The early overnight numbers are in...and they're not exactly great:

Kimbo Slice got back in the ring last night for CBS’s EliteXC Saturday Night Fights and got pounded in the ring, losing to Seth Petruzelli in 15 seconds, and to Fox’s America’s Most Wanted in the ratings by 1.62 million viewers and 0.2 adults 18-49 demo ratings points. That’s exactly the same overnight viewership for Kimbo Slice from his bout on May 31, and just a tick down from the demo, but America’s Most Wanted was even stronger than it was on May 31.

...

9:00pm   FOX   America's Most Wanted                5.92     2.0/7

                 CBS  EliteXC Saturday Night Fights      4.30    1.8/6

The first set of numbers is the Viewers Live and Same Day with the second set being the 18-49 rating and share.  So EXC got blown away pretty heavilly by AMW last night, they lost their hyped main event and then Kimbo got KO'ed by a "no name" replacement 205 pounder.

Not exactly a good night for the promotion which is a shame considering everything below the main event made for a very solid show.

Update:  I should say that CBS executives are claiming to be very pleased with the ratings.  My main point is that the ratings didn't go up beyond what they pulled the first show.  I'm not seeing an upward trend in the ratings that I would expect from a "growing sport."  I'm still amazed that AMW would pull numbers like that though.

I understand that the majority of response to Kimbo's brutal loss around these parts has been joy and cries of "I told you so."  However, from a business standpoint EXC is left in an awkward spot.  They put a huge percentage of their marketing into the Kevin Ferguson hype machine only to see him put on a dissapointing, exposing performance against James Thompson and then getting KO'ed in 14 seconds against a light heavyweight.

From a business standpoint it is difficult to see any way that EXC can write Kimbo off or relegate him to the undercard.  It was clear that even after getting KO'ed that he was getting a very positive reaction from the crowd while Petruzelli was getting booed.  Ferguson remains EXC's biggest star unless they manage to sign Tito Ortiz (which I don't believe will ever happen).

The way I see it EliteXC has to keep Ferguson at the top part of their card and they have three ways to handle his next fight:

1) Brett Rogers - This is the option that EXC takes if they want to transfer Kimbo's hype on to someone else.  It also means the official end of the Slice gravy train because I don't see any way he doesn't lose to Rogers and a second straight loss takes away any mystique Kimbo has left.  Rogers, however, is extremely marketable and has a legitimate chance of becoming a champion in the promotion (provided it survives that long).  All that being said, I don't think they're ready to write off Slice.

2) Seth Petruzelli - This is a very risky option as Petruzelli isn't really a top level guy, maybe he could seem as such in EXC's 205 division but he just isn't a top guy anywhere else.  The obvious upside here would be a Kimbo win allowing them to blow the loss off as a case of a guy being put off his game by a last minute change.  But the risk is just too great, a second loss to Petruzelli would ruin Kimbo more than anything else I can think of.

3) Ken Shamrock - I think this is the direction they must go with this.  It is as close to a guaranteed highlight reel KO for Slice as anything, and it would be against a big name opponent.  There is also a storyline to build off of.  Also, the matchup doesn't look quite as grotesque after the Kimbo loss.  It's still transparent matchmaking, but at least it is now a very much needed type of transparent matchmaking.

Whatever the decision is, there is a desperate need for a Kimbo win for EXC to be able to continue delivering ratings.  Their show yesterday was very good, but the only person on their roster aside from Kimbo who can draw reliable money is Gina Carano.  As much as much of the MMA community would like to see Kevin Ferguson go back to fighting in backyards, EXC needs him and they need him with the aura that made him must-see TV.

 Make sure to join me here tonight as I provide live updates and thoughts on the EliteXC: Heat show on CBS.  I'll be taking you through the evening starting with the start of the broadcast at 9:00pm ET.

Kimbo, Shamrock, Gina, Arlovski...it's sure to be an interesting night so spend it here with us.

Update: As Chris Nelson pointed out it sounds like Tito Ortiz may be in the booth for at least one fight tonight:

"Right now EliteXC and myself are in great discussions for the future and working with each other," Ortiz said.

