Tom Atencio: Josh Barnett Out vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Card Still On

I think we will see Affliction and Strikeforce sort of merge and those brands will co-exist with each other under one banner. If those two organizations combined and you had the live events on CBS and Showtime as well as the PPV events that are headliners it would be just as viable as the UFC. In a lot of ways it might even reach a larger audience than the UFC. Thats the ideal situation for both organizations especially in these economic times. Better brand recognition and less risk from Coker and Atencio.

As far as Fedor and the UFC - this has little effect on that situation. The UFC could have already signed Fedor but they weren't willing to come to an agreement. I think Fedor would be more than happy to just go over to Japan and fight like he has been anyway. He isn't going to fight in the UFc just because Affliction folds shop. I think he would be more likely to fight in Strikeforce than the UFC at this point. Dana has essentially burnt that bridge down with gasoline.

I will also disagree with the Kimbo comparison. Even if it were true it's not relevant because Fedor isn't the guy pulling out of the event. Affliction has put on great shows from top to bottom (even airing the undercard for free on TV which the UFC should do on Spike during PPVs) and everyone knows that. It's just not an apt comparison because Fedor isn't going to get knocked out in 20 seconds by a last minute replacement ... they weren't building Fedor up like EXC did Kimbo, either. Fedor was already the best fighter in the world before he fought for Affliction. People want to see Fedor fight the best guys and he has done that in Affliction. It would be great to see the UFC send over Randy Couture for this fight and do a co-promotion.

Id love to see Fedor kick Lesnar's cocky ass

This whole MMA/UFC thing is turning out to be the joke of the century. What a pile of crap. Gotta hand it to them, they are extracting money out of fools like you. Must be a P.T. Barnum thing, a sucker born every minute.

i would laugh my ass off if the drug was marijuana lol.... performance enhancing drug... why not just legalize all those things to sports and we can watch some great games!! lol then those peple who got way overpaid will die from the use and then their money will get dissipated into the economy lol im high

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The question is not, if Fedor is ready for Lestner, the real question is 'would Lestner be ever ready for Fedor?' Because I bet you Fedor will crush this Lestner-Clown, and I am looking forward seeng well-manered modest Fedor kicking a** of this hotheaded caveman

Yeah that logic is backwards. Fedor is the guy you need to be ready for not Lesnar.

Why did you ask and answer you're own question?

Read the article..
"Atencio said Barnett failed a drug test and therefore the California State Athletic Commission will not permit him to fight."

The State Athletic commission issues the liscenses to the fighters, promoters, and the event for it to occur legally and sanctioned.

The Refs, the judges, are all employed by the various state Athletic commissions to rule out bias.

It's by the state. Boxing and MMA are the only two sports that are regulated by the government. They have to undergo a drug test before and after and they also have to have several medical tests i.e. catskans and MRI's to get cleared so the state will sanction the fight.