Reports: EliteXC tells employees, fighters it's out of business

ESPN.com news services

The parent company of the EliteXC mixed martial arts circuit is closing its doors for good, according to multiple reports.

Sherdog.com reported that according to T.J. Thompson, an executive at ProElite Inc., he was informed that the company would close for good this week and would file for bankruptcy protection. And Sports Illustrated, on its Web site, reported that ProElite told its employees and fighters on Monday that it was shutting down, effective immediately, according to multiple sources.

Sherdog also reported that according to numerous sources, an EliteXC card scheduled for Nov. 8 in Reno, Nev., has been canceled. According to the report, Joey Villasenor, who was scheduled to fight Robbie Lawler for the circuit's middleweight title on the card, was informed Monday it had been scrubbed.

ProElite did not return calls seeking comment, according to the reports.

Reports: EliteXC tells employees, fighters it's out of business....