Video Claims EliteXC Fixed Kimbo Slice Fight

Bad officiating happens. Mature people need to accept it, and quit looking for -- or insinuating -- a scam every time it happens at a critical juncture, be it in MMA or the NBA.

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1. I thought he tapped in the first round when I was watching it live. Why didn't he continue trying to tap - he was out on his feet. It happens. Thompson lets up a little bit when he feels the tap and Kimbo comes back.

2. I remember him stepping in twice when Kimbo was in trouble.

3. Thompson was in full tomato can mode by that point - completely gassed. The fight should have been stopped before to save the sport from embarrassment. Thompson wasn't doing much damage, but Kimbo sure as hell wasn't "Intelligently defending himself" he could barely get up at the bell.

4. Last time I checked, blood that isn't in the eyes constricting vision has never been cause to stop a fight. It sure seemed like an easy out.

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I've heard a lot of people make accusations that EliteXC fixed this fight (and others), as shown by the actions of their ref and officials. The first potential problem with those accusations is that this was a sanctioned event - meaning all the accused parties aren't part of Elite, they're employees of the New Jersey state athletic commission. That isn't an absolute guarantee of integrity, obviously, but it does put an extra layer of insulation in there, questions any motive (short of a bribe) for the ref to cheat, and makes a 'fix' that much more difficult to assert with any credibility.

As to the specifics raised here:

1) I majorly doubt that was a tapout. At this point is there anyone who doesn't know to tap clearly and repeatedly? The last time I can recall someone tapping out with a single tap - that would have to be UFC 1 or 2. I find it very hard to believe that Slice would tap with a single arm touch, that the ref would see it as a tapout, or that Thompson would believe it was a tap and let go of the hold. Besides, if Thompson did let up, it's his own fault - you keep the hold applies until the ref stops the fight.

2) I only remember the one stepping in, and at the time I thought and said it was a quick standup. Eh, it happens. And he did warn Thompson before stepping in, and Thompson proceeded to just lay on him. I still think it was a bad restart, but oh well, that's life. Is it enough to think there's a fix? Not even freaking close.

3) This exchange showed how spectacularly mediocre Thompson is. Just good enough to get Slice pinned in a helpless position - and just bad enough to dish out a pathetically small amount of punishment. If there were even a couple elbows or punches in there with anything on them, it definitely would've been time to end it. Was Kimbo helpless? Absolutely. Was he in danger? Not at all. Since the punches and elbows were so incredibly weak, there was no reason to stop the fight.

4) At first, I didn't have a problem with the stoppage there. Then I've watched replays - and I think Miragliotta was correct to step in there. Between the eyes going blank, the stumbling, and the completely defenseless posture, he was clearly out on his feet and the only thing letting it go further would do is make him take unnecessary punishment. He was clearly done, why drag it out?

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Kimbo can only strike that is his only offense. He has no business in mixed martial arts. He will be exposed as soon as he faces a talented competitor.As far as the fight being fixed, it probably was, Elite&the media will ruin the sport.CBS cashed in along with NewJersey athletic commission very corrupt.

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I saw the fight and yes I thought I saw Kimbo tap Thompson in the first, but Thompson doesn't have the killer instinct and couldn't finish Kimbo whe on the floor. Now Kimbo went for the Homerun with the big punch on the ear and landed it, an all or nothing move since there was no way he was ending the fight on his feet if he kept fighting same way.
As far as the stoppage Thompson was done baby and if you look closely Kimbo was on his way to knocking him off big time and maybe tear his ear off with another blow.

I do believe that a more experienced fighter would level Kimbo in half a round at most.

I like MMA
Jerry

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Looks to me like he tapped out...was the ref sleeping?

http://www.fromthecage.com

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I am sure Kimbo's handlers will never let him in against a real opponent, too much money to be made against lower level opposition.

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Fixed, Fixed, Fixed, I saw it should have been called aginst him earlier...but they let the guy plummel for minutes w/o any defense...then what 2 punches and they call it..BS, will never watch another EliteXC fight again

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The ref did the right thing by stopping the match. The guy did have the look of a person with a concussion and the fight should have been stopped. I guess other people who disagree wanted to see the man dead or being carried out unconscious on a stretcher. There will be a re-match for sure.

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Its was pretty bad the way they kinda wanted kimbo to win.

They made it hard for Thompson. But Kimbo needed a win to keep elitexc in the game. He is becoming a huge star. Besides Thompson is no great fighter. This is not the biggest disgrace in sports. A little unfair but hey life is not fair.

He had his chances. He had to knock him out. But pretty unfair stopping the fight. Kimbo would have lost a decision.

