LEGENDARY KEN SHAMROCK MAKES ELITEXC DEBUT MARCH 8 ON HISTORIC NIGHT ON SHOWTIME
MMA Pioneer Will Highlight Four-Fight Telecast Immediately Following
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Cruiserweight Unification Bout
During Unprecedented Night Of Sports Television on Premium Network
NEW YORK (Feb. 16, 2008) – On Saturday, March 8, SHOWTIME will present an unprecidented night of unarmed combat action with back-to-back sports telecasts featuring boxing and mixed martial arts. The evening begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT with live world championship boxing followed by an explosive MMA event from global partner EliteXC. Both exciting events will take place in London and air back-to-back on SHOWTIME.
Widely recognized as the leader in premium sports television, SHOWTIME made history on Feb. 10, 2007, when it became the first premium network to televise mixed martial arts (MMA). Now, fans will witness the classic power of boxing followed by the fresh, raw excitement of mixed martial arts—two major events on one special night.
“I have always believed that boxing and MMA are the perfect complement to one another,” said Ken Hershman, the Showtime executive behind MMA’s move to premium television. “We have seen strong crossover appeal to the core demographic for both boxing and MMA. March 8 is the prefect way to build on that success.”
Talk about a one-two punch! At 9 p.m. ET/PT, live from the O2 Arena (delayed on the West Coast), SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will present WBO cruiserweight world champion Enzo Maccarinelli against fellow world champion David Haye (WBA and WBC) in a highly anticipated unification bout between the British compatriots. It’s an important night for the division and, with an expected live crowd of 20,000, a fight fan’s dream match-up of offensive-minded brawling Brits.
In the second-half of the televised twinbill, legendary Ken “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Shamrock returns to the cage to face Britain’s Robert “Buzz” Berry in the main event of EliteXC Presents: Cage Rage 25 at Wembley Arena. The EliteXC telecast will air on a same-day delay immediately following the boxing telecast.
Shamrock, one of the true MMA legends, is looking forward to displaying his skills on SHOWTIME.
“I’m totally committed to getting back into the cage injury free and anxious about fighting in England and on SHOWTIME for the first time,” Shamrock said. “Fight fans in England are a special breed and they are going to be treated to a very special show. Give me a fight or two and I will be ready to fight anybody.”
Shamrock, one of the most popular heavyweights on the planet, has defeated the likes of such MMA greats as Bas Rutten, Maurice Smith, Dan “The Beast” Severn and Kimo.
An exciting night of EliteXC fights will include a featherweight title clash between Jean Silva and Masakazu Imanari, UK heavyweight contender Gary Turner versus Mustapha Alturk and Pierre Guillet against Tom “Kong” Watson in a middleweight match.
In a non-televised fight March 8, Shamrock’s son, Ryan, will take on Giorgio Andrews.
“It is very exciting for both Ryan and me,” the older Shamrock said. “We will be making MMA history by being the first father and son to ever fight on the same card. This is a great opportunity we are getting with EliteXC and SHOWTIME.’’
For more information on this event, EliteXC and other MMA-related stories, including bios, video-on-demand, photos, stats, Fantasy Fight Game TM and more, please visit ProElite.com and EliteXC.com
For more information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video, photo galleries and complete telecast information, please visit our website http://www.SHO.com/Sports.
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About ProElite, Inc.
ProElite Inc. [PELE.PK] delivers the most exciting entertainment experience in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) with live arena-based entertainment events, cable television programming on Showtime Networks and community-driven interactive broadband entertainment via the Internet. ProElite embraces MMA with the highest levels of honor, integrity, discipline and self-esteem all the while remaining inclusive for fighters, fans and schools. ProElite’s live fight division, EliteXC, delivers spectacular live MMA fight events that showcase the world’s top fighters [elitexc.com]. ProElite’s interactive business, ProElite.com, capitalizes on the growing popularity of the sport of mixed martial arts by building a community of MMA enthusiasts. In addition to streaming the most exciting live fights to the web, ProElite expands the fan base of the sport by providing a comprehensive set of online social networking tools for fans, fighters and organizations. ProElite.com – Empowering the Fight Community TM
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL® HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL® ON DEMAND. SNI is also an owner and manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL®, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and SNI. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.