Modern Fighting

In a Rematch of their Recent Controversial Title Fight on CBS, EliteXC Middleweight Champion Robbie Lawler Will Defend Against Scott Smith, While Jake Shields Squares off Against Nick Thompson For the Vacant EliteXC Welterweight Belt

CBS to Broadcast Four Live Fights (Including Two Title Fights) From 9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT; SHOWTIME to Televise Three Live Fights (Including EliteXC Heavyweight Title Fight) from 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT

LOS ANGELES, June 25 — CBS and EliteXC announced today that the next CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be broadcast live from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif. on Saturday, July 26 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The four-fight broadcast will be highlighted by the highly anticipated rematch between “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler and Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith for the EliteXC Middleweight Title.

The night of mixed martial action will begin with three live fights on SHOWTIME (8:00-9:00 PT, ET/PT) including an EliteXC Heavyweight Championship match featuring Antonio “Big Foot” Silva.

“One venue, two networks and seven exciting world class fights adds up to an entertaining and memorable mixed martial arts event in prime time,” said Doug DeLuca, Executive Chairman, ProElite, Inc.

In a rematch of their exciting, controversial first fight on May 31 on CBS, Lawler, the EliteXC middleweight champion from St. Louis by way of Davenport, Iowa

, will put his title on the line once again against hard-hitting challenger Smith of Elk Grove, Calif. Their last meeting, a fight that many called the fight of the night,

ended in controversy when doctors called the fight after Smith caught an unintentional finger in the eye late in the third round. Smith claimed he was ready to continue, but the fight was stopped and declared a no contest.

You can read the full press release by clicking here.

 CBS has released this press release about he success of their June 1st ELiteXC primtime Event.

Here’s a snippet:
CBS Places First in Key Young Adult and Men Demographics with Triple Digit Percentage Increases Versus the Network’s Season Average on Saturday

National Ratings for the Highest Rated Part of the Broadcast—Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson —which Did Not Air Until 11:30 PM, Will Not be Available Until Tuesday

Local Markets Show Ratings Surge in Final Quarter-Hour

Kimbo Slice defeats James Thompson (3rd Round TKO / Stoppage)
Robbie Lawler wins over Scott Smith (3rd Round No Contest(Eye))
Gina Carano defeats Kaitlin Young (2nd Round TKO (cuts) )
Joey Villasenor defeats Phil Baroni (1st Round TKO (strikes))
Brett Rogers defeats Jon Murphy (1st Round TKO (strikes))

On a personal note, the decision in the Lawler / Smith fight was because of an eye poke and the doctor stopped the fight when clearly it should not have been. What a waste of months of training for both fighters in what was clearly a fight that was going down as one of the best EliteXC has ever had.

The main event was tainted too. Kimbo appears to tap in R1 when Thompson has him in a guillotine. It can be said Thompson won both rounds 10-9 and to have it stopped because of strikes when Thompson was still standing … or was it the blood in his cauliflower ear that started to ooze … or whatever the reason was is just silly.

I’d like to see a rematch of Lawler and Smith …

You can see the full recap here