ProElite Plans Aug. 27 Return in Hawaii

ProElite is now owned by Stratus Media Group, the California-based entertainment company that had interest in purchasing Strikeforce prior to the UFC’s acquisition of the promotion. ProElite has also hired former Strikeforce matchmaker Rich Chou, as well as onetime SuperBrawl and Icon Sport owner T. Jay Thompson, who will serve as vice president of fight operations.

Formed in 2006 in partnership with Showtime Networks, ProElite began promoting EliteXC events the next year. The promotion quickly gained momentum, broadcasting its events on Showtime and eventually CBS. EliteXC still holds the greatest viewership figure in MMA history, as EliteXC “Primetime” earned an average of 4.3 million viewers for its CBS broadcast. Headlined by a heavyweight affair that saw Internet backyard brawler Kevin Ferguson -- better known as “Kimbo Slice” -- knock out Pride veteran James Thompson, the broadcast peaked with 6.51 million viewers.

However, less than six months after the record-breaking broadcast, EliteXC folded. After holding a second show on CBS that averaged 2.6 million viewers, the promotion once again placed Ferguson in the main event for a third broadcast on CBS. Ferguson was to take on MMA pioneer Ken Shamrock in the headliner, but Shamrock suffered a cut the day of the show and was forced to withdraw. Natural light heavyweight Seth Petruzelli stepped up to face slice in Shamrock’s stead and upset the hulking Floridian with a 14-second knockout.

After the bout, Petruzelli insinuated that he had been compensated to stand with Ferguson, whose ground game was a known weakness. Though “The Silverback” later amended his statement, the Florida State Boxing Commission launched an investigation of EliteXC. Though the commission found no wrongdoing, the damage to the promotion’s reputation proved irreversible. This, coupled with the promotion’s serious debts, caused EliteXC to close its doors in October 2008.