When the popular clothing brand Affliction, which markets itself to fighters and fans of “extreme” sports, launched Affliction Entertainment in June of 2008, the MMA world was very optimistic. It was the makings of what could potentially be the next major promotional organization. One that would gather up all the great fighters not signed under the UFC. However, many remained apprehensive as it was unclear if Affliction was poised for greatness or destined for bankruptcy.

Affliction: Banned, took place a month later in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center. The fight card was stacked, and would include a fight between former Pride FC heavyweight champion Fedor Emeliankenko and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia. It also featured two other heavyweight and one light heavyweight fight, each including a former UFC champion.

With an exciting fight card, free to watch undercard, live performance from the band Megadeath, and famed ring announcer Michael Buffer, it seemed that Affliction had the ability to achieve all the fan’s expectations.

The event had a total attendance of 14,832, grossing $2,085,510 at the gate and well over 100 thousand pay-per-view buys which generated somewhere in the ball park of another $2.1 million. This made their total revenue from the event around $4.2 million.

Banned was considered a mini success; nearly selling out the Honda Center and experiencing record high pay-per-view purchases, more than any MMA promotional company other than the UFC.

However, everything hadn’t played out as well as things seemed. Behind the facade of a packed Honda Center and solid pay-per-view numbers, Affliction Entertainment had taken a hard financial hit. What seemed like a healthy growth in the company; was in reality the beginnings of a bloody financial ulcer.

Affliction had purchased nearly one quarter of total gate earnings themselves and total fighter payroll for the event was $3,332,100; more than three quarters of estimated revenue. After fighter salaries, many expenses were still unpaid. With less than a million dollars left to do so, Affliction was bleeding profusely.

In January of this year, six months after Banned, Affliction: Day of Reckoning was scheduled to take place. Another stacked fight card featuring Emelianenko defending his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, and former light heavyweight UFC champion Vitor Belfort in a 195 pound catchweight fight; meant another stacked payroll.

The event which once again took place at the Honda Center, had 13,255 in attendance with a total gate of $1,512,750, and was projected to have between 150,000 and 200,000 PPV buys. But with a reported payroll of $3,318,660 plus bonuses, the financial hemorrhage was only made more profuse.

Affliction: Trilogy was scheduled to take place on the first of this month, nearly seven months since their last event. The main card was destined to be an MMA classic, featuring the much anticipated match up between Emelianenko and former UFC & Pride sensation, Josh Barnett.

To the shock of the MMA world, Barnett was forced to pull out of the fight 10 days prior to the event due to positive steroid tests. The fight that was supposed to pull Affliction Entertainment out of bankruptcy was now the final nail in the coffin for the company.

Ridiculous payrolls, long periods of time between events, and lack of hype and advertisement had all taken their toll and on July 24, Affliction Entertainment declared bankruptcy.

Although Affliction Entertainment is no more, Affliction Clothing was a separate entity and is still a vibrant company. They once again have a deal with the UFC to sponsor fighters. It was a falling out between the two companies in January of last year that had lead to the formation of the now defunct Affliction Entertainment.

The fate of the fighters signed with Affliction is uncertain. However, it is suspected that the UFC will pick up the contracts of some 22 or so fighters left out in the cold by the cancelation of Trilogy. But for right now, their fate is largely uncertain. What we can be certain about is that when the UFC decides to sign some of the best fighters in the world, it can only mean exciting things for MMA fans.

Valley Fight League in association with Squared Circle Promotions presents VFL 20 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., Saturday August 22nd.

The event features an ISCF title fight and 9 other MMA fights.

Tickets are available at VFLMMA.com or by calling 304-283-3053/304-283-2941. General admission is $35, rows 2-4 are $50, front row is $65, and cageside is $100.

Doors open at 6 PM and the action, sponsored by Hooters, begins at 7 PM.

Fight Card

Carlton Haselrig (3-2) vs. TBD

Binky “Binky” Jones (7-8) vs. TBD

Robert Conner (2-2) vs. Brad Wright (1-0)

Dan Root (0-1) vs. Wade Drake (0-1)

Richard Desper (0-2) vs TBD

Jacob Kirwan (2-1) vs. Duke Koblinsky (0-0)

Krissy Barrett (5-1) vs. Nicole Hess (1-0)

Thad Benton (3-0) vs. Brent Hess (0-1)

Corey Popanz (1-0)  vs. Caleb Ball (3-5)

Roy Miller (0-1) vs. TBD

Deathroll MMA in association with Mark Shrader’s Mixed Martial Arts Academy presents There’s Gonna Be A Fight Tonight, at the Southpointe Iceoplex in Canonsburg, PA on Saturday, August 15th.

