Two of the original Elite XC head honchos have called it quits before the mixed martial arts promotion could celebrate its two-year anniversary.
According to a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Elite XC Live Events President Gary Shaw and former Chief Executive Officer, Doug DeLuca, have resigned from their respective posts, but will remain with the company as “consultants.”
There has been speculation swirling about the demise of Gary Shaw for some time now. In fact, after the May 31 network television debut on CBS ended with mostly bad reviews — despite impressive ratings — the rumors of the successful boxing promoter being forced out by CBS executives became public.
Those reports were denied by Elite XC officials at the time, but with Shaw’s absence from the last two Elite XC events and now this announcement, it all appears to have been true after all.
Shaw took a lot of heat for some of the things he did during his time with Elite XC. Whether it was his handling of Kimbo Slice, the trademark dancing girls and rap star entrances, rumblings of possible fixed fights, or whatever it was, Gary Shaw seemed to always be the scapegoat.
Therefore, it only seems fitting that now when Elite XC is finally looking like it might turn that corner as a legitimate mixed martial arts organization, Shaw has been shown the door … essentially making him the ultimate fall guy once again.
As stated above, Shaw will remain with the company as a consultant. If that sounds like a position created to save some face for Shaw, that’s probably accurate. However, the filing says that he’ll maintain a $250,000 a year salary as well as some other perks, including Pro Elite stock shares.
Not bad for a “consulting” gig.
DeLuca stepped down as CEO back in February, but stayed on with the company as a full-time Chief Strategy Officer and Chairman of the Board. He’s maintained that position until now. He will also be kept on as a “consultant” with Elite XC — a position that will earn him $210,000 annually.
With so much negativity surrounding Elite XC in the past — for whatever reason — it looks like the promotion is trying to clean up its image. Now that there’s no more dancing girls, rap concerts, or Gary Shaw, what’s next … Kimbo Slice fighting a legitimate opponent?
53 Comments »
Dana White must be laughing his ass off right about now..
Say what you want about Dana… he knows what he is doing and is giving us some really great cards… minus the heavy weight picture…
I never liked Shaw. He really reminded me of the sleazy promoter in Redbelt. And not just because he was fat.
eliteXC has showed that they are finally taking the right measures to give its company its best chance of survival and being considered a legit mma organization. The absence of Shaw has already started to show, because there last show felt like a legit mma show instead of an old WCW event.
Hopefully el;iteXC continues to improve. THe big test of the survival will be if when they start holding ppv, in 2009, if it can make some money!
EliteXC & PPV, those are two words that should not go together. I dont know john, Elite doesnt have any real star power. They focused so much on Kimbo instead of some of there legit guys. Kimbo might be a huge draw, but thats only because its free. I dont think Kimbo would be a big PPV seller. With the UFC holding PPV’s every month and now Affliction, Elite doesnt have a chance in PPV buys.
JV: I dont think they can survive in the ppv market either. I just read it so I figured I would pass it along, but they are still a year or 2 away from being ready for ppv. THey should not rush it and just keep improving gradually and building on the last event that they had (which was there best and most legit to date).
John, that WCW reference was right on the money, to cheesey even for WWE. Unfortunately for Elite, they don’t have enough quality fighters to regularly fill a good card. Also, as a “consultant” Scumbag Shaw will still have his fat, grubby fingers in all their pies.
the only way kimbo would be a big ppv draw, is if he were to fight brock in the ufc. it could happen.
Thank god, if the promotion was ever going to do well it wasn’t going to be with him as their mouthpiece.
Exactly. Good riddance to bad rubbish as they say!!
i cant wait to hear what dana white has to say about this!
why does he wear athletic clothes? he doesn’t need them
loose elastic fitting is good for fat people, whether or not they lose or gain 50 some odd pounds they still fit!
Track suit stock just plummeted.
Peace chunky. Back to boxing.
