Welcome to our live coverage of the first MMA show on network television, EliteXC "Primetime" on CBS from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. We're looking for your thoughts on the show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Before getting to the fights I just wanted to make a quick comment about Gina Carano and her missing weight again. It's completely unacceptable, but not the least bit surprising. Gina has missed weight four times in her six MMA fights, and made a habit out of it while fighting muay thai as well. It's especially astounding when you consider that the 140 lb. weight class she competes at was tailormade by Gary Shaw just for her. The accepted weight class in that range is generally at 135 lbs for women. The women Gina has fought have had to come up from that weight already, to fight someone who has been an additional few pounds above that "made-up" class. This has led to Gina having a noticeable size advantage in her fights, especially against Rosi Sexton. Gina will be bigger than her opponent tonight, Kaitlin Young who has largely fought at 135 in her career.
The prelims are being streamed on both Proelite.com and CBSsports.com. If you have the chance, I would encourage checking it out, there are some intriguing fighters on the undercard.
In unaired fights at Lightweight Joe Sampieri (1-2) defeated Mike Groves (0-2) via TKO (strikes) at 4:58 of round 1.
And at Bantamweight, in an upset Zach Makovsky (4-1) defeated Andres Soares (5-2) by unanimous decision after three rounds.
The cards read 29-28, and two interesting 29-26's for Makovsky.
James "Binky" Jones (6-6) vs. Calvin Katter (2-0) will kick off the streamed prelims at Lightweight. Katter has a strong wrestling base, but Jones has a lot of experience and solid submission skills.
Jones with a leg kick to start. Jones tries to clinch with Katter, Katter is doing all he can to create distance. Hard right hand lands from Katter. Jones gets the clinch and lands some knees. Katter steps in and Jones is able to take him down and looks for a kimura. Katter reverses and ends up on top. Katter gets back to his feet. Another hard leg kick from Jones. Jones with a single leg takedown. Jones passes to half and pushes Katter against the cage. Jones takes Katters back, Katter uses the cage to prevent Jones from getting his hooks in. Jones strikes to force Katter to move and set up the rear naked choke. Jones slides his arms under the neck of Katter. Katter fights the choke but is forced to tap at 4:49 of Round One.
Jones controlled the fight standing and on the ground.
Justin Robbins (8-3-1) vs. Wilson Reis (3-0) is next at 140 lbs. Reis has major, major potential. Robbins has been in there with some tough guys, so it should be a good test for Reis.
Robbins takes the centre of the cage to start but Reis lands the opening strikes. This forces Robbins to look for a takedown, Reis stuffs it and takes Robbins down himself. Reis quickly passes to side control, then full mount. Robbins spins out but gives Reis a triangle choke , Robbins tries to land some hammerfists, Reis switches to an armbar and twists and Robbins arm to a grotesque angle. It seriously looks sick. Robbins fights and spins, and Reis switches back to the triangle. Then looks for an omoplata as a sweep and Reis is back on top in side control. Reis looks for a crucifix and then takes Robbins back when Robbins tries to scramble. Reis strikes to set up the rear naked choke and gets it. Robbins taps out at 4:06 of Round One.
Absolutely fantastic showing by Wilson Reis, his BJJ and transitions were incredible. That armbar was sick.
Nick Serra (4-2) vs. Matt Makowski (2-0) at Welterweight. Matt's younger brother is acting as a local draw, Makowski has looked alright but hasn't fought anybody yet. Makowski comes out Road Warriors style with spiked shoulder pads and stick-on face paint. The Mad Monkey Nick Serra comes out in a gorilla mask and throws bananas to the crowd.
Serra charges in and looks for the takedown right away. Makowski is right back to his feet. Makowski seperates and lands a hard leg kick, Serra catches a second leg kick but Makowski lands on top. Serra looks for an armbar, Makowski stands back up. Serra gets a body lock right away and this time finishes it ends up on top with Makowski using butterfly guard. Serra pounds away on top and takes Makowskis back. Makowski stands but Serra jumps on his back and locks both hooks in standing. After hanging on Makowskis back for a full minute Serra switches to an armbar but Makowski picks him up for a huge slam. Serra catches a body kick but Makowski is able to seperate again. Makowski shrugs off another Serra takedown. Serra is looking tired. Makowski with two big uppercuts in the clinch, Serras backing up and Makowski is landing several shots.
