Fedor Emelianenko and Josh Barnett Verbally Agree to August 1 Affliction Bout

[SinCitysmallGUY]

Mike Chiappetta reports:

Affliction's third event, featuring a main event of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett and taking place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on August 1, should be officially announced within days, a source with knowledge of the situation told FanHouse.

Though neither Emelianenko or Barnett has signed official bout agreements, they have both verbally accepted the matchup, according to the source.

Zach Arnold is quick to piss on the excitement:

See, both fighters have reportedly agreed verbally, but no contracts have been signed. Enough cold water to pour on the fight?

So, if the fight takes place, ponder the following questions:

Does the fight impact the standing of both men in their profession as far as the outcome goes?
Over/under the amount paid to watch the fight in Anaheim - 7,000.
Over/under the PPV buys it draws - 60,000.
Is this going to be the last Affliction MMA event?
Personally as a fan, if Affliction pulls this off I will consider them a success as a promotion. Booking and mounting three fights in the U.S.A. with the world's #1 heavyweight against three of the top American heavyweights is no small gift to the MMA community.

You can say what you want about them being poor promoters but I'm for one greatful they've done what they've done and I wish them success on their third card.

Also don't miss BE member weoweoweo's series of posts Twittering with Affliction boss Tom Atencio. That seem to confirm Chiappetta's report and do a little smack talking with Dana White.

[WeightPSHR]

Nothing against Barnett, but Fedor really needs to step up the competition.

Fedor is wasting his legacy fighting people that are way below him.

Barnett was a great HW at one time, but come on, he has not beaten anyone good in the past few years.  He lost to Nog and Crocop (2times) and we have seen what they can do against better (UFC) competition.

[gmflex]

Looking forward to attending another affliction event as the other one was woth the money 

[mame09]

who is left for fedor to fight ?

no one in the ufc could defeat the fighters he fought in there prime.

[WeightPSHR]

who is left for fedor to fight ?

no one in the ufc could defeat the fighters he fought in there prime.

CURRENTLY Fedor would have to step away from his easy pay-days at Affliction and move over to the UFC if he wanted real competition that would solidify his legacy.

CURRENTLY the UFC has the best overall competition for him.

If there is another org with better fights for him please enlighten me.

[Fury]

CURRENTLY Fedor would have to step away from his easy pay-days at Affliction and move over to the UFC if he wanted real competition that would solidify his legacy.

CURRENTLY the UFC has the best overall competition for him.

If there is another org with better fights for him please enlighten me.

The only fighter in the UFC that may even hold a candle to Fedor (and he doesn't) is Mir. Lesnar = most overrated fighter on the planet. The UFC HW division is, and will continue to be, a joke.

Regardless, Barnett is better than both of them and the only guy with a legitimate chance of beating Fedor.

[George Whorewell]

I bought a Fedor Affliction shirt that was 30 bucks marked down from $70.

Only affliction t shirt I own and I wasn't ripped off for it. It reminds me of the way Fedor fights. Whether champion or chump, you know Fedor is going to either put on a clinic or have a highlight reel type knock out.

Barnett isn't the greatest, but hes game. Plus who else is Fedor supposed to fight in the heavyweight division outside of the UFC?

He has never defeated or fought Lesnar, Mir or Congo (and Coture if you want to throw him in). Fedor would wipe the floor with Coture and I feel he would bury Mir. He would destroy Lesnar, but it would be an interesting fight. Congo is the only one athletically I feel that can hang with Fedor, but I feel his skills on the ground are clearly subpar and outside of having a reach advantage, he is a vastly inferior striker to Fedor.

Of that group, besides Mir and Lesnar- who at present is head and shoulders above Barnett? 

[MindSpin]

Besides the Ice Man, Barnett is the only serious challenge to Fedor.

[WeightPSHR]

The only fighter in the UFC that may even hold a candle to Fedor (and he doesn't) is Mir. Lesnar = most overrated fighter on the planet. The UFC HW division is, and will continue to be, a joke.

Regardless, Barnett is better than both of them and the only guy with a legitimate chance of beating Fedor.

You must be forgetting that Barnett has lost to both Nog and Crocop.
Not saying the UFC has the best HW's ever, they just have the best overall competition currently.
This is not 2005 in Japan

[Fury]

You must be forgetting that Barnett has lost to both Nog and Crocop.
Not saying the UFC has the best HW's ever, they just have the best overall competition currently.
This is not 2005 in Japan

What's your point? Frank Mir is overrated. He won against an incredibly overrated Lesnar and beat a Big Nog that is in the twilight of his career. Lesnar has nothing but size going for him and hasn't proven that he can beat the best in the UFC, let alone a fighter of Fedor's caliber. He would get destroyed. Size is not a problem for Fedor. He's beaten some of the biggest MMA fighters around.

The UFC competition = awful.

How many former UFC HW champions does Fedor need to beat annihilate? 

[WeightPSHR]

What's your point? Frank Mir is overrated. He won against an incredibly overrated Lesnar and beat a Big Nog that is in the twilight of his career. Lesnar has nothing but size going for him and hasn't proven that he can beat the best in the UFC, let alone a fighter of Fedor's caliber. He would get destroyed. Size is not a problem for Fedor. He's beaten some of the biggest MMA fighters around.

The UFC competition = awful.

How many former UFC HW champions does Fedor need to beat annihilate? 

Quit with the MMA math. UFC has the biggest show going right now. Too bad you hate it so much.

