In Part I of FiveOuncesOfPain.com’s exclusive interview

In Part II, Finkelchtein addresses questions about whether Fedor’s current contract with Affliction and M-1 would prevent him from fighting for the UFC; how his dealings with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta were from a behind-the-scenes perspective; whether he truly believes that White doesn’t consider Fedor to be the number one heavyweight in the world; and more.

Sam Caplan: Dana White has said he’s still willing to talk with Fedor about having him fight for the UFC. However, would Fedor’s current contract with Affliction even allow him to fight for the UFC?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Affliction is M-1 Global’s partner. We have an agreement with Affliction where we collaborate on these shows. Unfortunately, with the show that happened before, it may not have appeared that way and this is something we’ve resolved with our partners at Affliction. But the first show with Sylvia and this upcoming one is an Affliction/M-1 Global show and the agreement that we have in regard to Fedor is that Fedor is signed to M-1 Global. Fedor’s promoter is M-1 Global.

Affliction is our partner in having Fedor fight in the United States and the contract that in essence controls Fedor is the contract that Fedor signed with M-1 Global, which is essentially that same contract that the UFC offered in terms of money and all of the terms that should have been included in a promotional deal. The only thing missing is whatever Fedor would either not agree to or at least wanted to talk about, which were the restrictive terms that Fedor had concerns with.

Today, if M-1 were to have Fedor fight whoever is considered the heavyweight champion of the UFC at this point, whether it’s Lesnar, Mir, or whoever, the possibility of having Fedor fight any of them is certainly out there. We’ve always wanted to collaborate with good partners. The problem is that Dana White is not letting that happen. Whether it’s a desire to monopolize everything or simply a desire to not want to work with others, the reason why it’s not happening has nothing to do with M-1 or their relationship with Affliction. We have good partners and are putting on good shows but that doesn’t preclude having Fedor fight in the UFC.

Sam Caplan: But as it stands today, if Fedor were to fight in the UFC, he would have to be promoted as part of Affliction and M-1 Global?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Today, it’s hard to say who Fedor would fight because they are trying to tell everybody who they happen to have at the time is the best heavyweight in the world, whether it’s Frank Mir or Lesnar. But if Fedor were going to fight one of these guys today, it would have to be a co-promotion where M-1 Global and our partner Affliction is involved. It can be done just like it is all over the world like it’s done with boxers and any two promotional companies that have an opportunity to bring the public the best possible fight. At this point today, it cannot be a one-person show.

Sam Caplan: In Part I of the interview, you spoke of the rigid nature of one of the UFC’s former attorneys. Can you describe the demeanor of both Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta during your dealings with him?

Vadim Finkelchtein: When we met, in our conversations, everything has always been very cordial. Both Dana and Fertitta has come off as very pleasant, professional people. I think a lot of the problem is whatever Dana puts into these interviews. Maybe that’s his style? Maybe there’s a reason why he goes out there and calls us “crazy Russians” and things like that.

I’ll tell you one thing, we would have really been “crazy Russians” if we had signed that contract that they had offered. Fedor is an athlete who deserves a certain amount of respect and recognition. We don’t make the rankings. We don’t decide who is the number one fighter in the world, consensus wise. These are things that are out there in the world.

I think in my dealings with those guys, everything has always been very cordial and very friendly. But publicly, they’ve created — and I don’t know whether they have an inferiority complex — but I don’t know what it is. But they’re trying to create a monopoly and I believe that regardless that bubble is going to pop because very soon, the sport is going to become bigger than them.

Again, my dealings with them have always been great and I don’t have anything against them as people. But publicly there have been a lot of things said that are maybe said for ulterior motives that have no truth in them.

Sam Caplan: Do you think that White is sincere in his opinion of Fedor or that his comments are simply the words of a promoter trying to do what’s best for his business?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Of course it’s because Dana is trying to protect whatever is his. I do not believe that Dana really feels that Fedor is not the number one heavyweight in the world. If Fedor were to fight for the UFC, I am sure you will hear Dana saying other things about Fedor, such as that he is the number one heavyweight. But we’re talking about about a man who is trying as hard as he can to have a monopoly and maintain his monopoly.