Makowskis round 10-9
Makowski steps in with strikes. Serra covers and grabs a clinch. Makowski lands a knee to separate. Serra blocks a high kick. Makowski with a jab and leg kick, and now a hard body kick. Serra needs a takedown but doesn't have the cardio or the wrestling at this point. Hard body kick from Makowski. Serra has his hands down, Makowski is landing at will, but can't land a finishing blow. Makowskis leg kicks are adding up. Makowski clinches with knees to the body, Serra looks for a flying guard pull then lies on his back and gets a warning for passivity. Kevin Mulhall takes a point after Serra won't get up. Kevin Mulhall tells Serra to get up or he's DQ'd. Serra just stares at him balefully and Mulhall stops it. They call it a TKO at 3:07 of Round Two.
Crazy ending, Serra may have hurt his leg with one of those leg kicks.
Carlton Haselrig (1-0) vs. Carlos Moreno (5-2) at Heavyweight.
People go crazy for Brock Lesnar because of his wrestling background and how he almost made the Vikings practice squad with no football experience. Well Haselrig won a record six NCAA wrestling titles while at Pitt-Johnstown (3 at D-II and 3 at D-1), was drafted into the NFL with no football experience. He went on to make the Pro Bowl and All Pro team in 1992 while with the Pittsburgh Steelers before his career was derailed by drugs and troubles with the law.
At 42, it may be too late to make a serious run but he walked through Shane Ott in his first fight, who is a decent Heavyweight. The fact he's on the undercard while Brock Lesnar is co-headlining UFCs should tell you how much the WWE has to do with the way people look at Brock.
Moreno a southpaw opens with some jabs, Haselrig feints the takedown several times before shooting. Moreno sprawls nicely but Haselrig still gets him down, Haselrig picks Morenos ankles and takes Moreno's back. Haselrig is just looking to pound, showing a great base. Riding Moreno. Haselrig has a foot trap, very unorthodox, looks like a set up to the STF for you pro wrestling heads. Dan Miragliotta stands them up. Moreno steps in with some big hooks, Haselrig wobbles. Haselrig shoots a double leg, Moreno sprawls again but Haselrigs wrestling is just on another level.Haselrig briefly looks for a rear naked choke with Morenos back, but at this point his BJJ is really sloppy. Not a pretty round but 10-9 for Haselrig, he's a one trick pony but his one trick is very good.
For the second time tonight a fighter has quit as Carlos Moreno refuses to come out for the second round.
He was being dominated from a wrestling stand point but didn't really take any damage so it's a little inexplicable.
Carlton Haselrig looked very good with his wrestling and very raw everywhere else, it'll be interesting to see where he goes next.
Due to the prelims starting late they ended the stream before the final fight, I guess to make sure production was ready for the 9 PM CBS start time.
At 160 lbs, Chris Liguori (8-7) who is better than his record indicates beat Jim Bova (3-1) at 4:31 of Round 2 due to Doctor Stoppage (Cut).
Brett Rogers (6-0) vs. Jon Murphy (4-2) at Heavyweight opens the televised broadcast. Rogers KO'd main eventer James Thompson with one shot last time out. But so have Neil Grove, and Butterbean, amongst many others, so that's not saying much. Busta Rhymes sings Brett Rogers out to the cage.
Murphy opens with a leg kick, then counters Rogers with a left that looks like it hurt Rogers. The two clinch against the cage. They spin away from the cage and Rogers starts to land with dirty boxing, Rogers begins to throw wildly, a right hand lands flush on Murphys chin and Murphy is down. Dan Miragliotta steps in and it's over. Brett Rogers takes it by TKO at 1:01 of Round 1. Not the most skillful first showing for MMA. Critics who think MMA is nothing but guys throwing sloppy haymakers wouldn't have been proven wrong by that fight.
Phil Baroni (10-9) vs. Joey Villasenor (25-6) at Middleweight. Like everyone on the main card both guys have heavy hands with Villasenor's game being more well rounded. Baroni was in a potential FOTY earlier this year, losing to Kala Kolohe Hose and Pro Elite is looking for a repeat tonight. Even in that fight Baroni showed he still has major cardio issues. Frank Shamrock mentions that Phil Baroni has "a massive heart"...I wonder how he developed that?
