EliteXC and Fixing fights.

by szucconi on Oct 6, 2008 5:00 PM EDT

Thanks Nick for pulling out the quote. Radio Interview

Monsters : Even though you only had an hour to get ready for this fight against kimbo, what was your strategy fighting against Kimbo, uh, err, uh, were you tryin to uh, submission him out?

Seth Petruzelli: My original plan was to throw a lot of push kicks, called teeps, and try to rush in more, and then shoot in on him, obviously.

M: So you wanted to get him on the ground? There’s no way you wanted to box him standing up?

SP: Not really, but I train with lots of undefeated pro boxers, a couple guys have a belt, and my style kinda throws them off a bit, I have kind of an awkward style. So, I knew I would do alright standing up with him. THE PROMOTERS KINDA HINTED TO ME, AND THEY GAVE ME THE MONEY TO STAND AND TRADE WITH HIM. THEY DIDN’T WANT ME TO TAKE HIM DOWN. LETS JUST PUT IT THAT WAY.

M: Ahhh.. ok.

SP: It was worth my while to try and stand up and punch with him."

This is fixing a fight, make no mistake. Using money to give a fighter an advantage is fixing a fight. Petruzelli maybe didn't get it. This is not a post fight bonus. The UFC gives bonus' for sub, KO, and fight of the night. The sub and KO bonus are win bonus' so they can't be looked at as fixing. Fight of the night is for exciting fights and both fighters involved get it. It gives you no incentive to lose. This type of prefight "hint" with money offered behind it to stand is fixing. Of course I assume they thought Slice had the advantage standing and it didn't work out the way they wanted, but it seems like a clear example of trying to affect the outcome.

The question remains about his contract structure and if he would have made more money if he had lost or less if he won on the ground. Did they bump him up in dollars to take the main event fight or did they have an agreement for him to stand? On the surface, it stinks. It looks like they are fixing fights. It sounds like he was paid to fight a certain way and was not told to lose. That is comparable to point shaving and fixing ATS. Handcuffing a guy and paying him to not take it to the ground changes the fight entirly. We will have to wait to hear more...

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The integrity of the sport gets called into question when we get quotes like these…

by Zocalo on Oct 6, 2008 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

Idiots who have no idea about MMA think that Kimbo was the one who was paid to take a dive! Knowing that Elite Extreme had MILLIONS of dollars invested in promoting Kimbo, and knowing that all Las Vegas bets on the fight would be called off, Elite Extreme had every incentive for Kimbo to win! Hell, this cripples Elite Extreme and damages the credibility of the sport with newer casual fans. But all this did was prove to the hardcore fans that we were right all along:Kimbo is a joke…nothing more than a circus side-show. Even a newcomer like Brock Lesnar would take him apart!
Elite Extreme was in serious financial trouble before CBS came along and bailed them out. Gina is now their most marketable fighter, and it’s a good thing she didn’t lose as well. If she loses to Cyborg, Elite Extreme will fold.

By the way, the assclown announcer with the glasses who puts on the fake voice when he is announcing is just absolutely fucking pathetic! He sounds like he is auditioning to do voice over work on the Family Guy!

by Bradyfan1972 on Oct 7, 2008 7:55 AM EDT reply actions