The event includes 6 professional and 7 amateur fights, and begins at 7:30 PM.

Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. They can also be purchased at deathrollmma.com or by calling 724-222-2664. General admission is $35, ringside seats are $50, and balcony seats are $65.

Anyone under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Pro Card

140 lbs – Donnie Kacher (6-1) vs. Robbie Walker (1-1)

145 lbs – Mike Nesto (0-2) vs. Khristian Geraci (2-9)

Brian Smiley (3-3) vs. Joe Wahlberg (0-0)

170 lbs – Jeremy Bennett (7-5) vs. Nikolaos Bascarino (0-3)

185 lbs – Andy Cooper (0-2) vs. John Opfar (0-1)

205 lbs – Billy Vucick (4-3) vs. Joel Wyatt (4-0)

Amateur Card

135 lbs – James Miller (0-0) vs. Gannon Krebs (0-0)

145 lbs – Rick Bauer (0-0) vs. Jon Sleber (0-0)

155 lbs – Andy Yackabouskey (1-1) vs. Aaron Aburradd (0-0)

Joe Miani (0-0) vs. Julian Barona (0-0)

Jay Morris (1-1) vs. Ryan Kaintz (0-0)

170 lbs – Ron Allen (0-0) vs. Artie Spelcher (0-5)

265 lbs – Peter Cartella (0-0) vs. All Ahmed (0-0)

One man, a technician who picks apart his opponents with relentless speed and accuracy. The other, a bull who charges from all angles with tremendous ferocity. Both men, national icons and the faces of their sport.

That about says it all for the Manny Pacquiao - Miguel Cotto pound-for-pound showdown that is scheduled to take place November 14th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

For the last three years, Pac Man has been riding a wave of victories over super star opposition; which includes Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan Manuel Marquez, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, and Ricky Hatton. Although Pacquiao was already a champion in four different weight classes, it was his most recent wins against De La Hoya and Hatton, which he achieved in devastating TKO and KO fashion, that launched him into the stratosphere of boxing.

Pacquiao’s slickness cannot be matched right now. He attacks with intelligence, and capitalizes on any counter attack opportunities and vulnerabilities in his opponent’s defense. When he is exploited,  which in recent years only Marquez has been able to do, he has demonstrated a very strong chin and over all resilience. Besides the Marquez fight, he has been very hard for opponents to find in the ring. De La Hoya tried to for 8 rounds, and could find nothing but Pac Man’s unorthodox left hand lead, and southpaw style. Hatton was even less fortunate. Pacquiao landed 73 to Hatton’s 18 punches total in their fight, which ended in a late second round knockout of Hatton.

Cotto’s recent resume is almost as impressive. For the last three years, he too has taken on and beaten the best opposition; which includes Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Alfonso Gomez of Contender fame, and Joshua Clottey. Most recently however, Cotto has been in the boxing limelight for a controversial loss against Antonio Margarito. He ran out of answers for Margarito’s relentless assault in the 11th round of their bout last summer and received his first professional loss in a knockout that was later declared illegitimate by many fans due to a plaster-like substance found under Margarito’s wraps.

Cotto bounced back from the devastating loss earlier this summer with a win over Joshua Clottey. The win made him once again, the man to beat at welterweight. With a Margarito rematch out of the question due to his suspension for the illegal wraps, there are very few lucrative and interesting fights at welterweight for Cotto, making a showdown against the pound-for-pound king the most reasonable fight to take.

Cotto is much less elusive than Pac Man. He is much easier to find in the ring, as demonstrated by Margarito, who although was found cheating, would still have found his target with or with out illegal wraps. Mosley and Clottey, also both proved to be the quicker men against Cotto, who is surely going to show vulnerability to Pac Man’s lighting speed. However, the same way in which his past fights demonstrate Cotto’s vulnerability, they also demonstrate his resilience. He went 11 rounds with illegal wraps on a man who is a big hitter to begin with. Even when he is outmatched in speed, he has continued to press the action, wearing down opponents with his vicious body blows.

