EliteXC: Unfinished Business Thoughts & Commentary
Last night was the second installment of EliteXC on CBS and it proved to be a good showing for the EliteXC brand. Every fight was exciting, every fight had a finish, they crowned two new champions, and one champion defended his title for the first time. Who knows how the show will be received by the general public because it had little to no hype behind it, but for my money (or lack thereof), it was a very exciting show. Let’s take a deeper look…
Robbie Lawler sealed the deal this time around.
Lawler looked to be the better fighter in the first outing and I had the fight scored in favor of him until the stoppage the first time, but he sealed the deal last knight with a knee right to Smith’s ribs that sent the challenger to the floor and eventually led to a stoppage. The first time around, it’s hard to tell who would have won. But last night it was clear that Lawler was not going to let things get out of hand, especially after he was cut. As we look toward the future, it’s hard to say who Lawler will fight next in the middlweight division. After Murilo Rua’s devastation of Tony Bonello back in May, I have to think that Rua may be in line to take another crack at Lawler and try to win back the EliteXC title that was once his.
Jake Shields is extremely underrated.
Nick Thompson is one of the best welterweights in the entire world and Jake Shields made him look like a punk last night. I mean, Shields finished Thompson with a one arm guillotine from the mount. One arm, people. His other arm was posted on the mat. That’s extremely impressive against a fighter the caliber of Nick Thompson. I have Shields ranked as the #3 welterweight in the world in my rankings that I submit to WAMMA every month and last night he validated that high of a spot in the rankings. He may very well be the best fighter on EliteXC’s entire roster. When you make great competition look like child’s play, you’re not working with a level playing field. Shields doesn’t get a whole lot of play because he’s not in the one organization that really matters, the UFC, but he is without a doubt one of the top three or five welterweights in the world. It’s time to start giving the man his credit.
Nick Diaz did what he was supposed to do.
Thomas Denny was a game opponent but he was just overmatched by Diaz’s overall game. It’s dangerous to put Diaz on his back because of his jiu jitsu game but it’s also dangerous to stand with him because of his reach and his boxing skills. Denny is sort of a tailor made opponent for Diaz and Diaz took advantage of it. If you’re a Diaz fan you had to be a little worried by the way the fight started out but once things settled down and Diaz got into his zone, the fight was all but over. Denny was so gassed at the end of the first round that you almost knew when he came out for the second that the fight was all but over. Diaz did what he was supposed to do: win in his hometown, establish himself on national television, and now I’m sure we’ll see him taking on K.J. Noons in the near future for the EliteXC lightweight title. That could very well happen in October at the next CBS show.
Let’s see Cris Cyborg take on Gina Carano.
You want to talk about fireworks? That’s a fight that will produce them. What Mrs. Cyborg did to Shayna Baszler last night was very impressive. Baszler is more known for her grappling than her standup but she was never able to get Cris to the ground and keep it there. And while they were standing, Cyborg dominated with the relentless Chute Boxe style that we’ve seen time and time again from fighters like Wanderlei Silva, Maurico Rua, and her husband, Cyborg Santos. Baszler is, by far, one of the best women fighters in the land but she was unable to do much against the overwhelming style of Cris Cyborg, especially when Cyborg stuffed most of her takedown attempts. I know Kelly Kobold is being talked about as Carano’s next opponent, but after last night’s showing, it’s evident that a fight with Cris Cyborg would not only be exciting, but would be another great test for EliteXC’s golden girl.
Overall, I enjoyed the show quite a bit and have to give it a B+ rating. I thought getting rid of the dancing girls was a huge plus, the pacing of the show was much better than last time, and the fights were exciting and fast paced. A solid effort from CBS and EliteXC, but the real question will be how much of America actually watched it.
Adam Morgan is
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Nice write up. It was def. a solid showing by EliteXC. Too bad it didn’t do as good in the ratings.
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Anyone have an idea why Jake Shields does not fight in the UFC? It seems to me if he wants respect, that’s where he is going to find it with their stacked division.
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I enjoyed the show a ton, Cyborg put a beating on Baszler and I thought it was funny when she thought she had one. Too bad for Baszler that Cyborg had to come back and finish the job a second time. Hopefully the next show will bring in the ratings along with the good fights.
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“If you’re a Diaz fan you had to be a little worried by the way the fight started out ”
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!
i was screaming “what are you doing!? why are you letting him hit you?!”
