EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw announced during a teleconference today that the Saturday, Sept. 15 bout between EliteXC Middleweight Champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Icon Sport Middleweight Champion Robbie Lawler will unify the two titles. “One fighter will walk out with both belts," Shaw said. The bout, which will headline EliteXC “Uprising” at the Blaisdell Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, will be contested under unified MMA rules.
A product of the storied Chute Boxe camp in Brazil, Rua (14-7-1) defeated Joey Villasenor by second-round TKO to win the vacant EliteXC middleweight crown at Strikeforce/EliteXC “Shamrock vs. Baroni” in June. He has reeled off three consecutive victories since his 15-second knockout loss to Denis Kang at PRIDE “Bushido 11” in June 2006.
Lawler (14-4), meanwhile, has won six of his past seven fights, including three straight. He knocked out highly regarded Frank Trigg for the Icon Sport middleweight championship at Icon Sport “Epic” in March. Eleven of the heavy-handed 25-year-old’s 14 career wins have come via KO or TKO.
Other items of interest from the teleconference included:
• EliteXC parent company ProElite has filed letters of intent to acquire the King of the Cage and Icon Sport promotions, according to Shaw, who was in England finalizing the company’s acquisition of Cage Rage. In addition, Shaw confirmed a partnership between ProElite and the South Korea-based Spirit MC promotion;
• Shaw indicated a unification bout between the Rua/Lawler winner and Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Frank Shamrock was possible. “There’s nothing stopping our fighters from fighting anybody,” he said. “EliteXC is inclusive and not exclusive.” Shamrock submitted Phil Baroni to win the vacant Strikeforce title in June;
• EliteXC has not had any contract discussions with PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi. However, Shaw admitted he would like to see a rematch between Gomi and Nick Diaz, so the Californian could prove his submission victory at PRIDE 33 earlier this year was “not a fluke” and that “he is the superior fighter.” Diaz will make his EliteXC debut at "Uprising" against Mike Aina;
• EliteXC has its eyes on three unnamed female mixed martial artists who could conceivably challenge Gina Carano. None of the three have been signed, but Shaw promised an announcement by the Sept. 15 show;
• Plans are in the works for 8-10 ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series events in 2008;
• Lawler said his recent split from longtime mentor Pat Miletich has not affected training for his bout with Rua. The middleweight recently announced plans to open a gym with former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes. “I know I couldn’t concentrate [on the fight with Rua] and opening the new gym at the same time,” Lawler said. The knockout artist will continue to train with Miletich in the interim;
• Rua put to bed rumors of his potential departure from the Chute Boxe Academy. “They’re just rumors. I’m happy with Chute Boxe, and I don’t have plans to leave the camp,” he said;
• Welterweight contender Jake Shields said he has no plans to fight Trigg any time soon. The two had a verbal agreement to collide in San Francisco this fall, according to Shields, but a contract never materialized. “The promoter said Frank quit returning phone calls,” Shields said. “At this point, it’s not a fight worth pursuing.” However, Shields confirmed his willingness to move up to 185 pounds to fight Trigg in the future;
• Shields trains sporadically with the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., sparring with UFC welterweight contenders Jon Fitch and Mike Swick;
• Carano believes her recent move to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nev., has already had a profound impact on her development as a mixed martial artist. “I didn’t have anybody to put my MMA game together,” Carano said. “When I went over [to Xtreme Couture], it all got put together for me. Everyone there is amazing.”
A product of the storied Chute Boxe camp in Brazil, Rua (14-7-1) defeated Joey Villasenor by second-round TKO to win the vacant EliteXC middleweight crown at Strikeforce/EliteXC “Shamrock vs. Baroni” in June. He has reeled off three consecutive victories since his 15-second knockout loss to Denis Kang at PRIDE “Bushido 11” in June 2006.
Lawler (14-4), meanwhile, has won six of his past seven fights, including three straight. He knocked out highly regarded Frank Trigg for the Icon Sport middleweight championship at Icon Sport “Epic” in March. Eleven of the heavy-handed 25-year-old’s 14 career wins have come via KO or TKO.
Other items of interest from the teleconference included:
• EliteXC parent company ProElite has filed letters of intent to acquire the King of the Cage and Icon Sport promotions, according to Shaw, who was in England finalizing the company’s acquisition of Cage Rage. In addition, Shaw confirmed a partnership between ProElite and the South Korea-based Spirit MC promotion;
• Shaw indicated a unification bout between the Rua/Lawler winner and Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Frank Shamrock was possible. “There’s nothing stopping our fighters from fighting anybody,” he said. “EliteXC is inclusive and not exclusive.” Shamrock submitted Phil Baroni to win the vacant Strikeforce title in June;
• EliteXC has not had any contract discussions with PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi. However, Shaw admitted he would like to see a rematch between Gomi and Nick Diaz, so the Californian could prove his submission victory at PRIDE 33 earlier this year was “not a fluke” and that “he is the superior fighter.” Diaz will make his EliteXC debut at "Uprising" against Mike Aina;
• EliteXC has its eyes on three unnamed female mixed martial artists who could conceivably challenge Gina Carano. None of the three have been signed, but Shaw promised an announcement by the Sept. 15 show;
• Plans are in the works for 8-10 ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series events in 2008;
• Lawler said his recent split from longtime mentor Pat Miletich has not affected training for his bout with Rua. The middleweight recently announced plans to open a gym with former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes. “I know I couldn’t concentrate [on the fight with Rua] and opening the new gym at the same time,” Lawler said. The knockout artist will continue to train with Miletich in the interim;
• Rua put to bed rumors of his potential departure from the Chute Boxe Academy. “They’re just rumors. I’m happy with Chute Boxe, and I don’t have plans to leave the camp,” he said;
• Welterweight contender Jake Shields said he has no plans to fight Trigg any time soon. The two had a verbal agreement to collide in San Francisco this fall, according to Shields, but a contract never materialized. “The promoter said Frank quit returning phone calls,” Shields said. “At this point, it’s not a fight worth pursuing.” However, Shields confirmed his willingness to move up to 185 pounds to fight Trigg in the future;
• Shields trains sporadically with the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., sparring with UFC welterweight contenders Jon Fitch and Mike Swick;
• Carano believes her recent move to Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nev., has already had a profound impact on her development as a mixed martial artist. “I didn’t have anybody to put my MMA game together,” Carano said. “When I went over [to Xtreme Couture], it all got put together for me. Everyone there is amazing.”