from FiveOuncesofPain.com:
After counter-programming events promoted by Affliction and EliteXC over the course of the past year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship could be in store for a taste of its own medicine.
Sources have informed FiveOuncesOfPain.com that Affliction Entertainment is currently engaged in preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of promoting its third-ever event on Saturday, July 11. Such a booking would put the promotion in direct competition with the UFC's historic UFC 100 pay-per-view event.
Several fighters and managers have contacted FiveOuncesOfPain.com in recent days informing the site that they have been approached by Affliction officials about the possibility of accepting restructured contracts in order to compete on the show.
According to the sources, Affliction wants to reduce it overhead for a potential third event so that it could host it on a network or basic cable television platform, as it would be next to impossible to convince PPV distributors to promote an event that would be in direct competition with the UFC.
Sources made it a point to caution Five Ounces of Pain that the possibility of Affliction counter-programming UFC 100 was still only in preliminary stages. Additionally, several insiders we spoke with expressed pessimism about Affliction being able to pull off the July 11 date.
However, meetings are expected to take place within the next several weeks regarding a possible television partner for the proposed event. If enough fighters were willing to accept a reduced rate to compete on the show and if a deal with a suitable television partner could be reached, the door would then be open for Affliction to go head-to-head with UFC 100.
One source also indicated to us that the possible July event for Affliction could be the company's last MMA show, with the popular lifestyle clothing label looking to "go out with a bang" by going up against UFC 100.
When contacted by FiveOuncesOfPain.com for comment, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio said he could neither confirm or deny our report.
Also from FiveOuncesofPain.com:
A new published report indicates that Floyd Mayweather Jr., who retired in December of 2007 as the undefeated pound-for-pound king of boxing, has possible designs on coming out of retirement.
And according to ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, a potential date being discussed for Mayweather's return is Saturday, July 11, which just happens to be the same date that the UFC has scheduled for its historic UFC 100 event.
Rafael states in his report that HBO has earmarked July 11 as a scheduled date for that month's edition of "World Championship Boxing" and that Mayweather's camp has inquired about the possibility of fighting on the show.
Talks of Mayweather's return are still considered to be in the preliminary stages and a potential opponent remains uncertain. However, Rafael's article indicates that Mayweather could be willing to fight Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, or the winner of an upcoming fight between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com broke the news yesterday that Affliction Entertainment is now engaged in exploratory talks to go head-to-head with UFC 100. If Affliction was able to finalize a deal to air its third event on network or basic cable television coupled with Mayweather's return to boxing also being finalized for July 11 on HBO, UFC 100 would face some stiff competition in trying to attract male PPV buyers between the ages of 18-34.
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