Affliction looks to carry fashion success to world of mixed martial arts
fashion to fighting. The clothing company Affliction turns mixed martial arts promoter with its debut show Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
And Affliction is kicking off with a bang, pitting iconic Russian heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko against former UFC champion Tim Sylvia in the main event at the Honda Center. To hardcore fans, Emelianenko is a fighting legend, although his forays against top opposition have been rare recently.
Emelianenko, 32, looks more like a truck driver than an elite athlete. But he has been an MMA monster over the years, mowing down 27 of 28 opponents. The lone blemish on his record was due to a cut - 7 1/2 years ago against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.
"No matter what anyone says, he (Fedor) is the best heavyweight in the world at this point until someone beats him," said former referee (Big) John McCarthy, who is part of the Affliction commentary team.
Affliction's show caught the UFC's attention, prompting it to put together - on short notice - a well-stocked TV card in Las Vegas the same night (Spike TV, 9 p.m. ET) featuring middleweight champion Anderson Silva. The Brazilian, considered by many the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter on the planet, is moving up to light-heavyweight to take on James (The Sandman) Irvin.
"I think it's flattering," said Tom Atencio, vice-president of Affliction. "Obviously it means that they're paying attention to us. Obviously it means we're some kind of a threat to them. They wouldn't be doing it if we weren't."
Atencio's show is called "Affliction: Banned," a jab at the UFC and other organizations that ordered its fighters to stop wearing Affliction gear after the clothing company turned fight promoter.
Affliction literally built its clothing business on the back of stars.
Musicians Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Korn and Cradle of Filth, baseball's Brad Penny and Ryan Braun, surfers Sunny Garcia and Charlie Carroll, basketball's Shawn Marion, football's Junior Seau and hockey's Ray Emery and Derek Boogaard all are walking billboards for Affliction.
In the fight world, the company can count on boxers Sugar Shane Mosley, Ricky Hatton, Ricardo Mayorga, Zab Judah and Kelly Pavlik.
And in mixed martial arts, Canadian Georges St. Pierre, Randy Couture, Quinton Jackson, Keith Jardine, Matt Serra, Sean Sherk and Emelianenko all favour Affliction.
With T-shirts at $54 a pop and distinctive gothic designs, Affliction clothing is not for everyone. But it is successful and has provided Atencio's crew a star-studded door into the entertainment and sports world.
In starting up a sister promotion company, Affliction formed Affliction Entertainment, bringing Donald Trump on board to provide some more sizzle.
Affliction has dipped into its entertainment ties to add to Saturday's show, with Megadeth due to perform three songs on the pay-per-view portion.
Part of the undercard of the 11-fight show - which will feature a ring rather than a cage - will be aired on The Fight Network (8 p.m. ET) in Canada with the main card airing on pay-per-view (9 p.m. ET).
The main attraction for many is Emelianenko, a well-rounded hard-hitter with excellent submission skills.
"His ground-and-pound is probably the best I've ever seen," McCarthy said. "His real weakness is his wrestling. His wrestling is good, it's just not at the level of some of the guys. And when he takes people down, he normally does it from a clinch. And Tim's very good in that clinch situation. And he's very good at guys who come straight at him and that's usually what Fedor does.
"So matchup-wise ... I think it's going to be a very good fight."
The six-foot-eight Sylvia (24-4) is an awkward opponent who "presents problems for people," according to McCarthy.
"Although Tim is not the most athletic fighter in the world, he's very good at what he does," McCarthy said. "He's very long, he uses his length. He uses a good long left hand to hide his right hand and to hit you with a powerful right hand. He's very good at keeping himself on his feet, even though he doesn't look like he's the most graceful guy in the world."
McCarthy also notes that the six-foot Emelianenko has a tendency to get cut.
"Fedor's the favourite," McCarthy added. "But Tim has a very good chance of coming out the winner of the match. That's what make it a good fight."
