CBS broadcasting MMA over the air - The Unofficial Opie and Anthony Message Board

VMS · 05-13-2008, 08:46 PM

I think it's good for the sport, but:

Kimbo Slice is on the card, and a large part of the marketing, as is Gina Carano (Crush from American Gladiators).

Ok, I'm pretty much a UFC fan, so I don't know a whole lot about EliteXC. But is this the right way to promote the sport? I know UFC's POV has been to push the sport as anything BUT street fighting and pro wrestling, so is putting a guy whose name mostly comes from street fighting and a chick whose appeal mostly comes from being ridiculously hot (I don't know if she has that much of a record in EliteXC) front and center on the first over-the-air broadcast for MMA a good idea?

Thoughts?

Sct Ptersns Twn · 05-13-2008, 09:23 PM

when is that shit coming on this month right? I am too lazy to look. (oh yea, and you did tell me in your cliff notes write up).

Capt.Caveman · 05-14-2008, 09:48 PM

EliteXC on CBS

Saturday, May 31st, 2008
Prudential Center
Newark, New Jersey

James Thompson
VS Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson

Robbie "Ruthless" Lawler
VS Scott Smith

Kaitlin Young
VS Gina Carano

Joey "Dreamsmasher" Villasenor
VS Phil "The New York Badass" Baroni

Jon Murphy
VS Brett Rogers

Justin Robbins
VS Wilson Reis

Matt Makowski
VS Nick Serra

Bryan Vetell
VS Carlton Haselrig

Andre Soares
VS Zach Makovsky

Joe Sampieri
VS Mike Groves

Calvin Katter
VS James Jones

Not a bad card. Lawler Smith is the best fight on the card. Villesenor vs Baroni is interesting

VMS · 05-15-2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt.Caveman

Not a bad card. Lawler Smith is the best fight on the card. Villesenor vs Baroni is interesting

No, it isn't a bad card. The problem I have is that CBS (and EliteXC) seem to be marketing this mostly with Kimbo and Gina, which IMO is a mistake.

I'm with Dana White's thinking on this one- MMA needs to be marketed as a high skill-level, intensely trained sport where great athletes compete against each other. Yes, marketing always plays to what the public wants, but pushing a guy who got his name by being a street fighter and a chick who isn't your best chick fighter (though probably the hottest) instead of pushing the skill and athleticism of all the other fighters...

It's the difference in perspective between a fanboy ("ooooooohhhh, we gets fights!") and the head of a promotion/commissioner of a sport ("what's the best way to make this sport better, and last?").

It's a good card, and I'll probably watch it or DVR it (Saturday night's not a good night to catch me in front of the TV). I just don't think pushing the street-fighting/cheesecake factor is the best way to convince Joe Average out there who doesn't already watch MMA that MMA is any different from pro wrestling.

I've got nothing against pro wrestling, but MMA should make the differences between themselves and sports entertainment perfectly clear if they want to survive as a sport and not as a sideshow.

**sniper** · 05-15-2008, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VMS

No, it isn't a bad card. The problem I have is that CBS (and EliteXC) seem to be marketing this mostly with Kimbo and Gina, which IMO is a mistake.

I'm with Dana White's thinking on this one- MMA needs to be marketed as a high skill-level, intensely trained sport where great athletes compete against each other. Yes, marketing always plays to what the public wants, but pushing a guy who got his name by being a street fighter and a chick who isn't your best chick fighter (though probably the hottest) instead of pushing the skill and athleticism of all the other fighters...

It's the difference in perspective between a fanboy ("ooooooohhhh, we gets fights!") and the head of a promotion/commissioner of a sport ("what's the best way to make this sport better, and last?").

It's a good card, and I'll probably watch it or DVR it (Saturday night's not a good night to catch me in front of the TV). I just don't think pushing the street-fighting/cheesecake factor is the best way to convince Joe Average out there who doesn't already watch MMA that MMA is any different from pro wrestling.

I've got nothing against pro wrestling, but MMA should make the differences between themselves and sports entertainment perfectly clear if they want to survive as a sport and not as a sideshow.