However, don’t get me wrong, the UFC is indeed the number one MMA company in the world, bar none. They were the first to get there and they are continuing in many aspects. And in many weight classes, they have many great fighters. However, there is an evolution of sorts and there are other organizations out there and there are other fighters out there and it’s not correct for the UFC to just clamor onto their own fighters and say “Only our fighters are the number one fighters in the world,” because that is not true. And the public, especially the people that know the sport have seen that there are other organizations out there and other fighters out there and there are other champions.

What’s so wrong about wanting to prove that your fighters are the number one fighters in the world by having them meet other great fighters in other great organizations? Let the public decide who the number one fighters are in the world, not Dana. But Dana doesn’t like that. Dana doesn’t like when the public, or journalists, or anyone else writes that some other fighter that has nothing to do with the UFC is just as good, if not better, than some of the fighters in the UFC.

He killed Randy (Couture). He had an opportunity for giving the public and everyone a fight between Randy and Fedor and he simply killed that opportunity. And we didn’t want that. We don’t want for Fedor to by some mythical creature or this mythical person that people hear as being the greatest in the history of the sport with those same people not getting a chance to see him fight the best in the world so that he can show them that.

Fedor is not a myth. He’s a great person and a great sportsman. He’s a great athlete and all we’ve been trying to do is have Fedor fight the best fighters in the world, and that’s what we’re doing. That’s what he’s done in the past and that’s what he’s doing now. And if Dana really wanted to prove that he has the best heavyweights then he has the capability of doing that with Fedor.

Sam Caplan: Is it true that Dana White and Fedor have never met?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Yes, this is true. It’s true but to put in perspective, I am not only Fedor’s manager but his friend and partner in many different projects that we do. We don’t have any secrets from each other and Fedor knows every move I make. He doesn’t handle a lot of his own business affairs.

I flew to Vegas to meet with Dana. At the time, Fedor was unable to fly out to Vegas. But believe me, if Dana ever wanted to meet with Fedor or wanted to come to Russia, we’d welcome him with open arms. And he has every opportunity possible to sit down face-to-face and have a conversation with Fedor.

Sam Caplan: In an interview, you extended an invitation to Dana White to attend “Day of Reckoning” and meet Fedor. Has M-1 received an official response yet from the UFC?

Vadim Finkelchtein: No, of course not. There has been no response in regards to my invitation. Our arms are open and we’ve always welcomed not only the UFC but other organizations to work with us. Because if this sport is indeed so popular, and indeed has such great growth potential worldwide… well, today – and there will be others as well – but today we are the ones trying to advance the sport.

The UFC has leverage now. They have a great company that they’ve done a wonderful job of building up and building the sport, but mostly in the United States. Today, all over the world in places such as Japan, Korea, Europe, and Australia, the sport is becoming more and more popular. At some point, whether they like it or not, enough fans are going to say “Don’t feed us bulls— with these marketed fighters and hype jobs.” The fans are going to want to see the best fighters in the world fight the best. And whether they like it or not, they don’t have all of the best fighters. There’s actually companies out there more than willing to work with them on making that happen and even even popularizing them all over the world beyond what they have today. But now, Dana just wants to eat his cake and doesn’t want to share any pieces with anyone.

Sam Caplan: I wanted to know if you had a direct response to the things Dana White stated during his radio interview on Monday night?

Vadim Finkelchtein: I have answered the question many times, and at this point, my only response is take who you think is your best fighter and have Fedor fight him. And don’t make it where Fedor has to give up his career and owes him his life to do it. If you want to say that any one of your fighters in the UFC is the best, then prove it. Just stop yelling and prove it.

Why don’t you try and eliminate any doubt? Just give us who you think is your best fighter and let’s work together and let’s co-promote and make the fight happen.

Sam Caplan: During past interviews Dana has raised the point that M-1 and Fedor asked for things that the UFC has never granted to a fighter — not even its top superstars such as Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture. Can you respond to that point?

Vadim Finkelchtein: We did not make any unreasonable demands. There was nothing out of the ordinary that we demanded on that contract. In fact, we never asked for more money. We were satisfied with the financial offer that was made. The only thing that we weren’t satisfied with were human factors. Essentially, the initial proposed contract made Fedor a slave to the UFC and there were certain aspects that as a self-respecting man, and if you know Fedor, you know his pride and his principals are very important to him. There were just certain things that he didn’t understand. It wasn’t so much that he disagreed with them, he just didn’t understand why those things needed to be given up.

