Monday, October 6, 2008

ELITE XC:HEAT: Carano Delivers, Kimbo Fizzles

Saturday night was the second ProElite event on CBS that featured both of the MMA camp's biggest stars: street brawler Kimbo Slice and Muay Thai American Gladiator Gina Carano. This needed to be a success for Elite XC; they're dangerously close to failing, unable to cover their own costs.

Needless to say, it was quite a blow to them when their heavily hyped headlining fight featuring Kimbo against aging MMA legend Shamrock went south when Shamrock sustained a cut over his left eye hours before the fight. He dropped out. In his replacement? Unknown fighter Seth Petruzelli. Who dropped Kimbo Slice fourteen seconds into the first round.

Fortunately, Gina Carano, though barely able to make weight this time, performed nicely. Her fight against Kelly Kobold was a fight she was expected to win, but Kelly Kobold, scrappy and determined, wasn't going to give her an easy victory. Still, Kelly seemed impulsive and afraid (with good reason) of Gina's strike and reach. As a result, she spent most of her time pressing Gina against the cage, doing her darnedest to secure a take down and try to beat Gina on the floor.

Gina was just too strong, and although Kelly did manage a takedown near the end of the second round, the three minute mark proved her enemy. It was also her savior, because Gina came back hard in the third round, and won by unanimous decision.

See the fight on youtube: Intro & Round One Rounds Two & Three

Three minute rounds are just too short, in my opinion. There's no reason why the girls can't go five minute rounds, just like the boys.


Of course, the big fight everyone's looking for is actually the highly publicized showdown between Gina and Chris 'Cyborg' Santos, who put up a really good fight on the undercard against Yoko Takaheshi and won via uninamous decision.

Expect that fight on Pay-Per-View.

Because EliteXC needs the money.

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