Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello Canceled

by Mike Fagan on Jul 18, 2008 8:00 PM EDT in MMA News

Thumbnail_crop_php_medium Sherdog.com has the story:

The heavyweight bout between Aleksander Emelianenko and Paul Buentello scheduled for Saturday’s Affliction debut event has been cancelled.

According to Bill Douglas of the California State Athletic Commission, Emelianenko did not meet his licensing requirements.

After reading Evgeni Kogan's story about the Russian fighter, I had a pretty strong interest in watching Aleksander fight tomorrow. No word on whether the fight will be rescheduled.

*UPDATE* MMAJunkie.com is reporting that Gary Goodridge will step in to fight Buentello:

ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Veteran fighter Gary Goodridge (23-17-1) has stepped in to replace Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) and will fight Paul Buentello (25-10) at Saturday's "Affliction: Banned" event.

Buentello confirmed the opponent switch with MMAjunkie.com just a few hours after Friday's weigh-ins.

The California State Athletic Commission said Emelianenko didn't meet licensing standards minutes before he was scheduled to weigh in at the Honda Center in Anaheim, the same venue that hosts tomorrow's FSN- and PPV-televised event.

"It's official," Buentello told MMAjunkie.com. "We weigh in at around 11 (a.m.) tomorrow."

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio was not immediately available to confirm the opponent switch or if bout agreements have been signed.

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This sucks...

This was one of the fights I was most looking forward to seeing.

Any ideas on what could have kept him from not meeting the licensing requirements?

by mattman73 on Jul 18, 2008 8:14 PM EDT reply actions

I can't stand the CSAC

Why does the CSAC always do this? Can’t they let the fighters know ahead of time that they can’t fight. They always wait until the weigh-in’s. They did it with Riggs and Diaz recently.

by steveoc24 on Jul 18, 2008 8:48 PM EDT reply actions

yeah shits me to tears that they are a law unto themselves. They dont seem to care or understand that by not advising the fighter until the weigh in they are inconveniencing not only the fighters and the promotion but also all us viewers.

by Benicio on Jul 18, 2008 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Well, shit.

by Cannon Jacques on Jul 18, 2008 8:53 PM EDT reply actions

ill wind blowing

by banter on Jul 18, 2008 8:57 PM EDT reply actions

That’s the worst they can do. They don’t let fighters weigh in till they clear medical. So consider that the worst of the worst the CSAC can do to this show

I love to hate

by fightlinker on Jul 18, 2008 9:39 PM EDT reply actions