Affliction Entertainment

Events

Affliction Entertainment promoted two pay-per-view (PPV) MMA events. The third (Trilogy) was scheduled for August 1, 2009, but was canceled July 24, 2009 due to Josh Barnett testing positive in the pre-screening drug test. On July 24, 2009 it was announced that Affliction had folded their MMA Promotion and would sponsor the UFC once again.

''Affliction: Banned''

Affliction entered the world of MMA fight promotion with the announcement of its event Affliction: Banned which took place on July 19, 2008 in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center. The card at Banned featured many of the top MMA heavyweight fighters. The main event was the return of Pride FC Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko fighting against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia. Emelianenko submitted Sylvia thirty-six seconds into the first round to win in convincing fashion. The event saw victories by former UFC Heavyweight Champions Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett and former UFC Light-heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. Affliction's total attendance (14,832), with a paid attendance of (11,242) and live gate of ($2,085,510) The total disclosed payroll for the event was $3,332,100.

''Affliction: Day of Reckoning''

Affliction: Day of Reckoning was the second event by Affliction and took place on January 24, 2009 in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center. The main event featured Fedor Emelianenko against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. Josh "Babyface Assassin" Barnett fought on the card and defeated Gilbert Yvel. In a light-heavyweight match former Strikeforce Champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral beat Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Matt Lindland was reassigned from a 195-pound catchweight bout with Sobral to a middleweight matchup against former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort.

Headlining the undercard, which was broadcast on HDNet Fights, the first and last IFL Light-Heavyweight Champion Vladimir Matyushenko lost to PRIDE veteran Antônio Rogério Nogueira.

''Affliction: Trilogy''

Affliction: Trilogy was to feature a fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett as its headline event at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on August 1, 2009. On July 22, 11 days before the scheduled event, the California State Athletic Commission announced it would not license Barnett because he tested positive for a banned substance. Later that day, the CSAC issued a press release which stated that anabolic steroids was the substance detected in Barnett's drug test.

Cancellation aftermath

Many of the fighters on the card were able to find another promotion to work for shortly after Affliction Entertainment's demise. The Renato Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi bout was moved to Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg for Sobral's Light Heavyweight Title, while Jay Hieron fought Jesse Taylor on the same card. Zuffa also picked up several fighters with the LC Davis vs. Javier Vasquez bout being moved to WEC 42, the Mark Hominick vs. Deividas Taurosevicius bout being moved to WEC 43, the Ben Rothwell vs. Chase Gormley bout moved to UFC 104 and Vitor Belfort main eventing UFC 103. As well Paul Daley, Dan Lauzon, and Rafaello Oliveira have signed contracts with Zuffa.

The Jessie Gibbs vs. Rob Broughton bout was moved to M-1 Global Presents Breakthrough. While Lucio Linhares from the other M-1 Global bout was also moved to the card, with a new opponent, he ended up fighting Mikhail Zayats.

References

References

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2. Sherdog.com. (November 14, 2008). "Affliction Owner Resigns". Sherdog.com.
3. Kevin Iole. "Affliction folds MMA promotion, will sponsor UFC". MMAJunkie.
4. (July 24, 2009). "Confirmed: "Affliction: Trilogy" event canceled". MMAjunkie.com.
5. (June 14, 2008). "Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia Set To Be A Title Match". 411mania.com.
6. Bigelow, Dirk. (January 17, 2009). "At first look, "Affliction: Banned" draws 14,832 for $2.1 million gate". MMAjunkie.com.
7. Bigelow, Dirk. (January 17, 2009). "Affliction: Banned" official salaries: payroll tops $3.3 million". MMAjunkie.com.com.
8. Hamlin, Tom. (September 10, 2008). "Affliction VP Tom Atencio on "Rescheduling"". Mmaweekly.com.
9. (December 17, 2008). "Affliction Releases TV Line-ups for HDNET & PPV". Mmaweekly.com.
10. Hunt, Loretta. (December 11, 2008). "Sobral-Sokoudjou Announced for Affliction 2". Sherdog.com.
11. Fagan, Mike. (August 4, 2008). "Rogerio Nogueira and Vladimir Matyushenko at Affliction's October Show". Bloodyelbow.com.
12. Caplan, Sam. (January 28, 2009). "Atencio says next event could happen in July or August; leaning towards Fedor vs. Barnett". Fiveouncesofpain.com.
13. (May 21, 2009). "Affliction's third event takes place Aug. 1, Emelianko vs. Barnett headlines". MMAjunkie.com.
14. (May 21, 2009). "Confirmed: Barnett Out of Fedor Fight". sherdog.com.
15. "California State Athletic Commission Denies License to Josh Barnett Press Release". MMAWaves.com.
16. Morgan, John. "Renato "Babalu" Sobral to defend Strikeforce title against Gegard Mousasi on Aug. 15". MMAjunkie.com.
17. Marrocco, Steven. "Jay Hieron vs Nick Diaz for Strikeforce Title". MMAweekly.com.
18. Rossen, Jake. (2009-07-31). "White Hosts Conference, Talks Belfort, Affliction, and Return of Ortiz". Sherdog.com.
19. (August 11, 2009). "Previously booked Jessie Gibbs vs. Rob Broughton bout secured for "M-1: Breakthrough"". MMAJunkie.
20. (August 10, 2009). "Fedor vs. Mousasi Exhibition added to "Breakthrough"; Mark Kerr steps up to fight "King" Mo Lawal". M1 Global.