Kimbo fight being investigated as a 'fix'

[Tez3]

http://mmapayout.com/2008/10/report-kimbo-vs-petruzelli-fight-officially-under-investigation/

Interesting but not good for the sport.

[Brian R. VanCise]

http://mmapayout.com/2008/10/report-kimbo-vs-petruzelli-fight-officially-under-investigation/

Interesting but not good for the sport.

Well I believe the fix is being investigated based on what Petruzelli said about being asked to keep it standing and not go to the ground. (ie. possibly the promoters were asking him to keep it standing because that is Kimbo's strength or perceived strength)

[JadecloudAlchemist]

I don't know if it was fixed having watched the fight I think Kimbo got caught.

But to play conspiracy theory:

Shamrock got injured to make way for this fighter.
Alot of hype built for this new fighter.
Said fighter makes a claim on radio that it was fixed.
Looking at the Shawn Gannon fight it would appear Kimbo could endure more of a beating.

But I really think Kimbo got caught and maybe a rematch would settle this or Kimbo fighting a real good fighter would end all this conspiracy.

[crushing]

The result was fixed, so that means they think Slice may have took a dive? Is that why the other guy was encourage to keep it on the feet, because Slice has such awesome ground game and submission skills that throwing the fight while on the ground wouldn't be as believable?

BTW, who may be Slice's next opponent (http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/11028801)?

[terryl965]

Sasquacth should be a good one.

[tshadowchaser]

It is never good for any sport when people start thinking anything is fixed

I think he just caught one that stuned him but I also think he would have got back up if it had been allowed to go on a little longer

[punisher73]

I don't think it was "fixed" like you see in pro-wrestling where the winner is predetermined. But, it would not surprise me that the promotors asked him to keep it standing if he could.

That has happened in the past before as well. With Kimbo's last fight they brought in someone with a questionable chin but looked bigger than Kimbo to again build the hype. Kimbo could NOT put him away right away and almost lost on the ground. There were many fans after that fight that complained that the ref favored Kimbo and did what he could to help with the win.

Kimbo has no career with true MMA fans, but newcomers to MMA don't really know the difference and it will hurt the sport on network tv.

[Kreth]

I don't know if it was fixed having watched the fight I think Kimbo got caught.
That's what it looked like to me. The other guy guy in a lucky headshot as Slice was shooting.

[Nolerama]

Regardless, I think this furthers my belief/opinion that Kimbo shouldn't be in professional MMA.

I do think it's kind of ironic that the camera panned to Hulk Hogan just before the match.

[Tez3]

I don't think it was "fixed" like you see in pro-wrestling where the winner is predetermined. But, it would not surprise me that the promotors asked him to keep it standing if he could.

That has happened in the past before as well. With Kimbo's last fight they brought in someone with a questionable chin but looked bigger than Kimbo to again build the hype. Kimbo could NOT put him away right away and almost lost on the ground. There were many fans after that fight that complained that the ref favored Kimbo and did what he could to help with the win.

Kimbo has no career with true MMA fans, but newcomers to MMA don't really know the difference and it will hurt the sport on network tv.

I have to agree. We get enough flak as it is and for those of us who are working our socks off trying to make this a decent respectable sport it's a kick in the teeth.

[theletch1]

I have to agree. We get enough flak as it is and for those of us who are working our socks off trying to make this a decent respectable sport it's a kick in the teeth.
Socks? You wear socks when you're competing? ;)

I, too, have to agree on Kimbo not belonging in the professional arena. My wife and I were watching a UFC event this weekend and were very impressed by the sportsmanship and humility of the vast majority of contestants after the fights. Honor, even if it is as I've been told, an antiquated concept is still very important in my eyes. My fear for MMA as a sport is that guys like Dana White are going to ruin it with showmanship for a quick buck.

