Longtime boxing and MMA promoter Gary Shaw has passed away at the age of 79

Editor’s note: This article was originally published at MMAJunkie.com.

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Longtime combat sports promoter Gary Shaw has passed away.

Shaw, 79, died on Thursday, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman first announced. According to veteran combat sports reporter Kevin IoleShaw suffered a heart attack in January and never fully recovered.

With a more extensive resume in boxing, through his promotional work for Main Events and Gary Shaw Productions, Shaw became known in MMA circles for his time with then-UFC rival EliteXC. His son, Jared Shaw, assisted as vice president and matchmaker.

From February 2007 to October 2008, EliteXC held 20 events across the United States. In May 2008, the promotion became the first to have MMA matches broadcast live on primetime network television. It hosted three events on CBS before shutting down. Its final event was held in October 2008 and was initially headlined by a grudge match between Kimbo Slice and Ken Shamrock.

However, Shamrock was cut in the locker room before the game. Seth Petruzelli step into moment’s notice to replace Shamrock and completed Slice with attacks in 14 seconds.

Promotion then filed for bankruptcy. In 2009, many of EliteXC’s assets, including its match library, current group of fighters, and broadcast contracts were sold to Strikeforceheaded by Scott Coker.

Fighters like Slice and Gina Carano got their start in MMA early under the EliteXC banner, while Shaw also promoted events featuring more established talent including Cris Cyborg, Jake Shields, Frank Shamrock, Robbie Lawler, Eddie Alvarez, Nick Diaz, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and others.

Shaw also worked for the New Jersey Athletic Control Board (NJACB) from 1971 to 1999. In boxing, he promoted the likes of Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Tim Bradley and the 2002 fight between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis. Shaw was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame and the California Boxing Hall of Fame.

Scroll down to see what the combat sports community has to say about Shaw following the news of his death: