MMA 
It was a series of events that no one could have predicted. In the span of only three days, Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids, Affliction: Trilogy was cancelled and in the most shocking news of all, Affliction has joined forces with the UFC once again, simultaneously ceasing the promotion of MMA events. So what will this do to the future of MMA? Oh and by the way, Tito Ortiz could very well be coming back to the UFC.
Many people were gravely disappointed to hear Affliction: Trilogy, one of the more stacked cards of the year, had been cancelled. The main event, a bout pitting the top two heavyweights in the world, Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett, against each other fell apart when Barnett tested positive for steroids and was unable to receive a licence to fight. This left Affliction scrambling for a replacement with names such as Vitor Belfort, Bobby Lashley and Brett Rogers being tossed around as possible opponents for Emelianenko. The event was officially cancelled when Showtime didn’t believe they would have ample time to promote a new main event.
Affliction Entertainment’s financial woes had come to light prior to Trilogy’s cancelation, so it was no surprise that the company announced it would no longer be promoting fights once the August 1st event was no more. But in a move that no one saw coming, Affliction signed a deal to become an official UFC sponsor. Ever since Affliction began promoting events last year the two organizations have been at odds, but with the most recent announcement it appears the feud is finally over.
UFC president Dana White’s business practices often come across as bullying. Many resent the fact the White and the UFC have for many years attempted to monopolize the MMA market and make it hard for smaller promotions to survive. But the recent actions by the UFC to effectively cease promotion by Affliction could actually benefit the sport as a whole. Similar to when the UFC purchased PRIDE, the coming months could see an influx of new fighters to the UFC, assuming White can persuade Affliction’s fighters to come over. This would move the sport ever closer to what many fans have yearned for since its beginnings: a unification that would see the world’s best fighters all facing each other to determine the undisputed champions of each division.
Of course the fighter everyone is wondering about is “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko. With Affliction officially joining forces with the UFC, talk is already circulating that the Russian superstar could be joining the world’s biggest MMA organization. White has been clear he wants Emelianenko in the UFC, and with news he will be leaving the country it’s safe to say Russia is a likely destination. Bodog has even opened betting lines on a possible Emelianenko/ Brock Lesnar fight. But don’t get too excited, Fedor will not be easy to persuade.
Emelianenko’s management team is M-1 Global who also acted as Affliction’s promotion partner as well as promoting many events them selves. According to White, during previous negotiations M-1 Global wished to co-promote UFC events and went as far as requesting the UFC finance a stadium to be built in Russia. Emelianenko has also stated on many occasions he feels the UFC contract terms are too restrictive and has made it clear that he has no desire to join the UFC.
If a UFC/ Affliction reconciliation wasn’t enough, it appears that Dana White and Tito Ortiz have put there differences aside and a return to the UFC for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” seems imminent. White’s post on Twitter stating “welcome back Tito,” set the MMA world abuzz. He would later confirm on ESPN radio that the feud between the two personalities was over. He also suggested that a return to the UFC was a possibility for the former light-heavyweight champion.
Will an Emelianenko/ Lesnar fight ever come to fruition? Is Tito Ortiz really coming back to the UFC? These questions could be answered as soon as next Friday. White has stated that a press conference will be scheduled for July 31st where “a laundry list” of announcements will take place. Whether it’s anyone’s guess what could really be announced, it’s very possible that one of the things discussed is a revamped UFC 103 card to compete with the Floyd Mayweather/ Juan Manuel Marquez boxing match scheduled for the same night.
