Gilbert Yvel vs. Josh Barnett at Affliction: Day of Reckoning

by Luke Thomas on Dec 3, 2008 9:38 AM EST in News Comment 51 comments

From a press release in my inbox:

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.

It's a fight only the hardcores will care about, but M-1 is doing their best to promote themselves. I'll give them that much. I'm curious to see what the payouts on these fights look like, too. I still cannot believe observers look at what Affliction is doing - or at this point what they are even able to do - and think the UFC has a rival. Unreal.

Zach Arnold has more:

First off, you could not book a more worthless fight for Barnett than this encounter. Gilbert Yvel, as I alluded to in an earlier post, meant something in 1997 when he was fighting in RINGS. He has never meant anything in the American MMA scene and never will mean anything in the American MMA scene. Barnett/Yvel is such a pointless fight. The only motive I could see in terms of Josh taking this fight is money and that’s it. You’re not going to elevate your career one bit by facing Gilbert Yvel.

...

Fourth, the idea that Affliction would pay out money to even book this fight shows that they do not have a serious matchmaking philosophy right now, in my opinion. No one is interested in seeing Barnett/Yvel — not a casual fan, not a Sherdog message board poster, not anyone who is inside the business. What a waste of money and time this situation is.

Gilbert Yvel vs Alexander Timanov (1-2)
M-1 Challenge 11/21/08

0 recs | Comment 51 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

lol whut? Gilbert Yvel? He’s awesome when he has some total tomato can to kick in the face, but that is not the case here. I hope he’s coming cheap, as this is actually a horrible fight.

by D.Capitated on Dec 3, 2008 9:47 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

This beats Brett Rogers.

by Pandanus on Dec 3, 2008 9:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like the Rogers fight better. Am I alone?

by szucconi on Dec 3, 2008 9:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 3, 2008 9:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nah. At least Rogers could grapple.

by D.Capitated on Dec 3, 2008 9:56 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You’re not alone. I was very interested in a Rogers/Barnett fight. This is a letdown. I actually got some buddies who are gonna pitch in to order it at my house this time. So I really want a great show. Fedor/AA is already enough I guess….

by xFenixKnightx on Dec 3, 2008 10:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Agree

would have much rather seen Rogers.This is clearly a move to please the people at M-1.Who would think to go and sign Yvel and all his baggage.What’s Affliction going to say if Yvel snaps and gets a DQ for gouging Barnett’s eyes or punches the referee.This is a huge waste.At first I couldn’t wait for this event with Fedor vs. Arlovski,and I still want to see the fight but aside from that I could care less.

by tylerdurden1 on Dec 3, 2008 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have to wonder what they are going to do if they can’t get Yvel licensed in California. Nevada has already turned him down before.

by who me on Dec 3, 2008 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Anything involving Big Black gets a thumbs up in my book.

by Phildo on Dec 3, 2008 1:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not in my universe...

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 3, 2008 10:00 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

in what world?

by lbk on Dec 3, 2008 10:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

At least Brett Rogers had been on the CBS show, for the casual fan’s Yvel is a unknown and for hardcore fans this match up isn’t very appealing. It’s like Affliction’s booking using a big dart board they blindly throw darts at.

by who me on Dec 3, 2008 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just poor match-making.

Barnett by sub in the 1st round in any event.

by scotty23 on Dec 3, 2008 10:40 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well at least we have the chance Yvel might get mad and kick Barnett in the balls before kicking the referee in the neck. That might not make for quality MMA but it will at least make for quality television.

Either way, This is stupid.

by dropkick101 on Dec 3, 2008 10:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

LMAO, what’s funny is I can actually see this happening. Count me down as another that’s disappointed, I would have rather seen him fight Rogers as well.

by ChillMike on Dec 3, 2008 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The 5oz write up...

… mentions Affliction signing him to a THREE fight deal?

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/12/03/gilbert-yvel-in-talks-to-fight-for-affliction/

I don’t know what’s weirder. This matchup, or the fact that anyone would believe Affliction has three more shows left in ‘em. Co-headliners like this certainly won’t improve those odds.

by woooburn on Dec 3, 2008 10:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

The three fight deal is mentioned in the release I quoted above.

by Luke Thomas on Dec 3, 2008 10:49 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

sorry luke!

totally missed that.

by woooburn on Dec 3, 2008 10:55 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think that’s based on the off chance that Affliction somehow survives. When the company goes under, the contract is void. I don’t think we’ll be seeing Affliction trying to pull the same contract holdout bullshit we’re seeing with Pro Elite either. Fedor would get really mad and Yvel would straight up kidnap Atencio’s family.

by dropkick101 on Dec 3, 2008 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

They should sign him to a 50 fight deal!

