Dana White spreading rumor's again!!

[gmflex]

Tom Atencio: Rumors Of Ceasing Operations Are "False"

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Tom Atencio: Rumors of impending demise "a complete lie" | MMAjunkie.com


Quote:
No stranger to defending the financial viability of his fledgling MMA promotion, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio is once again standing behind the future of Affliction Entertainment.

Less than a week removed from the organization's second effort, "Day of Reckoning," Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that rumors of an upcoming shutdown are unequivocally untrue.

"It's a complete lie," Atencio said. "I don't know where it came from."

Atencio said that a third event is currently in the works for Affliction, and that details for the show will soon be released.

"We're looking at three to four months when we'll do the next fight," Atencio said. "The bottom line is we're here. We're coming up on the next event, and we'll give the date pretty soon."

On Thursday a rash of Internet reports suggested that Atencio himself had admitted to the impending halt in Affliction Entertainment's operations. The appearance reportedly came during Thursday's edition of "The Tom Leykis Show," a syndicated CBS Radio program. A few Internet reports also suggested the fight promotion's end was near and could even be officially announced in the coming days.

Atencio said not only did he not make an appearance on the radio show but that he has never been a guest of the program.

"I've never even been on the 'Tom Leykis Show,'" Atencio said. "The biggest radio show that I've been on is 'Frosty, Heidi and Frank,' which is the same radio station. But I've never been on 'The Tom Leykis Show.'"

While Atencio admitted he was disappointed that he was having to address another set of dire rumors -- following the multiple reports of paltry ticket sales that surrounded "Day of Reckoning" -- the Affliction executive said he appreciated the continued attention focused on his organization.

"It's crazy," Atencio said. "At least people are talking about us. It's a new market that I've never been on."

While reports released by the California State Athletic Commission earlier this week indicated the Day of Reckoning's $3.3 million payroll far exceeded the $1.5 million collected in reported ticket sales, Atencio insisted the business relationships Affliction has negotiated put the promotion in an enviable position.

"I've got Golden Boy (Productions)," Atencio said. "I've got (Donald) Trump. I've got M-1. How are we going to go under with a lineup like that?"

Atencio didn't care to elaborate on Affliction's future beyond a proposed third event, but he was sure to clarify that wasn't because he is fearful of what lies ahead.

"Anybody that knows me knows that I just take it one fight at a time," Atencio said. "I'm honest. I try to give as much information out as I can without getting screwed.

"I'm learning. This is new to me. But the bottom line is that we're moving forward."

So while the full details of Affliction's future aren't yet completely known, Atencio was very clear on the current rumors suggesting the end is near.

"It is completely false," Atencio said. "It is untrue."

* * * *

Soon after our interview with Atencio, the Affliction executive also appeared on Hardcore Sports Radio's "Thursday Night Throwdown" program on SiriusXM. He told host Gabe Morency that there's no truth to reports he's been in contact with UFC officials about a possible shutdown.

"I know (UFC President) Dana White's phone number, I know Dana, and he knows me," Atencio said. "That's about the extent of it. ... Have I spoken to Dana? Yes. Have I recently? No. Have I called him to give him (our) fighters? No.

"I'm not going under."

Atencio also said it's easy for rumors to spread quickly.

"With the whole onslaught of the Internet and everything else, rumors just fly," he said. "I could make a rumor right now and say, 'B.J. Penn got hurt, and he's not fighting tomorrow, so go cancel your tickets.' All of the sudden, everyone is going to start believing it. It's not true. It's that people get on the Internet and start making up lies, and people start to believe it. And without checking facts, there's all these other Internet sites -- these not so legitimate Internet sites -- and they post it. People believe it. They read it and say, 'It must be true.' It's not true. I'm here.

"I'm not going under. It's not going to happen." 

[gmflex]

AUDIO: Tom Atencio Denies Affliction's Demise: LISTEN HERE - Aaron Bronsteter - Hardcore Sports Radio

"The rumors are just that, rumors, they're not true, there's no truth to it," said Atencio. "People love to build you up, but they love to watch you fall even more and hopefully I'm not that guy. I've always maintained that I've taken the high road, I don't talk shit about people."

Atencio also declined speaking about the company’s financials. "I don't want to get into money, it's really nobody's business. That's like me coming in and asking you how much you make at your company,” said Atencio.

