Sportfight and Strikeforce should keep a wary eye on this cooperation and take copious notes. Those two regionally-oriented promotions are enjoying success on a small scale and could be a serious thorn in the UFCs side if they were to enter into a similar cooperative agreement with each other or with local boxing promoters.

But the juggernaut of MMA has never been passive in the face of threats and now is no different. The UFC rained on Affliction’s parade by announcing that UFC 93 will be on January 17th. Now let me check my calendar..what else was on that day? Oh yeah, Affliction’s second show! If I were Atencio, I wouldn’t panic because every dire situation holds an opportunity.

If this is going to be the UFCs normal M.O. (and it is), Affliction could use it to their advantage and schedule a show when the UFC has no one available, although that’s a tall order with the depth of the UFCs talent pool.

Predicting when fighters are ready to go is easy, so Affliction could force Dana White’s hand by figuring out when the UFC’s champions aren’t available due to training, recovery, suspensions, or favorite uncle’s birthdays. Ultimately there will be a week where all the belt holders and marquee names are unable to fight, which is when Affliction should strike. The UFC will counter with either a lame PPV card, which wouldn’t be cost-effective, or a free Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV that just can’t compare to Fedor vs. Barnett. That takes away their PPV audience and forces them to spend money on free TV at the same time.

Make Mine a Merger, Please

On to the bane of capitalism…the merger. Zuffa’s merger of the WECs heavier divisions into the UFCs is a good thing for the heavyweights because there simply isn’t enough talent over the 205 pound mark to warrant two separate organizations and even combined it’s hardly any better, although I still think Big Nog is one of the best in the world bar none. For the light heavy’s and middleweights, the merger will deprive them of a crucial proving ground to sharpen their skills, a venue to showcase their talents, and a comfortable place to call home for those who just can’t cut it in the big show. Steve Cantwell and Doug Marshall are good fighters but their ability to make an impact on the UFC’s LHW class is limited at best and now other light heavy’s like them have fewer opportunities to improve before getting into the octagon against the best in the world. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because it forces fighters to get good or get going, especially in a talent-rich weight class that’s not hurting for marquee names.