EliteXC Still Backpedaling on Bonus Debacle

Oct 9, 2008 12:33 AM John Chandler

Jeremy Lappen. Photo by Esther Lin/CombatLifestyle.com.

If Seth Petruzelli wasn’t already pretty popular after knocking out Kimbo Slice last Saturday, he’s likely finding out that he’s gaining notoriety by the minute these days. Just about of the major news outlets are now covering Petruzelli’s botched comments - he inadvertently claimed that EliteXC had offered him a bonus to keep his fight against Slice on the feet on an Orlando radio show Monday - and no one involved is content with the current situation.

What is EliteXC doing during all of this? Continuing to try and save face while contradicting itself of course. One of Bloody Elbow‘s readers discovered that EliteXC figurehead Jeremy Lappen has been giving differing answers during interviews this week. He’s not the only one either.

Sam Caplan and Five Ounces of Pain were the first to get in contact with Petruzelli following the radio interview and Petruzelli informed them that he would have received a bonus if he were to knock out or submit Slice during their fight.

“There were submission bonuses, knockout bonuses, and a “Fight of the Night” bonus — just like the UFC does it,” Petruzelli said in the article. “They just want an exciting fight no matter where it goes.”

However both Lappen and Benji Radach, who defeated former EliteXC middleweight champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua on last weekend’s card, have both stated that EliteXC does not hand out bonuses for submissions. Radach even went as far to say that he wasn’t aware EliteXC was issuing bonuses period.

“We’re just trying to create exciting fights,” Lappen told Sports Illustrated‘s Josh Gross. “Fast-paced energy fights. It’s just something we’ve always done. We don’t give submission bonuses. [But Seth] knew a knockout bonus was possible before the fight.”

“No, not at all,” Radach said today on Sherdog’s “Savage Dog Show” when asked if he had about any kind of post-fight bonuses. (comments via Cage Potato) “I wish there was a bonus because I think my fight was really exciting, maybe fight of the night or knockout of the night. But nope, I never heard anything.”

Through it all, EliteXC is still flat out denying any wrong doing. Unfortunately for some, the Florida Boxing Commission is going along with EliteXC’s story. These new developments concerning the contradictions between the comments of Lappen, Radach, and Petruzelli have just recently come to light, so I’d expect another round of questions in line for all three by tomorrow afternoon.

Personalities • Jeremy Lappen • Benji Radach • Kimbo Slice • Seth Petruzelli • Elite Xtreme Combat • Heavyweight

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1. Bill Reger
from New York
Oct 9, 2008 9:29 AM

How about this quote from EliteXC consultant and former promoter Gary Shaw in today’s (Oct 9 2008) Los Angeles Times

But Elite XC consultant Gary Shaw said he wouldn’t hesitate to “go to a fighter and say, ‘We’re looking for a stand-up fight.’ You’re not asking him to throw a fight. You’re talking about a fan-friendly fight, not about protecting Kimbo.”

Shaw said he has urged MMA fighters in the past to maximize the action, to avoid an abundance of yawn-inspiring wrestling.

“Do I think that’s unethical? No,” Shaw said. “Because in MMA, you get bonus money for a knockout. I don’t see it as unethical . . . asking him to be TV and fan friendly.”

On one side you have Lappen and Jared Shaw acting aghast at someone even suggesting they would dictate a style. Then you have what basically amounts to the founder of EliteXC and Jared’s father to boot, Gary Shaw, saying ‘Sure, we’ve suggested what kind of fights we like to see’. Yeah, nothing suspicious there! Too funny.