Excellent take, and I agree. I would have rather CBS air WEC before EXC, especially with the Faber v. Pulver fight on june 1st.
Kimbo really is training in mma disciplines which I applaud, however he hasn't fought anyone where he's had to use any of it yet and he still just fights as a street fighter. It almost seems EXC is in the same place UFC was in it's first year, but without the respectable names equivalent to Gracie or Shamrock.
And I need to find or make a "No chicks on televised mma cards" pic to put in my sig, I haven't seen even a remotely entertaining fight yet in that aspect, it almost seems like it's EXC's "We wanna be different" angle. They wanna fight, fine, but I don't wanna see it.

VMS · 05-15-2008, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sniper

And I need to find or make a "No chicks on televised mma cards" pic to put in my sig, I haven't seen even a remotely entertaining fight yet in that aspect, it almost seems like it's EXC's "We wanna be different" angle. They wanna fight, fine, but I don't wanna see it.

You know, I can kind of see them throwing a women's match onto the card, just for appeal purposes. I don't think I'd be too into it, but that's their decision. But if they're going to do that, I just think it'd be better if they had a match between the TOP women MMA fighters. From all that I've heard, Gina Carano is a good female MMA fighter, but not the best by any means.

If you're going to put women on the card for the first OTA broadcast, fine. But make it the BEST fighters of the women, not the cheesecake chick who has some marketability from American Gladiators.

If you're going to make MMA "real", then fucking make it REAL. Make it about the fighters, and the best of the fighters with the most skill, power, and ability in the ring/cage/whatever.

witty · 05-27-2008, 02:50 AM

What do you silly geese think of Kimbo Slice?

http://www.themmadigest.com/2008/05/...o-slice-facts/

boardsofcanada · 05-27-2008, 06:05 AM

interested in seeing this

Capt.Caveman · 05-27-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by witty

What do you silly geese think of Kimbo Slice?

http://www.themmadigest.com/2008/05/...o-slice-facts/

he's a freak show. they keep throwing no ones and has beens in front of him and at the same time promoting him as this beast who can kick anyones ass. let him fight a barnett ,ricco rodriguez, pedro rizzo, or mike whitehead they all are available

sinAtra · 05-29-2008, 01:58 PM

This might give Kimbo a chance to show he's more than the mandingo street brawler we have seen in the past. They have matched him well; put him again a Rizzo and Kimbo would be toast.

What I want to see are high-skill athletes - this is where I agree with Dana White. So far (though he could be), high-skill Kimbo ain't.

Cromwell · 05-30-2008, 01:42 PM

The weighins for EliteXC "Primetime" are open to the public.

What: EliteXC "Primetime" Weigh-ins

When: Friday May 30th @ 2pm ET

Where: Prudential Center

165 Mulberry Street

Newark, NJ 07102

Misc: The Prudential Center is2 blocks from Newark Penn Station

It will be outdoors in the 75 degree weather.Come one, come all.

StonerJack · 05-30-2008, 03:34 PM

They have 3 main card fights that will almost surely end in KO's. So it will be exciting for first timers. It's kind of a who cares card for mma fans, but Elite does have some good fighters and will have more technical matchups in the future broadcasts I'm sure. Just having most of the Cesar Gracie team helps, Nick Diaz, Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez are all great fighters and will all be on CBS soon.

fuckwit · 05-30-2008, 04:51 PM

dont google james thompson. just ends in disappointment.

grats to kimbos people for finding another bum to fight kimbo.

Save My Up's Dick · 05-30-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuckwit

dont google james thompson. just ends in disappointment.

grats to kimbos people for finding another bum to fight kimbo.

Agreed.

Elite has put a lot into Kimbo, he won't fight anyone noteworthy for awhile.

He's a gimmick, MMA fans know he would get destroyed by anyone good/ranked. Elite is promoting to the casual fan with him(and the chick) not the people who know MMA. I watch it, I'm looking forward to WEC on Sunday night.

d0uche_n0zzle · 05-30-2008, 06:11 PM

I'll be watching this clusterfuck.

However, I don't have any hope that it'll impress like UFC events do.

Gotti420 · 05-30-2008, 09:07 PM

It looks like Carano has once again failed to make weight in a class that was created specifically for her.

