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June 2nd, 2008     66 Comments

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Comment by pUniSHment
2008-06-02 22:16:30

What was said???

Comment by john
2008-06-03 07:39:17

Faber was the nights top earner taking home a purse of $44,000

Jens Pulver ($33,000)
Rob McCullough ($32,000)
Miguel Torres ($28,000).

Comment by UFCAddict
2008-06-03 08:24:52

Thanks for sharing the info. I’m always curious how much the fighters are getting paid. Do you know if Faber got 22K for the fight and 22K for the win? It seems like he could get more if he jumped up to the UFC LW division.

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Comment by John
2008-06-03 09:14:48

Actually Faber was paid a fixed cost of $44,000 meaning he would have earned the same amount weather he won or lost!

Always happy to pass along INFO!

 
 
 
 
Comment by RiverHorror
2008-06-02 22:19:51

XFL sums it up pretty good. Well spoken Jim.

Comment by RipTheSystem
2008-06-03 03:12:08

Elite Xc(FL)…
It wasn’t as bobo as the XFL but its on the track to it.

 
Comment by lucas
2008-06-03 12:38:18

Never liked Rome, but he’s right on the money and was pretty funny.

 
 
Comment by demonianray
2008-06-02 22:26:21

That was a kick ass rant

 
Comment by Dom
2008-06-02 22:28:07

OUCHHHHHHHHH

 
Comment by b.w.
2008-06-02 22:29:01

good stuff! way to tell it like it was romey. it wasnt kimbos fault, but this show was a travishamockery! that ear before the fight sums it all up.

Comment by linx
2008-06-03 05:47:46

LOL, I still can’t hate on elitexc though. Sure, WEC would have been better on CBS, but zuffa didn’t deal with CBS did they? This is also not the first time someone comes out with a ear that big, coleman came out to fight shogun with a gulf ball underneath his ear as well (even bigger than thompson’s)..

Comment by PW
2008-06-03 09:09:11

Zuffa didn’t deal with CBS because they wouldn’t give up control of their production. CBS would have wanted their own announcers instead of Goldie and Rogan and wanted the strippers and pyro that have never been part of a Zuffa show. If Fox or NBC executives are smart they will beg Dana White to put a card on their network and do it however he sees fit.

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Comment by linx
2008-06-03 10:13:36

I understand that PW, I just don’t understand why everyone is hating on EliteXC for putting a “heinous” (as they put it) MMA event on primetime TV. Most of the problems I’ve been hearing are the fighters and such, not to much on how the show was produced. I only saw three fights on the internet and frankly thought they were pretty good given the circumstances. Again, this will bring more ppl to MMA, regardless if you thought it was a bad showing of MMA or not. Bad publicity is always good publicity (although I myself thought it was good from what I’ve seen), and why ppl want to bash an organization for trying to bring the sport to a wider audience is still beyond me. Again, the UFC didn’t want to have anything to do with it, so should MMA always be off network tv if Dana doesn’t want it to be there? You sound like NBC or Fox will do whatever Dana wants them to do, but it will be the other way around. Dana is a small fish and he’ll be dealing with big dogs if he starts talking to Fox or NBC. It’s a whole other level with these network television channels, and they’ll ALWAYS do as they see fit.

 
Comment by Jason
2008-06-03 12:31:02

I thought that the way that it was produced was the biggest problem. The whole thing screamed WWE and the time management was horrible.

 
Comment by linx
2008-06-03 12:51:40

Yeah, on that I can’t comment much since I’m still downloading the event (it’s taking forever, ppl are not seeding this one to much). But what I can say is that Pride used to have a production much different than the UFC, which in a way had a WWE feel to it I guess, and to me it was much better. It gives more importance to the fighters instead of the organization glorifying the fighters if you will. I always liked Pride’s production over the UFC. But I definitely need to see how this EliteXC production was done so I can see where you guys are coming from.

 
Comment by tm2k
2008-06-03 14:03:28

You like the pride style production?