Hate on the UFC all you want. Sooner or later that is all you are going to have besides Strikeforce.

Who should Fedor fight if he beats Barnett?

[WeightPSHR]

Besides the Ice Man, Barnett is the only serious challenge to Fedor.

LOL!!! Fedor would definitely retire Chuck in a heartbeat. Brutal KTFO!!!

GSP could challenge Fedor. He wouldn't even have to grease 

[Fury]

Quit with the MMA math. UFC has the biggest show going right now. Too bad you hate it so much.

Hate on the UFC all you want. Sooner or later that is all you are going to have besides Strikeforce.

Who should Fedor fight if he beats Barnett?

Whoever he feels like. The last two years has been nothing but "Fedor will get OWNED by this UFC guy" only to have him decimate them in all of 37 seconds. Heard it with Sylvia and heard it with Arlovski. Both fights ended with Fedor absolutely embarrassing said UFC loser. I don't need to see him dismantle yet another overrated UFC HW chump. Those are boring fights and don't interest me in the least.

He should go wherever he feels like. If he wants to chase the big pay days, do that. If he wants to decimate yet another UFC loser, go do that. He's proven everything that he needs to in his career. He's fought the best and steamrolled through everyone that has challenged him.

And I don't hate the UFC. I hate the HW division as it's full of chumps and overrated, untested guys that feed on the cans in the division and get owned every time they go up against someone that has any fighting ability.

[WeightPSHR]

Whoever he feels like. The last two years has been nothing but "Fedor will get OWNED by this UFC guy" only to have him decimate them in all of 37 seconds. Heard it with Sylvia and heard it with Arlovski. Both fights ended with Fedor absolutely embarrassing said UFC loser. I don't need to see him dismantle yet another overrated UFC HW chump. Those are boring fights and don't interest me in the least.

He should go wherever he feels like. If he wants to chase the big pay days, do that. If he wants to decimate yet another UFC loser, go do that. He's proven everything that he needs to in his career. He's fought the best and steamrolled through everyone that has challenged him.

And I don't hate the UFC. I hate the HW division as it's full of chumps and overrated, untested guys that feed on the cans in the division and get owned every time they go up against someone that has any fighting ability.

Arvloski and Sylvia were UFC rejects both leaving the UFC after multiple loses.

I don't see your pont

All I am saying is Fedor is wrecking his image fighting these guys. Nobody cares about Barnett anymore.
Look at the Fedor Arvloski fight. Fedor didn't look too good until he caught Arvloski being careless.
Didn't prove anything at all. It was a no win situation for Fedor. Much like Barnett.

[Fury]

Arvloski and Sylvia were UFC rejects both leaving the UFC after multiple loses.

I don't see your pont

All I am saying is Fedor is wrecking his image fighting these guys. Nobody cares about Barnett anymore.
Look at the Fedor Arvloski fight. Fedor didn't look too good until he caught Arvloski being careless.
Didn't prove anything at all. It was a no win situation for Fedor. Much like Barnett.

UFC rejects? They held the belt collective for 1+ years. HAHAHAHA.

[MindSpin]

Fedor is the biggest joke in MMA.  All insiders know that his fights were fixed.  He won't go into the UFC because they won't "gurantee" a win for him.  So, he is now relegated to sideshow fights with 9ft tall guys and lightweights.  

[MindSpin]

UFC rejects? They held the belt collective for 1+ years. HAHAHAHA.

They had both been cut from the UFC, hence they were rejects.

[Fury]

I believe Sylvia left on his own accord after a contract dispute. Doesn't change the fact that those two losers were hyped beyond belief and ended up being embarrassed to high heaven.

There is no one in the UFC that is anywhere near Fedor's level. The only fighter with even the slightest chance of beating him is Barnett.

[MindSpin]

I believe Sylvia left on his own accord after a contract dispute. Doesn't change the fact that those two losers were hyped beyond belief and ended up being embarrassed to high heaven.

There is no one in the UFC that is anywhere near Fedor's level. The only fighter with even the slightest chance of beating him is Barnett.

They were rejects and their losses to Fedor were "planned".  Hope that helps.

Oh, and Chuck "The Ice Man" Liddell would drop Fedor.

[Fury]

They were rejects and their losses to Fedor were "planned".  Hope that helps.

Oh, and Chuck "The Ice Man" Liddell would drop Fedor.

You're still trying to play that trolling game with Fedor. 

[WeightPSHR]

I believe Sylvia left on his own accord after a contract dispute. Doesn't change the fact that those two losers were hyped beyond belief and ended up being embarrassed to high heaven.

There is no one in the UFC that is anywhere near Fedor's level. The only fighter with even the slightest chance of beating him is Barnett.

If the UFC HW class sucks so bad, you better hope that affliction can pull of a couple more shows so that you can see some of the 'top HW' fight.

Affliction has pulled of a few shows. UFC does that every month. Good luck!

[WeightPSHR]

UFC rejects? They held the belt collective for 1+ years. HAHAHAHA.

So does that mean anyone who ever held a belt will always be 'top competition'?

[MindSpin]

So does that mean anyone who ever held a belt will always be 'top competition'?

yes.  just ask Chuck "the ice man" liddell

[WeightPSHR]

yes.  just ask Chuck "the ice man" liddell

As much as I would hate to see Chuck get beat down, he's a more respectable opponent then Barnett:)

[CARTEL]

I don't see how one would think Lesner is overrated.

He is so good he became the "Heavyweight Champ" with a 3-1 MMA record.

That division must be STACKED