Affliction Ceasing Operations As Fight Promoter, Joining UFC

Affliction Cancels Trilogy Card, Joins UFC As Sponsor

Affliction Friday "first canceled its pay-per-view card scheduled for Aug. 1," then announced it will "cease operations as a fight promoter and that its clothing division will become a UFC sponsor," according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. Affliction "came to terms on a deal with the UFC in which it would quit promoting fight cards," and the UFC is "likely to absorb the contracts of all Affliction fighters except" Fedor Emelianenko. Fedor's contract status is "not known," though UFC President Dana White on Friday said that he is "trying to negotiate a deal." Sources indicated that Affliction was "on the verge of a deal with Strikeforce for some sort of merger, but that fell apart in the last 24-48 hours" before Friday's moves. Iole noted Affliction's "Trilogy" PPV card was scheduled for August 1 at Honda Center with a main event featuring Fedor and Josh Barnett, but Barnett "tested positive for an anabolic steroid and on Tuesday was denied a license to fight by the California State Athletic Commission" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/24). Showtime, which was slated to carry the "Trilogy" event, declined to comment. Affliction COO Michael Cohen also declined comment (SI.com, 7/24). White in a statement said, "We are excited about the return of Affliction to the UFC and look forward to seeing our fighters once again walk into the octagon wearing the Affliction brand" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 7/25).

LATEST GOOD NEWS FOR UFC: In Las Vegas, Andy Samuelson reported the acquisition "appears to be a big boon for the UFC, on a day that already was chalk full of positive reports." UFC 100 reportedly "set a record 1.5 million" PPV buys, and White Friday was honored as ESPN Radio 1100 Las Vegas' Sportsman of the Year at a "banquet in connection with the station's 24-hour radiothon to benefit The Caring Place." White "remained tight-lipped" regarding Fedor, but said that if the fighter "joined his organization he would immediately be in the heavyweight mix" (LAS VEGAS SUN, 7/25).