Many believe that Cotto’s style is too aggressive, and that he will suffer the same fate as Hatton. Some believe that Cotto is the bigger man and will overpower Pac Man. However, De La Hoya was the bigger man as well and couldn’t take any more from Pac Man and he quit on the stool in the 9th.

Cotto is a tremendous warrior who has taken on challenge after challenge and won numerous hard fought battles. But for the first time, I am finding it hard to identify any advantages Cotto might have in this fight. Cotto has the heart of a man who carries Puerto Rico on his back every time he enters the ring and is notoriously strong and aggressive. Recently however, it has been questionable how much that counts for when facing the pound-for-pound man; who has tremendous responsibility and strength in the knowledge that he fights with the prayers of 100 million Filipino.

Hard Knocks Cage Fights and Jerry Thomas’ WV Sports Promotions will be hosting their 6th amateur event next Saturday, August 8th at the James E. Carnes Center in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

Doors open at 6:30 PM and the action begins at 7:30 PM. There will be 19 amateur MMA fights with 11 fighters making their debut.

Tickets are available for $50 ringside, $30 reserved, and $20 general admission and can be purchased at Convenient Food Mart on 248 E. Main Street, St. Clairsville, Ohio (740-695-1594) & 16 S. Huron Street, Wheeling, West Virginia (304-233-6430).

For further questions and ticket information, please call 1-800-296-3897 or visit HKCF-MMA.com.

Fight Card:

135 lbs:

Kayla Varney (0-0) vs. TBA

145 lbs:

Kenny Wilson (0-0) vs. TBA

Brandon Horner (2-1-0) vs. TBA

155 lbs:

Gary Miller (1-0) vs. Brandon Snyder (1-2)

Josh Baker (3-1) vs. TBA

170 lbs:

Todd Beven (0-0) vs. Ben Horner (0-0)

Mike Drescher (0-0) vs. Justin Hoffman (0-0)

Travis Fluharty (0-0) vs. Shane Gilmore (0-0)

Josh Oppenheimer (2-1) vs. Anthony Johnson (1-1)

185 lbs:

Dave Forysth (1-1) vs. Matt Debarr (1-0)

205 lbs:

Matt Garretson (1-1) vs. Ryan Barnett (0-0)

Chris Perkins (2-0) vs. Phillip Clark (3-0)

265 lbs:

Mike Sharp (0-0) vs. Allan Ray Patrick (0-0)

Lateff Keaton (0-1) vs. Jon Reed (1-0)

Nathan Bryant (4-1) vs. Nathan Loughran (7-3-1)

The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is holding their 10th annual grappling tournament this weekend; Saturday August 1st & Sunday August 2nd at the Wildwoods Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Doors open at 8 AM both days. Tickets will be available at the door and can be purchased at nagafighter.com. $60 front row seat tickets are sold out. However, $30 & $40 general admission and floor seats are still available.

For more information please call 860-295-0403.

Adult Divisions Schedule Saturday August 1st:

In November, 1993 the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, hosted UFC 1: The Beginning. The Arena, capable of seating 17,000, only sold 2,800 seats for the event which had a dismal 86,000 PPV purchases.

Despite poor sales and attendance, the controversial event had lucrative potential; a second tournament was scheduled to air in March, 1994.

UFC 2: No Way Out took place at the Mammoth Gardens in Denver. The Gardens with a capacity of 11,000, only sold 2,000 tickets, but PPV purchases skyrocketed to 300,000.

It was quickly picked up by major PPV distributors like Viewers Choice and TCI Cable.

UFCs 3, 4, and 5 were all mini PPV hits, and really brought the organization and sport of MMA into the spotlight. However, not all the attention it gained was posotive.

After a brief Campaign held by senator John McCain asking governors to put a stop to no-holds-barred fighting, the UFC was banned in 36 states.

They were dropped by major cable and PPV providers, and forced to hold events in states like Wyoming and Iowa, where there was very little public appeal for the sport.

However, after negotiations with state athletic commissions, the UFC revamped their product; adding rules, weight classes, and safety measures.

In 2000 the dust cleared and the controversy was mostly forgotten. Most state athletic commissions granted the UFC sanctioning and John McCain was even quoted as saying “The sport has grown up. The rules have been adopted to give its athletes better protections and to ensure fairer competition.”

Casino Moguls Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta along with boxing promoter Dana White, purchased the UFC in 2001 for $2 million, and created Zuffa, LLC as the parent company, making White the president. Shortly thereafter, the UFC returned to PPV television, just in time for UFC 33.