Since then, Dana White was more or less agreeable with the concerns Fedor had. The one sticking point — and as minor of an issue as it was — the one sticking point he wasn’t able to overcome was this thing about Sambo. And we tried to explain to him and people just have to understand, this is an amateur sport and it’s a hobby for Fedor. But it is the national sport (of Russia) and Fedor made a promise to the President of Russia.

He promised the President of Russia that he would compete in Sambo because for young people all over Russia, this is something that they watch and compete in. You’re essentially trying to kill a national sport by having the face of the sport not participate in it. So as minor as it sounded it was a major obstacle and hurdle and for some reason that was just the one thing Dana couldn’t get over when it came down to it.

Sam Caplan: But considering Fedor lost the World Combat Sambo Championships for the first time in seven years, is Fedor still going to continue competing in Sambo?

Vadim Finkelchtein: If he’s given the opportunity and if it doesn’t interfere with his professional career, it is Fedor’s intention to continue in Sambo.

We have a new team now with the Red Devil Team now being called “The Imperial Team.” And the entire team is comprised of current and former Sambo champions. All of these guys owe their future careers and their future economic prosperity that they hopefully will attain in the sport of MMA to the sport of Sambo.

And Fedor has to be an example for everyone else. He’s a role model for a lot of the younger guys and despite the fact that he’s a celebrity and makes a lot of money not only doing MMA but now doing movies, endorsements, and other things… for Fedor, this is who he is. He is giving back to what got him to where he is today. Sambo is like his parents. You will still go back to them and thank them for raising you a certain way.

It’s the same reason why (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira will go back and and participate in a jiu-jitsu tournament because that’s where he came from. You have to respect that in somebody (that) in spite of the success they’ve attained, that there are still things more important to them than just money and fame.

Sambo brings Fedor such great pride and pleasure when he’s just simply asked “Will you please participate in this?” He does it and he does it for free. Sambo does not pay a penny. And he also does it to show everyone that no matter what he’s achieved that he’s still capable of competing on the world level of this sport.

We don’t see a lot of Americans or other athletes who came from wrestling or judo and can thank those disciplines for the success that they are achieving now and go back to those roots and participate in these tournaments. They have probably already forgotten where they came from and what it was that got them to where they are. And Fedor is never going to do that. That’s just not the kind of person that he is and not the kind of person he’ll ever be.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com

Finkelchtein granted FiveOuncesOfPain.com’s interview request on New Year’s Day and conducted nearly an hour long interview via phone from his home in St. Petersburg Russia.

During the extensive interview, Finkelchtein was asked detailed questions regarding M-1′s past negotiations with the UFC regarding WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko. In response, Finkelchtein provided detailed answers that were translated through M-1 Global U.S.-based executive Steve Bash.

Below is Part I of FiveOuncesOfPain.com’s conversation with Finkelchtein.

Sam Caplan: When was the first time the UFC and Fedor ever discussed the possibility of him fighting for the promotion?

Vadim Finkelchtein: The first time that we ever discussed Fedor with the UFC was in Japan, when the UFC bought out PRIDE.

Sam Caplan: Can you describe the frequency and volume of communications between M-1 Global and the UFC regarding Fedor since that time?

Vadim Finkelchtein: The first time we spoke in Japan we were talking about different things that we’ve been talking about since, because at first the UFC had promised that PRIDE would continue in Japan and that they would not only continue but expand all over the world. We were very interested in that because obviously Fedor was the champion and in reality what happened when they bought PRIDE was that they buried it and killed it. So since then, our discussions have been different.

Sam Caplan: When was the last time formal communications took place between the UFC and M-1 Global regarding Fedor?

Vadim Finkelchtein: The last official sitdown and official negotiation that we had was right before we formed M-1 Global in essentially the structure that exists today. At that point we were very interested in working with the UFC but the terms and restrictions that they had brought forth to Fedor, mainly, as well as us with M-1 Global were not acceptable. Things such as Fedor would not be allowed to participate in Sambo tournaments, which to him is a very important part of his life. It’s the national sport of Russia and a hobby for him. We felt that it was actually a minor detail in trying to get a deal done but the UFC was categorically opposed to really having Fedor do anything in his life unless the UFC was involved and unless he was doing it under the UFC banner.