Ortiz made his first appearance in conjunction with EliteXC at Friday's weigh-ins. Although no formal announcement of his presence was made, a buzz quickly filled the room when the 33-year-old was spotted.

Ortiz said tonight's appearance may be far less under the radar.

"I'm here as a guest of EliteXC," Ortiz said. "I'm possibly going to be commentating a fight [tonight]. It's going to be exciting. I can't wait."

Yet another interesting possibility in an evening full of curiosities.

Update 2:  As we posted earlier Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock is officially off as Ken has managed to injure himself hours before the fight.  EXC reps are trying to replace Ken with Seth Petruzelli but Kimbo's people have yet to accept the replacement.  Rock and a hard place here as Seth stands about 1303% better chance of winning than Shamrock did...but if Kimbo doesn't end up taking the fight he looks like a bit of a punk in light of his "anyone, anywhere" talk and reputation.

Update 3:  MMARated is now reporting that Shamrock has left the building after an attempt to get him cleared by a second doctor.  It appears for sure that the main event is officially NOT Shamrock/Slice.  I haven't heard yet if they have locked Petruzelli in as a replacement.

Update 4: From MMARated:

Final Update: Kimbo Slice VS. Seth Petruzelli tonight. 100%

I'll go on record as picking Petruzelli by decision here.

The show is about to start.  Live results after the jump...

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Mike had a great article on Monday in regards to how the impact of high ticket prices and a steady stream of shows is "bleeding Vegas dry."  But it isn't just Vegas residents with aching pocketbooks.

We all know that the economy is in bad shape and if you've followed the news at all in the last week you know that the American taxpayers are very close to taking on a lot of added financial responsibility as we creep closer and closer to a 700 billion dollar Wall Street bailout.  Getting beyond the politics of the matter and down to what matters to this site, what does this mean for the UFC?

With the current state of the economy we heard a lot of talk about how luxuries are the first to go from Joe Taxpayer's budget.  Yet despite a housing crisis and severe devaluation of the dollar the UFC continues to pull solid live gates and do big PPV numbers.  But, as taxpayers are given additional financial strain eventually something has to give.  If things get worse eventually the entertainment dollars just won't be there and $50 monthly pay-per-view shows are just going to be too much for more and more people.

What would this mean for the UFC?  I assume that it would mean a stronger focus on getting their shows on network television where advertising revenue would somewhat offset the money they would then be failing to make off of PPV buys.  This could potentially turn a negetive situation for fans into a huge positive with more free cards, and would also allow the UFC to build up hype for broadcasts of a select few "elite events" on PPV (a Couture/Lesnar level event for example).  $50 every three or four months is much less painful to the bank accounts of Americans struggling to get by than $200 in that same timeframe.

Then again, we've seen the UFC and major networks go 'round the carousel more than once with no substantial results.  If the stubbornness of the UFC to give up some degree of their production leads to an inability to get on a network bigger than Spike and a continued expectation of fans to pour money into pay-per-view then it could turn out that the biggest threat to the UFC empire was never Elite XC or Affliction, it was the badly damaged United States economy.

Sherdog has up some comments from Frank Mir on Brock Lesnar.  Most revealing are his thoughts on what it was like to be in the cage (and underneath) Brock:

“He was more like getting hit by a car that’s moving very slowly and you can’t get out of the way,” says Mir. “It bumps and knocks you over and is just overwhelmingly powerful.”

Clinging to the underside of Lesnar’s hulking, 6-foot-3, 280-pound frame, Mir hadn’t realized he had gone for two armbars in the scuffle before transitioning to the fight-ending kneebar until he watched the tape later.

“I didn’t know where he was half the time,” he says. “It really felt like I was underwater and somebody was beating the s—-t out of me. I was just drowning under him.”

That fight was a battle of fight instincts where Mir was able to just use techniques pounded into him over years to eventually catch Lesnar in a mistake.  But for a guy like Mir to say that he felt so helpless for most of the fight is very revealing.  Size isn't the only factor in a fight but at 6'3" and over 240 lbs Mir is a large heavyweight and was left feeling like he was drowning.  Randy Couture is not a large heavyweight and while his moxy and solid strategy usually allows him to overcome the size issue he has had problems with large heavyweights with strong top games in the past.