UFC 33, took place in September, 2001 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Zuffa had hardly capitalized on their purchase with a disappointing $816,660 gate revenue and 75,000 PPV buys; 11,000 less than UFC 1.

However, over the next few years, with the guidance of White and corporate muscle of Zuffa, PPV numbers grew and the UFC gradually brought once more, the sport of MMA into the spotlight.

In 2005 Zuffa struck a deal with Spike TV to air The Ultimate Fighter series. The show was an instant success, and Spike agreed to pick up the show. The series, which will begin it’s tenth season in September, proved to be a huge promotional success.

PPV numbers exploded. 280,000 viewers purchased the UFC 52 PPV; the first UFC event to air after season one of the contender. The event was a far cry from the PPV disaster of UFC 33.

In 2006, only a year later, the UFC set the all time PPV annual revenue record, generating over $222,766,000; Surpassing both boxing and WWE PPV revenue for that year.

Earlier this month, UFC 100 was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. However, in sharp contrast to UFC 33 only 8 yeas ago, the event grossed $5,128,490 at the gate and set a record 1,500,000 PPV purchases.

Last year the UFC generated over $250 million, 90% of all MMA revenue. This year, that  statistic is expected to take a substantial jump with the release of their video game UFC 2009 Undisputed and record high PPV numbers.

In less than a decade, Dana White and Zuffa transformed the UFC from a struggling business, experiencing financial deficits of more than $35 million only a few years ago, into a billion dollar corporation; synonymous with the entire sport of MMA.

For the last three years, since his middleweight debut against Chris Leben at UFC: Ultimate Fight Night 5 in 2006, Anderson Silva has been widely considered to be the most dominant force in the UFC.

Now fighting at light heavyweight, Silva is 24 and 4 in his professional MMA career, and remains undefeated in the UFC. Silva is considered by Sherdog to be the number one pound for pound fighter and holds the record for most consecutive UFC wins, which now stands at 9.

One golden question has recently – not so recently for some – imbedded itself in minds of all Silva fans.

Why is this man so unstoppable?

I believe it is Silva’s expansive martial arts background, lanky body, and awkward style that make him such a force to be reckoned with.

Since the age of 14, Silva has been training to be the “superhero” he is today. He first studied Tae Kwon do and Judo, and earned his black-belt in each at 18. For the next decade he devoted himself to boxing and kickboxing and had a short lived boxing career in the late 90’s.

Silva’s most recent training took place in 2006 under the tutelage of MMA heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Under Nogueira, Silva received his black-belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; one of the foremost fighting influences in MMA.

Silva stands 6 feet 2 inches and has a reach of 77.6 inches; making him a freak of nature at 185 pounds, the heavy end of the middleweight devision, which ranges from 177 to 185 pounds. He has long legs as well, and utilizes his reach advantage without hesitation whether it be a flurry of kicks, or smothering punches which keep his opponents at bay.

His unique blend of styles and ferocity are so devastating because he throws awkward strikes from awkward angles at awkward times; making him extremely unpredictable and effective.

“This is a different kind of striker,” said Joe Rogan after Silva’s debut knockout of Chris Leben. Silva finished Leben with a knee to the face after a brutal barrage of punches. Effective strikes like that are powerful and difficult to defend against. None can pull them off like Silva.

One of Silva’s best and most awkward performances was before his domination of the UFC, During Cage Rage 16, against Tony Fryklind. Right away Silva’s physical advantages were apparent. He poured on the offense; showcasing just how devastating a lanky fighter could be.

Silva was able to land vicious knees to Fryklind’s body; using his arms and chest to smother his shorter opponent. He then followed up with a flying knee, connecting with Fryklind’s face, then finishing his man with an incredible move that has yet to be duplicated; a backwards elbow right on the button of Fryklind’s chin.

Silva’s knockout of Tony Fryklind is one of the most unorthodox I have ever seen. That is why when Silva fights it is exciting and why he is a great champion. Fans know they can expect excitement. He will not roll around on the ground and he will definitely not let someone else control the fight. Moves like backwards elbows and air-born knees are exactly why Anderson Silva is synonymous with devastation and domination.

In 1993 Rorion Gracie and Art Davie organized an eight man single elimination tournament. The tournament, known as The Ultimate Fighting Championship, pitt masters of different martial arts against one another to determine which fighting style was most superior. When the tournament aired it was a mini hit. Unknown to him at the time, Gracie had uncovered the niche market and fan-base for the sport we now know today as MMA.

