Affliction assembles a mini heavyweight tournament of its own
by Jesse Holland on Dec 19, 2008 7:41 AM EST
47 comments
There will be more on the line than just Fedor Emelianenko's WAMMA Heavyweight Championship at Affliction: "Day of Reckoning" at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on January 24.
Company Vice President Tom Atencio revealed at a recent press conference that the winner of the bout between Josh Barnett and Gilbert Yvel will earn the number one title contender status. That means that either Barnett or Yvel will next challenge Emelianenko (if he wins) or his opponent, former UFC heavyweight kingpin Andrei Arlovski.
It's a mini tournament that includes arguably three of the top five heavyweight fighters in the sport today (Emelianenko, Barnett and Arlovski). It's also an opportunity for Yvel -- a controversial and "dirty" fighter -- to play the roll of "bad boy" once again and perhaps knockoff some of the best in the business.
The Dutch Muay Thai specialist is on a seven-fight win streak and has not lost since 2006. So while he may not deserve to be in such company, Yvel is certainly a dangerous opponent who should not be taken lightly.
Regardless, this latest news sets up several dream match ups that have either been teased for years (Emelianenko vs. Barnett) or booked then bumped (Arlovski vs. Barnett). It's a situation that more than likely has fans "in the know" buzzing ... especially those who have dogged/defended Emelianenko for fighting cans in recent years.
Is it possible for the "Last Emperor" to knockoff three former UFC heavyweight champions (Sylvia, Arlovski and Barnett) in three consecutive fights? The short answer is maybe ... but it won't be easy. Not at all.
The consolation prize, of course is a possible clash between Barnett and Arlovski. That's not too shabby, either. Or, Yvel can throw a wrench into things, which may or may not be a good thing (more than likely bad).
Whichever scenario comes to be post-January 24, the important thing from a fan's perspective is that Affliction has set itself up with a series of competitive and compelling heavyweight matches for future programming.
That's assuming their programming will have a future.
If the aforementioned match-ups coupled with the already talented and growing fighter base are not enough to stimulate interest in the upstart promotion, then Affliction may indeed close up shop and go back to the land of high end T-shirts.
And MMA fans will essentially have go back to watching strictly the UFC. Some by choice, some by default.
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i dont think the t-shirt guy had to say this.
i think we all expected to see barnett fight the winner of aa-fedor.
that said~
i think fedor takes it all.
all hale king fedor~
by stinky~fingers on Dec 19, 2008 7:49 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Is it possible for the "Last Emperor" to knockoff three former UFC heavyweight champions (Sylvia, Arlovski and Barnett) in three consecutive fights?
The short answer is EASILY!!
The Cyborg wins every time! The only downside is that we may never see Fedor in a competitive fight ever again….he is that f’in good!! Either way I hope they all bring it to Fedor and give it there all (and take a note from Timmy) cos if they dont…we may only get to see fedor fight a few more 1 min fights which is just not enough.
by Ca$z on Dec 19, 2008 9:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yaa – make it 2 min plz at least;
40 bucks per minute is a bit hard on wallet – 20 bucks a minute is a bit easier to cope with
by Anger Jack on Dec 19, 2008 11:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Watching Fedor fight for 2 minutes is like watching some other fighter for 5 rounds – see his 2 minutes against Hong Man Choi – that new year’s fight made me a believer
by Anger Jack on Dec 19, 2008 11:18 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A fight agaisn’t Hong Man Choi made you a believer??? LMFAO!!!
by BNF on Dec 19, 2008 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fedor is good but everbody loses and can lose to anyone…Affliction is done if when all is said and done it’s AA vs Gilbert!
by Robert on Dec 20, 2008 8:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I saw this interview yesterday, and I’ll believe it when I see it! With UFC 100 coming, and the regurgitated fighters needing time to heal and train, when will this fight happen NYE 2009?
stinky, want to bet on the wand/rampage fight? I got wand? give me odds? I’ll put up 100!
by kevin on Dec 19, 2008 10:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Mark my words – Yvel will go in there like he did against Goodridge at Pride 19. Walk up to Barnett, throw a head kick. Once it lands everyone gets pissed at T-shirt guy for ruining possible Fedor-Barnett fight.
by NameNotRequired on Dec 19, 2008 5:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hahaha~ but imagine if aa beats fedor and somehow yvel gets a
crazy win over barnett.
and then the dirty ’son of a choda somehow gets another crazy
ko over arlovski and becomes the champ..
that sounds about as dumb as a bunch of guys starting their own
rankings and making a super ugly belt and handing it out to who
they think is the top ranked fighter..
by stinky~fingers on Dec 19, 2008 7:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
How are we still taking Affliction seriously? I don’t want to acknowledge a promotion in which a guy like Gilbert Evil has a clear path to any kind of championship. This just proves that Affliction is a joke. Would WAMMA agree with Evil being their heavyweight champ?
