Affliction: Day Of Reckoning thread

[Gabrielle]

October 11, 2008 at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas

Heavyweight Bout: Andrei Arlovski vs. Josh Barnett

Middleweight Championship: Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland

Light Heavyweight Bout: Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

Heavyweight Bout: Pedro Rizzo vs. Ben Rothwell

Lightweight Bout: Flag of Canada Chris Horodecki vs. TBA

Welterweight Bout: Flag of the United States Jay Hieron vs. TBA

Premilinary card
Heavyweight Bout: Roy Nelson vs. Paul Buentello

Featherweight Bout: Mike Pyle vs. Jason Hart

Predictions, comments, anything goes...

[JD77]

Is Affliction at all affiliated with the UFC? It just seems wierd that some of these big names aren't locked down with contracts to only fight for Dana White.

[Gabrielle]

A majority of these fighters have fought in the UFC and Pride. Mostly UFC in their younger days, then transitioned to Pride which at the time had a better overall grade of fighters. Unlike today where the situation is that the best fighters are mostly in the UFC now. The weight classes in the UFC are pretty stacked nowadays. Plus they are talking about merging even more pride fighters into the UFC and also combining WEC fighters. Which opens up the possibility of Paul Filho fighting in the UFC.

[cphafner]

They are bringing in the FA's. There are rumors these guys lost tons of $ during their first card. They are paying tons to these guys. I just can't see them surviving.

[Beholder]

They payed A LOT of cash for the fighters. Take a look at this: http://fightticker.com/node/2085
Yeah the lost money overall, BUT if they are treating fighters right and tune down the pay out a bit there will be no problem at all. I think they will do fine, they got a rather rich guy backing them and he wouldent of done it if it wasnt going to make $$.
Gotta put $$$ in to get $$$ out.

[Gabrielle]

Thats what has been said under the radar but no one knows for sure. Personally I love these line-ups because this is kinda like pride shockwave.

[Beholder]

Is Affliction at all affiliated with the UFC? It just seems wierd that some of these big names aren't locked down with contracts to only fight for Dana White.

No they are not affiliated. Affliction used to be a big clothing brand for the UFC but when they started their own Organization Dana banned all Afflicting clothing.

[cphafner]

They payed A LOT of cash for the fighters. Take a look at this: http://fightticker.com/node/2085
Yeah the lost money overall, BUT if they are treating fighters right and tune down the pay out a bit there will be no problem at all. I think they will do fine, they got a rather rich guy backing them and he wouldent of done it if it wasnt going to make $$.
Gotta put $$$ in to get $$$ out.

That's just the salaries. That doesn't take into account the costs of putting on the show. We'll just have to wait and see what happens. If they tone down the pay a bit, why will fighters go there?

[Gabrielle]

I am not going to badmouth Dana White but he has a lot of enemies.

[Gabrielle]

Regardless, you have to admit those match-ups are amazing tho. For mma fighters that want to fight even caliber fighters affliction is setting up great events. They are even using a ring just like Pride.

[cphafner]

I am not going to badmouth Dana White but he has a lot of enemies.

He's a blunt guy. I'm sure a lot of guys don't like him. He sure has pissed off a lot of fighters. I remember an interview with him a while back about higher fighter pay outside of the UFC. He said it's great that they offer higher money, but wait and see if they actually pay it. There was a number of competitors that promised money, but then had to close shop and the fighters got nothing. He said we might not pay as much, but you know you are getting your check. He makes a valid argument. Affliction certainly has a head of steam right now, I just question the profitability. Have they released any numbers (gate, ppv, etc) of the first card?

[Gabrielle]

They haven't released official numbers as far as I know. I don't disagree with Dana White's blunt attitude or his comments about other organizations or fighters in general. It is just well known that he is not very well liked and I am sure there is some truth to that. I don't know the guy personally and I haven't been present for conversations behind closed doors nor between himself and other fighters.

[cphafner]

They haven't released official numbers as far as I know. I don't disagree with Dana White's blunt attitude or his comments about other organizations or fighters in general. It is just well known that he is not very well liked and I am sure there is some truth to that. I don't know the guy personally and I haven't been present for conversations behind closed doors nor between himself and other fighters.

The thing I dislike is his language. I know it's a fighting org, and I curse myself, but he is the president of a huge company. No other president of a major company would talk like that. If he wants to run a world class company he needs to clean it up imo.

[faster]

UFC has an image to upkeep and Dana is very, very good at what he does. His cursing is not going to affect a singled damn thing the UFC does in the future. Gimme a break.

[cphafner]

UFC has an image to upkeep and Dana is very, very good at what he does. His cursing is not going to affect a singled damn thing the UFC does in the future. Gimme a break.

They are a publically traded company. I listen to analyst calls all day long and his act would never go over with investors. Now they just brought on Ferrtita (sp?). He might take on that role going forward, and given his business savy he could handle that better. If he wants to be like MLB, NFL, NBA, etc then I disagree. I am nitpicking. I still watch. I just find his act getting old.

[Beholder]

Yes they have released official numbers, but I cant find them for some reason. Thats all that I could find was the payouts for the athletes.

[Gabrielle]

Interesting, then maybe the rumors were true about fedor falsely claiming an injury. I still find it very hard to believe that he would fight as the main card fight for such a low payout compared to arlovski and sylvia. This is if the source for those payouts are credible which I am suspect about.

[joey54]

If anything, I have liked most of their fight match ups so far. Thier fist card was pretty good and I will definitely get this in October over the Cote vs. Silva Slaughter UFC card.

[Cirino83]

Dana is from South Boston, notorious for foul mouths. That said I don't think it's a big deal. He is like a big kid enjoying what he does. It's a fighting corp., not Fidelity Investments.

[biggimp]

after wasting $45 on the first affliction card, when it was 10x less entertaining than the free ufc card of the same night, i will not be ordering another one for a long time.

[Gabrielle]

I didn't find the free UFC card the same night that entertaining though Silva is awesome. I usually watch the fights at the bar or a restaurant so even though I am spending money at least I get to eat lol.

[Holto]

Now they just brought on Ferrtita (sp?)

Dana + the Fertitta's are the owners. When Dana was negotiating a contract for tito (his client at the time) he found out the UFC was for sale and arranged to but it with the Fertitta bro's.

I also can't find any info that states UFC is public.

[JD77]

A majority of these fighters have fought in the UFC and Pride. Mostly UFC in their younger days, then transitioned to Pride which at the time had a better overall grade of fighters. Unlike today where the situation is that the best fighters are mostly in the UFC now. The weight classes in the UFC are pretty stacked nowadays. Plus they are talking about merging even more pride fighters into the UFC and also combining WEC fighters. Which opens up the possibility of Paul Filho fighting in the UFC.

But isn't Antonio Rogerio Nogueira the current UFC heavyweight champ? I thought he was going to coach against Frank Mir on the next Ultimate Fighter as well. I might just be confused, but I didn't think they would be allowed to be under contract for both organizations at the same time. Evidently they are. Just seems surprising to me.

[Gabrielle]

No Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is the interim UFC heavyweight champ. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is his twin brother. They look pretty much identical.

[JD77]

No Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is the interim UFC heavyweight champ. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is his twin brother. They look pretty much identical.

Ah, lol. Makes perfect sense then. I never realized that.