Also Mir explains why he isn't upset over Lesnar getting such a high profile title fight:

“I can get why Brock Lesnar’s getting the fight,” he says. “It’s not like I think it absurd. If Brock Lesnar was fighting some bum off the street, it would be a main event card. That’s Brock Lesnar. If ‘Kimbo Slice’ came into the UFC tomorrow, he’s probably going to be above me. That’s just the way it is. It’s name recognition.”

In Lesnar, who’s demonstrated a strong work ethic since joining the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy for his training, Mir sees a respected peer, albeit one who needs more time to develop his skills in the cage.

“A guy like Brock Lesnar doesn’t upset me at all, says Mir. ”I think he has the potential to be a very legitimate martial artist. … So when I stretched out his leg and felt him tapping, I didn’t even try to extend it even further. But somebody like a ‘Kimbo’ or somebody like that who I don’t think respects the sport, like a ‘Krazy Horse,’ I don’t think they have a place in it. The referee couldn’t get to me fast enough.”

UPDATE:  Just a quick tip of the cap to Mythbuster who posted a fanpost on this that I somehow completely missed.  Read it here.

MMAFiend beat me to it in dropping a fanpost on Joe Rogan's response to Jim Rome's statement that Liddell should want no part of Anderson Silva.  Rogan's quote from the underground:

There's a real problem that I see in sports broadcasting where it's OK to be a [expletive] [expletive] head. We don't need that [expletive] in MMA. It's tough enough for these guys to take a loss like that, the last thing they need is some [expletive] head like Rome rubbing it in their face.

While I genuinely enjoy Joe Rogan (I even enjoy his rambling stand-up routines) he is coming across so poorly here.  The UFC brass are so desperate for mainstream media coverage, MMA fans are constantly whining that we don't get enough time on ESPN, and Joe Rogan himself spends time on end talking about how big the sport is getting.  But when MMA gets the same treatment on a show that EVERY OTHER MAINSTREAM SPORT gets suddenly we have to hold an opinion show host to a higher standard?

With the announcement of Couture/Lesnar we've seen the UFC get some air time on ESPN and this very site has seen a lot of comments stating that the sport needs, and hopefully will be getting, more coverage by the mainstream sports media (ESPN especially).  Suddenly just because Jim Rome does his usual shtick and takes a bit of an "edgy" position in telling Chuck that his best plan of attack isn't getting knocked out for the third time in five fights we're going to cry about fighter's feelings getting hurt?

I'm sure players from the Patriots were having a hard time dealing with the loss in the Super Bowl last season.  Were they given a pass in the media because everyone wanted to be careful not to hurt their feelings?  No.  They choked and were called on it.  Chuck Liddell receiving a mildly sharp comment on Rome Is Burning is nothing compared to Bill Buckner living through replay after replay of one error in an otherwise stellar career being shown as an example of a cursed franchise and spurring hatred from the fans toward him.

The sports media in theis country is rough and edgy is what sells.  If Joe Rogan, the UFC and its fans want more coverage they're going to have to deal with the fact that it isn't all going to be nicey nice and some people are probably going to get their feelings hurt.  If we want to be covered like any other sport by ESPN then don't cry and act like we somehow deserve better than the rest when the coverage comes.

Danny Acosta has a nice (if not slightly fluffy) piece on Rich Franklin up over at Sherdog.  It covers the familiar teacher to fighter story but also touches a bit on the move back to the Light Heavyweight division and also features a rather curious quote from Franklin:

“This is definitely a tough test to see if this weight class is going to be a good fit for me or not,” Franklin says. “I’m in the process of trying to gain weight, and that’s not all going to come in this one fight. It’s going to take me several months to continue to put weight back on to be one of the bigger competitors again at 205 pounds. I know on the spectrum of things I’m going to be smaller. I think the next couple months of my career is definitely going to answer that question.”

In Hamill (4-1), Franklin sees a perfect way to re-enter the fray.

