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StumbleuponUFC providing roadblock for Affliction show
Monday, June 23, 2008
Despite Affliction boasting a star-studded lineup for its July 19 debut, the organization has a number of factors working against it. The UFC provided the biggest one this past week.
Affliction, a trendy clothing company that will soon promote its own line of mixed martial arts shows, will debut on pay-per-view. Despite Affliction's intriguing main event of Fedor Emelianenko (27-1) vs. Tim Sylvia (24-4), no organization — except the UFC — has proven to be a success on pay-per-view.
To make matters worse, the UFC announced this past week it would promote its own show on July 19 — and air it for free on Spike TV.
Even without competition from the UFC, Affliction's debut show was unlikely to live up to the grand expectations. The event retails for $39.95, and Affliction executives have predicted simply unrealistic pay-per-view "buys."
The UFC, for example, averages approximately 500,000 buys per event. Yet, a BodogFIGHT event that featured Emelianenko (arguably the world's top fighter) in 2007 reportedly registered just 15,000 buys.
Although Affliction likely has long-term viability, it's positioned to experience some growing pains with its first show. Unfortunately, the UFC has now positioned itself to take credit for those problems.
Hazelett the UFC's MVP
Dustin Hazelett, a West Chester Twp.-based fighter who competed at the UFC event Saturday, June 21, on Spike TV, walked away from the show at least $40,000 richer.
Hazelett (11-4), a 22-year-old who was one big win away from stardom, got it Saturday, defeating Josh Burkman (9-6) and pulling off one of the slickest arm-bar submissions in recent MMA history.
"I kind of ad-libbed it," said Hazelett, who used a rare whizzer to set up the submission. "I've never really done that before."
The performance earned the Team Jorge Gurgel fighter a $20,000 Submission of the Night bonus — and a $20,000 Fight of the Night bonus. Only a few fighters have earned both awards in one night. The fight can now be watched for free on UFC.com.
Hazelett says the bonus money will go toward the purchase of his first home.
Dollaway falls short
Also at Saturday's event, Amir Sadollah was crowned champion of "The Ultimate Fighter 7."
Sadollah earned a first-round submission win over C.B. Dollaway, an ex-Ohio high school wrestling champ.
Sadollah was awarded a six-figure UFC contract. Despite the loss, Dollaway will also likely stick with the UFC.
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, a content-partner site of Yahoo! Sports. Check out www.mmajunkie.com for the latest MMA news and rumors.
