LONDON -- While EliteXC live events president Gary Shaw calmed his pre-fight pacing to watch Cage Rage 23, his son, vice president Jared Shaw, stayed active.
The father-and-son tandem was dressed in stark contrast. Gary sported his usual red EliteXC track jacket and heavyweight watch while Jared wore a sharp, appropriately colored black-and-blue suit for the Sept. 22 night of fights.
Appearing on the Wembley Arena's multiple big screens, Jared -- who was bold enough to put heavyweight Ian Freeman (Pictures) on the spot by inquiring about a comeback -- described his vision for EliteXC's expansion.
The plan, he said, is to showcase Cage Rage under the EliteXC banner as the top MMA brand in the U.K. The strategy is part of a venture aimed at joining fighters and organizations from all over the world and featuring them on ProElite.com and Showtime.
With a boomerang grin, Shaw elaborated on that vision.
"We want to help Cage Rage be the premier brand in the U.K., no matter who comes here," said Shaw, who was attending his second show promoted by the English organization. "Everybody's going to know this is really Cage Rage's home."
The event showcased Paul Daley (Pictures)'s technical knockout over prominent Brit Mark Weir (Pictures). Between Daley and Jake Shields (Pictures), Shaw said EliteXC has two of the top-five welterweights in the world.
However, a clash is unlikely at the moment.
"I don't know that Paul and Jake are going to be mixing it up in November because I think they are two enormous stars that are still building," Shaw said. "But that is definitely a huge fight on the horizon. You can't forget we have Mike Pyle (Pictures) too."
A Daley-Shields bout would have title implications in both EliteXC and Cage Rage, but Shaw said Daley has also expressed a desire to fight Nick Diaz (Pictures) at 160 pounds.
Diaz is one of EliteXC's largest assets, though the 24-year-old UFC and PRIDE veteran from Stockton, Calif., has been outspoken in his views on marijuana, a subject Shaw did not want to take a stand on.
"Nick probably shouldn't be so vocal about it, but you know a man's choices are his own choices," said Shaw, who hoped Diaz had either learned from his Nevada State Athletic Commission suspension for a positive drug test or was ready to live with future repercussions.
Shaw was also quick to reassert his father's position on fighter safety being a central concern of EliteXC. Despite the U.K. having no regulation, he pointed to his father's stint on the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board as evidence that EliteXC and its sister promotions will feature healthy fighters.
This issue of fighter safety had been raised recently when Gary Shaw suggested additional weight classes might be needed. UFC president Dana White sharply criticized the suggestion.
"Gary Shaw is a f------ moron," White told Yahoo!'s Dave Doyle. "One of the reasons the fans love UFC is because there's only five weight classes and you know who is the real champion in each class. The stuff he wants to do in MMA are exactly the same thing they've done to ruin boxing."
Addressing White's criticism, the son did not shy away from the fray.
"You don't like our weight divisions," Shaw said. "You said we're changing the rules. Then why is Rich Clementi (Pictures) fighting a 177-pound catch-weight fight [in the UFC]? Don't tell me it's because you guys had two days' notice. Find a guy that is 170 pounds. Otherwise just don't open your mouth."
The issue of weight classes affected EliteXC at its Sept. 15 event, when Gina Carano (Pictures) appeared severely dehydrated at 141 pounds before her bout, which Shaw said was contracted at 140 pounds. The subject will be discussed with Carano, said Shaw, who added that ultimately Carano and her team decide at what weight she competes.
With Cage Rage, King of the Cage, Rumble on the Rock, Icon Sport and Spirit MC under the EliteXC banner now, the Shaws have more than enough fighters to worry about. However, EliteXC's growing roster is a source of optimism for the organization's vice president.
"Remember we've only been a company for eight months, and we've already made enormous strides," Shaw said before echoing something White has expressed each year since taking control of the UFC in 2001. "So the next year is going to be amazing for us."
The father-and-son tandem was dressed in stark contrast. Gary sported his usual red EliteXC track jacket and heavyweight watch while Jared wore a sharp, appropriately colored black-and-blue suit for the Sept. 22 night of fights.
Appearing on the Wembley Arena's multiple big screens, Jared -- who was bold enough to put heavyweight Ian Freeman (Pictures) on the spot by inquiring about a comeback -- described his vision for EliteXC's expansion.
The plan, he said, is to showcase Cage Rage under the EliteXC banner as the top MMA brand in the U.K. The strategy is part of a venture aimed at joining fighters and organizations from all over the world and featuring them on ProElite.com and Showtime.
With a boomerang grin, Shaw elaborated on that vision.
"We want to help Cage Rage be the premier brand in the U.K., no matter who comes here," said Shaw, who was attending his second show promoted by the English organization. "Everybody's going to know this is really Cage Rage's home."
The event showcased Paul Daley (Pictures)'s technical knockout over prominent Brit Mark Weir (Pictures). Between Daley and Jake Shields (Pictures), Shaw said EliteXC has two of the top-five welterweights in the world.
However, a clash is unlikely at the moment.
"I don't know that Paul and Jake are going to be mixing it up in November because I think they are two enormous stars that are still building," Shaw said. "But that is definitely a huge fight on the horizon. You can't forget we have Mike Pyle (Pictures) too."
A Daley-Shields bout would have title implications in both EliteXC and Cage Rage, but Shaw said Daley has also expressed a desire to fight Nick Diaz (Pictures) at 160 pounds.
Diaz is one of EliteXC's largest assets, though the 24-year-old UFC and PRIDE veteran from Stockton, Calif., has been outspoken in his views on marijuana, a subject Shaw did not want to take a stand on.
"Nick probably shouldn't be so vocal about it, but you know a man's choices are his own choices," said Shaw, who hoped Diaz had either learned from his Nevada State Athletic Commission suspension for a positive drug test or was ready to live with future repercussions.
Shaw was also quick to reassert his father's position on fighter safety being a central concern of EliteXC. Despite the U.K. having no regulation, he pointed to his father's stint on the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board as evidence that EliteXC and its sister promotions will feature healthy fighters.
This issue of fighter safety had been raised recently when Gary Shaw suggested additional weight classes might be needed. UFC president Dana White sharply criticized the suggestion.
"Gary Shaw is a f------ moron," White told Yahoo!'s Dave Doyle. "One of the reasons the fans love UFC is because there's only five weight classes and you know who is the real champion in each class. The stuff he wants to do in MMA are exactly the same thing they've done to ruin boxing."
Addressing White's criticism, the son did not shy away from the fray.
"You don't like our weight divisions," Shaw said. "You said we're changing the rules. Then why is Rich Clementi (Pictures) fighting a 177-pound catch-weight fight [in the UFC]? Don't tell me it's because you guys had two days' notice. Find a guy that is 170 pounds. Otherwise just don't open your mouth."
The issue of weight classes affected EliteXC at its Sept. 15 event, when Gina Carano (Pictures) appeared severely dehydrated at 141 pounds before her bout, which Shaw said was contracted at 140 pounds. The subject will be discussed with Carano, said Shaw, who added that ultimately Carano and her team decide at what weight she competes.
With Cage Rage, King of the Cage, Rumble on the Rock, Icon Sport and Spirit MC under the EliteXC banner now, the Shaws have more than enough fighters to worry about. However, EliteXC's growing roster is a source of optimism for the organization's vice president.
"Remember we've only been a company for eight months, and we've already made enormous strides," Shaw said before echoing something White has expressed each year since taking control of the UFC in 2001. "So the next year is going to be amazing for us."