Sam Caplan: Many things have been reported in the public as far as what M-1 has asked from the UFC. I wanted to see if I could run them by you and see what was fact and fiction? First, there was a report that in order for the UFC to sign Fedor, they would also have to agree to co-promote events in Russia with M-1?

Vadim Finkelchtein: No, that’s false. There were never any demands made that the UFC come to Russia and promote shows. The contract that the UFC offered was a very, very rigid contract. And it was rigid for Fedor. Fedor was simply not in agreement with having so many freedoms (restricted) at the level he’s at in the sport.

There were maybe ten things that simply he never imagined he would have to give up in his life and in his career to be a part of the UFC. And what happened in result, M-1 Global had been formed. M-1 had always existed (since 1997) but the “Global” version – the new company – was formed and essentially the same offers that were made to Fedor by the UFC – except for what Fedor did not want in that contract – were basically made to Fedor and Fedor signed the same contract without those rigid terms, with M-1 Global.

Sam Caplan: The restriction of competing in Combat Sambo tournaments has been identified, but could you speak to some of the other clauses in the UFC contract that Fedor felt were restrictive?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Honestly, it’s been awhile and the lawyers were handling the negotiations at the time. I don’t remember all of the restrictive terms that Fedor wasn’t agreeable with. I just recall that there were a lot of terms that he wasn’t used to. A lot of things just didn’t seem to make sense or didn’t seem to be very fair.

There were terms in there where certain payments and purse withholdings — basically terms that said he wouldn’t get paid if he did something wrong. And the list of things he could have done wrong was pretty large and it made him feel that there would have been a chance that he could have done his work and not been compensated for it.

There were terms in there about the UFC’s power to change opponents at any minute without Fedor’s permission where if he was fighting one opponent for a fight and then last minute they would switch another opponent. There were things in (the contract) that would have put all of the control in the UFC’s hands.

The negotiations didn’t go very far and the reason why was because the UFC had an attorney that is different from the one that they have today. The attorney at that time, all we did essentially was send them notice that we were not happy with certain terms and that we wanted to discuss them. But the response we got from the UFC attorneys was “This is the contract, you either sign it or see you later. There is no other conversation.”

That’s really where the negotiations ended because at that point we felt that he’s the number one fighter in the world, at the very least you could hear him out why certain terms should be negotiated and discussed. After that point we didn’t even concentrate on all of those terms because we didn’t even get a chance to talk to them about changing them.

Sam Caplan: Was it true that a contract that the UFC presented to Fedor included a “champions” clause, which stipulated that if he won the UFC heavyweight title, he could not become a free agent if he was a champion even if he had fulfilled his contract number of fights?

Vadim Finkelchtein: Yes, there was a clause like that. It was something about an automatic extension in the event he became champion. And that’s another example of how the contract was too one-sided and we couldn’t just sign it and go on. We had to talk about things and that never happened.

Sam Caplan: Did M-1 ask that Fedor be referred to as an “M-1 Fighter” during all UFC telecasts and did M-1 ask that its logo be featured in UFC commercials and inside the Octagon?

Vadim Finkelchtein: That’s not true. It’s not true because at the time we sat down with the UFC to discuss the potential of Fedor fighting in the UFC, M-1 Global didn’t exist. M-1 existed for many years but it was basically just a company that did MMA fights in Russia and other parts of Europe.

The reason why M-1 Global was formed was after the discussions with the UFC because we didn’t really care about having M-1 on a UFC mat or anything like that until we realized we couldn’t work with the UFC. I have a partner now, Sergey Matvienko, he came forward and essentially the idea of having this global MMA company such as M-1 Global was never even in our minds when we were speaking to the UFC. It was only something that was born after we realized that the UFC wasn’t even going to talk to us about the concerns that we had.

The only thing we said to the UFC was that we wanted to have some open dialogue about some points. We told them, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if Fedor is a part of the UFC and he’s the best heavyweight in the world and he happens to be Russian for us to do a show in Russia?” But it was never a demand. It was never us saying “This is something you must do in order to have Fedor.” It was simply a request for some open dialogue.

