Shine Fights Would Have Canceled Mayorga vs. Thomas Even Without Don King's Meddling

(Nick Thompson, Rick Hawn, and a bunch of angry fans react to the last-minute cancellation of “Worlds Collide.” But hey, they came all that way, so they might as well hit up the concession stands. Props: RealTimeMMA)

After Shine Fights’ “Worlds Collide” event fell apart this weekend, we all assumed it was a direct result of the injunction that wretched, slimy, reptilian motherfucker Don King filed in order to block the participation of headliner Ricardo Mayorga, who King had under a previous fight contract. But it turns out that the cancellation actually had to little to do with King’s interference with the main event, and the general mismanagement of the promotion has led Shine Fights matchmaker Ron Foster to resign. MMA Weekly has the gory details:

“There were concerns about fighter safety and well being, that’s why the fight was canceled,” said [North Carolina Boxing Authority Superintendent Terrence] Merriweather on Monday. “What we’re talking about specifically is failing to have a doctor at the event, at the time for the fighters to be seen before the fights had started.”

Pike and Merriweather confirmed that in North Carolina it’s the responsibility of the promotion to provide the doctor, and one was not on scene for the fights on Saturday. A financial problem arose as well, as the members of the Boxing Authority explained…

“North Carolina rules and (regulations) require the promoter to have all purse amounts to the boxing authority two hours before the first match-up, and those requirements were not met,” said Merriweather.

The full purse means funds to cover all the contracted bout agreements had to be paid to the commission prior to the event to guarantee fighter pay, and according to the members of the Boxing Authority, Shine Fights never followed through with that commitment.

Speaking with MMAWeekly.com anonymously on Monday, a source close to the event said that the situation at and around the show on Saturday was chaotic at best…According to sources at the event, fans were already in the building and seated when the commission decided to cancel the show, and that refunds would be issued this week.

The fighters who were booked for the show will receive either full or partial payment, depending on the obligations established in their contracts. As for Ron Foster, he sent out an e-mail on Monday saying “because of the actions that took place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday I no longer feel that Shine Fights is the place for me.”

Man, first we’re apologizing to Josh Koscheck, and now Don King doesn’t deserve as much blame as we thought he did? What a bizarre week…