“Well, I’ll say this,” he says. “Matt’s not one of the top 10 205-pound fighters.”

The article goes on to say that Franklin doesn't plan on coasting in the fight.  But I still think that if Franklin thinks it is going to take him time to get to the point of being a real 205'er then he may need to focus a bit more on Hamill who is a big, strong 205 pounds.  I consider this a fight that Franklin should certainly win but something about the idea that he sees this fight as something of an easy entry into the shark filled waters at light heavy has me a little bit worried.

Some sites have already released lines for the upcoming Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar showdown at UFC 91 and at least to open things up Randy is a slight favorite.

Odds from Bodoglife.com:

Randy Couture    -140

Brock Lesnar      +110

 

Couture / Lesnar Fight goes 2:30 of Round 3    -280

Couture / Lesnar Fight does not go 2:30 of Round 3     +220

That is damn close to a pick 'em line for arguably the biggest fight in MMA history.  I couldn't be more amped than I am right now and we're still months away from fight night.  I can say, however, that I'm very tempted to put some money down on the fight going over 2:30 of Round 3.  I think there is a very good chance that this goes to a decision as Brock has yet to show much finishing ability and while I can see Randy winning I don't think he does it by stopping Lesnar early in the fight.

Just in case you wanted to see the difference in the matchmaking of the "unproven stars" in the UFC and EXC here are the odds for Kimbo vs. Ken Shamrock:

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Fergusson   -600

Ken Shamrock    +400

The UFC absolutely OWNS every other American promotion at this point in every aspect from sheer deep talent in every division to compelling matchmaking on every show.

Hieron's manager says that they have verbally accepted the fight:

Former International Fight League welterweight champion Jay Hieron  has verbally accepted an offer to take on Drew Fickett  at Affliction 2 “Day of Reckoning” on Oct. 11 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Fickett’s manager, Alexander Oxendine of 2 A-T Media, confirmed his client had been made an offer and negotiations are ongoing.

“We’re in discussion with a few organizations and Affliction is one of them,” said Oxendine. “They are at the top of our list. As far as Drew is concerned, he’s made a great turnaround with his life and training. He is ready to move forward.”

This is a decent fight outside of the heavyweight division for Affliction and I'm glad to see that Hieron should be getting himself a nice payday.  What's more is that Jay Hieron is the kind of guy that a promotion can start building a bit of a division around.  Not in that he is invincible but he fights crowd pleasing fights and if brought along right could be a nice high undercard attraction below the heavyweights.

Now that I've said this it remains of some importance that he get past the tough Drew Fickett at "Day of Reckoning."

With Cheick Kongo's management confirming that he has been offered a fight with Brock Lesnar later this year we can start turning our eyes toward this rather compelling match-up.

Jeffrey Lee at MMARated has up an interview with the powerful striker:

CK: I’m a UFC fighter. I can fight anyone they want me to fight. They wanted me to fight one of the top heavyweights in the world [in Mirko] Cro Cop and I did it! They wanted me to take a step back and fight a newcomer like Evensen and I did it too. If the UFC wants me to fight Lesnar, I’ll do it for sure.

JL: What were your thoughts on his performance against Heath Herring at UFC 87?

CK: Amazing fight. Lesnar was impressive. He showed confidence in his standup striking and completely dominated Heath Herring.

JL: What would be your strategy going into a fight against Lesnar?

CK: Just invite him for dinner [laughs]. I won’t tell you what would be my strategy! Why would I tell you that? My next opponent would know what to look out for! You know, I try to never underestimate any of my opponents but there's really nothing that worries me too much with Brock Lesnar. I know it could be a tough fight, but, you know, I train hard and I will be ready for this one too. I am hungry.

I'd think Lesnar's takedowns and control on the ground would be of some concern but hey, what is Kongo supposed to do?  Admit that he could be in trouble?

If Brock can avoid getting hit and close distance he is going to put Kongo on the mat at will.  From there the most interesting thing to watch in the fight will be Lesnar's ability to maintain dominant positions while still inflicting damage which is something he was unable to do at several points in the Herring fight.