(Who could fire that lovable face?)

Yesterday MMA Payout reported that Gary Shaw might be on his way out the door at Pro Elite now that CBS is becoming more of a player. It’s not hard to imagine why. There’s the tracksuits, the not-so-nuanced views on MMA, the general sleaze factor that comes oozing out of the man’s pores. But son Jared Shaw (Elite XC’s VP, a position that is no doubt his by merit alone) has come to his defense in an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMA Rated:

All the reports I have read have been absolutely erroneous. There’s no truth to CBS pushing Gary Shaw out or anything like that. Gary might not be as much in the limelight because of his other business, which is boxing. He’s also spending a little more time at home with the rest of his family. You’re going to see Jared Shaw everyday so you don’t have to think that Gary Shaw is gone. I don’t know why they would keep one Shaw and not another. We’re both here and Gary is still a major force. He’s still spoken to everyday…He’s a major part of this company and everything he’s done as a promoter we’ll continue to utilize and continue to follow his lead.

Oh well then, that rumor is put to rest. Like Jared, I can’t imagine why they’d keep one Shaw and fire the other. I mean, if you were going to get rid of one, wouldn’t you also get rid of…uh-oh. I just had a terrible thought. Jared, maybe you should think about updating the old resume, if you know what I’m saying.

The explanation that his “other business” is taking up too much of his time seems odd, especially since his work as a boxing manager hasn’t been going so well lately. But Jared assures us that everything is juuuuuust fine:

AH: So, if I understand correctly, he won’t be conducting press conferences and being the face of the promotion like in the past?

JS: Yeah, it might be (Pro Elite Executive Chairman) Doug DeLuca, it might be (EliteXC Head of Fight Operations) Jeremy Lappen, it might be myself…it might be all three of us. It might even be Gary. It’s just that with Gary where in the past he was required to be at every event he’s just not going to be everywhere.

AH: Why was this decision made now?

JS: Like I said, it’s just a blossoming of his other business as well wanting to spend more time with grandchildren and his wife. He’s got a heavy travel schedule. Again, he’s part of EliteXC. He’s still going to be seen; July is not Gary Shaw’s demise. He built something at EliteXC and we’re going to help build what he has been building and he’s going to be one of the creators.

Wait, he built something, they’re helping him build it, and now he will be one of the creators? Is it just me, or does this sound like a man who has not been clued in to what’s really in the works? Not that I can’t understand that.

If I was CBS and I was planning on firing Gary Shaw, I probably wouldn’t tell his son as my first order of business. Not unless it was all happening in a novel where Jared Shaw was the protagonist and this was the emotional climax where he is forced to choose between his father and his career ambitions. And if this were all part of that novel, that would make the rest of us tertiary characters in it, and I just can’t accept that.