AFFLICTION FOLDS

And then there was one! Apparently, the biggest MMA competitor to UFC in the United States, Affliction, will soon be going the way of the dinosaurs. After a highly-exciting card last week, it appears the promotion shot its wad by overpaying for talent, while failing to convert sponsors and PPV buys needed to keep the company afloat. What this means for the talent under contract still remains unclear, but it looks like it will be another opportunity for the UFC to swoop in and cherry-pick whomever it pleases. Off the top of my head, I'd think Vitor Belfort, Josh Barnett, and Fedor could be brought into the fold to engeg in some highly competitive fights.



Fedor vs Mir-Lesnar survivor? Belfort vs Anderson Silva? Barnett vs Couture/Nog winner? All of those would be attractive match-ups for sure! In UFC's case, its good to be king!

FEATURED PRODUCT REVIEW: TITLE SHOT

The explosion of Mixed Martial Arts has led to a wide-ranging variety of books on the subject. Keyy Crigger's "Title Shot" is one of the best I have read. It takes an in-depth look at several of the top MMA training camps including those of Greg Jackson, American Top Team, Team Quest, and more. If you want to get a better sense of the business side of the sport, I highly recommend this book:

EVAN TANNER DEAD AT 37

Tragically, the former UFC Middleweight Champion was found dead in Palo Verde, CA, at the age of 37. Apparently, Tanner had ventured out into the desert area on either a treasure hunt or cleansing period type of journey. Authorities believe his vehicle ran out of gas, and that without water, he was not able to survive in the sweltering heat.

Our prayers go out the family and friends of Evan. As one of the true pioneers of the sport and an eccentric, unforgettable individual, he will be missed.

Couture Returns To UFC To Fight Lesnar

In a stunning turn of events, the living MMA legend, Randy Couture has returned to the ranaks of the UFC talent roster and will match up with up-and-coming star, Brock Lesnar at UFC 91 on November 15th. Obviously this is huge news for the sport and will offer a tremendous battle between an all-time great and one of the most fearsome new fighters in the sport. After a lengthy layoff which saw Couture try to gain his freedom from an exclusive UFC contract, the question will be does he still have what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the game? In Lesnar, Couture faces a bigger, stronger, and younger fighter who may eveb be a more accomplished wrestler than him. No doubt, the hype for this one is going to be off the charts for what promises to be a most fascinating match-up.

GSP - Penn Fight Pushed Back To '09

The highly-anticipated superfight between 155-lb champ BJ Penn, and 170-lb kingpin, George St. Pierre has been moved from the expected December PPV card to Superbowl Weekend in january '09. While this certainly cements one of the best possible match-ups in the sport's history, it will also serve to put the 155-lb title out of play for at least the next 6 months, and keep deserving contenders like Kenny Florian out of the mix. Still, this battle will be an intriguing rematch of a previous bout that saw GSP eek out a split-decision win. That bout was a 3-round non-title affair, but this will be a 170-lb championship of 5 rounds and should be a barnburner of a match-up!

SHAMROCK VS KIMBO SIGNED!!!

It's official. The main event for the next Elite XC show on CBS, scheduled for October 4th will feature Kimbo Slice challenging MMA legend Ken Shamrock. This is an intriguing match-up on paper, as Kimbo who looked to be over his head in his last fight, goes up against a marquee name, who is clearly on the downside of his career in the 44 year-old Shamrock. While Shamrock has not been very effective over the past few years, he still possesses solid submission skills and is therefore a threat to Slice. This should provide a ratings bonanza for the struggling promotion, and will be coupled with the returning Gina Carano, the promotion's other premiere attraction. Any predictions for this one?