Monkhon "Malaipet" WiWasuk will try to continue his transformation from world-class superstar Muay Thai kickboxer to mixed martial arts world champion when he faces Thomas "Wildman" Denny of Hesperia, Calif., Friday, March 21, at Chumash Casino Resort at Santa Ynez, California.

A winner of three in a row, the popular, extremely charismatic Malaipet will be making his MMA main event debut in a fight that will headline a five-bout Elite Xtreme Combat: Elite Challenger Series 2 telecast on SHOWTIME that begins at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

It is the fifth ShoXC cage fight card, which is patterned after the popular SHOWTIME boxing series ShoBox: The New Generation, which has been a springboard for many, young future champions.

“Like I’ve said, there are a lot of  promising MMA fighters thirsting for an opportunity to show their stuff and make a name for themselves on the worldwide stage,’’ EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw said. “This (ShoXC) is the place where they can do it. The Malaipet-Denny matchup is a great one.

“Malaipet is a legend in kickboxing, but I think a lot of us are anxious to see how he does as he continues to step up. For sure, he could turn out to be special, but Denny is one tough vet. I love to watch the progress of all young athletes as they develop. The response to this series has been incredible.’’

The fights are scheduled for three, 5-minute rounds with the exception of the Cyborg-Case contest, which is three, 3-minute rounds.

Fans can watch pre - and post-fight interviews only at ProElite.com.

Few, if any world champions in other sports, have made a successful cross over to MMA but Malaipet, a decorated 17-year pro with reportedly more than 300 Muay Thai bouts, could be an exception.

In his debut for Los Angeles-based ProElite, Inc.’s live fight division, EliteXC, and initial appearance on ShoXC, Malaipet showcased his astounding striking skills as he decimated Kaleo Kwan en route to winning a three-round standup war by 30-26 and 30-27 twice on Oct. 26, 2007, at Chumash.

Malaipet, a Lumpinee champ in Thailand, has a very Thai style of movement, which he exhibited in an impressive, dominant performance against Kwan. He was calm, relaxed, punched in combination and displayed the kind of stalking footwork that lets him carefully pick his shots and his opponent apart.

He may not win any Defensive Player of the Year honors - Malaipet seems to accept the fact he’s going to get hit - and he appeared more annoyed than hurt by anything Hawaii’s Kwan delivered.

But Malaipet, who fights out of Upland, Calif., is clearly an extremely strong and flexible athlete who continues to work diligently on his submission game to round out his MMA skills.

Denny, who was born in Huntington Beach, Calif., but fights out of Hesperia, Calif., has won three of his last four starts. A former King of the Cage champion who recently signed with EliteXC, the 5-foot-10-inch Denny has fought the likes of Joe Stevenson, Duane Ludwig and Yves Edwards.

A colorful fighter known for wild and crazy hairstyles, Denny specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai kickboxing. His self-proclaimed signature moves are “knees and elbows.’’ But, mostly Denny likes to “give pain. I like to make my opponent suffer.’’

Look for Denny to attempt to take down Malaipet, a tactic that Kwan ignored until the final round. “Malaipet is untested on the ground. Well, I am going to test him,’’ Denny said. “I always like to do the opposite of whatever my opponent is doing anyway, and everyone knows Malaipet wants to stand up.

“So, you can bet I am going to try and take it to the ground. This is a great opportunity for both of us but there can only be one winner. I am confident the winner will be me.’’

SHOWTIME announcer Mauro Ranallo will handle play-by-play for ShoXC with Stephen Quadros, The Fight Professor, serving as color analyst. The executive producer of ShoXC is David Dinkins, Jr. with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.