Props: Yahoo

(Thanks to MMAmania.com reader “Shaolins Finest” for the assist.)

Props: Gary Shaw

“I have the media report about Tyson.  I have had no discussions with Mike or anybody surrounding Mike.  I know Mike.  Yes, I would make that fight in a heartbeat…. For those that say things about Kimbo to me are haters because they should be cheer-leading him to lead the way and open more doors.  I don’t think MMA has had as much excitement the last few years as Kimbo is now bringing to the table…. Let me remind everyone on this call that nobody cared who Mike Tyson fought. If you asked someone what they were doing Saturday night, they would say they were going to see Tyson. They didn’t say Tyson against anybody. If he beat up on somebody that wasn’t as good as him, people would say he’s the baddest man on the planet. Some of the questions on this call are about an aging Tyson who got knocked out in his last fight. But it’s still the aura of Tyson. That’s what Kimbo Slice brings. I’m proud to promote him and proud to know him.  I’m proud to call him a friend. Everybody should be cheer-leading Kimbo because he is a reason, not the only reason, but a reason that CBS really looked up. The logo of CBS, that eye, they put that eye right on Kimbo Slice.”

Elite XC Live Events President Gary Shaw refutes recent claims in a conference call yesterday that a fight between Kimbo Slice and 41-year-old former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is in the works. Slice has always talked about wanting to fight “Iron Mike;” however, he is way passed his prime and incredibly out of shape. Regardless, the return of Tyson would more than likely generate a ton of public interest (as always), especially if he’s matched up against a personality such as Slice. It’s for that reason that Shaw would book the fight in a “heartbeat.” It would be a complete sideshow … but a money-making sideshow at that. Slice has to first take care of James Thompson at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on May 31 during the network television debut of live mixed martial arts action on CBS.

“Tito is a f—ing idiot. He’s one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense…. I put up with his s— when he was a good fighter. He’s not anymore…. He’s not in anybody’s Top 10. I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business…. I’ve never wanted to see anyone get their ass kicked worse than I want to see Tito get his kicked next Saturday night.”

– UFC President Dana White beat around the bush in a recent UFC 84: “Ill Will” conference call earlier this afternoon when Tito Ortiz was mentioned. White decided to remain tight-lipped about his thoughts on who he wants to win when Ortiz steps inside the Octagon for possibly the last time against Lyoto Machida at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 24. Perhaps closer to fight night we’ll get a better feel for what he really thinks about the match up and “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.” Stay tuned.

The Affliction: “Banned” poster in its current form looks incomplete, but perhaps not for long.

May 19 to be be exact, which is just four days from now.

Former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski could ink a deal in this time with the new promotion and take on Ben Rothwell at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on July 19, according to SportsIllustrated.com.

Here’s the snip:

“May 19 is the day when Andrei Arlovski could sign with Affliction, SI.com has learned. That is, assuming the UFC declines to match what is believed to be a deal that pays the former UFC champion in the low-to-mid six figures for the first of three non-exclusive bouts…. Should Arlovski and Affliction complete their deal, the Belarusian is expected to appear at next Tuesday’s press conference at the in Century City, Calif., to announce a fight against former International Fight League heavyweight champion Ben Rothwell.”

This speculation has been swirling for some time; however, now with this report it appears to give it a little more substance, and at the very least, provides us with a timeline of when we can expect an official announcement regarding the future of “The Pitbull.”

If indeed accurate, the addition of a bout between Arlovski and Rothwell will make this one hell of a fight card.

Stay tuned.

The upgrade will allow fans to access past fights from each of various promotions, which includes bouts that involve notables such as UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, UFC Lightweight Champion BJ Penn and many other MMA superstars.

In addition, fans will be able to view under card bouts from Elite XC and other Pro Elite events that weren’t aired on the original broadcasts. Fans will have the option to view single fights starting at .99 cents or entire events for just $4.95.

That’s hard to beat.

Unlimited access will also be available in the form of a “Pro Elite Fight Pass,” which is normally $12.95 a month, but will be on sale for $7.95 a month at an introductory price.

Here’s a snip from Douglas Deluca, Pro Elite executive chairman:

“We have hand picked hours upon hours of high-quality MMA content and provided a compelling online product that is accessible to fans on a global scale. With more than 50 hours of combat currently available and 20 hours added monthly, our Fight Pass offering allows MMA fans to gain instant access to all of the MMA action they can handle.”

Head over to ProElite.com for more information and details.

Props: GracieMag.com

Quoteworthy:

“I respect him a lot as a fighter and I think he, besides being a warrior, is top of the category. I’ve been watching him since I started fighting. My fans can be sure I’ll be back at 100 percent. I’d like for him to wait and fight me at the end of the year. If I could choose who I’d fight on my return, it would be him, for sure, and I hope he accepts.”

Maurcio “Shogun” Rua — who is recovering from a bad knee injury that required surgery to repair — wants to next fight former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell. Both 205-pound fighters were supposed to lock horns during the main event at UFC 85: “Bedlam” at the O2 Arena in London, England, on June 7. However, injuries to the fighters forced them both off the card. Liddell will more than likely be able to return to action much sooner than Rua because his injury was the less serious of the two (hamstring). Rua plans to return to training in three weeks.

“I have a couple more years in me to fight. I just don’t want to break somebody’s face. It was a dream to me also to make the academy, form a team and teach. I had something to do in my life and God gave me a second chance after the accident. I show I have heart. I keep coming back. I don’t think only of myself. I think about this sport and show people what we are all about. I have a lot of things to show.”

– UFC Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira shares his passion for mixed martial arts in a recent interview with the Sun-Sentinel. “Big Nog” talks about the childhood accident that has helped propel him to the top of sport and has helped him achieve his dream of opening up a gym — Nogueira and Silva Mixed Martial Arts Academy, which is set to open this weekend in Miami, Fla. His partner in the venture is none other that UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva. Nogueira will have a lot of time to train in the facility for his upcoming stint as coach on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 8 and eventual showdown with Frank Mir on New Year’s Eve weekend in December 2008.

“MMA Live” will debut on ESPN.com today (Thursday, May 15) at 7 p.m. ET and will cover the latest mixed martial arts news from the top organizations in the sport such as UFC, Elite XC, Dream and others. It will eventually — if all goes well — feature fighters interviews and other specials.

Here’s a snip from “Ken-Flo:”

“(It’s) kind of a fast-paced show on the current news and events going on in the sport. There’s a whole lot of guys at ESPN that have been trying to get this done I guess for two years…. It’s strictly going to be on ESPN.com. It’s not going to be on TV as of right now. Basically they’re going to do a run for three shows on ESPN.com and see what the response is, see how it does. Then if it goes well, we’ll do a regular thing on the Internet, and if it does even better, then possibly you’ll see it on TV.”

Florian will be joined by co-hosts John Anik and Franklin McNeil from the Newark Star-Ledger.

Definitely check it out if you can because with enough positive feedback and views this could find its way onto the airwaves sometime soon. We’ll pass along the video right here at MMAmania.com if and when it becomes available.