[Tez3]

Socks? You wear socks when you're competing? ;)

I, too, have to agree on Kimbo not belonging in the professional arena. My wife and I were watching a UFC event this weekend and were very impressed by the sportsmanship and humility of the vast majority of contestants after the fights. Honor, even if it is as I've been told, an antiquated concept is still very important in my eyes. My fear for MMA as a sport is that guys like Dana White are going to ruin it with showmanship for a quick buck.


Me too old to compete lol! I wear socks when running around promoting, cornering and reffing.
Look out for the UFC from Birmingham! (The original Brum in England that is!)

[AceHBK]

I do think it's kind of ironic that the camera panned to Hulk Hogan just before the match.

:rofl:

[terryl965]

So it was fix, is anybody surprise about it. Kimbo is an urban legend beating on people with no experience. In side the ring he is over matched and out numbered by more qualify people, he never had a chance, the promoters saw money in him and that was the only reason he was taken to matches, no formal training and hopes of competing. Now that is sad.

[punisher73]

So it was fix, is anybody surprise about it. Kimbo is an urban legend beating on people with no experience. In side the ring he is over matched and out numbered by more qualify people, he never had a chance, the promoters saw money in him and that was the only reason he was taken to matches, no formal training and hopes of competing. Now that is sad.

After getting the deal with EliteXC, Kimbo has been training with Bas Rutten. Bas has said that he has a strong work ethic and is willing to learn, but still has a lot to learn.

[tko4u]

I am on the fence here. On one hand, I was suprised that Kimbo got dropped by that shot, after all, on his youtube video, he dropped his hands and let the guy hit him DEAD in the jaw 2 times. But, I have seen fighters get dropped by glancing blows before. I think them offering seth more money to stand was just their attempt to see a brawl instead of a lay and gay situation.

[Andrew Green]

Ok, just to clarify something here.

They aren't suggesting the fight was fixed for Kimbo to lose, they are investigating that it was fixed in Kimbo's favour.

[bluekey88]

Exactluy, you gotta love the beautiful irony of that though....if, in fact, the fix was in...I would've loved ot have been a fly on the wall of the guys who set it up when the fight happened :D

Peace,
Erik

[DavidCC]

The idea that the offering of various bonus plans for differnet outcomes constitutes "a fix" is absurd. Fixing a fight is when a fighter is paid to lose. No such thing happened.

Now if this ridiculous story at MMAPAYOUT had said they were investigating the propriety of offering these bonus plans, that would be a story (and an investigation) that made sense.

But the "KO Bonus" and similar are not unusual in MMA. TUF offers a cash bonus to any fighter who gets a sub or KO, yet nobody accuses Dana White of fixing those fights.

The promoters at EXC know that the CBS audience is not a sophisticated consumer of MMA, specifically of what makes MMA different from kickboxing or boxing - GRAPPLING. So they setup the matches to give the audience what they want - medicore striking.

Personally, I watch MMA for the jujutsu. Anymore I prefer ADCC DVDs over UFC PPVs. I hope Randy breaks Lesnar's arm, that guy has no business in the top ranks, did you see that Hering fight? 'Me big! me pound! me win! GRRR!" boring. Need more like GSP, BJ, etc

[theletch1]

I am on the fence here. On one hand, I was suprised that Kimbo got dropped by that shot, after all, on his youtube video, he dropped his hands and let the guy hit him DEAD in the jaw 2 times. But, I have seen fighters get dropped by glancing blows before. I think them offering seth more money to stand was just their attempt to see a brawl instead of a lay and gay situation.
Just a heads up. The last time someone referred to grappling as "lay and gay" they were resoundingly thrashed. While folks that don't study ground arts may, indeed, not see the tactical aspects of the art, those of us who are truly martial artists know that grapplers train just as hard as the rest of us and shouldn't be denigrated with a phrase like that. I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[sgtmac_46]

After getting the deal with EliteXC, Kimbo has been training with Bas Rutten. Bas has said that he has a strong work ethic and is willing to learn, but still has a lot to learn. A lot to learn.....at an age when many guys are peaking looking toward not-to-distant retirement.