The production values were the second biggest reason (after ring v cage) I preferred UFC… I don’t watch fight shows for fanfare, I watch them for fights!

 
Comment by linx
2008-06-03 14:18:58

“I don’t watch fight shows for fanfare, I watch them for fights”

no kidding, I also watch FIGHT shows for FIGHTS. who would have guessed huh?

but sometimes you get a fighter that you never heard of, it’s nice knowing a bit of background of that fighter instead of being just thrown to the fight. It builds him as a character and ppl can relate more to them giving them more of a fanbase. Why do you think so many ppl that comes out of TUF has a big fanbase before they start fighting in the UFC? Maybe because ppl saw them first as humans than as fighters. But, if you feel fighters don’t deserve any attention and they are just a product for you, than I guess you’re right. Good job buddy! :)

 
Comment by ViolentMike
2008-06-03 15:56:26

You tell em linx!

 
 
 
 
Comment by Mr.FancyPants
2008-06-02 22:31:43

So TRUE!!!!!

Comment by DirtbagHtr
2008-06-03 00:57:42

I agree, its not on Kimbo, even though he knows the entire company is riding his nuts.. and he knows it and getting $$$$$$. Urijah/ Jens match, fucking classic!! I was there and can attest to it, and the Torres/ Maeda match….wow.. I can’t wait for the rematch.. I say UFC sign Thompson so he can get his due respect from true MMA fan for pounding Kimbo. YOu won’t hear about Thompson again in Elite XC again.

 
 
Comment by Jimmy
2008-06-02 22:33:02

haha i agree with everythinggg, and how the hell do they put a non title fight ahead of a title fight as a main event. that has me fairly confused.

 
Comment by Alex
2008-06-02 22:34:38

Speak the truth.. Loud and Clear!

 
Comment by Jake
2008-06-02 22:34:44

I completely agree with everything he said! Rome is the best, and I hope plenty of people listen to this and learn. “Made a living caving in dudes grills”—classic rome.

 
Comment by Khaos_Warrior
2008-06-02 23:02:50

Dude is tripping the show was far from crappy. It was an ok show, Gina like usual deilvered sadly the commission didnt want to let the fight go to the 3rd where that girl was almost for certain going to get KO/TKO’d. Smith Lawler was great wish it had kept going. Bret rogers like usual came and added ANOTHER KO to his resume. Man i dont got to say much more it was ok and next time around im 100%sure it will be alot better. Kimbo is exactly where is he supposed to be skill wise, a rookie and improving. Haters can hate all they want the ratings were great and they will almost certainly have another show.

 
Comment by ekc
2008-06-02 23:08:15

this is why journalism is so bad right now.

1. they couldnt drain the ear due to the likely hood of infection… ask any wrestler.

2. why not mention of Lawler/Smith? a GREAT match for hardcore MMA fans

3. where is the blame to the NJAC for stopping 3 fights way too early? and explaining the EliteXC wanted those fights to continue!

Comment by damaja
2008-06-03 10:05:43

In response to #1. Draining the ear is a common practice. Even Bas Rutten encourages the ear be drained once it becomes “collieflower”.

Now, perhaps his ear has been in that state for sometime and that could be cause for an infection. But I think having it exposed during a fight (let alone a fight with Kimbo) might prone Thomspon to an even worse condition without it being drained.

Also, is it me or is Jim Rome getting blacker? HAHA

 
 
Comment by ekc
2008-06-02 23:09:32

and why mention the “tap” that NEVER happened!!!

Brett Rogers thought he saw a tap, but there is NO evidence to support it and James Thompson himself denied it.

Comment by JB
2008-06-03 10:02:11

dude watch the video posted in another thread. if i have ever seen a tap, kimbo tapped.

 
Comment by JB
2008-06-03 10:03:41

and of course thompson denied it after the fact; he’s just been the headliner on perhaps the most historic mma event in america and knows he doesn’t deserve it; also, he is still on the payroll too man.

 
 
Comment by EazyEismydad
2008-06-02 23:14:38

Yup. Lawler v Smith was really good though. The whole event was pretty sweet except the main show. I’m a fan of Kimbo, but I don’t want to see fixed fights.

