Story by Todd Hester

A terror in the cage who has dominated opponents in EC, IFC, UFC, Superbrawl, Icon, and now EliteXC, the 16-4 Robbie Lawler is the true king of MMA primetime TV!

In just two fights, both against Scott Smith, more people have seen Robbie Lawler fight than nearly any other fighter on the planet. If you take the 7 million viewers from their first fight on CBS and combine it with the 2 million from their second, over 9 million people now know the man simply called “Ruthless.”

But Lawler has not run up his record against “tomato cans” or handpicked opponents, he has taken on the toughest fighters in the sport, not ducking anyone but seeking out the best to prove he is the best. In an MMA world increasingly given to flash instead of form, Lawler is a throwback to the early days of the sport where you fought whoever, whenever, wherever.

Q: What is your family background?

LAWLER: My parents were divorced and my dad was in the Marines. I lived in California until I was 10 then we moved to Bettendorf, Iowa when I was in the fourth grade. I had an older brother so it made it a little easier to adjust to things. I lived in Iowa for pretty much the rest of my life, but I just moved to St. Louis and opened up a gym and MMA training center. A lot of military kids make a lot of moves but I only made the one, so it wasn’t really an issue for me.

Q: Did being around the Marine Corp give you a fighter’s mindset?

After his third-round TKO victory over Murilo Rua in September 2007, “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (15-4-0) is finally putting his EliteXC middleweight title on the line. Win or lose, he is guaranteed to make history …again.

In bringing mixed martial arts to the mainstream, Lawler is a man of firsts. His victory over Steve Berger (UFC, Jun 2002) was part of the first MMA event aired on cable television. On March 31, his match against former UFC fighter Scott Smith will mark the debut of EliteXC on CBS – a first for primetime network TV.

Critics and fans speculate that Lawler Vs. Smith will be one of the most exciting fights on the card.

“Lawler will stand up and bang until the cows come home,” mused Randy Harrison on 411mania.

For more information, visit EliteXC and check back for updates after the fight.

It’s funny what major network television exposure can do for a promotion that is eager to lock-in its stars to long-term deals.

Street fighting legend Kimbo Slice, female MMA phenom Gina Carano and EliteXC Middleweight Champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler all signed “long-term extensions” with EliteXC today.

This announcement comes just 45 days away from one of the biggest shows in the history of the sport — the network MMA debut on CBS from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on May 31.

Slice, Carano and Lawler are all set to be showcased that night and EliteXC Live Events President Gary Shaw and the promotion are hoping its stars shine bright for their new (and massive) network audience.

Slice will fight in the main event against British heavyweight James “The Colossus” Thompson. Carano will lock horns with Kaitlin Young, and Lawler will defend his middleweight title against Scott “Hands of Steel” Smith.

I have to say Gary Shaw has done a superb job building EliteXC from the ground up. His flexibility when it comes to contracts mixed with his matchmaking skills and the uncanny ability to recognize and build stars have really done wonders for that company.

Here are Shaw’s thoughts on each of the signings:

“Kimbo has already become an MMA star due to his incredible popularity on YouTube. His backyard street fights are legendary. No question Kimbo has made a successful transition from Street to Elite and is on his way to becoming a superstar and world champion.”

“Gina became an instant star after her first fight for EliteXC and has gone on to gain even more national prominence. She truly is the face of women’s MMA, an inspiration to many up-and-coming athletes and is a perfect illustration as to why women do indeed have a place in this sport and with EliteXC.”