The Weekly Wrap: Aug. 28 - Sept. 3

Odds and Ends

• The biggest television ratings draw in MMA history is making the transition to boxing. Kimbo Slice, 36, told ESPN he plans to make his heavyweight debut under the guidance of promoter Gary Shaw, who ushered the YouTube sensation into MMA when Shaw headed EliteXC in 2007. No debut date or opponent has been announced. Slice will train under California-based Clemente Medina. Slice was cut from the UFC after losing via TKO to Matt Mitrione at UFC 113 in May. His fight against James Thompson on CBS in 2007 holds the all-time viewership record for a North American MMA fight. His bout with Roy Nelson last year on “The Ultimate Fighter” remains the highest-rated fight in UFC history.

• The public negotiation for a Fedor Emelianenko vs. Alistair Overeem fight took several twists and turns, as Overeem said the fight will at least have to wait until after he competes in the K-1 Grand Prix that concludes in December. Emelianenko’s M-1 Global management team sent out a public challenge to Overeem last week. Overeem responded by saying he wants Fabricio Werdum, who defeated Emelianenko in June, and wants to see Emelianenko get a win before defending his Strikeforce title against him. Overeem told MMAJunkie.com blood testing demands from M-1 caused the fight to be delayed in May but that M-1 has dropped those demands. Overeem said he chose to fight in K-1 after it was clear Werdum would be out for the rest of 2010 because of elbow surgery.

• Wanderlei Silva told fans at a pre-UFC 118 question-and-answer session that he plans to return to action in February or March after recovering from knee surgery. Silva said Chris Leben appeals to him as a first opponent, and that he would also like a rematch against Vitor Belfort.

• The UFC announced its newest international executive. Mark Fischer, who formerly headed the National Basketball Association’s China office, will direct the UFC’s Asia operations, with a key emphasis on China, where the UFC envisions running a separate circuit. Fischer joins Tom Wright (Canada) and Marshall Zelaznik (United Kingdom) as UFC executives focused on developing international markets.

• UFC President Dana White will speak to the renowned Oxford Union Society at Oxford University on Oct. 13, ahead of UFC 120 on Oct. 16 in London. The society has a prestigious history and list of past speakers, including Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter and Albert Einstein. It’s not clear what White will discuss, though in past addresses he has discussed his vision of the Internet soon becoming the primary broadcast platform.

• Pending litigation between heavyweight Dave Herman and the Bellator Fighting Championships has resulted in Herman being taken off of the Shark Fights pay-per-view on Sept. 11. The Texas-based promotion planned to book Herman despite a dispute with Bellator over whether it breached his six-fight contract. Shark Fights promoter Brent Medley told Sherdog.com that litigating the issue would likely result in too-hefty attorneys’ fees. Herman’s withdrawal means Shark Fights is dropped as a third-party defendant in Bellator’s countersuit against Herman. Herman was set to fight Aaron Rosa on the card; Rosa will face Devin Cole instead. The undercard will stream live at Sherdog.com.

• The Web site FightMetric.com has contracted with the UFC to provide round-by-round statistics of fights as they happen on UFC.com. The deal makes FightMetric the official statistics provider for the UFC.