.
Doug Jeffrey: Kimbo, what is your biggest concern with James going in to the fight?
Kimbo Slice: I don’t have one.
Doug Jeffrey: Totally confident and ready to go?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, sir.
Doug Jeffrey: OK, good deal. Thanks for your time, you guys.
Gary Shaw: OK, Doug. Take care, man.
Operator: Your next question comes to us from Jack Encarnacao from The Fight Network. .
Jack Encarnacao: Hi, guys. Thanks for taking the call. I really appreciate it. Gary, how close were you guys to making a Kimbo versus Ken Shamrock fight for the CBS debut?
The CBS Broadcast Team, l-r, David Dinkins, Jr., cageside reporter Karyn Bryant, play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson, analysts Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008.
Gary Shaw: Not really close. Ken is one of our fighters and we absolutely would’ve considered him had he won in England, but the fact is that he didn’t win and I didn’t like the way he lost. I didn’t think it was appropriate for the first CBS telecast.
Jack Encarnacao: How about in James Thompson’s case, who also is coming off a loss like Ken?
Gary Shaw: I think he just walked into (a shot). It was a different type of loss. I mean it was more competitive. I thought he walked into a punch. He fought Brett Rodgers, who we have a lot of respect for, so much respect that he’s on this CBS telecast. Somebody asked before about James coming in to be a sacrificial lamb for Kimbo. Well, a lot of people thought that Brett Rodgers was a sacrificial lamb for James Thompson. I’ve been in the fight game long enough to know that anything can happen on any night. And if you’re not well prepared, then you know you are in a problem. But as Buster Douglas showed when beat Mike Tyson, anything can happen on any night. That’s why the smart people will tune in on May 31st primetime, 9:00 p.m, on CBS.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, why do you think so many people want to see you fight?
Kimbo Slice: Because you’ve got a lot of people out there who love the sport. They love the fact that people who love boxing are transitioning now over to MMA. And they love a battle like back in the days when the Romans just filled their buildings up with millions or hundreds of thousands of people to watch the Roman gladiators go at it. This is the modern day time. Now we’re in the new millennium, this is a new era, and it’s the same thing you know. People love to be entertained. You know man to man. That’s what people love. Luckily for me, I’m one of those gladiators. I love to fight. I love to perform. It’s your move and my move. It’s one on one. You know I can take a punch. Can you take a punch? You know you’re going to put me in a move. I’m going to try to get out and I’m going to slip you in a move. And that’s what it’s about with me.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, do you get a sense that you are bringing new people into the sport that don’t watch right now?
Kimbo Slice: Yes, I’ve been all around and I’m getting that and, you know, that’s good. That’s good that we’re able to be a positive influence on the public; that people are getting more involved. That is a good thing because that means that we are part of -- you know James, myself and , everybody on this fight card -- we’re going to (show that this really is a) sport. And that’s what it’s about.
Jack Encarnacao: Bas, you’ve been around the sport pretty much longer than anybody else, and I wondered if you have ever seen anything in Japan or even in America like what’s happening with Kimbo? Can you compare it to anything as far as the general interest in this and his story?
Bas Rutten: I would say Bob Sapp in Japan. But then, Bob, I think got more attracted to pro wrestling and then they started doing more and more interviews and TV and he got sidetracked a little bit. In the beginning, let’s not forget that he gave Antonio Nogueira a run for his money, pile driving on his head. But then when they started pulling away because he was so big – I had dinner with Bob Sapp one time and they had to close the restaurant because people were gathering in the front of it. We had to escape from the back.
With Kimbo, it’s the same. Wherever you go, people recognize him. Kids recognize him, all those people. He rams his car into another car you know in front of a church very close to my gym. And the people from the church, they ran out and they go, ‘Oh my God, Kimbo Slice. We were watching you before we went to church on YouTube.’ I will say also that Kimbo is really focused on the training and we have tried to keep him away from the movies for now.
Jack Encarnacao: Kimbo, do you follow all the press about you? Do you ever look at it or do you completely shut it out?
Kimbo Slice: I completely shut it out.
Jack Encarnacao: Except ESPN The Magazine, right?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Jack Encarnacao: All right. It’s all good. Thank you, guys.
Operator: Thank you. We’ll now move on to Kevin Garvey from TheGARV.com. Go ahead please.
Kevin Garvey: Hey, guys. Thanks for taking the call. Kimbo, you did a lot of bare knuckle boxing in your day. How are your knuckles, your hands now? Are they in good shape?
Kimbo Slice: My hands are great.
