EliteXC Conference Call Notes (Kimbo/Tyson, Fedor, Ortiz, and more)

[Ramma]

Originally Posted by Krazikarl

EliteXC worries too much about getting huge draws and not enough about getting good fighters. Kimbo, Tito, Baroni etc. Those are all guys who arent the greatest fighters, but are huge draws.

Combine that with Shaw's stuff about taking the Tyson fight in a heartbeat (groan), its pretty clear that its all about the money. I think that Dana and the F Brothers genuinly care about the sport as well as making money, but I really get the impression that its ALL about the money to Shaw and EliteXC.

Competition with the UFC is probably good for the sport, but I would want a little bit more worthy competition for the UFC.

I don't quite agree. Kimbo, Tito, Baroni.. those are the next best thing.. I don't think they are necessarily looking for just huge draws.. hell, wasn't EXC trying for Gomi? He isn't a draw. Neither is KJ Noons, nor Nick Diaz, and most of their talent pool.

But of course they want to pull in draws, who doesn't? They are a newer company you wants to get ahead.

In regards to Tyson.. You think Dana didn't see $ signs when Mayweather was talking trash? Come on..

[Krazikarl]

PBF is the top boxer by far in the world and is near his peak.

Tyson is a rapist and drug addict who cant even get a fighting license in many states and is no longer on of the top 500 boxers in the world.

Beating PBF is legitimate proof that a MMA guy can beat a Boxer at MMA and would be a step forward for MMA as a whole. Beating Tyson doesnt mean jack shit and is exactly the kind of freak show that MMA needs to avoid to get more main stream acceptance.

Originally Posted by Ramma

But of course they want to pull in draws, who doesn't? They are a newer company you wants to get ahead.

Sure. And they are willing to hurt the sport as a whole to do so. I mean, do you really think that Shaw cares about the sport as a whole? I dont - he only cares about it in the sense that he wants to be able to make money off of it.

And of course EliteXC will have guy on their roster who arent big draws - I mean they have to if their roster has more than 5 people on it since there arent that many big draws out there. But they spend a lot more time and effort with big draws than big talents, more so than even the UFC IMO.

[Marlo Black]

Originally Posted by Krazikarl

EliteXC worries too much about getting huge draws and not enough about getting good fighters. Kimbo, Tito, Baroni etc. Those are all guys who arent the greatest fighters, but are huge draws.

Combine that with Shaw's stuff about taking the Tyson fight in a heartbeat (groan), its pretty clear that its all about the money. I think that Dana and the F Brothers genuinly care about the sport as well as making money, but I really get the impression that its ALL about the money to Shaw and EliteXC.

Competition with the UFC is probably good for the sport, but I would want a little bit more worthy competition for the UFC.

I think for EliteXC, their immediate focus should be on huge draws--they lost a shitload of money over the last year and need to start making cash if they want to stay afloat. That said, I think their stable of fighters is pretty decent, entertaining guys too. I like a lot of them.

[Ramma]

Originally Posted by Krazikarl

\

Beating PBF is legitimate proof that a MMA guy can beat a Boxer at MMA and would be a step forward for MMA as a whole. Beating Tyson doesnt mean jack shit and is exactly the kind of freak show that MMA needs to avoid to get more main stream acceptance.

You mean like UFC signing Brock Lesnar or talking to Angle about signing? That isn't kind the same thing. They didn't use Brock like a money train to get main stream acceptance?

Sure. And they are willing to hurt the sport as a whole to do so. I mean, do you really think that Shaw cares about the sport as a whole? I dont - he only cares about it in the sense that he wants to be able to make money off of it.

And of course EliteXC will have guy on their roster who arent big draws - I mean they have to if their roster has more than 5 people on it since there arent that many big draws out there. But they spend a lot more time and effort with big draws than big talents, more so than even the UFC IMO.

So, EliteXC is hurting the sport by generating interesting, signing big names, and exposing the sport to more people.. That hurts it how exactly? Is it greedy, yes... but it doesn't hurt the sport.

You are entitled to dislike Shaw, for sure.... but, he isn't doing anything wrong.

People who are hurting the sport are guys like RioHeroes

[pa99fighter]

EliteXC wants Tito Ortiz
by Dann Stupp on May 16, 2008 at 10:39 am ET
UFC light heavyweight Tito Ortiz, one of the most recognizable fighters in mixed-martial-arts history, could fight his final UFC bout next weekend at UFC 84.

And if he does, indeed, opt for free agency after the fight, rest assured that EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw will be there with a contract in hand.

Shaw, after all, said he thinks he can make Ortiz an even bigger star than he was in the UFC.

"Of all my years in the fight game, I know one thing that I could see, touch, smell and feel, and that is a star and a superstar," Shaw said during a Thursday media call. "Every time I see Tito Ortiz, he wreaks of stardom. I think I can even better his days in the UFC. I think I can reincarnate Ortiz. He is a talented fighter, and he has all the mechanisms that you need to make someone a superstar."

Ortiz's relationship with the UFC has been rocky at best, largely due to his ongoing feud with former manager and now UFC president Dana White.

In late 2007, Ortiz had discussed the possibility of re-signing with the UFC but said he'd only negotiate with UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta -- and not White.

However, as we've inched ever closer to his May 24 bout with undefeated Lyoto Machida -- the final bout on his current contract -- Ortiz's 11-year relationship with the UFC looks more and more likely as though it's coming to an end.

During the UFC's own media call on Thursday, White took some parting shots.

"Tito is a f***ing idiot," White said. "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 (but) he's not anymore."

A final-hour contract offer would appear unlikely.

"I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business," White said.

The UFC's loss may be EliteXC's gain.

With CBS and Showtime deals, EliteXC could offer Ortiz plenty of exposure. However, Ortiz will likely go where the money is, and it's hard to know what EliteXC is willing to offer. However, don't expect the organization to break the bank for one fighter. They wouldn't even do that for Fedor Emelianenko, arguably the world's top fighter,

"Sometimes deals cannot be made because people are not realistic," Shaw said. "People need to be realistic in order to put fights on. When Fedor wants to fight just anybody for $2 million, that is not realistic for my company."

Shaw, though, remains optimistic about landing Ortiz and even fantasized about a potential main-event bout with EliteXC's prized heavyweight, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson.

"Can you imagine Tito Ortiz and Kimbo in the cage together one day?" Shaw asked. "My door is open. I hope that he's able to negotiate one day because I would never interfere with a contract. I hope he's sitting right next to me, not across from my desk, but right with me.
Source: mmajunkie.com

I just want him to fight more than once a year

[hunterkiller]

Originally Posted by pa99fighter

I just want him to fight more than once a year

Yea, I want to see Tito fight like 3-4 times a year.

[Killinginthenameof]

i second that.....gotta love all the hype that surrounds him

[pa99fighter]

ok wtf is this. its a whole different article not part of a conference call.

[Ramma]

Originally Posted by pa99fighter

ok wtf is this. its a whole different article not part of a conference call.

Actually, half of that is the conference call. Everything Shaw said..

The other half is posted in the Dana will not apologize article.. so, it can go there, or it can go here.

[pa99fighter]

Originally Posted by Ramma

Actually, half of that is the conference call. Everything Shaw said..

The other half is posted in the Dana will not apologize article.. so, it can go there, or it can go here.

I'd prefer there.


jk lol