Caged Heat: CBS Requesting July, October Dates For EliteXC Events

Kimbo Slice (r) Will Not Be Part Of Card For EliteXC's Next Primetime Event

EliteXC President Gary Shaw said that CBS "is requesting his company's next two live specials for late July (believed to be July 26) and October," according to Dave Meltzer of YAHOO SPORTS. The July show would be built around "the creation of both heavyweight and welterweight championships," as well as finding an opponent for Gina Carano to fight in October for a new women's championship. A rematch of the  Robbie Lawler-Scott Smith fight from its primetime debut last month will headline the event. However, "neither of the big draws from the first card, Kimbo Slice and [Carano], will be available" for the July date. The show "seems a major risk because so much of the mainstream talk leading into and coming out of the MMA debut on CBS ... regarded Slice." There is a "major question of what kind of ratings drawing power the show will have" without Slice. Meanwhile, EliteXC hopes to "tighten up the production and fit it into a two-hour block" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 6/13).