EliteXC: Primetime
Encyclopedia
EliteXC: Primetime was a mixed martial arts
event promoted by Elite Xtreme Combat
taking place on May 31, 2008 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
. The main card aired live on CBS
, marking the first time a MMA event aired in primetime on major American
network television
. The event drew an estimated 4,300,000 average viewers, with a peak at 6,510,000 on CBS
.
The event featured Robbie Lawler
defending his EliteXC Middleweight Championship against Scott Smith
.
.
However, not all CBS stations carried the program at the scheduled time. At least five – WBNS-TV
in Columbus, Ohio
, KXJB-TV
in Fargo, North Dakota
and three stations in Montana
– aired a telethon to benefit the Children's Miracle Network
instead. All those stations aired the EliteXC card early the next morning. Also, WFMY-TV
in Greensboro, North Carolina
and the surrounding Triad area
refused to air the program because they hated the sport – it was passed on to a low-powered independent station, WGSR-LP
.
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
event promoted by Elite Xtreme Combat
Elite Xtreme Combat
Elite Xtreme Combat, also known as EliteXC, was a U.S.-based mixed martial arts organization owned and operated by ProElite. It was founded as a partnership between Showtime Networks and ProElite and officially announced on December 14, 2006. It was headquartered in Los Angeles, California.The...
taking place on May 31, 2008 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. The main card aired live on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, marking the first time a MMA event aired in primetime on major American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
network television
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
. The event drew an estimated 4,300,000 average viewers, with a peak at 6,510,000 on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
The event featured Robbie Lawler
Robbie Lawler
Robert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
defending his EliteXC Middleweight Championship against Scott Smith
Scott Smith (fighter)
Bryan Scott Smith, , is an American mixed martial artist previously fighting at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship making his debut at UFC 59. He also fought for EliteXC before it folded and currently fights for Strikeforce...
.
Preliminary card
- Bantamweight bout:
Mike Groves vs. Joe Sampieri
- Sampieri defeats Groves via TKO (punches) at 4:58 of round one.
- Bantamweight bout: Zach MakovskyZach MakovskyZachory Paul "Zach" Makovsky is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2006, Makovsky has most notably fought in Elite Xtreme Combat and Bellator Fighting Championships where he is the Bellator Bantamweight Champion.-Early...
vs.
Andre Soares
- Makovsky defeats Soares by unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 29–28, 29–26 and 29–26.
- Bantamweight bout: James Jones vs. Calvin Kattar
- Jones defeats Kattar by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:49 of round one.
- Bantamweight bout: Wilson ReisWilson ReisWilson Reis is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt. Reis received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu from instructor Roberto Godoi. As a brown belt he won the 2004 Jiu Jitsu World Championships...
vs. Justin RobbinsJustin RobbinsJustin Robbins is an American mixed martial arts fighter. He competes in the Bantamweight division. His last fight was for the Ultimate Warrior Challenge Bantamweight Championship against Mike Easton on February 21, 2009...
- Reis defeats Robbins by submission (rear naked choke) at 4:06 of round one.
- Lightweight bout: Matt MakowskiMatt MakowskiMatt "Weapon X" Makowski is an American mixed martial artist.He won a surprising victory over Nick Serra, the brother of former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra after Nick refused to stand up from a failed attempt at pulling guard....
vs. Nick SerraNick SerraNicholas Marcos 'Nick' Serra is a retired American mixed martial artist and the younger brother of former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra. The second American Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under world renowned Renzo Gracie, he is Chief Instructor along with his brother Matt Serra in this...
- Makowski defeats Serra by TKO at 3:57 of round two, when Serra was unwilling to get back to his feet.
- Heavyweight bout: Carlton HaselrigCarlton HaselrigCarlton Haselrig is a former heavyweight wrestler and NFL player. Haselrig wrestled for University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He holds the distinction of being the only person to win six NCAA titles in wrestling, winning 3 times in Division II and 3 times in Division I, all six for...
vs. Carlos Moreno
- Haselrig defeats Moreno by TKO between the first and second rounds, when Morena was unable to continue.
- Lightweight bout: Jim Bova vs. Chris LiguoriChris LiguoriChris "The Story" Liguori is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. Liguori trains under Renzo Gracie, and with UFC veteran Ricardo Almeida and stand out Lightweight Frank Edgar. He has formerly competed in EliteXC and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Currently, ...
- Liguori defeats Bova by TKO (cut) at 4:31 of round two.