Kevin Garvey: Kimbo, you mentioned that you’d like to possibly be the heavyweight champion in boxing. Do you see a pro boxing match in your future?
Kimbo Slice: It’s going to be up to my promoter and my manager. They’ll work together and decide what is best for the future and my career.
Kevin Garvey: Kimbo, you have a lot of fans but there are some people who feel that you should not be headlining this because of your lack of experience. How would you address that?
Kimbo Slice: They’re right.
Kevin Garvey: They’re right, huh?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Kevin Garvey: That’s interesting. Bas, I know that you’re working on the ground game with Kimbo. How would you rate his ground game?
Bas Rutten: Kimbo’s take-down defense is really good actually. There are certain ways to take people down. And we’ve got great (fighters) for takedowns, so you know whatever comes, he’s going to counter with something. And if they go for a takedown, he’s going to reverse them and end up on top. (That’s because) of his size and his power. That’s going to be a great position to be in.
Kevin Garvey: All right, it sounds great, guys. Thanks very much.
Mitch Graham: Guys, we have time for two more questions.
Operator: We’ll go next to Stephen Marrocco from Full Contact Fighter. Go ahead please.
Stephen Marrocco: Kimbo, you seem to be a lot more talkative today (then you were) at the press conference in Los Angeles on CBS Media Day. Were you shy in front of so many cameras?
Kimbo Slice: No.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, you mentioned that you had to be prepared for whoever won the main event, Kimbo or James Thompson. What is the plan if Kimbo loses?
Gary Shaw: For me to hang myself on TV. (Seriously) I never think of any of my athletes losing on either side. I’m at it promoting an event, so put on a great and a winning experience and the millions of viewers that are going to watch on Saturday, May 31st, (will get) a great show. So I don’t really look forward – well if he loses, what do we do? I don’t even look forward if they win when they do. I take one of them at a time and one side at a time. And that is the truth.
As far as the question about Kimbo headlining a show – headlining a show has nothing to do with experience. It has to do with fighting ability and entertainment value. And Kimbo Slice brings to the arena and to television great fighting ability and great entertainment skills.
And Bas – and I don’t know Bas that well, but I could tell you that many, many people have told me the same thing: If Bas didn‘t believe Kimbo was real and Kimbo couldn’t fight, Bas would not put his name attached to Kimbo and walk down that cage war with Kimbo. And he could – Bas could speak for himself, but I can guarantee you that he’ll back up what I’m saying right now.
Bas Rutten: Yes, I would.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, if you matched the ratings expectations on Saturday, what do you expect from the other networks in the future?
Gary Shaw: That’s a great question. I believe if we do the ratings that I personally am expecting then I think you’ll see other networks – NBC, Fox, probably go right into mixed martial arts because they’ll see the entertainment value, they’ll see the ratings value, they’ll see the sponsorship money come in. And it’s the new wave sport. It’s here. And I don’t believe anything’s going to stop it as long as we give competitive fights and great entertainment value.
And I think not because it’s a show that I’m promoting, but I believe in the product. And if it’s done right, I believe you’ll see others jump in immediately.
Stephen Marrocco: And if you miss the mark, what do you expect other than a trip to the gallows for yourself?
Gary Shaw: If I miss the mark, I’ll be very disappointed in myself and my leadership. I’ll forever question what went wrong and why it didn’t do the ratings. And the only thing that I could think of on this conference call is maybe we’re just a little ahead of the time. But I don’t expect that to happen. I don’t think CBS is expecting it to happen. And truthfully I’m not prepared for if it doesn’t happen. It’s a very good question. I gave you an answer with maybe not a lot of thought but from my heart.
Stephen Marrocco: Gary, do you have any comment about Carina Damm’s positive test for steroids and do you have a replacement for her on June 27th?
Gary Shaw: Well, she’s obviously suspended from fighting for us. I’m very disappointed in any athlete that takes steroids. That’s one thing that I won’t tolerate as a formal regulator and someone that really cares about the health, welfare and safety of every fighter. There’s just no reason for that, no reason to get an unfair edge. So, yes, we’ll have replacements, and she’ll be suspended maybe even longer than her athletic suspension.
Stephen Marrocco: OK, great. Thank you very much.
Gary Shaw: Thank you very much.
Operator: The last question will come from Alberto Martinez from URDirt.com.
Alberto Martinez: James, how do you feel fighting so close to New York City, which has historical value as far as big events go and do you see the future of New York chasing up for you guys?
James Thompson: Yes, although I am not really following it much where the fight’s taking place. Obviously it’s in America, it’s on CBS. It’s primetime, it’s a massive historical event and the fact it’s kind of near New York or in New York. I hope New York gets a license so they can have actual MMA fights. I’m not going to give it much thought, though.