Emelianenko and Sylvia aside, Saturday's card is loaded with name heavyweights, although some may have passed their best-by date.
Andrei (The Pit Bull) Arlovski meets former IFL fighter Ben Rothwell, Josh (The Baby-Faced Assassin) Barnett faces Pedro Rizzo and Aleksander Emelianenko (Fedor's younger brother) takes on Paul Buentello.
"I think Affliction has right now the best heavyweight division," said Arlovski. "It's a great opportunity for me."
"The fight card, especially for a first-time promotion, it's incredible," said McCarthy.
"I don't say things because I'm with some (organization) now, it is the best heavyweight card I've ever seen, especially in North America."
Affliction is proving to be a new lease of life for fighters like Arlovski, who seemed to fall out with the UFC after several unexciting fights.
In fact, the Affliction card seems like a reunion of forgotten or out-of-favour former UFC fighters.
Barnett, Sylvia and Arlovski are all former UFC champions, although Barnett and Sylvia both had to give up their titles after testing positive for steroids. Sylvia returned to win the championship a second time, defeating Arlovski.
Rizzo and Buentello both lost UFC heavyweight championship bouts.
Light-heavyweight Renato (Babalu) Sobral was sent packing by the UFC after failing to release a choke hold at the referee's request in a win over David Heath.
Other name fighters on the Affliction card include middleweights Matt (The Law) Lindland, Vitor Belfort (a former UFC light-heavyweight champion) and Terry Martin, and Canadian 145-pounder Mark (The Machine) Hominick.
"The UFC seems to have a lot of problems with different people and organizations and certain fighters," said Lindland. "I happen to fall into that category and so I left them. ... Working with Tom, we worked out an agreement where we're both happy."
Lindland, an Olympic silver medallist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Sydney Games, is no ordinary fighter. He is running for the Oregon House of Representatives as a Republican, although he says that side of his life will not intrude on the fighting: "Right now politics can wait."
Given the Affliction cast of characters, there is definitely an 'us against them' feel to the organization when it comes to the UFC.
McCarthy, who celebrates the current competition in MMA, calls the UFC the biggest and the best MMA promotion out there.
"I have nothing but respect for the UFC. ... But I can't always say they always have the best interest of the sport in mind. A lot of times they have the best interest of the UFC in mind and that is their job. I don't blame them."
Affliction is looking to future shows in late October/early November and February. While future venues for those dates have yet to be finalized, Atencio says: "I see the organization going everywhere, I'd like to take it worldwide as well."
The winners Saturday will be showcased in some form of "tournament-style event."
"But I have a lot of other fighters that I'm talking to now," he said. "It's just a matter of getting the contracts finalized and bringing them on board."
Depth in the Affliction ranks is an issue. While Affliction looks to work with other promoters, the UFC, the largest organization in the sport, is not about to help a fledgling rival find its feet.
In the meantime, Affliction's decision to load up on heavyweights is intentional.
The heavyweight division has been a problem area for the UFC in the past and the organization is still at contractual odds with Couture, the 45-year-old champion who wants a showdown with Emelianenko before time runs out on his fighting career.
The UFC does have interim champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (whose brother Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is on the Affliction card) along with former champion Frank Mir, Cheick Kongo and newcomers such as Cain Velasquez, Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar.
Notes: Arlovski will have noted boxing trainer Freddie Roach in his corner Saturday. There is talk Arlovski will try his hand in boxing down the line, a move Roach says Arlovski can pull off. "He has great footwork for a fighter, for a boxer, good hand speed and good power. He's boxed with some world-class fighters in my gym - Juan Carlos Gomez and guys like that, and he's done very well." ... Rothwell played the role of Arlovski while helping Sylvia prep for his UFC fights against the Belarusian. Rothwell and Sylvia also trained together in advance of the Affliction card. ... Hominick, from Thamesford, Ont., has a three-fight deal with Affliction. His opening bout is against 45-year-old Savant Young.
