Affliction has apparently tapped out of the mixed martial arts promotion business almost one year to the day it held its first event on July 19, 2008.
Yahoo!Sports today issued a report that Affliction MMA will cease to exist, coming to terms with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) under an agreement that will allow the clothing brand to once again sponsor the world's top promotion and the fighters under its umbrella.
Affliction was "banned" from doing so when it decided to begin promoting events last year.
The cancelation of Affliction: "Trilogy," which was expected to take place for the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1., was the genesis for this stunning turn of events.
Affliction indicated that an inability to find a worthy replacement for Josh Barnett -- who tested positive for anabolic steroids and was denied a license to compete -- led to its decision to scrap the show. Barnett was supposed to challenge Fedor Emelianenko in the main event of the evening.
What a difference a needle makes.
Affliction and UFC are expected to release a joint statement later on today. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for more on this breaking news as it develops.
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