Who actually believes that Barnett would take a fight with Fedor? He’ll find some gig in Japan before he takes a fight with Fedor. Barnett isn’t in the business of taking serious fights anymore.
by RealDrew on Dec 19, 2008 10:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Affliction is not serious (Fedor vs. Arlovski) & UFC is (Lesnar vs. Couture).
I see your logic UFC nut-hugger
by Anger Jack on Dec 19, 2008 11:34 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Anger jack, you forgot Penn/Pierre, Franklin/Hendo, Rampage/axe murderer, nog/mir. You name that many good fights in affliction than will talk you UFC hater. ;)
by The Anomaly on Dec 20, 2008 11:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yvel is no can despite what I’ve read from some of you…He’s got Muay Thai, and some subs too… not to mention serious KO power in his hands, feet, and knees….he has also been known to bite opponents and KO refs (no joke)
by McArthur on Dec 19, 2008 8:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Bzzzzzt! Wrong! he didnt KO the ref he knocked him down and the ref got back up.
by hank on Dec 19, 2008 8:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
well you know what I mean…apparently he got DQed for eye gauging Frye too
by McArthur on Dec 19, 2008 8:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
And has a DQ for biting too. Now that’s a bit much. But he’s a tough dude despite the disqualifications.
by Dugout on Dec 19, 2008 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
yea but that ref was an idiot getting all up in his face in the middle of the fight.. he got caught up in the moment and swung at the moron of a ref
by RoB on Dec 20, 2008 12:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
what do you mean this will be there last show ?
by Il Nino on Dec 19, 2008 9:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I love the spelling cops. Keep it up battery!
by Dugout on Dec 19, 2008 12:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Actually you had it right the first time with “their”.
by Diceman on Dec 19, 2008 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If I may dissect this dialogue, I believe battery was pointing out Il Nino’s misuse of ‘there’ as opposed to changing his original and correct use of ‘their’. Clever way of avoiding answering the question.
by GregC on Dec 19, 2008 2:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ah ha, in retrospect I don’t know how I missed that the first time. Thanks Greg
by Diceman on Dec 20, 2008 10:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What planet are you from that has 24 months in a year? Zheka…
by BNF on Dec 19, 2008 10:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
not everybody is a bloody american
in europe – day/month/year
by Anger Jack on Dec 19, 2008 11:21 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
BNF, this planet called Eastern Europe where we put days first
by zheka on Dec 20, 2008 2:17 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Barnett subs Yvel
Fedor grounds and pounds AA
Fedor KO’s Barnett
by Pat on Dec 19, 2008 9:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Affliction probably wont have a third show. I’d put money on it.
by the_mexicutioner on Dec 19, 2008 9:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
$20. You got a paypal account?
by the_mexicutioner on Dec 19, 2008 10:07 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Mexicutioner’s all business! I’ve never seen a bet go down so fast!
by Dugout on Dec 19, 2008 9:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
ya how much…I’m positive they will have a third and then that will be it….
by McArthur on Dec 19, 2008 10:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
As long as they have Fedor – I will watch.
You can’t put a price on watching the #1 fighter in the world do his best
by Anger Jack on Dec 19, 2008 11:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah you can…it’s the Spider, and it usually runs you around $45.
by MM_Eh on Dec 19, 2008 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’d like my last $45 back from the “Spider”…tbh.
by introvert on Dec 19, 2008 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
You can put two cans in the ring and get an awesome fight, doesn’t mean they should be #1 pound for pound.
by MM_Eh on Dec 19, 2008 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I love the Spider, and he’s probably my favorite fighter, but Fedor’s career>>>>>>>>>>>>Spider’s career.
by Diceman on Dec 19, 2008 1:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
That’s a matter of opinion. I would say that as far as competition goes, GSP and BJ have had much harder competition over their careers when compared to Fedor. I will agree that the MW division is pretty weak as far as competition goes though.
by MM_Eh on Dec 19, 2008 2:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
We could debate about GSP and BJ’s competition in relation to Fedor. I was more making the point that as much as I love the Spider, I wouldn’t call him the best P4P. Considering Fedor has been equally as dominant in his division I don’t buy the UFC’s hype for it’s own fighter that he’s the best P4P. And while it may not sound like it I’m about as big of a Silva fan as there is.
by Diceman on Dec 20, 2008 10:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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