EliteXC Headlined by Rua and Diaz Returns

EliteXC have announced the final line-up for its September 15th show, Elite Xtreme Combat: Uprising, with the headline bout between Murilo "Ninja" Rua against Robbie Lawler. The fight card comes only a day after the announcement EliteXC, are working with Icon Sport and Rumble World Entertainment, parent company of Rumble on the Rock, to produce the Hawaii based show.

The event also sees the return to action for Nick Diaz, the talented older brother of The Ultimate Fighter contestant Nathan Diaz and who has been in the ring with some of the UFC’s top welterweight fighters including Joe "Diesel" Riggs, Diego Sanchez and Karo Parisyan. Diaz, who is trained by Cesar Gracie, is returning from suspension after testing positive for marijuana after his February bout with Takanori Gomi, and will face Mike Aina.

Also, Gina Carano, the fighter who is fast becoming the face of womens MMA, returns to face Tonya Evinger.

The title bout will be of interest to British MMA fans who will recognise Murilo "Ninja" Rua (who also happens to be the brother of UFC debutant Mauricio "Shogun" Rua) from several bouts with the UK based promotion Cage Rage. Rua is expected to defend his EliteXC middleweight (185 lb) title against Lawler, as although both men have considerable ring experience Rua has been in the ring with the bigger guns like Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Dan Henderson.

The event is a continuation of the alliance between Icon Sport and Pro Elite, which began earlier this year when Proelite.com showed the Icon Sport Middleweight championship bout between Robbie Lawler and Frank Trigg via a direct stream.

Icon Sport promoter Patrick Freitas also admitted that talks between the two companies were taking place regarding the purchase of Icon Sport by Pro Elite, “I think it’s no secret that Pro Elite and Icon are talking about the acquisition of Icon, but anything could happen.” Freitas did suggest that regardless of how the talks turn out the alliance between EliteXC, Icon Sport and Rumble World Entertainment would continue with the goal of producing a super-fight card at least twice a year between the best fighters of the different organisations. This goal would be accomplished all the easier if the proposed sale of Icon Sport does go through as Pro Elite already own the EliteXC and Rumble World Entertainment Organisations.

J.D. Penn, representative of the Rumble World Organisation and brother of MMA fighter BJ Penn said of the group production, “With the expertise from both our groups, ROTR and Icon, along of course with EliteXC, we have all the makings of becoming an unstoppable force in MMA.”