The headlining match of the night will be a championship bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski for the WAMMA heavyweight belt. Let's examine this match and the rest of the PPV card.
Fedor Emelianenko vs Andrei Arlovski
Emelianenko (29 - 1)(1 NC), known as "The Last Emperor", is one of MMA's greatest champions. He won the PRIDE Heavyweight championship in 2003, by defeating Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in a unanimous decision victory. Since then he has successfully defended his championship at every turn.
His only career lost was to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka in a RINGS tournament. Kohsaka landed an illegal elbow strike that opened a cut on Emelianenko's brow. Since it was a tournament format and fights had to end in either win or loss, no draws or no contests could occur, Kohsaka was given the victory since the injury left Emelianenko unable to compete in the tournament.
Emelianenko is an accomplished sambo practitioner having won several Russian and world sambo championships. He uses this skill in the MMA ring to take his opponents to the ground where he either uses submission maneuvers or ground and pound for victories. While his striking is not the greatest, his punches have proven lethal often knocking opponents to the ground where he can finish the match.
Arlovski (15 - 5), known as "the Pitbull", is a former UFC heavyweight champion. In February 2005 Arlovski defeated Tim Sylvia for the interim title via a first round submission. He successfully defended his championship twice, during which the interim title was promoted to the undisputed title, till meeting up with Sylvia again in April 2006 where he lost the belt in a first round TKO. The 2 met up a third time for the championship but Arlovski lost the bout in a unanimous decision.
Arlovski won the last 3 fights of his UFC contract before leaving the organization. He fought Ben Rothwell at Afflictions premiere event "Banned", and was scheduled to face Josh Barnett at Day of Reckoning. However a recent KO victory againist Roy Nelson, the last and only IFL Heavyweight champion, has granted him a shot at Fedor.
While Arlovski began his MMA career as a sound technical striker he has slowly shifted to a brawler. Relying less and less on wearing opponents down but focused more on landing that victory blow. Arlovski also has great grappling ability being a former Sambo champion.
Prediction: Emelianenko by TKO
Simple logic would defend the pick, Emelianenko destroyed Sylvia, Syliva beat Arlovski, therefore Emelianenko will best Sylvia. However the reality is Emelianenko is a powerhouse in this division and has yet to show any real wear from his years as champion. It'll be sometime before anyone topples the Emperor.
Josh Barnett vs Gilbert Yvel
Barnett (24 - 5) is the youngest title holder of the UFC heavyweight belt after he defeated Randy Couture in a TKO victory in March 2002. Unfortunately soon after his victory Barnett tested positive for steroids and had his title stripped and had his fighting license in Nevada suspended thus ending his UFC career.
Luckily PRIDE gave Barnett a home where he was able to defeat Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on one occasion and a few other competitors before the organization went defunct. Barnett also scored a KO victory at Afflictions premiere event "Banned" against MMA legend Pedro Rizzo.
Barnett is a brawler and wrestler. A majority of his victories come via submission usually by some sort of arm lock. A pretty funny fact about Barnett is he is a former professional wrestler for the New Japan Pro Wrestling organization.
Yvel (35 - 12)(1 NC) is pretty much an asshole and quite proud of it. He has been disqualified in 3 separate matches and even held the yellow card from one of his DQ's proudly as he walked out of the ring towards the backstage area.
In fact the Nevada State Athletic Commission refused to give Yvel a fighters license, maybe California should have done the same.
Yvel is a powerful striker winning almost all but 5 matches by TKO or KO. He is famous for his flying knee strikes which he has used on more than one occasion to score a KO victory. He hates the ground game and goes to great lengths to avoid it, hence one of the DQs for eye gouging an opponent trying to take him down.
Prediction: Josh Barnett by TKO, maybe DQ
Barnett is a wrestler going up against a man that hates the ground. All Barnett has to do is take Yvel to the ground and he can secure the win. If anything Yvel may just return to his dirty tactics and land himself another DQ.
Vitor Belfort vs Matt Lindland
Belfort (17 - 8) is a former UFC lightweight champion and the last Cage Rage lightweight champion. He has defeated big names like Wanderlei Silva, David "Tank" Abbott, Heath Herring, and Randy Couture.
Belfort is black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a formidable boxer. He recently began to train alongside Randy Couture at Xtreme Couture.
Lindland (21 - 5) is a former Olympian who represented the United States at the 2000 summer games in greco-roman wrestling. He is also the former Republican candidate for the US House of Representatives in Oregon. If a former pro wrestler can become a governor, why can't an MMA fighter become a congressman?
Anyways Lindland is a strong wrestler who uses this skill in the ring to often time secure submission or ground and pound positions.
Prediction: Belfort by TKO
This is going to be a competitive match up. Belfort's training at Xtreme Couture will give him the advantage. It will have given him the practice to stuff and avoid take downs and given him practice fighting within the clinch.
Renato Sobral vs Thierry Sokoudjou
Sobral (31 - 7) is the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion and a former UFC fighter. He has fought and defeated great fighters like Jeremy Horn and Mauricio Rua and taken Dan Henderson and Fedor Emelianenko to decisions he would lose.
Sobral was kicked out of the UFC after he refused to release an Anaconda Choke on David Heath at UFC 74 causing Heath to pass out. In a post fight interview with Joe Rogan he said, "[Heath] has to learn respect. He deserved that."
While he maybe an asshole, Sobral has an impressive Jiu Jitsu game that works with his quick and strong take downs.
Sokoudjou (5 - 3) is also a former UFC fighter who was released after losing to Luis Cane at UFC 89.
Sokoujou is a formidable kick boxer that practices Judo. He has finished 3 of his fights with knock outs in the first round.
Prediction: Renato Sobral by Submission
Sokoujou is to green for Sobral. While his judo may help turn things around in the clinch Sobral's ground game will overwhelm Sokoudjou.
Chris Horodecki vs Dan Lauzon
Horodecki (12 - 1) is a Canadian kick boxer who use to fight in the IFL. 6 out of his 7 first fights Horodecki was able to finish in KO or TKo. However his last 5 wins have all come by decisions.
His striking skills have earned him a place at Xtreme Couture Toronto as an MMA striking instructor.
Lauzon (10 - 2) victories all come by way of submission or knock out. He is currently on a 6 win streak.
Lauzon is a wrestling and jiu jitsu fighter who has moved to using more ground and pound techniques than submissions.
Prediction: Lauzon by TKO
Lauzon will ride his win streak through Horodecki. While Horodecki may have the advantage if this match up stays standing up, I doubt Lauzon will allow that to happen for too long.
"Affliction: Day of Reckoning" will definitely be a great shoot out with some great fighters from around the world. Expect some huge hits and definite highlight reel material.
This night will also be the night of a great boxing match between the world's top welterweights, Sugar Shane Mosely and Ricardo Mayorga. This event will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA and will be televised for free on HBO. I highly recommend bouncing between the Affliction event and the boxing fight. Or just TiVO this event since it'll be worth watching.
Shane Mosely vs Antonio Margarito
"Sugar" Shane Mosely (45 - 5, with 38 KOs) is a technical fighter who strikes intelligently but responds to hits with haymakers. Mosely barely has a reach advantage of 1 inch.
Antonio Margarito (37 - 5, with 27 KOs) known as the Tijuana Tornado is an aggressive fighter who loves to throw punches in flurries. He is 2 inches taller than Mosely and just looks much bigger
Prediction: Antonio Margarito by Unanimous Decision
Margarito is just so aggressive he is going to be pounding Mosely all night. Mosely is sure to get some good hits in but Margarito will be pressing the action the whole fight.
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