ProElite and Affliction Merger on the Horizon?

Just days after Affliction Entertainment and Golden Boy Promotions announced a deal that will distribute 4 events in 2009 looking to commingle professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts, comes a rumor that is steadily becoming an inevitable: ProElite, the parent company of EliteXC may become a third promotion to join forces with the coalition.

Steve Siever of MMAJUNKIE (a Yahoo Sports affiliate) recently blogged the situation exclaiming that ProElite has lost $55 million since 2006 and has gone on record warning investors of financial instability in an SEC filing this past August. In that filing the company stated that they did not have enough resources to function into next year without securing additional financing.

"Even a successful PPV debut isn’t enough to keep ProElite standing as an independent entity. An acquisition by Showtime makes sense, given the network’s existing ownership. However, a better long-term strategy is a ProElite and Affliction merger. The combined company would boast a strong roster of fighters and leverage the best attributes of each organization. Affliction is adept at marketing and promotion, while ProElite brings with it a built-in distribution channel in Showtime, and, potentially CBS, if the network re-ups its current deal.

A Showtime acquisition of ProElite doesn’t change the state of play in MMA. A ProElite-Affliction merger does. A union could be the type of game-changing move that finally produces a formidable challenger to the UFC, though it would still take years to accomplish. A merger would create momentum for “AfflictionXC,” which is something ProElite CEO and Chairman Chuck Champion believes a young company must have." (from MMAJUNKIE writer Steve Siever)

Indications that ProElite was looking for either a merger or acquisition partner came to light in a Sept. 11 column by CBS and SHOWTIME broadcaster Mauro Ranallo on his website for The Fight Network.

“I contacted Pro Elite head honcho (CEO and Chairman) Chuck Champion and he told me that he had held preliminary talks with a variety of promotions including Affliction,” wrote Ranallo in his blog entry.

These words make it official that Affliction Entertainment and ProElite have had "preliminary talks" about the possibility of a merger. If the two companies do end up joining forces it would undoubtedly create the best MMA product possible outside of the UFC, something that both companies should consider not only for business prosperity but for the fans of this sport who deserve to see top-tier fighters consistently battle each other.

The legtimacy of WAMMA to provide us with more undisputed champions comes to a closer reality when top 10 fighters like Jake Shields and Robbie Lawler are added to an Affliction mix of top competitors such as Matt Lindland, Vitor Beltfort and Renato Sobral. This is only the beginning of possibilities. Nick Diaz, KJ Noons, Bao Quatch, Frank Shamrock, Antonio Silva, Ninja Rua, Joey Villasenor and Paul Daley are all very much legitimate MMA competition that can be added to a mix that includes Chris Horodecki, Jay Hieron, Roy Nelson, Mike Pyle, Vladamir Matyushenko, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Drew Fickett, Trevor Prangley, Tim Sylvia, Pedro Rizzo, Ben Rothwell, Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, and others. In order for top competition outside of the UFC to face legitimate opponents it seems as if this merger is a must!

Other points to condsider.

1. Fedor Emelianenko on CBS will get him the American recognition that Affliction is looking for.

2. Kimbo Slice is marketable and its probably in ProElites' best interest to pin him against Brett Rogers on PPV, given that Rogers would be the first legitimate competition that Slice would be facing and this would interest enough fans to actually buy the PPV. Affliction is already established in the PPV market and Tom Atencio wouldn't mind taking partial credit in promoting Kimbo Slice's first legit fight against a formadable opponent. Not only that, but again, boxing fans would naturally be interested in Kimbo Slice due to his celebrity status and it would continue their growth in becoming MMA fans - hence increasing sales for MMA/Boxing cards that could potentially have Kimbo Slice on any one of them.

3. If ProElite merges with Affliction, the options for Tito Ortiz will pretty much be - Affliction/ProElite or the UFC. ProElite by itself can't afford Ortiz right now anyways. If Tito Ortiz does land a contract with Affliction, yeah, he will be able to face the likes of Renato Sobral which will make for an awesome fight in of itself, but additionally, Frank Shamrock vs. Tito Ortiz II - something Ortiz has often stated he is interested in - will become a possibility if ProElite merges with Affliction. Tito Ortiz signing with Affliction will also help with PPV buys, not to mention possibly catch the attention of boxing fans during a hybrid event due to his celebrity status.

4. Freddie Roach, a legendary boxing coach trains the likes of Andrei Arlovski. Arlovski is mentioned as possibly being interested in making a boxing debut somewhere down the line, which can be set up perfectly now that Golden Boy is on board. Arlovski isn't the only MMA fighter interested in doing both sports. KJ Noons who has a contract with EliteXC is 7-1 as a professional boxer and has often expressed interest in wanting to box - something EliteXC has not allowed, however with a Affliction/ProElite merger, that could become a possibility, again, given that Golden Boy is on board.

Conclusion. All signs point to ProElite and Affliction joining forces as a good thing - for the companies, for MMA, for the fighters, for fighter rankings, for WAMMA, and most importantly for the fans!

Disclaimer - this website, this domain name, and the author are in no way shape or form associated with Affliction and/or Golden Boy promotions. This is a blog site only.