|
|
  - ELITEXC INVESTIGATION CLOSED, SUSPICIONS LINGER
Thursday, October 23, 2008 - by Tom Hamlin & Ivan Trembow - MMAWeekly.com
After a 13-day long investigation into allegations of fight fixing by the now-defunct MMA organization EliteXC, the Florida State Boxing Commission has concluded that no wrongdoing has occurred.
Alexis Antonacci, press secretary for the Florida Department of Business and Regulation, released the findings on Thursday.
FSBC Executive Director Thomas Molloy began the investigation on Oct. 8 after hearing a rumor that Seth Petruzelli, the last minute fill-in for Ken Shamrock on Oct. 4’s “Heat,” had been paid to keep the fight standing.
The initial investigation was to determine whether commission rule 548.058, addressing “Sham or Collusive Contests,” was violated.
Mr. Molloy interviewed Petruzelli, who said only that EliteXC officials told him to “just do your best.” Petruzelli further stated that the comments he made on a Florida talk radio show implying a fixed fight were “misconstrued” by listeners.
Mr. Molloy subsequently reviewed Petruzelli’s bout agreement and found no evidence of any additional bonuses other than a “win” bonus of $15,000.
Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Keith Kizer and California State Athletic Commission Executive Armando Garcia were also reportedly asked if they had any past problems with EliteXC. Both said no.
Kizer did have enough suspicion in the matter to address it at a Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting on Wednesday in Las Vegas, where ProElite CEO Chuck Champion and in-house counsel Keith Wallner were on the phone.
The NSAC executive director said that he previously spoke with ProElite representatives and was told that the reports of Petruzelli being paid to stand up were completely untrue, and that nothing improper occurred.
However, Kizer said that about two weeks ago, he had a conversation with someone from ProElite whom he did not name. As later recalled in comments to MMAWeekly, Kizer recounted, "Someone affiliated with ProElite told me that the fighter (Kimbo) or his camp said that he had not been training to fight a Muay Thai specialist and thus he had not trained to defend Muay Thai-style kicks, so that he would agree to fight the proposed opponent if the opponent agreed not to use any such kicks, and that information was told to that opponent."
After recalling this information during the NSAC's meeting on Wednesday, Kizer said that he was curious to ask Champion and Wallner if there was any truth to that. Wallner essentially said that he had never heard of anything like that. Champion said that he was present for the negotiations, and that nothing like that happened in his presence, and that nothing at all improper happened in his presence. Champion said that both fighters did have a knockout bonus, but that is standard in the industry and that approximately 30 to 40 percent of ProElite's fighters had knockout bonuses in their contracts.
EliteXC consultant, T.Jay Thompson, the former owner of ICON Sport, told MMAWeekly.com on Monday, “I don’t have a smoking gun, (but) I’ve been around long enough; I’ve talked to enough people that were there, I won’t name names of executives in the company that I know. Seth was paid to stand up. I’m confident of that. If the commission wants to talk to me, I’ll tell them what I know.”
EliteXC executives Jeremy Lappen and J.T. Steele also told Molloy that no fix had occurred.
“The preliminary investigation concluded that there was no legal sufficiency to the claimed violation of 548.058 (1), F.S and therefore no need to move forward with a full investigation,” Antonacci stated.
The investigation is now closed.
BACK TO THE NEWS
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Related Articles :
- - VILLASENOR TALKS ELITEXC AND WHAT COMES NEXT (Wednesday, October 22, 2008)
For the second time in three months Joey Villasenor had a fight pulled from under him, except this time it's left him with no promotion to fight for and he's ready to move on...
- - CAGE RAGE'S DAVE O'DONNELL TO FORGE AHEAD (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)
Despite the downfall of ProElite, Inc., the parent company of Britain's Cage Rage promotion, co-founder Dave O'Donnell vows that the promotion he started will move forward in one form or another...
- - ELITEXC CHAMP JAKE SHIELDS EYES FUTURE AND UFC (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)
Top welterweight Jake Shields spoke exclusively to MMAWeekly.com about the shutdown of EliteXC and his hopes of landing with the UFC for his next fight...