In a sport where win or loose does not matter. Thompson will be better off loosing then never fighting at all.

Paul Gioffre
http://www.free-credit-card-logos.com

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There are a couple things wrong with reporter's assesment of the fight.

1) No, there is no MMA fighter with experience that would ever let go of his submission and assume he's won. Why? Because experienced fighters know that you must hold on until the ref grabbs you or says, "He's tapping, he's tapping." That is how you know that you have won. Watch any UFC fight and you'll see that. You haven't won until the ref says you have, so you keep holding or hitting.
3) It doesn't matter if Thompson's elbows and punches in the last minutes of the second round were not causing damage. Damage has nothing to do with the rules of MMA. If the opponent is not effectively defending himself, then the ref will declare a TKO. The rule exists not because the punches in question are killing the opponent. It exists because the next hit has the potential to kill the opponent if he's not defending himself. Period. Thompson could have been slapping Kimbo with love taps, and the ref (if he was worth a damn) would have to stop the fight. That's the rules. Anyone see Hughes versus BJ Penn last year? Hughes had BJ pinned solid and hit him with weak taps to the head. Penn was obviously ok and coherant and not damaged. But the ref had to stop the fight. It has nothing to do with damage. It's all about effectively defending yourself. Kimbo wasn't. Kimbo lost the fight if there was a ref who hadn't been paid off was in the ring.

That's just the facts and the rules, people. Cut and dry. The fight was rigged. And did anyone notice that when Thompson slapped/pushed the refs face away, that the announcers quickly said that was because he was disoriented? Ha, ha. Bull. Thompson was pissed and you could tell that he was getting some payback to the ref who cheated him. Awesome. He should have punched the ref.

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Kimbo's tapping I can see the ref not calling that, couldnt have been that good of a choke if Kimbo was still standing.

Standing them up was bull, but Thompson wasn't doing much and probly wasn't going to go anywhere.

Thompson was blasting Kimbo with the bows, usually every fight ive seen the ref calls it after about 8-10 bows to the face.

Oh my favorite a guy takes 2 steps back after getting puched in the face, so lets call the fight.

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The problem with the Kimbo vs. Thompson contest was not the officiating; it was that it was shamefully overhyped by the network. The fight between the two women competitors was a much better fight!

Wow, the Gracie clan must really be licking their lips right now, waiting for the time and money to get right to pick the EliteXC cherries!

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The show was a joke.... From the rappers to the quick stoppages. CBS was trying to cover their a$$ and ruined the show. The event on Sunday from WEC was 10 times better.

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A total fix. I've been to over 40 MMA fights and I just happen to be an entertainment marketing executive ... and I've never seen anything like this debacle. The league needs to make Kimbo a big name, hence, big marketing dollars, merchandising dollars and huge venue revenue. If Kimbo gets beat, he becomes the defeated street fighter that lacks the skill to be a "true" MMA fighter. Something most insiders knew from the beginning, and the same reason why they won't match him up with a formidable opponent. The league did not expect this to happen ... And they had a safety valve in place --- A referee who "in any way" would prevent Kimbo from being defeated. A VERY sad day for MMA ... A sport that was not flawed by the greed of promoters, managers and league officials. Maybe I'll just go back to boxing ... At least they're on the rebound from the scourge of fixes and miss-matches. It looks like the MMA is on their way down.

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Ppl if you look at his hand in the first round he was letting the ref know he was ok if it was a tap he would have the tapped johnson on his body like stop.

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KIMBO SLICE IS THE BIGGEST CASE OF A FABRICATED STREET FIGHTER PURE AND SIMPLE HE DONT BELONG IN THE CAGE ANY ONE WHO TAKES HIM DOWN WILL GAS HIM OUT FAST AND HE SURELY TAPPED LET BROCK LESNAR WHIP HIS ASS AFTER HE LOSES TO HERRING IT MIGHT GIVE BROCK CONFIDENCE

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kimbo was NOT tapping out...the ref asked him if he was ok, kimbo said yes. he was giving the symbol "let the fight continue." he would have been much more adamant or visual if he wanted to show that he was done.

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I watched the fights and thought that most (if not all) of the fights were lacking. I think that since they were broadcast on network TV, they stopped them early before they could get any bloodier. Every time there was enough blood to justify stopping a match, they stopped it quickly. I blame the network for pulling punches.

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Ppl are just mad the fight was not fixd i just believe kimbo is tough if it was a tapp out dont you think he would have kept tapping on johnson side like stop stop it i cant take the abuse naw he did not do that he was notifying the ref he was ok let me keep going and the outcome was victory PPL

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