<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Dave Meltzer has a new Yahoo! column that serves as a breakdown of controversial calls made by referees during recent events. However, when talking about the Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith fight from EliteXC: Primetime several weeks ago, Meltzer writes the following: Elite XC promoter Gary Shaw confirmed Monday that he was planning on rematching Lawler and Smith, who were having the most exciting match on the show before the stoppage. If the next CBS show is in the fall, the fight would likely take place on the network. Shaw said the date of the next CBS card is expected to be finalized this week in a joint decision with CBS. Due to the success of the first show, CBS wants to have a return date in late July to capitalize on the momentum. Shaw feels Lawler and Smith wouldn’t be ready for a July date, nor would Slice. During yesterday’s conference call, IFL CEO and President Jay Larkin gave some indications that CBS might have been squared off by some of the public criticism regarding the first EliteXC show on its network. However, Meltzer’s column in some ways contradicts his statements. The fact that CBS wants MMA back on its airwaves sooner rather than later is a good sign for the growth of the sport, but timing is everything and July is not the time for a major EliteXC show. Without Kimbo Slice, Frank Shamrock, or a Smith vs. Lawler headlining the event, CBS and EliteXC will run the risk of putting on a show that could bomb in the ratings. Nobody wants to disappoint a major media partner, and if a gun was held to EliteXC could probably throw a card together using Jake Shields and Antonio Silva as featured players. But who would they fight? As of now, Drew Fickett is scheduled to fight Ryan Ford for the vacant MFC welterweight title on July 25 in Canada. EliteXC has a bit of a problem. They have two major media partners in CBS and SHOWTIME. It’s a good problem to have but the beasts need to be fed. And as of today, the promotion doesn’t have a large enough roster to satisfy demands. Unless the company scores some major financing, they aren’t going to be in a position to recruit a sizable quantity of new fighters.</div> source 5ozofpain see this is why the UFC needs a network deal and soon. The can have their PPV's, Spike TV fights AND deliver a live fight card on cable TV montly. Fighters would happy as they would be fighting at least 3-5 times a year and the increased revenue would allow the UFC to scoop up more top shelf fighters too. gawd I hope the UFC is announcing a network deal!
looks like we have a date <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Report: CBS wants EliteXC on July 26 Dave Meltzer of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that CBS wants to build on the success of the May 31 EliteXC: Primetime show by holding another show on July 26 on the network: While not finalized, Elite XC promoter Gary Shaw said that CBS is requesting his company?€™s next two live specials for late July (believed to be July 26) and October. As things stand, plans are to build the show around the creation of both heavyweight and welterweight championships, as well as creating an October opponent for Carano in a fight where the promotion will create a woman?€™s championship. The heavyweight title bout will involve Antonio Silva and an opponent to be determined. Names being tossed around are Brett Rogers, the winner of tonight?€™s fight between Dave Herman and Ron Waterman, and possibly IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson. The welterweight title fight will involve Jake Shields and an opponent also to be determined. Names being tossed around for that fight include Cage Rage welterweight champion Paul Daley, Drew Fickett, and IFL welterweight champion Jay Hieron. EliteXC is also looking into the possibility of a rematch between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith for the EliteXC middlweight title. It appears that Lawler is ready to go but the question mark lies with Smith who injured his foot in the bout. Another interesting tidbit from Meltzer?€™s piece is that EliteXC is going to create yet another weight class for Gina Carano because she seemingly is unable to make her contracted weight of 140 lbs.: They are also looking at a women?€™s match, featuring Shayna Baszler (9-4). The winner of that match would most likely face Carano in October to create the company?€™s first women?€™s champion, in a 145-pound weight class. ?€œI don?€™t believe Gina Carano can make 140 pounds,?€? said Gary Shaw, after Carano came in at 144.5 pounds on May 31 for her 140-pound weight class win over Kaitlin Young.</div>
so the headline for the July 26th show will be a Robbie Lawler vs Scott Smith rematch for the middle weight bout. Other possible fights would include HW champ Antonio 'big foot' Silva, Welter weight star Jake Shields and female fighter Shayna Bazler. Shields is supposed to fight someone for the 170 lbs title. It was supposed to be Drew Fickett, but both fighters have had to pull out once each for a scheduled title fight due to injuries. Now Ficket is scheduled to fight in Canada on July 25th so he can't compete for the title. I'll start an update thread for this card once some concrete news arrives.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Jake Shields to fight for EliteXC welterweight title on July 26 EliteXC welterweight Jake Shields (20-4-1) will finally get a chance to fight for the organization's 170-pound title. EliteXC officials tell MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Shields will next fight during the organization's second CBS show, which takes place July 26 -- possibly in St. Louis. Two previously scheduled title fights between Shields and former UFC fighter Drew Fickett (34-5) fell apart due to injuries, and it now looks like Shields could fight either Nick Thompson (36-9-1) or Jay Hieron (15-4) for the first-ever title. "EliteXC: Unfinished Business" was announced over the weekend (see: event announcement), and the event will feature a headline bout between EliteXC middleweight champ Robbie Lawler (15-4) and Scott Smith (13-4). In addition to that title fight and Shields', Antonio Silva (10-1) may also fight for the the heavyweight belt against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Shields, perhaps the only top-10 welterweight not under contract to Zuffa, is 2-0 with EliteXC and has won nine straight fights, which included stops with BodogFIGHT and Rumble on the Rock. His list of victims includes top UFC middleweight contender Yushin Okami, WEC welterweight champ Carlos Condit, former UFC champ Dave Menne, and most recently, Xtreme Couture fighter Mike Pyle. In late 2007, he signed a long-term deal with EliteXC -- with the promise he would get to fight for the title. Shields had been scheduled to fight Fickett in March at a Strikeforce/EliteXC co-promoted show, but a back injury forced Shields out of the title fight. It was then rescheduled for June at this past weekend's "EliteXC: Return of the King" event, but Fickett pulled out of the show with injury. Oddly, though, Fickett picked up a victory June 7 at Rage in the Cage 111 -- and EliteXC officials are well aware of it. With Fickett now apparently on the outs with the organization, Shields' camp expects him to fight either Thompson, who reigned as a BodogFIGHT veteran before the organization unceremoniously shut down, or Hieron, one of the International Fight League's most notable fighters. (Considering Thompson's 12-fight win streak and notoriety from fighting in the UFC, he'd probably be the most marketable opponent for Shields.) As it stands today, EliteXC has just two title-holders: middleweight champ Lawler and lightweight title-holder KJ Noons. The potential addition of two more -- and crowning them in front a national TV audience -- would be a solid step for the organization. EliteXC's first "Saturday Night Fights" event on May 31 featured Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's third-round TKO of James Thompson, and a controversial no-contest (due to an eye poke) between Lawler and Smith. The broadcast peaked with more than 6.5 million viewers (and averaged 4.9 million viewers), which promoted CBS executives to ask for a quick follow-up event.</div>