Eagle.007 · 05-30-2008, 10:09 PM

There has been discussion that this will not be in all markets. Just a heads up, check your local listings. CBS 2 in NYC has it listed but my local station doesn't. From what I'm finding, I don't think it will be on here. The word is that parts of Ohio, Penn, and South Carolina might be affected. Here is the Sherdog thread (I haven't read the whole thing).

Capt.Caveman · 05-31-2008, 09:42 AM

I'm tevoing it....best of liddell on spike tonite too

chutzd · 05-31-2008, 10:57 AM

I would be watching it, however, the CBS station here in Columbus Ohio has decided that the Children's Miracle Network needs to be shown Saturday night and go until Sunday afternoon. Fuck the kids I want to see people beating the shit out of each other

Capt.Caveman · 05-31-2008, 04:29 PM

tvu may have it

bloody hymen · 05-31-2008, 05:30 PM

I don't get all the hate thrown at Kimbo. I agree he'd probably lose to anyone with real talent...and by probably I say absolutely aside from a puncher's chance. He's just a victim of his popularity. Elite and CBS know he's a draw and they're marketing him that way. Bas even said he was a work in progress and they're bringing him along slowly. He further took the responsibility for the opponent selection. What good would it do to anyone's fledgling career if they took on someone like Fedor right away?

99.9% of fighters would take the money and tv exposure early in their career if it was offered to them while they worked they way up.

FullBallz · 05-31-2008, 06:58 PM

I'm going tonight and I will try my best to give a little live report for you guys. I am a big UFC guy so I hope that Kimbo gets his ass handed to him and gets embarassed but I don't see that happening. I'm very excited to go either way though as this is my very first MMA card I'm attending. Should be fun.

fuckwit · 05-31-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloody hymen

I don't get all the hate thrown at Kimbo. I agree he'd probably lose to anyone with real talent...and by probably I say absolutely aside from a puncher's chance. He's just a victim of his popularity. Elite and CBS know he's a draw and they're marketing him that way. Bas even said he was a work in progress and they're bringing him along slowly. He further took the responsibility for the opponent selection. What good would it do to anyone's fledgling career if they took on someone like Fedor right away?

99.9% of fighters would take the money and tv exposure early in their career if it was offered to them while they worked they way up.

I dont like that because of his look and internet celebrity hes being treated with the same type of honor and respect by some people as a real fighter would deserve.
He was never a good streetfighter even. His strikes were terrible, he had no agility, no real reactive defense, no ability to use his legs, nothing on the ground. He was a brute force slob that mostly pushed his fist into other slobs and filmed it. Half of his videos were people falling down to his intimidating presence instead of the blow they just received. Kimbo is where he is because hes physically impressive and an amusing character on screen. And thats how he should treat himself. His ego is over inflated.
He should never be calling out a real fighter by name or even in general terms at the level he is being allowed to compete. It doesnt matter what any other accomplished fighter says about him. Kimbo is currently a student who is being allowed to dress up and play in the big kids class. Hazing is part of the lesson. He should be the definition of humility.

He needs to get knocked the fuck out.

Capt.Caveman · 05-31-2008, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloody hymen

I don't get all the hate thrown at Kimbo. I agree he'd probably lose to anyone with real talent...and by probably I say absolutely aside from a puncher's chance. He's just a victim of his popularity. Elite and CBS know he's a draw and they're marketing him that way. Bas even said he was a work in progress and they're bringing him along slowly. He further took the responsibility for the opponent selection. What good would it do to anyone's fledgling career if they took on someone like Fedor right away?

99.9% of fighters would take the money and tv exposure early in their career if it was offered to them while they worked they way up.

He's everything mma wants to get away from. A street thug who ko's has beens. eecchh..And they bill him as this unstopable fighter when he fights chumps and has beens. James Thompson is known for having a glass jaw. I agree with bringing a fighter along but give him SOME competition. a washed up tank, bo cantrell who was tapping after the 1st pucnch and Ray Mercer, seriously. Lesner comes in and fights Frank Mir his 2nd MMA fight. Now he has Heath Herring. I think the UFC is making a mistake by putting him in with experienced ground guys but if they threw him in with Kongo or a striker Lesner would run right thru him. Barnett, Ricco, Rizzo and whitehead are all available, shit even brett rodgers (who ko'd thompson his last fight) would be a better fight