Atencio alluded to UFC President Dana White being threatened by Fedor Emilianenko’s status as the world’s top fighter.

"You can talk shit about Fedor, but the bottom line is that his record speaks for itself. Whether Arlovski was beating him, his record speaks for itself. Arlovski made a mistake and Fedor capitalized on it. The guy is the number one fighter in the world and I personally think Mr. White wouldn't be talking about him if he wasn't worried. If can't control something, he starts talking shit about it. I think that he knows that Fedor is the number one fighter in the world and that's why he says what he says," said Atencio.

Notable quotes:

"The rumors are just that, rumors, they're not true, there's no truth to it"

"I don't know where that came from, I just got off another interview and apparently someone was on Tom Leyis's show and said they were me"

"I know Dana's phone number, that's pretty much the extent of it"

"Have I spoken to Dana, yes. Have I recently, no."

"I have Donald Trump behind me, I have Golden Boy Promotions behind me, I have M-1, where are we going?"

"People love to build you up, but they love to watch you fall even more and hopefully I'm not that guy. I've always maintained that I've taken the high road, I don't talk shit about people."

"I have a lot going on right now with Trump, Golden Boy and M-1 and things are moving forward"

"I can start a rumor tomorrow that B.J. Penn got injured and not go to the UFC event"

"Larry Merchant, I guess he spoke to Richard Schafer from Golden Boy Promotions, he said something about Oscar and even apologized for it"

"Coming from Tom Atencio, Oscar had an appointment with us and planned on coming to the event all along. It was scheduled before the Mosley-Margarito fight and he fulfilled his commitment"

"Right now, I'm learning a lot about this business. I've been honest from day one and right now, I'm going to sit down with Golden Boy, M-1 and Mr. Trump and we're going to figure out how we're going forward. We're going to do events every three or four months"

"The bottom line is, this is only our second event, let me learn, let me do what I'm doing, but I must be doing something right because someone is starting these rumors"

"I don't want to get into money, it's really nobody's business. That's like me coming in and asking you how much you make at your company"

"I'm not in business and my partner's aren't in business to lose money, so things will work out, we're just taking it slowly, I'm learning and that's why I brought those people on board"

"Everybody seems to be happy, they have a home now and I've got guys calling me all the time saying 'I want to fight for you'. I just want to make a home for these people"

"I'm not trying to be cocky, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself"

"Everything that I do and every time that somebody doubts me and every time there's another boulder in the road, I just go around it. This is a pretty fun part of life for me. I can honestly sit back and say that I love my life, I love what I do, I love where I am and even if there's change, I'm just going to get up and move forward."

"On the first show, I handled most of the contracts and match making and on this show, I took on more responsibilities. I definitely have learned every aspect of the game."

"Eventually yes, I think that we will see that fight (Tito Ortiz vs. Renato Sobral). Tito's contract is not finished yet, but I can't talk about that. Tito and I have become friends, he's a work horse and everything that he says he's going to do, he does."

"You can talk shit about Fedor, but the bottom line is that his record speaks for itself. Whether Arlovski was beating him, his record speaks for itself. Arlovski made a mistake and Fedor capitalized on it. The guy is the number one fighter in the world and I personally think Mr. White wouldn't be talking about him if he wasn't worried. If can't control something, he starts talking shit about it. I think that he knows that Fedor is the number one fighter in the world and that's why he says what he says."

"I don't think anything he says personally about me. I couldn't care less, business is business. He's (White) actually said nice things about me and I can't deny that they've built this industry."

"I want to see GSP and B.J. Penn"

"That's (UFC regulating sponsorships) just another example of what's going on. I guess it's old school tactics versus new school tactics. Old school is you threaten and coerce and if you don't do something, you're going to lose your job."

[gracie bjj]

the guy sounds sincere,i like the ufc and all but when they get threatened by another orginization they go all out to belittle the new orginization and its promoters,i dont like that at all.if danas that confident these new orginizations are going to fold he shouldnt have nothing to say about it,but ofcoarse the ufc is threatened by affliction,you got golden boy productions backing them,donald trump backing them,need i say more.bigtime heavy hitters backing affliction up,i believe theres room enough for some new big fighting events to coexist.dana is a motivated,hardworking man but sometimes he goes overboard with his mouth imo

[gmflex]

I agree with you...
He doesn't want for other companies to succeed...
Greed = Dana White.....