Hacking is a Felony

ELITE XC MAY BEGIN ON CBS ON MAY 31
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 - by Ken Pishna



The CBS Television Network and ProElite, Inc. on Feb. 28 announced a multi-year agreement that would bring mixed martial arts to a major broadcast television network for the first time in the sport’s history.

As part of the agreement, CBS will air four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite’s EliteXC live events division, as two-hour live primetime specials on Saturday nights.

During a conference call on Tuesday, EliteXC president of live events Gary Shaw indicated that a press release announcing the first fight card on CBS would be forthcoming on Wednesday. That press release still had not been released at the time of publication and one representative stated that it might not be released until Thursday.

“There will be a CBS press release going out … announcing when the first fight card is and announcing who some of the fighters on that card are. So I don't want to preempt it,” said Shaw. “We think we have a great card put together, and we're very, very excited to be on CBS.

“I think that the announcement will surprise some people,” he continued. “It's just exciting. This is the single biggest thing that I think will ever happen to any fighter or to MMA to have the ability to be seen by over 100 million eyeballs.”

Although the press release announcing the event and some of the fighters had not yet been released, ProElite.com – ProElite, Inc.’s social networking website – posted a teaser on its home page saying, “Keep an eye out for the first airing of advertisements for CBS and EliteXC's ‘Saturday Night Fights’ during the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The rumored event date is May 31st.”

The announcement was accompanied by the logo for the “Saturday Night Fights” specials.

The NCAA Basketball Tournament opening round begins on CBS on Thursday at 12:20 ET.

Hacking is a Felony

THE FIRST "CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS" TO BE BROADCAST LIVE ON SATURDAY, MAY 31

ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK





EliteXC Heavyweight Sensation, Kimbo Slice, Will Headline an Exciting Night of Mixed Martial Arts

Middleweight Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will Defend His Title Against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith


LOS ANGELES, March 20 — CBS and ProElite, Inc. today announced that the first live primetime mixed martial arts event will be broadcast Saturday, May 31 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be broadcast live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

"We're excited to introduce broadcast television viewers to America's fastest growing sport with this prime time event," said Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President, CBS Primetime. "EliteXC is putting together a lineup card that showcases the unique personalities, world-class athleticism, and raw power and emotion that characterizes mixed martial arts."

Champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will put his title on the line against Scott "Hands of Steel" Smith in a middleweight championship bout. EliteXC heavyweight phenom, Kimbo Slice, will also participate in the May 31 event along with other stars from mixed martial arts. Additional matchups will be announced at a later date.

"I am very happy for the highly trained fighters, who will finally get the kind of exposure they deserve, and, of course, the viewers, who will get the opportunity to learn that MMA is truly a sport that requires an abundance of skills, both mentally and physically," said Gary Shaw, EliteXC Live Events President.

CBS and ProElite, Inc., a Los Angeles-based leading entertainment and media company that produces world class mixed martial arts (MMA) events, announced last month they were teaming up to bring MMA to a major broadcast television network for the first time. CBS will broadcast four MMA events per year, produced by ProElite's EliteXC fight division, as two-hour live primetime specials.

Mixed martial arts is a sport evolved from a number of ancient combat disciplines including judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, wrestling and kickboxing. World-class athletes engage in hand-to-hand combat in a ring — both caged and traditional — and must adapt their fighting style to fit their opponent. The wide variety of styles and techniques make every event an unpredictable spectacle.

CBS ELITEXC SATURDAY NIGHT FIGHTS will be produced by SHOWTIME Sports. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

For additional information visit Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) & Ultimate Fighting Videos, Fighter Profiles - ProElite.com