Baroni takes the centre of the cage and throws several hard shots. Villasenor throws a head kick but it gets caught on Baronis shoulder. Baroni takes Villasenor down pounds from the top, Villasenor looks for an armbar. Baroni stands up and the two reset. Villasenor lands a short left hook. Baroni backs up and looks rocked. Baroni takes a weak shot but is stuffed by Villasenor who looks to lock on a guillotine. It's not very tight and Villasenor lets go with Baroni pinned against the cage. Villasenor rocks Baroni with a left and a right. Baroni looks really unsteady. Villasenor takes a step back, when he steps back in Baroni crumples and Dan Miragliotta stops the fight.
Villasenor takes it by TKO at 1:11 of Round 1. Much better showing in this fight, Villasenors' boxing wasn't perfect but at least he was throwing straight punches.
Gina Carano (5-0) vs. Kaitlin Young (4-1) at whatever weight Gina wants. Both want to keep it standing, Young can bang, she won a one-night tournament with 3 KO's in a combined 1:45 late last year to put her name on the map.
Carano with a push kick to open things up, then lands a hard 1-2. Carano catches a leg kick and takes Young down.
Young is able to scramble back to her feet. Another hard right lands from Carano then a jab and a front kick. Young counters a Carano shot with a left. Hard leg kick from Young and the two clinch, Young takes Carano down with a trip. Carano is controlling Youngs posture really effectively, her size and strength over Young is helping in stifling things on the ground. Young breaks free and stands over Carano and lets Carano back up. Carano lands a jab and catches a leg kick. The round ends with them on the feet.
Round 1 to Carano 10-9.
Loud GINA chant to open round 2. Young catches a Carano leg kick and walks her backwards. Carano fights free and eats two cut kicks. Carano back with a leg kick an a jab. Young counters with a left hand. Carano wobbles Young with a straight right, Carano starts to unload and lands three straight hard shots. Carano is looking tired. Carano lands another big shot. Carano unloading again, Young is just standing in front of Carano with her hands up and is eating all sorts of shots. Carano knocks Young off balance with a push kick and hops on Youngs back.
Carano works for the rear naked choke and almost has it as the round ends.
The doctor calls it off as Young has a huge knot under her left eye. Carano wins at the end of Round Two by TKO.
Impressive showing from Carano, still not against someone her own size. Carano blames American Gladiators for her missing weight...she blamed having PMS for missing weight for her last fight.
I'm not sure what her explanations for all the other times were.
Robbie Lawler (15-4) vs. Scott Smith (13-4) for the EliteXC Middleweight Title is up now.
This is the best fight on the card. Lawler is a Top 10 MW and Smith has looked like a killer in everywhere that is not the UFC.
Smith steps forward early throwing high kicks and haymakers but Lawler steps out of range. Lawler feints twice then throws a head kick that is blocked.
Smith lunges in with a superman punch, Lawler catches him with a counter left flush and Smith is wobbly. lawler stalks Smith lands two right hands
and a straight left through Smiths guard. Lawler is doing a fantastic job of staying just out of range of Smiths strikes. Smith lands a head kick and two punches.
Lawler is a little hurt and both are swinging hard at each other. Lawler lands a hard uppecut when they clinch. Lawler with several jabs, he contines to pump it.
Lawler with a body kick then another and a hard right hand. A hard body kick doubles Smith over, Smiths only answer is a hail mary haymaker that had no chance.
Flying knee to the body by Lawler and Lawler flurries on him. The round ends but Smith is hurting bad from the body shots.
Lawler looks great, 10-9 round for him. His use of spacing, footwork and body shots makes his unreal power even more devastating.
Lawler takes the centre to start Round 2. Lawler lands a three punch combo and a leg kick. Another hard body kick from Lawler.
Smith answers with an inside leg kick and a blocked head kick. Lawler is pawing with the jab, Smith counters with an overhand left.
Smith throws a left body shot punch, Smith looks great in the clinch, landing hard knees to the body and now several had punches from in close.
Lawler now takes over the clinch, with dirty boxing, huge uppercuts are landing. Lawler pins Smith to the cage and lands some body shots. Lawler continues to work the body on the cage, now the head with some inline elbows. Lawler may be tiring. Smith working the jab now. Smiths chin is insane as Lawler lands three flush shots to little effect. Insane work rate against the cage with Smith landing short elbows and
Lawler throwing dirty boxing rights.