Since then, countless sanctioning organizations have tried to organize MMA “leagues.” Among the more popular ones today are Affliction, Elite XC, and PRIDE. However, none have reached the success or popularity of the UFC, which seized the market through their popular television show, The Ultimate Fighter, now in it’s tenth season, and used popular television personalities like Joe Rogan to analyze and announce events.

In the last few years, the UFC has become synonymous with MMA.

However it was not until this summer that the UFC reached the “next level” of popularity. A level that spans across countries and is able to draw millions of viewers. With the release of their first video game UFC 2009 Undisputed, their first event in mainland Europe, and the record breaking 100th card on July 11th, the UFC’s popularity has exploded, which begs the question – is MMA still a niche sport?

Yes. I believe it still is.

I also believe that the niche is growing. The test of the UFC’s popularity hangs in question as long as The Ultimate Fighter is still airing. When that show comes off the air, it will be interesting to see what direction the UFC takes to maintain its growth. If they lose much of their exposure and on the fence fans when the show is taken off television, well then MMA as a whole is likely to take a serious blow to fan following.

Popularity lies in the young generation of fight fans. This being the case, the UFC still has to prove that it is not a generational fad; like roller blades or boy bands. As demographics begin to change, so will the popularity of the UFC, for better or worse.

I think the UFC is past the point where it could die out completely, leaving it to go in one of two directions. The UFC can level off in popularity just as professional wrestling did in the late 1990’s, or experience huge growth, and rise to the level of a second rate mainstream sport like tennis or soccer.

I think that the latter of the two situations is more likely. On the other hand, an explosion of MMA and the UFC out of it’s niche into the mainstream does not seem too farfetched. However, It is still way too early to predict what direction the sport will head in.

If the UFC can maintain their growing popularity through the next decade, they will have a cemented place in sports and entertainment. I think they can do this. The UFC has already proven it’s marketability. Now they must expand on it.

Too big, too smart, too strong – Brock Lesnar last Saturday at UFC 100 proved to be all of these and more when he avenged his only loss in a TKO win against Frank Mir.

Mir got the best of Lesnar during their first match up with an opportune kneebar submission in the first round, handing the rookie his first and only professional loss during UFC 81.

Since then Lesnar has accomplished much, capturing the heavy weight title from MMA legend Randy Couture and earning a unanimous decision over top contender Heath Herring. He has repeatedly and without relent, telling fans what a changed fighter he is. He was not bluffing. The Lesnar of their first match up was clearly not the same man who TKO’d Mir in the second round last Saturday.

Just a week ago it seemed that Mir had thoroughly read the “Brock Lesnar Manual.” In an interview with cagewriter, Mir seemed to know exactly what Lesnar’s game plan was going to be. “If a guy wrestled in college, typically you’ll watch his training sessions, and it’ll look like a college wrestling practice. So they’re not looking to use their striking to win fights. He will stay within his comfort zone,” said Mir. He also seemed confident in his ability to overcome Lesnar in his weaker area, “striking is a phenomenal way to win fights. I’m light years ahead of most guys in the heavyweight division.”

When the first round bell sounded, both men took little time in going to the canvas in what seemed to be a continuation of their first meeting. They fumbled around on the ground for a few seconds, until Lesnar situated himself in a suitable position to pound away at Mir’s face. Just like their first encounter. However, this time around there were two vast improvements in Lesnar’s game. He did not leave his legs vulnerable and he kept his chest very close to Mir’s, limiting his motion.

As the first round came to a close, it became very clear that Lesnar was the superior fighter. Mir would need to exploit one of Lesnar’s mistakes, but with his game greatly polished since their first meeting, this did not seem likely.

Round two saw a little burst of offensive action from Mir, who tried to execute his game plan and win the fight on his feet. Once Mir was backed up to the cage however, Lesnar took him back to the ground and pound. After about five seconds of Mir having his face smashed into the canvas, the fight was stopped.

Many fans counted Mir out, and were only shocked when the fight made it to the second round. Even though Lesnar had the edge, Mir’s slick style and experience made the fight very competitive. With each fighter now owning a win over the other, could a trilogy be in the foreseeable future? If anyone can defeat Lesnar in a huge heavyweight title upset, we know Mir is the one man capable of pulling it off.