Nick’s one of my favorite fighters.. but i swear.. he’s the weirdest dude..
sometimes.. he just comes right out and dominates start to finish..
and sometimes he gets beat up for a round or two, almost for no reason, and then just wins in the third..
i just don’t see why he has to take a beating in the first round [which is his own fault for not blocking, movie, etc.] and then all of a sudden get into warrior mode and Knock a guy Out..
i mean, with KJ, he won’t be able to take those punches, and not block, and not move, because he’ll get cut [i don't think he'd get KO'd, his chin is a gift from the heavens] .. he’ll have to counter, use good head/upper body movement, and do his little muhammad-ali-hands-in-the-air thing..[
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man, i hope he shows up for that fight at 110%
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no mention of the “209″ chant? I love the “U.S.A.” chants you always get out of the mid-west, but this one may top it. Funny because i always thought NJ, specifically Asbury Park area, was the armpit of America, but it seems pretty apparent that Stocton California is gainaing ground fast. Nice
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Yeah, unfortunately I didn’t get to watch the fights with any sound. I was at a 35th anniversary party for some of my girlfriend’s relatives and basically had to beg the guy to even turn the fights on.
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Mo, learn how to spell. It is Stockton not Stocton. Come to Stockton and see for yourself if your lame insult is true. Midwestern mma fans chanting USA qualifies them as superior? Mo-ron. If Stockton is the armpit of the country then the midwest is the smelly snatch. My guess is that you do not know jack about this town or it’s history as a place where you need to watch what you say out loud in public. For every Nick Diaz making a buck fighting on TV there are about 1000 crazy ass vatos throwing chingasos for free. Come on down Mo.
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bumpster, sorry, but you had to think the “209″ chants were kind of funny. I didn’t mean anything personal against your town/city, but chanting the area code of where i live isn’t really my thing. I would have to think if i took a poll of the “vatos” in the area half would agree. Hell, i would even walk the mean streets of Stockton and ask, but it is a bit out of my way. I am from the “215″, and I will not be able to make it down.
Seriously though bumpster, i didn’t mean to throw a cheap shot at your hometown, but you have to admit that chanting the area code of where you live is not the way to go
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I enjoyed all the fights, except the Diaz fight, which I fast-forwarded through simply because I cannot stand either Diaz brother. Cris Santos was very exciting to watch. The false finish was quite a scene; I’m kind of surprised I’ve never seen that happen before. Jake Shields was even more impressive than I’ve seen him before. He has no competition, though, unless he can get fights with guys like Gesias Calvancante (if they can meet at equal weight) or Eddie Alvarez. Otherwise, he should probably be in the UFC. I kind of hate to say that, since there needs to be good talent outside of the UFC if there’s going to be competition, but looking at the here and now, that’s where he’ll really be able to have good fights and make money.
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Gina’s not ready for Cyborg. EXC needs to stick with the plan and have her fight Kelly Kobald in October. They’ll pull in big ratings regardless of whom she fights. After she wins, give her Cyborg — and pray that her gorgeous face doesn’t get destroyed.
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I think Gina is ready for Cyborg. After seeing some of Kaitlin Young’s fights I thought Gina would have a lot of trouble with her, and Gina whupped that ass.
You gotta remember, not only is Gina a very good standup fighter, but she is big as hell. She walks around at 170 to 180 and cuts during training camp to ‘try’ and make 140. Just that size difference can be all Gina would need to win. Either way, Carano and Santos will be a great fight.
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I agree….Gina is ready for Cyborg. Cyborg completely dominated Baszler in stand up, but Baszler only THREW 10 punches…and she landed one. No doubt Cyborg is a beast, but Gina will LAND more than 10 punches. I think that fight would be a sick stand up war. Hope it happens, although I’d be happy to see Gina fight Kobald. Kelly is no cupcake.
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Cyborg is quicker than Carano, and it looks to me like Cyborg hits as hard and maybe even harder. Carano will have her hands full. It’s been said in other posts on this site already, but you have to wonder about ‘roids when you see Cyborg’s muscle mass and hear her voice. When she speaks her voice reminds me of those East German women swimmers from the ’70’s who were juiced to their eyeballs.
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Diaz is going to get lit up again in a rematch with Noons.
Diaz is still very hittable and as of late, he looks like he’s moving underwater
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I agree with #15. Diaz starts out too slow, a crisp striker like Noons will win a decision against him.
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Mo, appreciate your comments. You would not catch me chanting 209 either. However, the fans at that fight and many in Stockton are starving for someone or something to cheer for that they can identify with and Nick is it right now. I never give up hope that someday Fat City will produce a bad ass world champion. The regular vato loading trucks, banging nails or stocking shelves needs in every small oppressed city like Stockton needs a local hero.
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