Props: MMA Fan House

Quoteworthy:

" ... I'm just trying to figure out what we're doing, that's all. I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place. The fans and the media treat me like I'm on my tenth show. I'm on my third show, and I'm just trying to make sure I don't make the same mistakes that I made in the other events. If there's things I've made mistakes on I try to fix them. I'm trying to be methodical about everything. I'm just trying to make sure that whatever we do, we're doing it right. And then on the other hand, sponsors and everybody else are treating it like it is my second show and trying to make me prove myself, and that's what I'm doing. So I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place. It's only my third show. It's not like I've done this before. It's not like we come from another organization of smaller fights. This is right out of the gate, we showed up, we did a huge show, we did a second huge show, now I'm just trying to figure out how we do our third show.... [I have learned] a lot [from the first two shows]. The production, making sure everybody's there on time, making sure everyone flies in on time. There's just a lot of stuff that -- not that I didn't know, it's just that there was definitely a learning curve. Not to mention fighters' purses. Pay-per-view. Not that I didn't think about it, it's just very involved."

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio talks about the learning curve that is involved with running a successful mixed martial arts promotion. Atencio and Co. have thus far managed to stage two major pay-per-view (PPV) events with mixed results since making a foray in the industry in mid 2008. He plans to hold a show sometime in summer 2009; however, will not commit to a firm date, location or venue because nothing is official at this time. It is expected that WAMMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko will once again anchor the third show against number one contender Josh Barnett if it indeed does take place.