But a source told NBCSports.com that Emelianenko received a sizable part of his Affliction contract up front in the form of a signing bonus, and added that Emelianenko also owns the rights to his fight footage in several European countries. That second part may not mean much right now but if Affliction chooses to hold an event in Europe, they would have to pay him for the footage.

Love or hate Fedor’s management, you have to concede that they are doing what’s in Fedor’s best interest as far as the money side of things go. Making people pay for your own fight footage as well as getting advance signing bonuses before even stepping into the ring are a couple things that are just unheard of in this sport right now. Fedor’s management team is way ahead of the curve as far as MMA goes right now. Vadim Finklestein is the Drew Rosenhaus of MMA.

While on the show, Le will talk about the explosive growth of the sport of mixed martial arts and whether MMA has Olympic potential.

Le won the Strikeforce middleweight title on March 29 when he defeated Frank Shamrock via TKO after the fight was called to a halt following the third round.

With Cung Le’s next MMA opponent uncertain, it appears his next major career move could be to establish himself further as an actor.

In a new interview with TopGunMMA.com, Le indicated that he plans to commit himself more to filming movies in the near future.

“I have two movies that are going to be released,” Le is quoted as saying in the interview, referencing his role as Marshall Law in the upcoming Tekken movie as well as another movie in post-production entitled “Fighting. “One at the end of this year and one next year with decent sized roles in there. Not huge roles and then all of a sudden this is a huge role. Pays pretty good too. It’s comparable to fighting.”

Le also already has his next project lined up.

“Right now we’re in talks with John Woo for one of his next projects,” he revealed to TopGunMMA.com. “I don’t know exactly when I will fight again but I make sure I’m staying in shape and just being smart about things. Picking and choosing my projects and also my fights.”

Towards the latter stages of the interview, the 36-year old former San Shou champion gave some hints that his MMA career could come to a close sooner rather than later.

“I feel like I am at a crossroads,” said Le. “I feel like I still got a couple more good fights in me but at the same time I have to be smart. I’m at a crossroads. I can’t stretch myself too thin. I gotta be smart about things. Right now the door is open for Hollywood and it’s not like any fighters out there get this kind of opportunity and pass it up because he or she wants to fight.”

Click here to read the interview in its entirety.

Round three was tremendous and while Shamrock vs. Le might be the fight of the year thus far, I think it will be a disappointing year for MMA if it is in the top five of top matches come year’s end.

I enjoyed the fight and the San Jose crowd really added to the atmosphere. But my biggest issue with Shamrock vs. Le was that while it was contested under MMA rules, it really wasn’t an MMA fight. It was almost entirely a standup encounter, which I don’t have a problem with if that’s the an organic path for the fight to go down. But there were times when that fight could have and possibly should have gone to the ground and didn’t. If someone gets swept off their feet and is lying on their back, a fighter should go in for the kill.

A lesser issue I had with the fight was Shamrock’s incessant hand gestures throughout the fight. The “nighty-night” gesture during the Phil Baroni fight last June was awesome. But he went to the well once too often during the fight with Le. I’m all for a little showmanship and gamesmanship but when there is too much banter between combatants during a fight, the level of intensity decreases and it begins to feel like a glorified sparring match.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

San Jose, Calif. — ProElite.com (SamCaplan.ProElite.com) was able to confirm with sources after the Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le fight Saturday night that Shamrock indeed has a broken arm. X-rays were conducted at the HP Pavilion and showed the fracture.

During the post-fight press conference, Le indicated that he not only saw Shamrock’s X-rays, but heard the arm break while in the cage.

The injury took place towards the end of the third and final round. Le threw a high kick that grazed Shamrock’s head that ultimately landed on Shamrock’s upper arm.

In an excellent display of photography, EliteXC photographer Tom Casino was able to capture a clear shot of the kick that broken Shamrock’s arm.

According to Le, the X-rays he saw showed a bone in Shamrock’s arm broken in half.

Even if Shamrock had not gotten injured, he was in danger of losing the fight. ProElite.com was able to acquire a copy of the judge’s scoring and it shows that Shamrock was behind on all the judges’ scorecards.

According to the scoring obtained, Shamrock lost all three rounds. Round one was 30-27 Le; round two was 29-28 Le; and round three was 29-28 Le.