 
Comment by luke
2008-06-02 23:17:19

Jim Rome is like Ron Burgandy, he is boarder line robot, he’ll read what ever his writers tell him to. He doesn’t know shit about MMA.
The whole fight business has been about promoting the right fighter and I don’t mean the best fighter.

Chuck Liddell is almost 40 and he has lost 2 of his last 3 fights. But if you asked Dana White who deserves a title shot, who do you think he will say?

Overall, CBS’s first fight card wasn’t theat bad.
At least let them air a few shows.
UFC ain’t perfect either.
In the last year the UFC have lost Randy Couture, Mikco cro cop, Andre Arloski, Tim Sylvia and tito Ortiz
This sport still needs work.

 
Comment by pr0cs
2008-06-02 23:25:25

Hooh, Rome was vicious.
While it was nice to see free MMA and EliteXC for free on CBS they seriously should have rethought the headline. If the Slice/Thompson fight was a prelim fight and Smith/Lawler the main event (as it should have been since it was a title fight) then I think some of the bad vibes could have been avoided.
It’s a shame because a number of EXC shows have been pretty good but all around in regards to fights this show was pretty weak. I just hope EXC puts on a better show next time (with a lot less emphasis on side-show attractions) and people still tune in to watch.

 
Comment by NewGuyTheGunMan
2008-06-02 23:26:16

TRUTH

 
Comment by Sam Cupitt
2008-06-02 23:41:12

Hilarious.

 
Comment by Eric
2008-06-03 00:04:38

Wow, someone on national TV saying what we’ve all been saying. I don’t know if this is a good thing because of how he addressed the Faber/Pulver fight, or a horrible thing drawing even more bad exposure to the sport. Anyway, at least he got it out there.

 
Comment by jonsey
2008-06-03 00:06:18

the production of the whole show was a tad immature. no offense if you still watch fake wrestling and believe that shit, but the dancers and the intros to the fighters and the stoppages were all way too over produced. dana was right, bj would find a way to beat kimbo and it would probably be early and easily. scot smith was not by any means out of the fight with lawler. at the very least let go of the woman doctor who is affraid of the possiblility of blood being spilled. women should not be doctors in mma. people like don frye and cabbage carrera should be.

Comment by ViolentMike
2008-06-03 15:59:41

THose were the EliteXC dancers! LOL

They appear at every Elite show, they weren’t added by CBS

 
 
Comment by Nos
2008-06-03 00:07:34

Huh, I thought Red Lasso got a cease and desist. Guess I was wrong.

 
Comment by Jesse
2008-06-03 00:13:23

haha wow everything he said was perfect.

 
Comment by dave
2008-06-03 00:16:48

Captain Obvious Jim Rome telling it like it is after the fact…he’s so lame. I mean, yeah, it’s true, but any dolt could do this rant after seeing two of the most talented featherweights of all-time put on an epic battle like that. He’s so safe with these rants of his. He’s always picking on people that aren’t there and can’t defend themselves, and then he’s always kissing ass to the athletes when they’re on his show. The guy’s all style and no substance.

 
Comment by dave
2008-06-03 00:17:52

Captain Obvious Jim Rome telling it like it is after the fact…he’s so lame. I mean, yeah, it’s true, but any dolt could do this rant after seeing two of the most talented featherweights of all-time put on an epic battle like that. He’s so safe with these rants of his. He’s always picking on people that aren’t there and can’t defend themselves, and then he’s always kissing bum to the athletes when they’re on his show. The guy’s all style and no substance.

Comment by jonsey
2008-06-03 00:22:39

rome is tough for a jouurnalist. kimbo is a pussy for a heavy weight mma fighter. i hate rome more than kimbo but he’s right in this situation. rome reminds me of a slimeball lawyer.

Comment by dave
2008-06-03 01:35:37

Sure he’s right. He’s stating it after the fact like he always does. He never puts it out there before the fact. When he picks on people it’s always the weak and unintelligable. And he does it with such a sneery attitude that it get’s attention from people who enjoy lynching. Okay, rant over about Rome.

