LONDON, Sept. 21 -- In a promising sign for the blossoming relationship between Cage Rage and EliteXC, boxing-turned-MMA promoter Gary Shaw attended the Cage Rage 23 weigh-ins.

The fighters seemed to note the significance of the experienced promoter's presence, as they gathered around and listened in silence while Shaw took the microphone.

Shaw insisted that Cage Rage promoters Andy Geer and Dave O'Donnell would continue organizing their own show and dismissed concerns about his future plans for Cage Rage.

"I think it's very important that [the event] has the identity of an English brand," Shaw said. "I think Dave and Andy have done a spectacular job of building the brand here. It's here to stay."

Shaw prompted a burst of laughter from the crowd when he added, "They are going to run the brand. I am going to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor."

After conceding that his expert knowledge of the fight game is restricted to boxing, Shaw said he did know how to build stars, though.

"I give you my word, the one thing which differentiates us from the UFC is the fighter will be the star," he said. "They will be bigger than Gary Shaw. They will be bigger than the brand."

Shaw also said he intends to send top fighters from America to bolster Cage Rage.

Main event fighter and former boxer Julius Francis spoke sincerely at the weigh-ins, telling the audience it was an honor to make the transition to MMA and that he was slightly overwhelmed by the positive response he had received.

The former Tyson opponent did not seem concerned about fighting under MMA rules. "At the end of the day, as fighters, when we step into the cage -- whether it be a cage or a ring -- it's all the same," he said. "It's going to be pain and hard work."

Francis' opponent, Gary Turner (Pictures), said he felt that Francis was a legend. Turner added, however, that Francis' star had fallen somewhat in recent years and that he could see a spark in his eye that was keeping him on edge.

Known as one of the nicest guys on the U.K. scene, Turner gave Francis a bottle of brandy as a genuine, yet slightly tongue-in-cheek welcoming present from the MMA community.

Vitor Belfort (Pictures) looked relaxed. He seemed confident that he had trained properly for his fight with London Shootfighter James Zikic (Pictures).

"I have a good team, good coaches," Belfort said. "Everything is perfect. Actually I want to fight my trainers. They have been kicking my ass in training."

Zikic said he respected his opponent a great deal and assured the audience that he was ready for another war following his battle with Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos at Cage Rage 21.

"He's human, just like anyone else," Zikic said of Belfort. "I know more about him than he knows about me. I know his strengths and his weaknesses."

Characteristically, Alex Reid (Pictures) did his very best to steal the show by arriving with a wrapped gift for his opponent, Matt Ewin (Pictures), a reserved fighter who seems genuinely annoyed by Reid's flamboyant style.

The gift recalled the first time the fighters met six years ago. Ewin had complained after the bout that his opponent was greased up. At the weigh-in Reid smiled as he opened Ewin's present -- a tube of baby oil.

The world welterweight title fight between Mark Weir (Pictures) and Paul Daley (Pictures) promises fireworks due to their contrasting striking styles. While both looked in peak physical condition, Weir clearly showed a significant height and reach advantage.

Daley will have to work hard to close the gap. A stand-up war fought at a distance, against Weir's reach, could be disastrous.

Relative newcomer Roman Webber (Pictures) was pumped for his matchup against Ed Smith (Pictures). As he stepped on the scales, Webber shouted, "That's right!"

Smith was less than impressed, however, and seethed as the pair stared each other down.

Weigh-in results:
Gary Turner (Pictures) 102kg (224.8lbs) vs. Julius Francis 133 kg (293.1 lbs)
Vitor Belfort (Pictures) 93 kg (204.9lbs) vs. James Zikic (Pictures) 90 kg (198.3lbs)
Mark Weir (Pictures) 76.2 kg (167.9lbs) vs. Paul Daley (Pictures) 77.3 kg (170.3lbs)
Jean Silva (Pictures) 71 kg (156.4lbs) vs. Chris Brennan 70 kg (154.2lbs)
Mustapha al Turk (Pictures) 109 kg (240.2lbs) vs. Tengiz Tedoradze (Pictures) 110 kg (242.4lbs)
Xavier Foupa-Pokam (Pictures) 83.9 kg (184.9lbs) vs. Pierre Guillet (Pictures) 83.9 kg (184.9lbs)
Matt Ewin (Pictures) 83.5 kg (184lbs) vs. Alex Reid (Pictures) 82.5 kg (181.8lbs)
Domagoj Ostojic 109.5 kg (241.3lbs) vs. Neil Grove (Pictures) 132 kg (290.9lbs)
Roman Webber (Pictures) 93 kg (204.9lbs) vs. Ed Smith (Pictures) 91 kg (200.5lbs)
Che Mills (Pictures) 77 kg (169.7lbs) vs. Ross Mason (Pictures) 77.1 kg (169.9lbs)
Lee Doski (Pictures) 77 kg (169.7lbs) vs. Jason Barrett (Pictures) 76.5kg (168.6lbs)