DREAM Middleweight Champion in talks with Affliction.

DREAM is a Japanese MMA promotion run by former executives from PrideFC and they recently crowned their very first Middleweight champion in Gegard Mousasi (24-2) who defeated Ranaldo Souza (10-2) at DREAM 6. Although they put on a very decent MMA show this past month, DREAM has continued to struggle in ratings and they've been accused of refusing to pay certain fighters ala Nick Diaz.

So what happens when an upstart MMA league begins to struggle? How about sharing fighters and copromoting with another established MMA league? That is what EliteXC is doing and it seems as if DREAM could be coming on board as well. DREAM Middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi recently told The Fighters Only Magazine that he expects to face Vitor Belfort at the upcoming Affliction PPV in January.

Additionally in that interview Mousasi indicated that Josh Barnett is being talked about as a possibile opponent to WAMMA champion Fedor Emelianenko, although that matchup, which has surely been brought up by Affliction executives, is unlikely given that Andrei Arlovski is fighting Roy Nelson in a contenders match and Barnett is looking to secure a fight with an unknown opponent at Sengoku 6.

It is possible however that Tom Atencio may end up negotiating the Fedor Emelianenko fight with Josh Barnett given that Barnett has been vocal about not being given the respect he deserves. He was first surpassed by Andrei Arlovski for the WAMMA title fight and Barnett complained about it. However when Fedor was forced out of the fight due to a hand injury Josh Barnett was quickly inserted as his replacement. His fight versus Arlovski was to be a contenders match only to later find out that the card was scrapped and rescheduled. He wasn't happy about that at all. Then when Atencio announced that Arlovski would be facing Roy Nelson on CBS instead of Barnett (Atencio could not get a hold of Barnett to sign the fight), well that put the number 3 ranked heavyweight in the world in a very cranky mood. It is therefore every bit possible for Josh Barnett to be granted the fight against Fedor Emelianenko if Tom Atencio can negotiate it.

So what about Andrei Arlovski? If Andrei defeats Roy Nelson and he is not granted a title shot against Fedor Emelianenko come January he may sit out the January PPV altogether whether he is injured or not. More than likely an additional Heavyweight bout between Paul Buentello and Aleksander Emelianenko would take place and Arlovski would sit out the January PPV and end up facing the winner of Josh Barnett vs. Fedor Emelianenko - that is IF Affliction grants the title fight to Josh Barnett. One thing for certain is that everything in this scenario is only speculation at this time and that numerous scenarios are being negotiated with the Affliction fighters.