Watch out for Affliction 3: Garage Sale

I want a competitor to the UFC so badly! Why does everyone that tries to compete have to be a bigger asshole than Dana? DUCK FANA!

by Drewplata on Dec 3, 2008 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

way to throw away money atencio. :)

http://weoweoweo.deviantart.com/

by weoweoweo on Dec 3, 2008 10:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

well the fight with Emelianenko supposedly fell through as he wont have time to get a licence, seemingly ProElite blocked the Rodgers fight, if you guys can think of a better heavyweight available to fight let me know. He is on a 7 fight win streak and has finished each opponent. It at least warrants a shot at the big time (if you could call affliction that). Also he hasn’t been disqualified in over 4 years, he is practically an angel these days!

I would have preferred Barnet to rematch with Emelianenko and Rodgers fighting Yvel myself but what can you do, its as good as any other option out there.

by nidge on Dec 3, 2008 11:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

My problem isn't him fighting on the card...

it is with him fighting Josh Barnett on this card. Were he brought in, got an impressive win for Affliction and then got matched up with an upper level guy then fine….but right now it’s a pointless fight.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 3, 2008 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Off the top of my head I can think of 3 better heavyweight match ups with guys who already have Affliction contracts; Tim Sylvia, Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson. Fabricio Werdum is also currently available, heck a rematch with Jeff Monson would be more interesting than this.

by who me on Dec 3, 2008 12:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Very true, didn’t think of Nelson or Rothwell, they were in talks with Werdum which fell through over money issues.

Sylvia was paid 700,000, Rothwell 250,000 and Nelson 80,000, maybe Yvel was going cheep.

Anyway, all this speculation is getting me in trouble, so I’m gonna eat some humble pie and retire from the discussion. Looks like the Affliction matchmaking team are just as short sighted as me. On a side note it is nice to have someone disagree with you on the internet and use some form of reason, as opposed to being called a n00b or an affliction nuthugger etcetera, etcetera.

by nidge on Dec 3, 2008 12:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh I’m sure Yvel isn’t going to cost Sylvia or Rothwell money but if Affliction has gotten to the point where they have to sign a new heavyweight just because they can’t pay what they contracted any of their other heavyweight fighters for then they have a much bigger problem than finding Barnett a fight. If they were just trying to save money then maybe they should move Paul Buentello off the undercard to face Barnett. Of course if they have that serious of a money problem why have Barnett and his $300k payout on the card to start with? Affliction has a roster full of top heavyweights that aren’t doing anything and they will be lucky if they can even get Yvel a license. It honestly sounds like M-1 antics at play here.

This is just one of those things that is going to be very hard to defend but I don’t hold it against you for trying.

by who me on Dec 3, 2008 1:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn’t defending them, it is very difficult to defend a lot of what affliction has done, despite how much I am rooting for a strong alternative to the ufc. I was just putting out an argument as to why affliction may have thought it was their best option. Every one was criticising them, just making the point that maybe their hands were tied.

by nidge on Dec 4, 2008 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

How about Tim Sylvia? Fabricio Werdum? Heck even Ben Rothwell would be a better matchup with Barnett than Yvel.

by Gygax on Dec 3, 2008 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I thought Affliction was trying to cut back on expenses? Barnett is going to get paid big money for this fight, as per his contract and now he is getting paid big to fight a meaningless fight. And whats worse is that they are going to have to pay Yvel a hefty sum of money. Not because he is great, but because he is fighting for Affliction.

I think this fight serves more as a Josh Barnett showcase for American fans more than anything else. The casual american MMA fan knows nothing about Barnett. They know nothing about his stint in Pride and they definitely don’t know about him being a former UFC champion. This fight serves as a sort of build up for Barnett for the american audience so that later on down the line, if Barnett beat Yvel, Affliction can hold a show with Barnett headlining and not have to worry too much about getting next to no PPV buys. Because let’s face it, as good as Barnett is he is not able to headline a PPV in the US right now.

by Discman2 on Dec 3, 2008 11:05 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sadly the casual fan will never see this. I highly doubt anyone you could term a casual fan knowing about let alone choosing to see this event with all the other MMA cards in the time frame.

by iiowyn on Dec 3, 2008 1:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow. Wowie-wow-wow. Knock out Pedro Rizzo and get Gilbert Yvel. Christ, Rothwell-Barnett would’ve been more compelling.

by subo on Dec 3, 2008 11:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Pointless in relation to the heavyweight division maybe, but probably the only option given they cant very well pull Barnett from a fight twice in a row, he might just piss off to Japan for good then and spend the rest of his life fighting Olympic heavyweight judokas

From a marketing perspective its not a disaster, once he doesn’t lose. An impressive looking end to the fight along with the savage KO of Rizzo could be used to stir interest in a title fight for affliction 3.

Also Yvel might bite off his ear with the controversy plunging affliction into the limelight, no publicity is bad publicity and all that. Or he might get taken down and subed in two mins.

by nidge on Dec 3, 2008 12:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

woops that was meant to be a response to Brent , is it possible for a member of staff to move this to its rightful place, I promise I’ll preview my posts from now on

by nidge on Dec 3, 2008 12:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wish I could move it...

but as a punishment for not agreeing with me I will not.

