What We Can Expect from Affliction’s ‘Day of Reckoning’ Card
Published by Dave Sholler on January 5th, 2009 in Current Events

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If there was one thing we learned in 2008, it was that Affliction knows how to produce a quality t-shirt. However, with the skull-and-bones clothing label fully entrenched in the business of promoting mixed martial arts, it remains to be seen as to whether or not the organization can compete with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The Tom Atencio-led promotional outfit will take its second crack at filling out an MMA card on January 24 when Affliction presents its “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view broadcast at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Led by a fight between heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski, Affliction is hoping to showcase the best fighters not currently contracted to the UFC.

So far, Affliction’s card is full of recognizable names. From Renato Sobral to Vitor Belfort, the bout sheet is stacked with personalities that even the most novice MMA fan will recognize. But can Affliction’s second show generate enough interest to keep the organization afloat in 2009? Will “Day of Reckoning” keep Affliction from suffering the same dreadful fate as that of EliteXC?

MMAmemories.com takes a look at some of the things we can expect from Affliction’s mid-January offering. In the end, we’ll let you know if we think that Affliction has done enough with “Day of Reckoning” to safeguard its future.

Expect a good tussle at the top…

The Fedor-Arlovski bout is a double-edged sword.

For the elite MMA fan, the heavyweight clash is straight out of a dream. It is yet another chance to see if Emelianenko is really the top heavyweight in the sport as he faces a former UFC champion in his second consecutive bout. Moreover, it’s an opportunity to see if Emelianenko can tame a bomb-throwing, fanged Pit-bull.

On the flip side, one must wonder if this bout engages the more casual fan. The biggest knock on Fedor has always been his marketability to US fans. Plugging in a known commodity like Tim Sylvia as his first Affliction opponent made sense, but Arlovski is more of a gamble. Will Arlovski’s presence be enough for fans to click “buy” when it comes time to order the broadcast?

Regardless of the pros and cons, the actual fight should be outstanding. Expect Arvloski to keep the fight standing so that he can unleash heavy hands. Fedor, no slouch in the standup himself, would love to take the fight to the ground where he can work for submissions. This will definitely be an interesting contrast in styles.

Expect a UFC-worthy lightweight bout…

“Day of Reckoning” is loaded with good fights in the heavier weight classes, but the 155-pound battle between Chris Horodecki and Dan Lauzon could take “Fight of the Night” honors.

A versatile striker and grappler, Horodecki, 21, is one of the best young lightweights in the world. The former IFL product trains with renowned striking coach Shawn Tompkins and will undoubtedly press the action against Lauzon.

No stranger to throwing hands, the 20-year-old Lauzon has stopped seven straight opponents. The younger brother of UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon, Dan will look to use his size and agility against Horodecki.

In the “don’t blink or you’ll miss it” category, Horodecki vs. Lauzon should be thrilling.

Expect Dana White castoffs to sink or swim…

Vitor Belfort, Matt Lindland, “Babalu” Sobral, and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou are all UFC castoffs hoping that Affliction will become their permanent home.

Of the four, Sokoudjou is the youngest and was once touted as the future of the 205-pound division. However, after a dismal 1-2 showing in the UFC, “The African Assassin” was cut from Dana White’s roster. Having landed with Affliction, the 24-year-old is certainly looking to jumpstart his career.

Belfort, Lindland, and Sobral have all had considerable success in mixed martial arts competition, but have fallen out of the UFC’s good graces. Each needs a win on a big stage like Affliction to prove that they are still among the sport’s best.

The Verdict: Will Affliction hold or fold?

There is no doubt that Affliction needs to produce strong gate and pay-per-view revenue numbers to stay afloat. After all, fighters like Josh Barnett, Fedor, Arlovski, and company don’t come cheap.

If everything holds true up until fight night, we expect Affliction to put on a solid enough show to propel them into 2009. Unlike EliteXC and the IFL, Affliction seems to be putting their eggs in the baskets of legitimate MMA stars (sorry Kimbo) and not looking for gimmicks to promote their brand (our apologies to the IFL).

In its second card ever, we expect Affliction to lay the groundwork for future success.