EliteXC Planning to Expand Women’s Division

May 13, 2008 5:10 PM John Chandler

Gina Carano grapples with Tonya Evinger. Photo by Tom Casino/EliteXC.

EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw announced his organization’s plans to expand their promotion of women’s mixed martial arts with the potential of the addition of a women’s championship and a strictly female fight card at some point next year.

“We’re talking about doing two things,” Shaw stated earlier today during a conference call with the media. “We’re talking about doing a women’s title and we’re also talking about an all-women’s show where we feature one night of all women’s fights. “That’s something that I’d like to present to the public, a night of women’s fights. I think that would be a major milestone.”

Shaw stated that the first women’s title, at 140 lbs, could possibly be decided as early as this fall, with the winner of the scheduled bout between Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young on May 31st possibly being able to be part of the historic bout. Additional titles could be added in the future depending on the amount of divisions the organization decides to incorporate.

The all-female show, which are rare these days save the events put on by California-based Fatal Femmes Fighting, would be the first to be televised on national television. (Showtime) Shaw also stated that while many of the other major organizations have refused to put on female fights, his promotion will continue to do so without hesitation.

“We’ll continue putting women on Showtime and on CBS and we’ll continue putting them on the ShoXC cards as well,” Shaw said. “If no one else wants to do it, it’s all the better for us.”

HT: MMA Junkie

General • Personalities • Gary Shaw • Gina Carano • Kaitlin Young • Elite Xtreme Combat

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Comments:

1. Anon
from USA
May 13, 2008 9:15 PM

I have to confess that I don’t watch to many female fights, but the few I’ve watched were pretty vicious. Going out in left field here, but it would be interesting if EliteXC can be successful with this and at some point we have a “battle of the sexes” card. I’d love to see a dude get knocked out by a woman in the ring. But then, it’d suck being the male because you’re pretty much in a lose lose situation. Oh well.

2. John Chandler
from Philadelphia, PA
May 14, 2008 11:48 AM

EliteXC has a huge advantage in that they really are the only big-time promotion that puts on female fights. The only female fights I’ve seen on television have been the ones put on by Showtime. Women’s MMA isn’t very popular over here compared to say, Japan for example, but it definitely has the potential to grow.

As far as a “battle of the sexes” card goes… it’ll never happen.