The last show was 100% better than the previous one. It felt like a much more legitimate MMA show. I will continue to watch as long as they keep them coming like that. Thanks for nothing fatty!
i have to agree with you.. and as long as gina is in elite i will be watching!
I agree with you both. I also think Gina needs to compete in a thong, but that is just my opinion.
…and topless in a mudpit…with the winner being the one who removes the others thong first!!
Yea BNF, their last show was ok. They have some decent fighters, so I’ll continue to watch. Shaw “consulting” yea right. But all this can only be good for EliteXC.
KWIT HATING SUCKAZ!!
elite sux any way
Good move by Shaw and Deluca…
fuck that fat piece of shit, bigfoot is not the best heavyweight and now we won’t hear his lies..
goodbye you fat fuck
whens fat ass ricco fight again
washed up ufc fighters apply here at elite xc
Except the fighters Zuffa was too stupid to get like: Jake Shields, Rafeal Feijao, Wilson Reis, Antonio Silva, Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard, and the fighters that Zuffa was retarded for letting go, like Robbie Lawler and Nick Daiz.
You have to have a mixture of recognizable faces and new talent when trying to make a successful company. For the first time, they are getting rid of their debts (money from advertising and CBS paid off alot too) and creating legit champs. Give them a f*ckin break.
LOL, that’s the sad truth, they should’ve signed Tito.
r elbows legal in affliction?
Elbows to a downed fighter i beleive they stated is illegal.
So much for Tito signing there then.
that my friends, is a face of a child molester.
With his cardio, children would be molesting him.
It would be like Stewie Griffin in the Fat Guy episode of Family Guy — Find your penis, one dollar!
lol!
I have an announcement: In light of the esteemed Gary Shaw’s “resignation,” I am officially terminating my boycott of Elite XC effective immediately. I also encourage those of my constituents that followed in my brave footsteps to also call of their boycotts as well. This is a great day in world history and will be remembered along with other great days in world history such as the fall of communist Russia, the fall of the Berlin wall, and the opening of In-N-Out Burger! I will, however, continue to bash the no talent jabrone Kimbo Slice.
In n Out FTW!!! you from cali?
Yup Yup!
LMAO @ terminating your boycott. that boycott movement was classic. congrats!
Being “fired” and still making $250,000 a year is a lot better than 90% of people posting here are making.
When I get fired I just get to find a new job, not “reluctantly” offer my services as a supposed consultant for quarter of a million a year.
He is still ballin, and wearing 1988-1992 NY style gangster track suits like WTF.
He is a POS and makes good money off being one, that’s a dream come true for most people.
Great news, now Gary can go be fat somewhere else.
And this is way off subject, but I’m watching “Superbad” for the millionth time, and that chick that plays Becca is so hot!
boobies!
and it took you more than once to figure that out!
yes she is, Wouldnt call there champs legit champs would say they have a couple of decent fighters decent being the opritive word, either way id let gina mount me and put me in a triangle anyday
good riddance to bad rubbish
Is every body sure it was irvin that got popped,sherdog is saying justin levins (affliction)is the one that got popped for methadone,
As did Irvin.
think they were shooting up together, and jewls is hotter on super bad
gary shaw looks like a heat attack waiting to happen
I heard Gary Shaw was also running H Clintons campaign and he wants to bring back New Coke.
As EliteXC continues to get further in debt (with no end in sight) the future of the promotion will continue to be cloudy. When a rerun of a past UFC event on Spike vastly outperforms ratings wise your live show on CBS you have a major problem. Shaw and DeLuca might be jumping off a sinking ship – we’re only hearing one side of the story. Anyone signing with EliteXC now should be asking for a signing bonus.
this last elitexc show was as good as it can get as far as delivering the goods to the fans. i’m not sure how it can get any better unless they sign more talent cuz they can only recycle those 3 for so long. how about frank trigg, mahem miller, jz calvacante? elitexc should be snatching those guys up with quickness.
as far as ratings go, thats not my problem. and its not in my heart to feel sorry for scumbag executives that get paid quarter mil salary. i just want to see good fights.