Judge Richard Bertrend scored the fight 10-9, 10-9, 9-10. Judge Cecil Peoples scored the fight 10-9, 10-9, 10-9. And judge Nelson “Doc” Hamilton scored the fight 10-9, 9-10, and 10-9.

Le stated that he was open to a rematch with Shamrock.

Here are other notes from the post-fight press conference:

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

(EliteXC/Strikeforce photos provided by TOM CASINO/EliteXC)

Shamrock vs. Cung Le: Fight of the Year?

Maybe. I won’t get too far ahead of myself because it’s only March 30th, but this fight has set a precedent for entertaining fights in the coming months. It may not have been the all out technical mixed martial arts fight that touched everywhere like the Frankie Edgar vs. Tyson Griffin fight from last year, but it was as entertaining a fight as there’s been all year. It had everything that a fan of combat sports could want. Hard combinations and punches from both fighters. Back and forth exchanges. Friendly taunting. An incredibly memorable third round. And to top it all off, a decisive finish.

Come December when we’re talking about the Fight of the Year, I have a strong feeling that this fight will be among three or four other fights (Baroni vs. Hose?) in the discussion at the very least. Props to both guys for putting on a great show and fighting their freaking hearts out.

What happened to Shamrock’s wrestling game?

I refuse to believe that it’s just disappeared into thin air. I also refuse to believe that he “can’t shoot” because of his knees. What got Shamrock in trouble tonight was his own ego, plain and simple. He thought he could stand with Cung Le and learned his lesson the hard way. When things weren’t going his way on the feet, he did little to adjust to make the fight work in his favor. You could see on his face in round three after he got swept off his feet by a low kick that he knew Cung was too much for him on the feet. What does he have to show for it? A battered face, a broken arm, an empty spot on his shelf for his former title, and some humble f’n pie. Eat up, Frank.

Cung Le cemented his place in mixed martial arts last night.

The big knock on Cung Le was that he hasn’t faced anyone yet. Last night he served notice to us all that he’s not messing around. The first couple of rounds were close, but I had them scored 10-9 for Cung Le. The third round was more lopsided, a definite 10-9 round for Le. The flurry at the end by Shamrock wasn’t enough to win the round, plus Le came back, landed the kick that ended it and had Shamrock in trouble as the horn sounded. That would make my scorecard 30-27 when the fight was stopped. The folks at Sherdog saw it the same way. That’s what we call domination. Cung Le dominated a legend last night and he let us all know that he is for real and doesn’t buckle against good competition.

Worthy of a rematch?

You bet your ass it is. That was one of the most entertaining fights that I have seen recently and I would certainly be interested in a rematch. I think the folks at CBS might like to see a rematch as well so they can put it on network television. EliteXC needs to find a way to get Frank Shamrock on network television and Cung Le just created the perfect situation for them. Shamrock’s price tag is steep, but he has proven that he is worth every penny because of the entertaining fights he is involved in.

The arm injury is also another issue that I’m sure will be harped on. If Frank would have been able to continue, I don’t think the outcome would have been any different but there’s always a case to be made. Everyone wants to see a completely decisive victory and a rematch would be a way for Frank to redeem himself or for Le to put an exclamation point on his previous victory.

Gary Shaw probably made Frank and Le sign rematch papers before they even left the building last night. With as much heat as they drew from the crowd and as entertaining as the fight was, there isn’t an argument that can be made against a rematch. CBS Saturday Night Fights, get ready for Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le II.

Undercard Thoughts

• - Drew Fickett did what we all thought he would. Jae Suk Lim was no match for him on the ground. Did anyone catch what he said to Jake Shields afterwards? He said something along the lines of “One of us will die on June 14th! RAAARRR! Night Rider!” I’m fairly positive he said “Night Rider.” Fickett is, well…a meathead. Plain and simple.

• - Gilbert Melendez completely overmatched and outclassed poor Gabe Lemley. He hung around for a round, but Gilbert was way too much. Props to him for taking the fight on such short notice. I hope he got a nice paycheck for the ass beating he took.

• - Wayne Cole used his wrestling! Incredible. I didn’t think I’d see the day. He scored a quick takedown and pulled off the sloppiest armbar in MMA history and it worked on Mike Kyle. To Mike Kyle: What goes around comes around, buddy.

