Elite XC on CBS card

What a fucking stupid fight. James "Glass Jaw" Thompson just got demolished by a journeyman, and was in poor shape.

Are you kidding me???

Weak...just weak.

"Rastus - What a fucking stupid fight. James "Glass Jaw" Thompson just got demolished by a journeyman, and was in poor shape. Are you kidding me??? Weak...just weak."

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... How is Brett Rogers a "journeyman?" He's had 6 professional fights (all wins) and he's 26 years old...

"... How is Brett Rogers a "journeyman?" He's had 6 professional fights (all wins) and he's 26 years old..."

...alright, it's been a short journey so far. I was trying to be nice to him.

Bret Rogers is lucky if they pay him to sweep up the arena after the show it over. Kimbo and Thompson are bigger jokes. Enjoy mainstream you fools.

Given the talent currently under contract, its not a bad first card; hopefully, they will make some big signings due to the network deal, and future cards will be a little more stacked.

In any case, I think this card is designed to have exciting, short fights rather than match up highly skilled fighters who use strategy and win by decision. They know the hardcore fan is going to tune in anyway, what they need to stay afloat is the casual fan, who would rather watch haymakers than beautiful transitions.

Man, you guys are a bunch of whiny douchebags. FREE MMA on live TV.....FREE !! LOL @ this card sucking, unreal.

Too bad their debut on CBS is bad timing for some of their biggest stars: Melendez, Cung Le, Shamrock, Shields would add some pizzaz to this rather lackluster Card.

Hopefully EliteXC will pull a surprise signing out of their Hat to put on the Card or maybe they can move up the Shields vs Fickett fight up 2 weeks..

They clearly deliberately loaded up this card with potential brawls - for good reason.

The general public finds stand-up wars a lot more exciting and compelling than technical (but relatively non-explosive) grappling engagements.

Smart matchmaking.

orcus - "Not bad, but it's kind of disturbing that the big "network debut" of MMA will likely feature not one second of ground work."

- You mean, like the UFC did when they chose Robbie Lawler vs. Aaron Riley as the very first non-PPV MMA fight to be aired on television in the U.S.?

Not too much "mixed martial arts" in that fight, either, was there.

(Oh, and neither of whom was an established top fighter at the time as well.)

But funny how when they selected that fight (emphasis on fight), the UFC was roundly lauded for picking an explosive, spectacular matchup that would best appeal to the masses.

But now when EXC does essentially the same damn thing with the very first card for network TV's even wider general consumption, it's suddenly criticized for trying to pander to a mass audience.

Talk about an inconsistent shift in standards.

No shit, they're trying to sell to a new mass audience - with as much visceral action as possible - just as the UFC did.

And which single fight is by far the most credited for launching the new UFC and saving MMA in this country?

Yep - Forrest-Bonnar.

Yeah, there sure was a lot of patient and technical groundfighting in that one for all the noobs to appreciate and be won over by.

If it wasn't for that exciting brawling war - where both guys chose to take it to each other standing - who knows what would have happened to that first TUF finale (especially after the bad taste that Diego's easy mauling of KenFlo had initially left), and thus the UFC?

Again, this card is designed to win over more noobs from an even wider audience pool than has ever been exposed to MMA - and once again, see the Lawler-Riley and Forrest-Bonnar fights as exact, case-in-point precedents.

So I think it's a smart strategy.

The UFC themselves apparently agreed - since they did the same damn thing (and benefited immensely).

card is bad ass except Kimbo getting an easy win. would shut alot of kimbo fans up if thompson beat hiWm tho..

war murphey!!!!

I suppose you are right WB; to the noobs the names of the fighters doesn't mean anything - good stand-up wars mean everything. Then throw in Kimbo who has mass appeal and CBS should have a winner.

 What's the date on this?

 LOL!!!

May 31

I'm really excited for the Lawler vs. Smith fight. Each has some heavy hands.

"- You mean, like the UFC did when they chose Robbie Lawler vs. Aaron Riley as the very first non-PPV MMA fight to be aired on television in the U.S.?"

Come on now. First off, was that fight even live? I thought it was a tape delayed fight they chose to show because it was completely fucking awesome. Besides, Lawler and Riley are a FAR, FAR cry from Kimbo and Thompson. Don't even try to make that comparison.

People who say they dont care about Kimbos fight are B.Sing themselves you know as well as me your eyes will be glued to the screen for said fight.

I'll watch it because it's MMA on TV. That doesn't mean I find the matchup particularly interesting or that I'm anything but disgusted that this is MMA's first main event on network TV.

What's with all the Kimbo hate? He's had TWO MMA fights. TWO! Thompson is the perfect opponent for the first CBS card and his third fight. Well booked card. Rua/Baroni could steal the show if Rua continues to be a moron and stand in all his fights ala the Lawler fight.

And that's why people say Kimbo is protected.

I don't hate Kimbo, he simply doesn't deserve to be headlining one of the most important MMA cards of all time.