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Comment by MMAFan1981
2008-06-03 00:44:02

Great job Jim Rome. The Faber fight was an unbelievable fight and would have been a great to show on national television. It had a little bit of everything that makes MMA a great sport.

The respect and showmen ship of Faber and Pulver after the fight would have been enough by itself to give the sport a good name. The way these two guys acted during and after the fight towards each other was awesome. I wish that fight could have been seen by 4 million viewers on Sunday. The talk on ESPN would have been totally different.

I watched PTI and was very disappointed with something that Tony Cornheiser said. He said something to the affect of how in boxing a fighter can win just because of his boxing skills and not his power. He said, that is not the case in MMA.

It seems like because of the display by Elite XC he thinks the only way to win is to throw crazy punches and hope your opponent gets knocked out. We all know that statement just shows his ignorance of the sport. If he is going to make statements like that then he needs to stop talking about the sport. This is what I was worried about. The XC show didn’t showcase MMA in it’s purest form and the critics are ripping it apart because of one night.

Comment by ViolentMike
2008-06-03 16:01:35

Jamel Hill on that same Jim Rome episode said that she doesn’t like the sport of MMA because there is no strategy involved, but there is a lot of strategy in boxing.

What a moron!

 
 
Comment by fightfan
2008-06-03 01:49:09

About time someone had the balls to tell it like it is, or at least give an opinion that, other than ELitexc employees, Slice nuthuggers and friends/family of Gary Shaw probably 3/4 if not more hardcore mma fans feel.

Props to Rome for not being a “puppet” and trying to make it out as though the event was good for the sport or that Slice had no business being there, well everything he said was awesome!!!

Best rant I heard from a major media outlet!! Great job!!

 
Comment by MMAlove
2008-06-03 02:02:57

never watched romes show before but this was a clear and accurate comparison

 
Comment by shinbob
2008-06-03 06:10:58

that was great! he took the words right outta my mouth

 
Comment by R-Dizzle
2008-06-03 06:19:48

WAR Rome!!! I wish all of ESPN educated themselves enough on the sport to hold that view.

 
Comment by Martin
2008-06-03 06:34:35

agree 100% with rome. Having that as the main event of the first mma broadcast on major networkTV was a huge setback for the sport in what should have been a night that rocketed it into mainstream and showcased true mixed martial artists. Le, Shamrock, Edwards, Diaz, Shields…these are the guys who should have been showcased.

 
Comment by MC
2008-06-03 07:19:54

Well, Jim Rome redeemed himself in my eyes. He’s absolutely painful to listen to with his choppy delivery, but he hit the nail on the head with this one. I’m glad ESPN fans got to hear the truth.

 
Comment by kazai
2008-06-03 07:40:29

jime rome is hilarios

 
Comment by Haze
2008-06-03 07:47:09

Wow, Rome just gained himself a fan. Very well said.

 
Comment by tallimeca
2008-06-03 08:41:05

Right on the button. I’m a Kimbo fan even though he is far from a top notch MMA fighter, but I route for him. This was rediculous however. The whole show was lame and comparing it to the XFL was on the button!!!

And he’s right…..What was up with Thompson’s ear. I can’t remember ever seeing a pride or ufc fight with an ear like that. Again, on the button, production wanted to see that thing explode and knew it might happen even if Kimbo lost. They might as well start tucking razors on their shorts like they old WWF days…….

I gotta tell you, i was pretty sure Kimbo tapped in that choke. I actually started laughing when the fight went on.

And how about Shaw…..trying to be Dana in there. Give it up. I appreciate what he’s doing but when he came out and said how he was gonna pay both fighters their salaries on the no contest……..i was like what? That’s something we read about the next day on a board like this. Why televise it. Trying to be the hot shot.

Elite XC just lost any interest I had. Unless they sign some big names, i’ll find better ways to spend my saturday nights. I’m sure you’ll see rating half of what they 1st show was on the second. I mean, are they gonna have Kimbo in the main event every month?

