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It has been one week since Affliction not only cancelled its third event, but also dissolved its mixed martial arts promotional division. With 26 fighters having planned to fight on Saturday at “Trilogy,” many of those fighters are now finding new homes.
UFC President Dana White, during a media teleconference on Friday, confirmed new homes for several fighters.
“(Former Affliction fighters) that we do have locked up right now, for sure, Vitor Belfort, Paul Daley, Ben Rothwell, Chase Gormley, Dan Lauzon, (Rafaelllo) Oliveira; and then guys going to the WEC, Javier Vazquez, LC Davis, Mark Hominick; and we’re in talks with all the other guys right now,” he said, reading off a roster of recent signings.
“I don’t want to say their names, but there are a lot of other guys we’re talking to and some guys that we’re not talking to,” he added, “But those are the guys that we have locked up.”
Pressed on Gegard Mousasi, who is currently obligated to Strikeforce, where he will challenge Renato “Babalu” Sobral for the Brazilian’s light heavyweight title on Aug. 15, White would only say of future negotiations with the Dutch-Armenian fighter, “It’s a possibility.”
Of the numerous other former Affliction fighters that have yet to sign elsewhere, White commented, “There are eight or nine (other) guys that we’re in talks with right now. I don’t like to talk about anything until deals are done.”
Two fighters that White confirmed a total lack of interest in were former UFC heavyweight champions Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia.
"No. I have no interest in either one of them right now."
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“He who attacks must vanquish. He who defends must merely survive. "
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