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Mixed Martial Arts
Elite Xtreme Combat's 3-ring circus a hit
Monday, February 18, 2008
MIAMI — The only thing Gary Shaw was missing at the Saturday, Feb. 16, Elite Xtreme Combat event was a flying trapeze. Shaw, live events president for EliteXC, pieced together an 11-fight mixed martial arts event with all the flair and spectacle of a three-ring circus — but one that was well worth the price of admission.
"EliteXC: Street Certified" took place at the University of Miami's (Fla.) BankUnited Center and aired on Showtime. More than 6,000 spectators helped create a record gate for the venue.
Extras
Fight fans tuned into the night's main event between underground brawler Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and aging slugger David "Tank" Abbott for the same reason they watch TV's "When Animals Attack" and gawk at car accidents.
Still, even if the main event wasn't your cup of tea, Saturday's event had plenty to offer. The preliminary card was simply superb. Former UFC fighters and main-card participants Scott Smith and Yves Edwards delighted the crowd with stunning knockouts, and a heavyweight battle between Antonio Silva and Ricco Rodriguez proved a good bit of matchmaking.
Other fledgling organizations could learn from EliteXC's game plan: offer something for everyone.
'Pee Wee' is no joke
Dave "Pee Wee" Herman, an Indianapolis-based fighter who's competed throughout Ohio, had a solid EliteXC debut on Saturday's preliminary card.
The heavyweight pushed his record to 10-0, thanks largely to a phenomenal display of balance in the fight's opening round. Herman's opponent, Mario Rinaldi, checked a kick and secured a leg on his towering opponent. However, Herman hopped around on his other leg for a full minute, avoided the takedown, and delivered substantial punishment in the process. The performance earned Herman a huge ovation and an eventual third-round TKO.
No Jardine vs. Silva
Despite persistent rumors about the potential light-heavyweight bout, Keith Jardine (13-3-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will not fight Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1 MMA, 1-3 UFC) at UFC 82. The event takes place March 1 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus.
Recent TV ads for UFC 82 have included Jardine, which may have prompted speculation that the fight would happen in March.
However, that's not to say the fight won't happen at some point. A source close to Jardine confirms the bout could be on the horizon.
Silva, a longtime PRIDE fighter who signed with the UFC last year, most recently dropped a unanimous decision to Chuck Liddell — an opponent Jardine upset back in September.
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, a content-partner site of Yahoo! Sports. For the latest news about UFC 82, check out www.mmajunkie.com.