Incredible Round 2. Incredible...really close as well, I'd give it to Smith 10-9
Lawler continues to paw with the jab to start Round 3. Lawler steps out of range of the superman punch from Smith.
Lawler keeps working the jab, both men are bleeding. Lawler from the forehead and Smith from below the eye. Smith steps in and lands, but Lawler again steps out of range. Beautiful inline elbows from a distance actually land from Lawler. Jab then straight left lands clean from Lawler. Straight right from Smith. The pace is slowing but still back and forth. Lawler shoots but Smith sprawls and looks to spin to take Lawlers back. Lawler defends and briefly takes Smiths back. Smith fights free but accidentally gets an index finger in the eye. The doctor comes in to take a look at Smiths eye. Smith is disputing it waving his arms as if he didn't want it to be stopped. Lawler lowers in head in disappointment. The crowd is really unhappy. Since the fight did not go three rounds they can't go to the scorecards and the fight is ruled a No Contest.
It's a shame, it was a great fight up until the finger in the eye. Apparently Smith told the Doctor that he couldn't see, which is the magic words to get any fight ended.
Kimbo Slice (2-0) vs. James Thompson (14-8) at Heavyweight is the Main Event.
It's hard to win a fight when you fall over dead every time you get hit. Thompson tried to take down Brett Rogers in his last fight but showed poor wrestling before getting hit flush once and going to bed. Thompson will have the experience edge and is much larger than Kimbo, but this fight was made for a reason.
Thompson with a jab to start, KImbo briefly takes Thompson down , Thompson looks for the takedown and puts Slice on his back.
Thompson looking to land short hammerfists, Kimbo back to his feet but Thompson takes him right back down. Thompson passes to side control and Kimbo scrambles back up. They are in the clinch against the fence.
Thompson looks for an arm-in guillotine standing, Kimbo is looking to land standing knees and gives Dan Miragliotta a thumbs up to show he is ok. Kimbo pops his head out and lands a standing elbow. Thompson with a jab, Kimbo is offbalance after a Thompson kick, Thompson rushes in and Kimbo takes advantage to take him down. Kimbo looks for a neck crank and looks for a slam, but falls down and Thompson is on top. Thompson is in side and looks for the crucifix. Kimbo hits a scissor sweep and is in side control. Kimbo lands a short elbow from the top but is pushed back to full guard. Thompson looks for a kimura from the bottom as the round ends.
10-9 Round for Thompson, he took Kimbo down every time he tried, Kimbo looked ok off his back.
Thompson with a jab to start round 2. Kimbo stops a sloppy takedown. Kimbo with a big right hand and Thompson is a little wobbled.
Thompson shoots right away but is stuffed, Thompson lands some decent knees from the clinch, Thompson gets a takedown, Kimbo looks for the guillotine but doesn't have it,
Kimbo allows Thompson to pass to side control while still holding the head which is a rookie mistake. They are quickly stood up as Thompson is just lying on top.
Both look winded Kimbo lands a nice uppercut and a left and a right Thompson looks in trouble. Thompson with a big double leg and he's in Kimbos half guard.
Thompson is smothering Kimbo against the cage but not really landing anything from side control. Thompson with hard short elbow with both Kimbos arms trapped.
Kimbo has no idea how to get out and is getting hit with elbows over and over.
10-9 for Thompson. Kimbo looks real tired, he needs to stop Thompson to win it which he came somewhat close to doing in Round 2.
Big overhand right from Kimbo, Thompsons cauliflower ear has exploded. Kimbo with a few hard shots. Dan Miragliotta steps in when he sees Thompsons ear and stops it. Kimbo flops on his back after the stoppage. Gus Johnson calls it a "terrible stoppage". Thompson is angry and puts his hands on Miragliotta after the decision.
Kimbo wins by TKO 0:38 into Round 3. Kimbo couldn't put away Thompson with landing ten or fifteen clean shots. Thompson was able to put him down with some pretty weak shot attempts. Kimbo showed a very limited ground game, made some beginner mistakes and had no idea how to get up off the bottom. And to top it all off his gas was tested and he didn't come out looking pretty, needing to be helped from the cage and having trouble giving a post-fight interview.
So other than major questions about his power, wrestling, ground game, and cardio Kimbo looked great.
The bloom may be somewhat gone from the Kimbo-rose.
{plug}
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