Recently in Gilbert Yvel Category

Gilbert Yvel, who was tooled on by Josh Barnett at Affliction: Day of Reckoning, gets the KO on Pedro Rizzo and the right to fight Paul Buentello at Affliction: Trilogy on Aug. 1.

Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski and Gilbert Yvel at Wednesday's Affliction - Day of Reckoning press conference. For the full fight card for Saturday's event, click here.

Josh Barnett

Former UFC heavyweight champion (and still current Pancrase champ, I think) Josh "The Baby-Faced Assassin" takes on Dutch fighter Gilbert Yvel at Affliction's Day of Reckoning on Jan. 24. Here's what Josh had to say about Yvel's reputation as a dirty fighter, especially the time when Yvel knocked out a referee:

"I'd like to hear his side of the story on that one," Barnett said on M-1 Global's Web site. "Because sometimes, there have been a few referees I could have knocked out, although it's not anything I'm ever going to do. We're human beings."

But when it comes to fighting dirty, if Yvel tries anything, Barnett won't tolerate it.

"When it comes to going crazy, like fouls or infractions or anything like that, I don't worry about that, because nobody will take it as far as I will...that much I know," he said. "If somebody wants to poke my eyes or bite me, that's my career, and if it's not an eye for an eye, it will be an eye for both your eyes, some of your teeth, your limbs, whatever I can get before somebody pulls me off of you."

source: mmaweekly.com

Yvel training and talking about his upcoming bout with Barnett.

Gilbert "Hurricane" Yvel

Josh "The Baby-Faced Assassin" Barnett

just got this from M-1 Global:
M-1 Global is pleased to announce that Gilbert Yvel, one of its top heavyweight competitors, has agreed to terms on a three-fight contract with Affliction Entertainment.

Yvel will make his Affliction debut against former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett on January 24 in Anaheim, California at the Honda Center during "Day of Reckoning," to be presented by Affliction, M-1 Global, and Golden Boy Promotions.

Despite being veterans of the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships in Japan, Yvel and Barnett have never fought before with "Day of Reckoning" serving as the first-ever meeting between the two.

Yvel, 33-12-1, who is known for the strong Muay Thai skills he developed while training in his home country of Holland, has been competing in mixed martial arts since 1997. Over the years, the veteran fighter has recorded notable victories over K-1 standout Semmy Schilt, current UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo, and former PRIDE and UFC veteran Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.

Yvel's involvement serves to increase M-1's contributions to the event, as M-1 contracted fighters Fedor Emelianenko and Kirill Sidelnikov are already scheduled to compete.

Fedor will be featured during the show's main event when he defends his WAMMA heavyweight title against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

Meanwhile, the 19-year old fighting prodigy Sidelnikov, nicknamed "Baby Fedor," will be making his United States debut against former UFC heavyweight title challenger Paul Buentello in an undercard bout to be televised on HDNet.

Additionally, the M-1 Challenge broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Sean Wheelock and color commentator Jimmy Smith will be calling the action during Affliction's pay-per-view telecast. Wheelock and Smith can be seen and heard in the U.S. every Friday at 8 p.m. ET during airings of the M-1 Challenge on HDNet.

Ted's Take: Although Barnett has honed his striking skills, with Yvel's kickboxing pedigree, I think this will turn into your classic striker vs. grappler. Yvel is not known for his ground game, but Barnett is a top-notch practitioner of catch wrestling (think freestyle wrestling and add submissions).

Barnett wins by submission, maybe a key lock or heel hook.