• - Joey Villasenor put Ryan Jensen to sleep. Literally. Out cold. Jensen was looking good and pushing the pace of the fight early on. He landed some nice clean shots on Villasenor, but he eventually got caught with a big right hand haymaker that put him to sleep.

• - Oh, Marlon Sims from TUF 5 got KO’d apparently. That makes me smile.

While you watch the fights on the Showtime channel, you can talk smack with other hardcore MMA fans HERE as the fights happen. If you don’t have Showtime, we’ll provide blow-by-blow coverage of each bout.

Sponsoring our Strikeforce live event chat is StrikeFirstGear.com. The dudes at Strike First Gear are giving away prizes to the chat participants that can pick the winner of the final two bouts on the card:

Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le
Gilbert Melendez vs. Gabe Lemley

Pick the winner, method of win, round and time for your chance to win hoodies, t-shirts and hats from StrikeFirstGear.com! Check out their site for all the goods.

JOIN the chat and be sure to join other Five Ounces readers, staff, and other MMA fans on Saturday night!

Before I get to the fights, I wanted to let everyone know that Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that an opponent for Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson during EliteXC’s debut on CBS on May 31 has been finalized. The word making the rounds right now is that Slice could be in San Jose and appear on tonight’s telecast and reveal his opponent.

I’ve heard two names rumored. I don’t want to comment on the names because the information is highly speculative and I wasn’t able to get anything confirmed. It’s very possible neither of the names I’ve heard mentioned will be signed for the fight. I will say this: it won’t be Ken Shamrock or Don Frye.

Now, here’s my thoughts on tonight’s fights, with predictions.

Joey Villasenor vs. Ryan Jensen - Even though Joe Riggs and Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos were forced to pull out of this scheduled bout, Jensen is here representing Strikeforce so this bout is still technically an “EliteXC vs. Strikeforce” bout.

Jensen is grateful for this opportunity to be fighting on a big show once again but there will be a lot of pressure on him. As of now, the word is that he’s on a one-fight deal with Strikeforce. The deal could be extended, but he needs to win here.

Doing so against a fighter the caliber of Villasenor will not be easy. While Jensen has better technique on the ground, and possibly on the feet, I expect Villasenor to have a significant strength and speed factor.

In my eyes, Villasenor is the better athlete while Jensen is the better technician. That being said, Villasenor is not exactly sloppy. He’s a well-rounded fighter who is continually improving in all facets of the game. Jensen is the kind of guy that is easy to root for, but I’m afraid this could be a one-sided bout in Villasenor’s favor.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

Check out more Frank Shamrock on FiveOuncesOfPain.com!

To me, it was simple: Le is inexperienced in MMA and his ground game was unproven. There’s no way he could beat a well-rounded threat such as Frank Shamrock.

But I’ve done a 180 since then and I think this is Cung Le’s fight to lose. He’s a dangerous opponent and his athleticism is going to cause Shamrock problems. Le, despite being the slightly older fighter, is simply faster, quicker, stronger, and more dynamic than Shamrock.

The biggest problem in this fight could be Frank Shamrock’s ego. He rubs a lot of people the wrong way but I understand what he’s about. Some fighters say their job is only to fight and it’s the job of the promoter to promote their fight. It’s hard to argue with that line of thinking. If I was an athlete, I wouldn’t want to have to be distracted by a bunch of business-related drama.

That being said, pro athletes have a limited shelf life when it comes to peak earning potential. An average Joe like you and I in most cases can do what we do until it’s time to legally retire. But unless an athlete makes a ton of money, they have to find a new occupation after their athletic peak is over. Shamrock understands that by trying to be promoter in addition to fighter he can maximize his earning potential. I think more fighters should take Frank’s lead. It’s not right that they have to try and sell their own fights, but trying to be more than just a fighter is in their financial best interest.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

Here’s the latest on the Strikeforce/EliteXC event:

• STRIKEFORCE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT
  Frank Shamrock vs. Cung Le @ 185lbs
• STRIKEFORCE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT
  Gilbert Melendez vs. Gabe Lemley @ 155 lbs
• Mike Kyle and Wayne Cole @ 170 lbs
• Ryan Jensen vs. Joey Villasenor @ 185lbs
• Drew Fickett vs. Jae Suk Lim @ 165lbs
• Luke Stewart vs. Tiki Ghosn @ 170 lbs

Check out more Strikeforce content on 5 Oz. of Pain.

