Sorry, Bill Goldberg fans, but it appears that the former WWE wrestling star and current Elite XC color commentator will not be in the booth on May 31 when the network television debut of mixed martial arts hits the CBS airwaves live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. at 10 p.m. ET.
Elite XC and CBS announced their broadcasting team for the "Saturday Night Fights" premiere today, which includes the three-man team of Mauro Ranallo, Gus Johnson and Frank Shamrock. Indeed, the trio will be the voices that introduce mixed martial arts to the network television world.
Ranallo is a long time MMA color commentator. His credentials include three years of calling fights for Pride FC with Bas Rutten and Frank Trigg, numerous jobs as a commentator for various Canadian wrestling shows, and he has been with Elite XC as its go-to play-by-play man for all Elite XC and Sho XC events since the beginning of the promotion in 2006.
Johnson has been with CBS Sports since 1996, mostly as a play-by-play announcer for college basketball's "March Madness" tournament. He also has experience covering the New York Golden Gloves boxing tournaments, as well as numerous NBA and NFL games.
Shamrock has some experience behind the microphone as well. He's served as a guest color commentator for both the UFC and Elite XC. He's always been one who loves to speak his mind -- last year he referred to Josh Thomson as the "first openly gay fighter" as he called a Strikeforce show at the Playboy Mansion in September 2007.
It was inaccurate and slanderous, considering "The Punk" is not gay -- him and Shamrock just don't get along.
Shamrock will clearly be right at home in this role ... let's see if CBS gives him a short leash (not like it will matter one way or the other).
Johnson will serve as the primary play-by-play announcer and Ranallo and Shamrock will be the color analysts.
Get the latest gear
