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.
Alexander TimanovFirst 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.
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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.