- - ELITEXC INSIDER DETAILS COMPANY'S DOWNFALL (Tuesday, October 21, 2008)
In an interview with MMAWeekly.com Monday evening, Icon Sport founder T.J. Thompson said crisis management, or lack thereof, brought Pro Elite down.
- - CBS RATINGS NOT ENOUGH, ELITEXC CLOSING UP SHOP (Monday, October 20, 2008)
Various industry sources have confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that ProElite, Inc., the parent company of EliteXC, King of the Cage, Cage Rage, and others, is set to cease operations this week...
- - FINAL ELITEXC GATE REVENUE & MED SUSPENSIONS (Wednesday, October 15, 2008)
The Florida State Boxing Commission on Tuesday released the final gate figures and medical suspensions for EliteXC’s “Heat” on Oct. 4 at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla. ...
- - DETAILING THE KIMBO-PETRUZELLI INVESTIGATION (Tuesday, October 14, 2008)
Last week, the Florida State Boxing Commission opened a preliminary investigation into allegations of fight fixing in the main event of EliteXC’s “Heat” between Seth Petruzelli and Kimbo Slice...
- - FLORIDA OPENS UP INVESTIGATION INTO KIMBO FIGHT (Friday, October 10, 2008)
After a tidal wave of criticism from MMA fans and media, the Florida State Boxing Commission has opened a preliminary investigation into Seth Petruzelli’s comments about his fight at EliteXC’s "Heat"...
- - LAPPEN ISSUES DEFINITIVE STATEMENT ON KIMBO KO? (Thursday, October 09, 2008)
EliteXC's head of fight operations, Jeremy Lappen, has issued what, he probably hopes, is the definitive statement on the controversy swarming Seth Petruzelli's post-fight comments on a Florida radio station...
- - MMAWEEKLY.COM LAUNCHES MMA INSIDER BLOG (Wednesday, October 08, 2008)
MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday launched its latest effort to provide even more information for the fans that constantly want to know more about their favorite stars from the UFC, WEC, EliteXC, Dream, Strikeforce, Affliction, and more… the MMAWeekly.com MMA Insider Blog...
- - PETRUZELLI TALKS PAYOFF AND FUTURE WITH ELITEXC (Wednesday, October 08, 2008)
New EliteXC star Seth Petruzelli talks to MMAWeekly.com about his sudden rise to fame, the payoff controversy raised recently, and his ideas for his future with EliteXC...
- - FLORIDA COMMISSION: NO IMPROPRIETY BY ELITEXC (Tuesday, October 07, 2008)
Seth Petruzelli’s comments to an Orlando talk radio show on Monday sparked an avalanche of criticism from fans and pundits who believed EliteXC had attempted to influence the outcome of his fight with Kimbo Slice. The Florida commission witnessed no such improprieties...
- - ELITE XC VP DENIES PAYOFF TO PETRUZELLI (Tuesday, October 07, 2008)
Elite XC VP Jared Shaw responds to an earlier report from Seth Petruzelli insinuating that he was offered a bonus to stand and trade, and avoid the ground game, in his fight with Kimbo Slice on Saturday night...
- - ELITEXC FIGHTER SALARIES: THE $500,000 KIMBO KO (Monday, October 06, 2008)
Despite his losing effort, Kimbo Slice was a big winner at the bank after Saturday night's loss, pulling in $500,000 for his 14-second appearance on CBS-EliteXC Saturday Night Fights...
- - CBS EXEC "VERY HAPPY" WITH EARLY ELITEXC RATINGS (Sunday, October 05, 2008)
Kelly Kahl, Senior Executive Vice President for CBS Primetime Television, has revealed preliminary ratings for EliteXC’s “Heat,” which took place Saturday night in Sunrise, Fla. and says he is "very happy" with the initial results...
Copyright 2009 MMA Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of MMA Weekly content is expressly prohibited without expressed written consent of MMA Weekly. MMA Weekly will not be liable for any errors in content or any action taken in reliance thereof.
|
|
|
|
