After an in-ring skirmish on June 14, a potential K.J. Noons (7-2) vs.
Nick Diaz (18-7) lightweight title match became Elite XC’s most-anticipated rematch.
The promotion earmarked the bout for its Oct. 4 CBS show from the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL. But not only have they been unable to make the match, the promotion claims they can’t even find their lightweight champion to find out why.
“I’m drinking milk and looking on the carton and see a picture of K.J.
Noons,” joked Elite XC matchmaker Jared Shaw, when noting the problem.
“Nick Diaz is the No. 1 contender. The people want to see this fight.”
Shaw put the onus of blame on Noons’ management team, saying haven’t even been able to directly talk with Noons.
“His management won’t even return our calls,” said Shaw, who was still hopeful the fight could be salvaged on the show.
“It’s money,” he said. “It’s always about money.”
The crux of the issue appears to be the contract Noons signed before he won the championship, beating Diaz to become the first champion on Nov.
10 in Corpus Christi when the match was stopped at the end of the first round due to cuts on Diaz’s forehead. Noons, a professional boxer, showed more skill than Diaz in the stand-up in winning the first round, opening the cuts that led to the stoppage.
Noons’ contract calls for $23,000 for the fight, while Diaz, the challenger, earned $60,000 in his most recent fight on July 26 in Stockton, Calif., beating Thomas Denny. But Diaz was a bigger star than Noons at the time both joined the promotion.
Shaw noted that Noons has a valid contract, and as champion, owes it to the title to defend against the top contender. He said Elite XC stood by Noons when he was knocked out by Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett in 2007 on the company’s first show. Because the fight would be on CBS, and on a show expected to do substantial ratings with Kimbo Slice and Gina Carano as headliners, Shaw noted that the exposure would be the best thing for his career, and that he’d also have the opportunity to make far more in sponsorship money than on a Showtime event.
Noons turned down appearing on the first CBS show because Elite XC tried to tie-in his appearing with him signing a long-term contract.
Noons had retained his title in a 48-second win over Yves Edwards on June 14, in Honolulu, where he grew up. Diaz, who defeated Muhsin Corbbrey earlier in the show, was brought into the cage for a face-off to build the anticipated match. It turned into a free-for-all with both camps, including Karl Noons Sr., K.J.’s father, a kickboxer in the 70s, going after Diaz, who he thought was disrespectful, and having to be pulled off. Diaz and younger brother Nate Diaz, a UFC star, got out of the cage and flipped off the Noons family.