 
Comment by SeeRed
2008-06-03 09:52:14

Not necessarily a Rome fan, but he hit the nail on the head there. There were two god fights on the card (Carano and Lawler-Smith), but the rest of the night, and the production, were a joke. Free or not, I won’t be wasting my time with EliteXC again any time soon.

 
Comment by mac daddy
2008-06-03 10:00:05

I LOVE JIM ROME! The dude is always right on about sports and sees every angle. He called every point I had a problem with while watch that disaster! He called it by saying that most watchers would be OK with that show, but true MMAers were very disappointed. If that card was like the WEC’s Sunday night card, I would have been worried for Dana and the UFC!
I agree that most on this site saw Shaw’s product and the production of that product to be substandard compared to the UFC. Now 2 days after the fallout, more bad press is coming from that mess CBS and Shaw forced to the public = BAD PRESS FOR MMA & UFC

 
Comment by Kam
2008-06-03 11:50:54

Who said this Jim Rome?

You mean this Jim Rome…the Professional guy…

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dOVxitMy47c

Classy

Comment by ViolentMike
2008-06-03 16:03:44

CLASSIC. Everytime I see that clip I LOVE IT. If you watch it more than once per year it loses its luster though.

 
 
Comment by City Boxing Newcomer
2008-06-03 13:16:42

I don’t know why other people are hating on it but I am because it made MMA look bad. I also saw three fights and I wasn’t impressed with Kimbo’s victory. Scot Smith and Robbie Lawler were putting up a great show. Conviction was also entertaining but that stoppage was crap. CBS needs to understand that MMA is violent, and it must show it for the people to understand. I noticed that a lot of Elite XC’s fights are usually stand-up brawls. I really felt disrespected because the annoucers didn’t talk about the rules and techniques these fighter use. Or maybe they did but I just didn’t see it. Kimbo Slice also makes the sport look bad because he just got in it and didn’t put forth the work we all have to to be good in this sport. He’s a marketing scheme, with no true MMA skills. I also didn’t like how he said he fights for the money. I mean qe all are but my first thing is because I love to compete and I want to see how I can push myself. AND its soo much fun! Another thing is I hate the refa in MMA, they need some kind of class for ‘how to be an MMA ref’ or something. I am tired of seeing different refs stopping and leaving fights in the same situation. They need to be consistent. That Kimbo fight should have stopped in the 2nd round.

 
Comment by DonnyG
2008-06-03 14:27:55

Rome is the man. His radio is a heck of a lot better than his TV show too. Part of the reason he isn’t like the other ESPN guys is because he’s not an ESPN guy he just has a show on ESPN.

He is the only big time radio guy that I have heard interview REAL MMA fighters like Dan Henderson.

Everyone that is an MMA fan should be happy that the biggest sports radio guy in the US is an MMA fan and one that gets it.

 
Comment by John
2008-06-03 16:27:22

totally agree, respect

 
Comment by rich
2008-06-03 17:16:05

pretty damn funny

 
Comment by Crowbar
2008-06-03 19:55:01

There is No mention of Lawler because he sucks …
I have seen his last 4 UFC fights and he lost every one.
Nick Diaz made him look like a retard when they fought.

Lawler had actually quit fighting and was only a trainer … until Elite XC gave him a payday.

Scott Smith was never in the UFC or any other league … he lost on the Ultimate Fighter and didnt receive a contract.
He has a decent punch … but he is slow, inexperienced, and stiff to me.

 
Comment by BobC
2008-06-04 12:28:57

Hate to agree with Jim Rome, but he’s on the money.

 
Comment by BlueWave
2008-07-24 09:14:13

Said it before the fight, and I will say it now: If the popularity of the sport is going to eventually go mainstream, jokers like Kimbo Slice is not what this sport needs as a face. The Pulver/Faber match was indeed classic. I watched every second of it, and what is great about it all, is those two actually respect each other. That is something the sport needs.

Well said Romey…..For once your rants finally made sense!

 
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