This Saturday, EliteXC will make yet another attempt at capturing a mainstream audience with “EliteXC: Heat.” It was originally set to be a showcase for a freakshow (Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson) and pit bull with lipstick (Gina Carano). Now, thanks to another promotion, EliteXC has been given what could be a final shot at legitimacy.

Since this summer, everyone expected to see Slice and Carano at XC’s final nationally televised card. When they announced who was going to fight Kimbo Slice, it made the heads of MMA fans turn. They convinced washed-up UFC veteran, Ken Shamrock to take a whack at their bearded meal-ticket. Shamrock is 44-years-old and hasn’t won a fight since 2004. Needless to say, the freak show billing remained in tact.

While EliteXC was selling an MMA artifact, another fight promotion was deciding to take it slow. Affliction’s reluctance to attempt a show without Fedor Emelianenko caused them to cancel a show they had scheduled for October 11th. With the cancellation, former UFC heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski (Pictured below with ex-girlfriend, Patrycja Mikula. Feel free to Google her when you get home.) became available to fight. Affliction agreed to lend Arlovski and former IFL champ, Roy Nelson to EliteXC for a night. While this has all the makings of the prelude to a merger, for one night at least, it could make EliteXC a hot ticket.

Alone, EliteXC is a company that will probably be out of business by the end of the year. The interest surrounding Kimbo Slice is wanning. Combined with Affliction (and Fedor) they could become a viable alternative to the UFC.

The most outlandish thing I’ve read about a possible Affliction-EliteXC merger is the idea that they would put Kimbo Slice in a cage with Fedor. This would be completely out of the question if I thought EliteXC hadn’t drained every last drop they could have out of Slice. Simply put, it would be a televised execution. It would be be more civilized if they put a hit out on Kevin Ferguson.

For now though, Kimbo Slice will have one last shot at glory. This could be the last time he – or EliteXC – are on CBS. The latest impression will certainly be the most important.

We’ll have more on Saturday’s festivities later this week. I’ll be live-blogging Saturday’s proceedings, live from my living room. There will be 5 total fights televised and a couple of them are intriguing. Feel free to stop by, have a beer, and make jokes about everyone involved.

Oh, and Gina Carano will be on Mr. Wick’s super-late fun hour tonight. In case you suffer from insomnia.