That's Kimbo's biggest problem, he's a novice fighter at an age when he should be at the top of his game.

[sgtmac_46]

I think this 'fix' argument is, from a lot of quarters, coming from Kimbo fans who can ACCEPT Kimbo taking a dive, but not being knocked out by some no-name......perverse, I know, but I think it's true.

The only 'fix' here was Elite XC trying to fix the style and tone of the fight, i.e. keep it on their feet, and hopefully in Kimbo's favor.........there is NO WAY that Elite XC wanted THIS OUTCOME, i.e. Kimbo getting knocked out mere seconds after the bell!

[Tez3]

I think this 'fix' argument is, from a lot of quarters, coming from Kimbo fans who can ACCEPT Kimbo taking a dive, but not being knocked out by some no-name......perverse, I know, but I think it's true.

The only 'fix' here was Elite XC trying to fix the style and tone of the fight, i.e. keep it on their feet, and hopefully in Kimbo's favor.........there is NO WAY that Elite XC wanted THIS OUTCOME, i.e. Kimbo getting knocked out mere seconds after the bell!

That's what makes it so funny though isn't it!

[crushing]

Ok, just to clarify something here.

They aren't suggesting the fight was fixed for Kimbo to lose, they are investigating that it was fixed in Kimbo's favour.

I thought they were suggesting that, but it is kind of difficult to understand how a fixed fight would have a completely different outcome from the fix.

[Tez3]

Whatever the outcome of the fight I think it's the 'conspiring to influence the outcome of the fight' part they are looking at. I can't imagine the bookmakers are too happy either!

[buldog]

the real funny thing was that the promoter- I don't recall his name maybe Lappen???- reportedly rushed the cage screaming about Slice being hit with an illegal blow. A 14 second loss was not in their game plan for the "man who will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime" (unless he is handpicked) Imagine seeing millions of dollars disappearing in the blink of an eye. They just learned a real big lesson about combat sports- anyone can- and does- win.

[Skpotamus]

The whole thing has come from a Seth Petruzelli interview he did after the kimbo fight.
Petruzelli: "The promoters kinda hinted to me and they gave me the money to stand and throw with him, they didn't want me to take him down. Let's just put it that way. It was worth my while to try and stand up punch him."

The promotors definitely tried to stack the fight in Kimbo's favor. A lightheavyweight, outweighed by 40lbs. Asked to fight the other guys fight instead of taking him down and pounding him out.

It does seem odd that they would ask a kickboxer (petruzelli has fought in K1 before) who has won every fight he's ever won in MMA by (T)KO to stay standing. Although petruzelli probably could have taken kimbo down and put him out too.

The sad thing is I have some friends at work that are convinced kimbo was upset that shamrock pulled out and decided he just wanted out instead of fighting petruzelli. It's easier for them to accept that he punked out than he got caught.

[sgtmac_46]

That's what makes it so funny though isn't it! OH YEAH! :lfao:

[punisher73]

But the "KO Bonus" and similar are not unusual in MMA. TUF offers a cash bonus to any fighter who gets a sub or KO, yet nobody accuses Dana White of fixing those fights.



There is a slight difference here. Dana White gives bonuses on the TUF for fighters who FINISH the fight whether that is sub or KO. He doesn't tell his fighters to not take it to the ground or to not trade punches, or try to influence the WAY the fight will go.

[Skpotamus]

As a side note, EliteXC has thrown in the towel, filed bankruptcy and cancelled their next show.

They're done as of now.


http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/nov-8-elitexc-cancels-pro-elite-folds-14860

[BrandonLucas]

I don't have anything to back this up, but I heard that Kimbo's camp made threats to Seth Petruzelli and his wife. Anyone else hear this? Or are my buddies at work making stuff up?

[Skpotamus]

Right after he got KO'ed, his "posse" threatened seth and his wife. Seth mentioned it in one of the interviews he had.