It means that the M-1 Global action against Affliction will proceed. The Russian outfit is claiming that Affliction is in breach of its contract with them and Emelianenko for failing to stage a third event, which had been due to take place on August 1st last year.

Emelianenko was the headline that event in a fight with Josh Barnett but when Barnett tested positive for steroids, the fight could not be made. Shortly afterwards, Affliction pulled the plug on the show, saying it did not have enough time to find a suitable replacement, though at one point Vitor Belfort was apparently considering a proposal to step in at the last minute.

M-1 Global is also asking for monies it claims are due under the terms of a consultancy agreement, which stipulated that it was to be paid a fee as part of every show that Emelianenko was to appear on. The total sum of monies M-1 Global is claiming comes to $12.5 million dollars, plus costs of the legal action.

Affliction vice-president Tom Atencio told Fighters Only last year, around the time that the Trikogy show was cancelled, that the cancellation was largely due to the amount of advertising that had been done for the Emelianenko-Barnett clash. It was apparently the opinion of Affliction’s legal team that changing the Russian’s opponent at such short notice could in itself amount to a breach of promise/contract with people who had pre-ordered the show.

from FightersOnlyMagazine.co.uk

Tags: Affliction, Atencio, Belfort, Emelianenko, Fedor, Josh Barnett, M-1 Global, steroids, Tom, Vitor