Elite XC canceled a scheduled Sho XC Challenger Series event on June 27 -- perhaps because Strikeforce put on the biggest lightweight fight in its brief history on the same night. With the two companies being somewhat allies, all the confusion can more than likely be chalked up to simple scheduling errors.
Either way, the Sho XC card was canceled and the Strikeforce show went on.
Today, FiveOunesOfPain.com learned from Elite XC Vice President Jared Shaw that the next Challenger Series event will take place at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, Calif., on August 15.
The last time the promotion held an event there was on April 5. The card was headlined by a light heavyweight fight between then undefeated Jared Hamman and Poai Suganuma. And the match ended in controversy as Suganuma landed a nasty overhand right, flying knee combination that floored Hamman 15 seconds into the fight.
The referee stepped right in to stop the fight, but Hamman immediately jumped to his feet arguing that he was never at any point knocked out. In real time, it looked like a justified stoppage, but after watching the replays, Hamman may have had an argument.
It would have been difficult, however, for a referee who's job is to protect the fighters to let that fight go on after what looked to be a devastating knockout. It was disappointing to watch Hamman lose his first fight that way, but that's all part of the fight game.
In the cage afterwards, both fighters talked about a rematch. Here's a snip from both:
Jared Hamman:
"I was completely fine. I’m not hurt. I’m fine. I’m good. I’m just going to go back to training. What am I supposed to do? I lost and that’s just the way it is. Can’t make excuses. Yeah I want a rematch if he wants to give me one."
Poai Suganuma:
"Nobody likes to win by controversial decision, and everyone loves a rematch. So I’m down."
It's only fitting that the rematch take place at the same location, and that is exactly what Elite XC officials have set up -- Jared Hamman vs Poai Suganuma II. Both fighters now sport the same records (9-1).
Hopefully this time it lasts a little longer than 15 seconds, but like we saw the first time around, anything can and often does happen in mixed martial arts.
Judo specialist and Cage Rage middleweight champ, Hector "Shango" Lombard (16-2-1) is also set to make his long-awaited debut for the company in a welterweight bout against an unknown opponent. He signed a contract with Elite XC back in April, but has yet to make his way onto one of its cards.
In other action, Cyrille "Snake" Diabate (11-6-1) will also be making his promotional debut in a light heavyweight scrap with Sho XC veteran Jaime Fletcher (6-3).
In all, there will be five fights aired on Showtime. This card is shaping up nicely, and Elite XC is finally looking to showcase some of their light heavyweight prospects other than Rafael Feijao. Maybe a possible opponent for Feijao will emerge from this event for a future light heavyweight title fight.
Time will tell.
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