Ok so as well all know heads have been turning over at EliteXC for the last two weeks in order to get the company headed in the right direction and back in the black financially. Now in an interview with 5Oz.of Pain new EliteXC CEO Charles Champion talks about a number of issues hurting EliteXC. When he was asked about Jared Shaw remaining with the company even though his father was gone Champion said the following, "Jared has been with the company from the beginning. Gary has often said that it was really Jared that brought Gary into it. Jared has continued to work on making matches and continue to promote ProElite and ProElite athletes. He’s continuing to work with the fight team. I haven’t talked to Jared about what he’s going to be doing ten years from now but I have talked to Jared about what he’s going to be doing for the next while with us. He’s enthusiastic and others are enthusiastic about his approach and what he’s doing now, so we think that is all going to work out well."
When asked about a writer's (Steve Sievert) opinion on EliteXC not having a leader to lead the company in the right direction he also said,
If you’re saying the guy at the top of the organization now — the Chairman and the CEO of the company — doesn’t have an in-depth background in MMA, the guy is absolutely 100% right. But I’m surrounded by people who have been in this sport since its inception and have been executive positions, managerial positions, and leadership positions from the very beginning."
If you’re saying the guy at the top of the organization now — the Chairman and the CEO of the company — doesn’t have an in-depth background in MMA, the guy is absolutely 100% right. But I’m surrounded by people who have been in this sport since its inception and have been executive positions, managerial positions, and leadership positions from the very beginning."
"My 2 Cents"
I haven't done this in a while but, does this guy know what he just admitted? Mixed Martial Arts fans who read every interview and piece information together will use this whole interview as cannon fodder for EliteXC bashing. At one point towards the end of the interview he admits to never watching any of The Ultimate Fighter or the UFC before coming into ProElite. If at any time the company needed a leader who everyone will go to battle with its now. Talking kindly of Dana White is not the way to go especially if you want fans who do not like the UFC on your side. If CBS looks at EliteXC as a TV show and not a long term investment they will fold this year as rumored. To be honest they do have a lot of former UFC fighters to peak the fans interests but no former Pride fighters to get older fans as interested to watch. New fans that tune in just to watch Kimbo will do just that and will not watch events with out him as they did not last Saturday night. EliteXC has to make its roster bigger and get other people who can get ratings Tito Ortiz is still technically out there for 3 more days until he can speak to Affliction. Lets hope they actually make a run for some fighters with ratings draws in the near future.
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