Alberto Martinez: Kimbo, how close do you feel to being ready to fight Tim Sylvia or Fedor?
Kimbo Slice: I’m willing to fight anybody. I’m willing to take any challengers. I don’t turn anyone down.
Alberto Martinez: Kimbo, do you have a prediction?
Kimbo Slice: He’s going to throw punches. It’s going to go to the ground.
Alberto Martinez: Are you prepared for that, Kimbo, if it goes to the ground?
Kimbo Slice: Yes.
Alberto Martinez: James, how does it feel being a sacrificial lamb in the media actually feel?
James Thompson: The actual title of being a sacrificial lamb is unofficial. I’m not sure what – it doesn’t bother me. This is such a memorable event. I’m all good and I’m all ready to go.
Alberto Martinez: Thank you.
Mitch Graham: All right everyone. Thank you so much for calling in today. Thank you Kimbo, James, and Bas and Gary. MMA fighter Gina Carano performs an open workout at the CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS media day held at CBS Studio Center in Studio City, CA on Monday, May 19, 2008
I think all of you have our information. And thank you again for calling in today and tune in on May 31 on CBS 9:00 to 11:00. Thanks, everyone.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Sunday, May 25, 2008
"The Fighters' Rebellion" on ADCC News
"The Fighters' Rebellion" on ADCC News Just posted is the latest essay on a key issue facing the mixed martial arts, the growing and more vocal opposition of many fighters to the treatment they have been accorded by their promoters, and in particular the UFC. It is called "The Fighters' Rebellion" and is posted on the ADCC News. You can read it here: http://adcombat.com/Article.asp?Article_ID=15623.
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
Thanks, Eddie Goldman
No Holds Barred blog http://nhbnews.blogspot.com/
No Holds Barred podcast http://nhbnews.podomatic.com/
The Boxing Standard http://boxingstandard.com/
No Holds Barred on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/nhbnews
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
'The Contender' Winner Sergio Mora Media Workout in Los Angeles Next Wednesday, May 28
‘THE CONTENDER’ WINNER SERGIO MORA MEDIA WORKOOUT, WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, AT 11 A.M. PT
At Latin Snake Training Gym, Montebello, California
WHO: Winner of the inaugural season of The Contender Sergio Mora
WHAT: Sergio Mora will participate in an open media workout as he winds down preparations for the biggest fight of his career against Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) for his WBC Super Welterweight title Saturday, June 7 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).
Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs), of Los Angeles, Calif., won The Contender television series on Oct. 15, 2005 with an entertaining and hard-fought split decision over Peter Manfredo, Jr. The fight with Forrest is exactly what Mora has been aiming for and should prove to be his toughest challenge to date.
As part of a world championship doubleheader on SHOWTIME, the evening will kick off when Carlos Quintana (25-1, 19 KOs) looks to defend his newly acquired WBO welterweight belt against the boxer he dethroned, the previously unbeaten Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KOs). The Quintana-Williams bout is a rematch of a WBO welterweight title fight that Quintana won in a shocking upset on Feb. 9, 2008.
The fights are promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Fight Nite, LLC, in association with Tournament of Contenders, LLC, DiBella Entertainment and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with Northeast Promotions. It will emanate from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
At Latin Snake Training Gym, Montebello, California
WHO: Winner of the inaugural season of The Contender Sergio Mora
WHAT: Sergio Mora will participate in an open media workout as he winds down preparations for the biggest fight of his career against Vernon Forrest (40-2, 29 KOs) for his WBC Super Welterweight title Saturday, June 7 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).
Mora (20-0-1, 5 KOs), of Los Angeles, Calif., won The Contender television series on Oct. 15, 2005 with an entertaining and hard-fought split decision over Peter Manfredo, Jr. The fight with Forrest is exactly what Mora has been aiming for and should prove to be his toughest challenge to date.
As part of a world championship doubleheader on SHOWTIME, the evening will kick off when Carlos Quintana (25-1, 19 KOs) looks to defend his newly acquired WBO welterweight belt against the boxer he dethroned, the previously unbeaten Paul Williams (33-1, 24 KOs). The Quintana-Williams bout is a rematch of a WBO welterweight title fight that Quintana won in a shocking upset on Feb. 9, 2008.
The fights are promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and Fight Nite, LLC, in association with Tournament of Contenders, LLC, DiBella Entertainment and Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with Northeast Promotions. It will emanate from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.
Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1
EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine
Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/
©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved
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