The report comes from Sherdog.com’s Josh Gross, who indicates that the match was scratched after Thomson sustained an injury while training with “Razor” Rob McCullough at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif.

Apparently the shoulder had been previously injured and Thomson suffered a separation. The severity of the injury is not yet known but Gross reports that Thomson will undergo surgery on Thursday.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

The event will be co-promoted by EliteXC and will be televised on Showtime starting at 10 p.m. ET.

Tickets for the event will go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. PT at the HP Pavilion box office and all local Ticketmaster locations.

“This is absolutely a tremendous fight and an extremely dangerous fight for both fighters, but one I know they have wanted and the fans have been waiting for and can’t wait to see,’’’ EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw is quoted as saying in the release. “I can’t wait to see it either. Shamrock is a true MMA legend, but Cung Le is one of the very best fighters around, and this is his chance to prove that to the world.

“Really, I have a ton of respect for both fighters and what they have accomplished. EliteXC is really looking forward to returning to San Jose where they truly have some of the most rabid and knowledgeable fans anywhere, and working again with Scott Coker and Strikeforce.”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

The event is expected to be a co-promotion between Strikeforce and EliteXC and will air live on premium-cable provider Showtime.

According to Meltzer, the five-bout telecast will be comprised of two EliteXC matches, two Strikeforce matches, and a bout featuring a Strikeforce fighter vs. a fighter from EliteXC.

Neither Strikeforce or EliteXC has made an official announcement, but a joint press conference to announce the event is expected sometime within the next week.

While no other bouts have been announced from the card, a Strikeforce lightweight title match between champion Gilbert Melendez and challenger Josh Thomson is a possibility. Murilo “Ninja” Rua has also been quoted as saying that his next match for EliteXC would be in March. Meltzer writes that Jake Shields is also expected to be fighting on the show.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG

A few blogs saw the initial date on the Blood Brothers site and made the mistake of running with it. Why would Frank have his company list a date for a fight that isn’t correct? To get people talking about it.

Mission accomplished.

We never mentioned the initial March date for the supposed Frank Shamrock vs. Ken Shamrock fight because, well, I had my doubts.

I’m not the only one with doubts, either.

Cung Le isn’t buying into the March date, and he would know a little better than I, considering he claims in a new interview with PunchDrunkerGamer.com that he’ll be fighting Frank under the Strikeforce banner towards the end of March:

PDG: So you think that you and Frank are fighting at the Strikeforce event in March? Because there have been a lots of rumors that Frank is fighting Ken Shamrock on March 31st.

Cung: Yes, as far as I know we will be fighting March 29th. The fight with his brother is slated for next year. Why would they have that fight on a Monday night? I think that our fight will be bigger anyway because it’s not like Ken has had a lot of success lately with his two losses to Tito Ortiz. Fans will watch that fight because of the drama between the two but I believe that our fight will be better.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE ON SAM CAPLAN’S PROELITE.COM BLOG, INCLUDING HIS THOUGHTS ON HOW CUNG LE WOULD DO IN A POTENTIAL MATCH VS. FRANK SHAMROCK

That’s a big fight right there, ladies and gentlemen.

Also, after Cung Le’s impressive domination of Sam Morgan, he challenged Frank Shamrock for his Strikeforce middleweight title. Shamrock accepted.

Don’t be surprised if this fight is added to the March card as well. With these two fights coming up and coming off of a solid show on Friday, Strikeforce is moving in the right direction.

This will fight will add to an historical card that will also feature the first 4-man tournament sanctioned by the California State Athletic Commission and Paul Buentello vs. Alistair Overeem for the Strikeforce Heavyweight title.

After failing to sign Jeremy Jackson to fight Le, Strikeforce put together the fight with Morgan, who is coming back from over a year lay off after losing a lopsided unanimous decision to Forrest Petz at Ultimate Fight Night 6.

It is doubtful that Morgan will attempt to stand with Le and will probably attempt to utilize his submission game, which he can do.

But it is even more doubtful that many fans will see Morgan as a legitimate gauge of Le’s skills.