Tom Atencio Speaks Out About Affliction's Demise

by Anton Tabuena on Jul 28, 2009 11:37 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

Ariel Helwani has a good interview with the Affliction boss:

Canceling this fight was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do..

We made the decision to cancel the fight prior to any sponsorship agreement with the UFC... Based on timing, the deal came about and made sense for both companies. I've always said I'm about the future of MMA – the sport and the fighters. What happened last year is in the past and I'm looking forward to the future.

Sure, hindsight is 20/20 and I probably would have done a few things differently, but overall I'm very pleased with what we were able to accomplish.

On what happens to Fedor and the other fighters on the card:

I hope Fedor goes where he can fight the best heavyweights in the world. He is a true champion and I'd live to see him show the world he is the best fighter on the planet.

I have worked out deals with most of the fighters at this time. In one form or another we are working out some type of compensation.

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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You got me once again. haha

by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 28, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

seriously?

that’s three in a row haha. sorry about that.

weoweoweo .deviantart .com

by Anton Tabuena on Jul 28, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

YEA

haha I’m gone get one soon. Check out the UFC 108 promo i just added to the fanshots.

by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 28, 2009 11:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you scooped the whole internet by posting 108 news.. haha. :)

weoweoweo .deviantart .com

by Anton Tabuena on Jul 29, 2009 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha

yeah i know!

by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Jul 29, 2009 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have worked out deals with most of the fighters at this time. In one form or another we are working out some type of compensation.

Hurrah for free T-Shirts!

by sadface on Jul 28, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They’re expensive shirts, they should more than compensate them in both the financial sense and the ugly quota.

"Japan panics about the rise of "grass-eating men," who shun sex, don’t spend money, and like taking walks."

Did they all get married?

- Ubernoober

by SamCupitt on Jul 29, 2009 4:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Atencio

gets a super bad rap and I’m not quite sure why…I don;t like the clothing but this guy lives, breathes and sleeps MMA; he even fights. Give the guy a break already.

by ThomasJ on Jul 29, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He’s a total mark for MMA. He’s just like me, and I’m sure a lot of other people on this site. He loves MMA. He just ran a promotion like making a profit didn’t matter. The saying “He brought a knife to a gunfight” applies.
Although I think Affliction shirts are hideous and seeing one makes me wanna punk whose ever wearing it, the dude knows how to run a T-shirt company. Dana was right when he said Tom was the T-shirt guy. He makes a lot of money and I’m sure isn’t bitching about having to go to work tomorrow.
So, what have we learned about Tom in the last 2 years? He sells ridiculously, (insert your own adjective, corny, ugly, offensive to good taste) T-shirts for way too much money and he can’t run a promotion. No one really hates on him. He’s just a lovable idiot that is easily made fun of.

by Shatto1 on Jul 29, 2009 3:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve always assumed that Tom was more of a salaried figurehead with a little piece of equity. I guess I was wrong.

by Jahbulon on Jul 29, 2009 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good thing they at least had some type of compensation for the fighters who were expected to be fighting on August 1st. Even though it wasnt really what they were looking for but meh….

by bigislandboi808 on Jul 29, 2009 12:04 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

ATTN Tom Atencio:

If Affliction made a nice, low key shirt with a simple design I would buy it.

Keep firing Assholes!

Thanks to Bisping's reenactment of the Battle of Cowpens, walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by Ubernoober on Jul 29, 2009 12:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dear Ubernoober,

You’d be the only one.

Sincerely,

Ed Hardy

by sadface on Jul 29, 2009 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

LOL… he cant even bring himself to say “UFC” in his last answer. The highers ups gave this kid a nice spanking and I believe he’ll be grounded for sometime.

by mmalogic on Jul 29, 2009 12:24 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

So why’d you cancel the card again, Tom?

When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift

by subo on Jul 29, 2009 1:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ariel Helwani: Why did you ultimately decide to cancel the show?
Tom Atencio: There simply wasn’t enough time to promote a new main event, especially for pay-per-view.

Carefully awaiting “you missed the joke” comments

"Japan panics about the rise of "grass-eating men," who shun sex, don’t spend money, and like taking walks."

Did they all get married?

- Ubernoober

by SamCupitt on Jul 29, 2009 4:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe it’s that showtime pulled the funding, which made the decision not to have a show a rather easy decision to make. It’s like the kid that doesn’t get picked for dodgeball saying how not playing dodgeball was a really tough decision to make for him.

by Stanlee on Jul 30, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs