MMAVu

Affliction 2: Day of Reckoning is in the books, and on the surface, their salaries still appear wickedly skewed when compared to the UFC’s. These numbers don’t included hidden bonuses or sponsorship money.

Fedor Emelianenko $300,000 def. Andre Arlovski by KO $1,500,000
Don’t feel bad that Fedor didn’t get as many rubles as Arlovski; Fedor has the aforementioned backdoor deal that, rumor has it, pays him in excess of $2 million dollars. That’s a lot of rubles for knocking out the former UFC champ, Arlovski.

Josh Barnett $500,000 def. Gilbert Yvel by Tap Out $30,000
Not a bad payday for sure for Barnett. So much for the rumor that Affliction was going to ask their talent to take a %50 pay cut.

Vitor Belfort $200,000 ($80,000 to show up, $120,000 to win) def. Matt Lindland $225,000
This was the Vitor of old. Just a charging flurry of punches. Scary looking knockout of Lindland, a top 5 middleweight.

Renato Sobral $90,000 ($60,000 to show up, $30,000 to win) def. Sokoudjou $50,000
Seems like Soko is just a one-trick, one round pony. He had better learn some ground and improve his cardio. Looking like the Predator will only get you so far before you have to back it up.

Paul Buentello $90,000 ($70,000 to show up, $20,000 to win) def. Kiril Sidelnikov $10,000
I wonder if I can talk my boss into this kind of a deal? Pay me to show up, and if I work, pay me some more.

Dan Lauzon $12,000 def. Bobby Green $4,000
Gutys effort on the part of Green, taking this fight on four day’s notice.

Jay Hieron $45,000 ($20,000 to show up, $25,000 to win) def. Jason High $10,000
Too bad Heiron is on the GSP knockout highlight reel. He’s a talented guy, but that darn KO loss to GSP!!

Antonio Rogerio Nogueira $150,000 ($120,000 to show up, $30,000 to win) def. V. Matyushenko $50,000
Where else does a person NOT make the pay per view, and make more (disclosed) money than most UFC Main Eventers?

L.C. Davis $14,000 ($7,000 to show up, $7,000 to win) def. Bao Quach $7,000

Albert Rios $6,000 ($3,000 to show up, $3,000 to win) def. Antonio Duarte $3,000

Brett Cooper $10,000 ($5,000 to show, $5,000 to win) def. Patrick Speight $2,000

The total disclosed fighter payroll for Affliction’s second card was $3,308,000, not including the rumored $5 million dollar fee they gave Oscar De La Hoya “to show up”

In comparison, UFC 92′s fighter payroll was $1,381,000. Do the math: Less pay per view buys, less sponsorship money, plus higher payroll = out of business soon.

Word came down today that Gilbert Yvel has been granted a fight license by the CSAC and will be allowed to take part on Affliction’s 2nd card on Jan 24 opposite Josh Barnett. Talk about last minute. Yvel was denied on Feb 2007 for Pride 33 in Vegas by the NSAC for his questionable behavior in fights; namely biting, eye-gouging and even slapping referees around.

However, it was not all good news for Affliction, as Chris Horodecki was denied his license, due to a bulging disc in his neck. Affliction is on the hunt for a last minute replacement for Horodecki’s opponent, Dan Lauzon.

Main event:
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski WAMMA Heavyweight Championship Bout

265 lbs: Josh Barnett vs. Gilbert Yvel
185 lbs: Matt Lindland vs. Vitor Belfort
205 lbs: Renato Sobral vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
155 lbs: Dan Lauzon vs. TBD

Broadcast on HDNet:

205 lbs: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
170 lbs: Jay Hieron vs. Jason High
145 lbs: Mark Hominick vs. LC Davis
145 lbs: Albert Rios vs. Antonio Duarte
265 lbs: Brett Cooper vs. Patrick Speight
265 lbs: Paul Buentello vs. Kiril Sidelnikov

Looks pretty solid to me! However, the biggest blow to the event comes from…the UFC. The lads at Zuffa are airing UFC 91: Couture vs Lesnar for free on Spike TV. They are REALLY trying to cut Affliction’s legs out from under them!!