Main card
- Heavyweight bout: Jon MurphyJon MurphyJon Murphy, is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division. He currently attends college at Penn State University, Schuylkill campus...
vs. Brett RogersBrett RogersBrett Charles Rogers is an African-American mixed martial artist who fights in the heavyweight division. Rogers has fought in EliteXC and Strikeforce.-Biography:...
- Rogers defeats Murphy via KO (punch) at 1:01 of round one.
- Middleweight bout: Phil BaroniPhil BaroniPhilip George Baroni is an American mixed martial artist. He has a professional MMA record of 14–14–0. Baroni has fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he holds a record of 3–7–0. Also he has fought in the PRIDE FC where he holds a record of 4–2–0...
vs. Joey VillasenorJoey VillasenorJoey Villaseñor is a Mexican American mixed martial arts fighter. He is a PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran, as well as the middleweight champion in King of the Cage. Joey has also fought in Showtime's EliteXC promotion and took part in PRIDE's welterweight grand prix. He currently trains...
- Villasenor defeats Baroni by TKO (punches) at 1:11 of round one.
- Bantamweight bout: Gina CaranoGina CaranoGina Joy Carano is an American model, actress, and mixed martial arts fighter. Carano appeared as the Gladiator "Crush" on American Gladiators...
vs. Kaitlin YoungKaitlin YoungKaitlin R. Young is an American female mixed martial artist. She competed in the bantamweight division for EliteXC.Young is currently the #10-ranked 135-pound female fighter in the world according to the Unified Women's MMA Rankings....
- Carano defeats Young by TKO (doctor stoppage) between the second and third rounds. Young was examined by the doctor after the end of the second round, who called for the fight to end.
- Middleweight championship bout: Robbie LawlerRobbie LawlerRobert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
vs. Scott SmithScott Smith (fighter)Bryan Scott Smith, , is an American mixed martial artist previously fighting at middleweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship making his debut at UFC 59. He also fought for EliteXC before it folded and currently fights for Strikeforce...
- The fight was ruled in a no contestNo contest (boxing)No contest is a technical term used in some combat sports to describe a fight that ends for reasons outside the fighters' hands.-Boxing:...
at 3:26 of round three. Smith took an inadvertent finger to the right eye as Lawler was attempting to block punches. Despite being given time to recover by referee Dan Miragliotta, the doctor called for the fight to end out of concern for Smith's vision. The rules state that a title fight must last at least three full rounds, or result in a no contest. Lawler remains EliteXC Middleweight Champion.
- Heavyweight bout:
Kimbo SliceKimbo SliceKevin Ferguson , better known as Kimbo Slice, is a Bahamian-American boxer, mixed martial artist and occasional actor...
vs.
James ThompsonJames Thompson (fighter)James Thompson is an English mixed martial artist. He fights as a heavyweight and has appeared in such promotions as Elite Xtreme Combat , Pride Fighting Championship, and Cage Rage. He is known for rushing his opponents at the start of the bout.-Biography:James Thompson grew up in Rochdale,...
- Slice defeats Thompson via TKO (Strikes) :38 into round 3.
Television ratings and coverage
In terms of ratings, the show averaged 4.85 million viewers and peaked during the main event at 6.51 million viewers, making it the most watched MMA show in television history until UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos SantosUFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos
UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The event was the fifth that the UFC has hosted in Anaheim.-Background:This card marked the UFC's debut on the Fox Network...
.
However, not all CBS stations carried the program at the scheduled time. At least five – WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, KXJB-TV
KXJB-TV
KXJB-TV is a CBS affiliated television station in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, serving Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota. It broadcasts on ATSC channel 38, which redirects to former NTSC channel 4 via PSIP. It is licensed to nearby Valley City...
in Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
and three stations in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
– aired a telethon to benefit the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
instead. All those stations aired the EliteXC card early the next morning. Also, WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV
WFMY-TV is a television station in Greensboro, North Carolina. Owned by the Gannett Company, WFMYis the CBS affiliate for the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem area...
in Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
and the surrounding Triad area
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...
refused to air the program because they hated the sport – it was passed on to a low-powered independent station, WGSR-LP
WGSR-LP
WGSR-LD is a low-power independent television station serving Reidsville, North Carolina, the Piedmont Triad market in North Carolina, and parts of Southside Virginia. The station broadcasts digitally on channel 47, with PSIP also on channel 47. One High-Definition subchannel and two...
.