(or I’ll actually not move it because we don’t have access to do so)

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 3, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No worries, I suppose it adds to journalistic integrity and all that, which is only a good thing

by nidge on Dec 3, 2008 12:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The fact that Rogers is not in this fight may be related to the pending sale of EliteXC and their contracts.

by Drewplata on Dec 3, 2008 12:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It’s great to see Affliction signing top caliber, heavyweight talent. Not only does it highlight the failings of the UFC to put together even a halfway decent heavyweight division, but it indicates to me that Affliction is, in fact, so successful that they can afford to pay fighters who no one wants to see.

That’s how you know a company has long-term solvency and will in no way become a smoldering pile after its next event.

by Brett Jones on Dec 3, 2008 12:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Solvency-

I haven’t used that word in awhile.

by Eugene Schelfaut on Dec 3, 2008 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who has gotten a better deal from affliction…

sylvia for making all that money to get the crap beat out of him by Fedor?

-or-

Barnett making all that money to fight people way way way below his level?

by dbcb on Dec 3, 2008 12:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Matt Lindland for the same reason you gave for Barnett. Except that Barnett had actually lost to Rizzo, even though it was some 5 or so years prior to their rematch.

Lindland laid on Fabio Nascimiento and got 300-whatever thousand dollars. TOP THREE MIDDLEWEIGHT, GUYS!

by Brett Jones on Dec 3, 2008 1:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

WTF I was hoping Affliction could pull a better name to fight Josh then Gilbert Yvel ! I don’t even think it’s a fight the hard core fans care about to tell you the truth ?

by Shocbomb on Dec 3, 2008 2:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

My bet,

and excuse me if its already been mentioned, is that this fight could serve to make Barnett look good with an eye to him being the next fight for Fedor (assuming Fedor beats Arlovski).

This way, IF Affliction gets to a 3rd show, they can headline Fedor against Barnett using video of Barnett wiping the floor with Yvel for promotion.

by Razreshat on Dec 3, 2008 2:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

There are a ton of low level and cheaper heavyweights available who could make Barnett look as good, if not better, than Yvel will. It’s not as though Yvel has some great name recognition that makes his match with Barnett all the more appeal that if Barnett fought, I don’t know, Jason Guida, for example.

by Brett Jones on Dec 3, 2008 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Guida is a LHW, he has trouble making weight, but sherdog lists him at 185 so HW is a bit of a reach.

by szucconi on Dec 3, 2008 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Sherdog is wrong. I know that’s stunning, but it is true. Guida’s last fight was at Light Heavyweight, but he has had several fights at Heavyweight (against Mike Russow at Adrenaline, for example), hence his inability to make weight on TUF.

And that was just an example. Take any of the low level heavyweights from EliteXC is they are availble, or former IFL guys. Or the aforementioned Mike Russow. They’re all likely to carry a lower price tag that Yvel while meaning just as much to the average observer.

Travis Wiuff can probably be had for similar or less money to Yvel, and as silly as it sounds, I think he at least means something to the hardcores after winning YAMMA and beating Fujita. Sure, he lost to King Mo, but that was at Sengoku, so it may as well have not happened. And I know he beat Fujita at Sengoku, which makes this a bit contradictory, but I’ll stick with it anyway. I think beating Fujita means more the the hardcores (i.e. the only people buying Affliction) than a loss to King Mo does. I think. I could be wrong on that.

Plus, I mean he won the greatest tournament in MMA history.

by Brett Jones on Dec 3, 2008 4:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

All good points. What say you about the risk of Yvel not getting licenced? When was the last time he fought in the US? A quick scan of his sherdog record (often wrong like you say) says never. So even if this bout is confirmed, it may not ever happen. Maybe there is still hope for Jason Guida, and in my book that tubby is a middleweight and maybe lower.

by szucconi on Dec 3, 2008 5:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

NSAC turned Yvel down for a license before Pride 33 but there is no telling what CSAC might do considering the shape they are currently in. Still there is a good chance that Affliction just signed a guy to a three fight contract that may never be able to fight in the US (you think they would of learned after the Aleksander Emelianenko situation).

by who me on Dec 3, 2008 5:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who knows what they will do.
The CSAC said they will revoke Antonio Silva’s license if he fights in Japan while suspended, so while the new boss scrapped the drug testing program, it’s not completely the wild rest.

by Phildo on Dec 3, 2008 8:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wild west

by Phildo on Dec 3, 2008 8:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, and Nevada said the same thing about Vitor Belfort, who is now fighting in Cali twice this year.

Bill Douglas seems a lot more even keeled than Armando Garcia. Time will pass, Silva will petition for reinstatement, and he will be.

by Brett Jones on Dec 4, 2008 9:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Prepartion for Affliction 3

I think that the theory that this is a build-up fight to Affliction 3 is probably the correct hypothesis. There are definitely cheaper heavyweights with similar or higher profile that Affliction could have looked at but the reason for signing Yvel was probably more complex than we think. I think someone alluded to the fact that the Yvel signing may well have been due to an agreement with Red Devil.

However the key reason why an easy meaningless fight was booked for Barnett is so that he can win easily and look awesmoely impressive destroying whoever he is fighting.

by rainmaker6 on Dec 3, 2008 9:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs