Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

The Kimbo Slice-Seth Petruzelli "Standgate" fiasco was in many ways the last nail in the coffin of EliteXC, but ironically, one day after the company shut down, they have been cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation of the matter by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, according to documents given to NBCSports.com.

Questions about the legitimacy of the fight stemmed from comments made shortly after the fight by Petruzelli, who told Orlando's "Monsters" radio show, "The promoters kind of hinted to me and they gave me the money to stand and trade with him. They didn't want me to take him down, let's just put it that way. It was worth my while to try to stand up and punch with him."

According to the information given to NBCSports.com, Florida state boxing commission director Thomas Molloy contacted Petruzelli, who told him that no one instructed him how to fight except to "just do your best." Petruzelli went on to tell Molloy that the radio show misconstrued his comments.

Asked how Petruzelli could be "misconstrued" on taped comments he made, DBPR press secretary Alexis Antonacci said that Molloy heard the radio interview, but was convinced that Petruzelli "wasn't clear" in what he told Orlando's Monsters radio show.

"Misintrepretations happen frequently," she told NBCSports.com. "It was a very small part of the investigation. There were several other people Mr. Molloy talked with."

Petruzelli was paid $35,000 to face Slice, and his contract stipulated a $15,000 bonus if he won the fight, but nothing in the contract indicated he would be rewarded for fighting in a certain style, the report stated.

The investigators spoke with several ProElite officials, including matchmaker J.T. Steele and head of fight operations Jeremy Lappen. Steele told investigators he didn't overhear any conversations between the company and Petruzelli, while Lappen told them he only asked Petruzelli to do his best and "put on a good show."

Molloy also spoke with Nevada state athletic commission executive director Keith Kizer and California state athletic commission executive director Armando Garcia, who told him they'd never had any promotional problems with ProElite. In addition, he questioned previous Kimbo Slice opponent Tank Abbott about whether he was asked to fight in a certain style in facing Slice. Abbott responded no.

"After Mr. Molloy's preliminary inquiry including the above information, it was found that there is no reason to believe that the rumored allegation was true," the report reads, stating that the case has been closed.

Less than three weeks after the Slice-Petruzelli fight, ProElite and EliteXC ceased operations under a pile of mounting debt and questions about their legitimacy as an honest promotion.

The company had hoped to be rescued by CBS and Showtime Networks, which already owned an interest. After questions of fight fixing were raised by several media outlets, including ESPN, talks broke off with CBS worried about the brand being forever tarnished.

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