By Dave Walsh

Affliction Banned draws closer and closer, and as it does, it is impossible to ignore all of the hype leading up to the main event of the evening, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko facing off with Tim “The Maineiac” Sylvia for the newly created WAMMA Heavyweight Championship. The fight itself at this point means a lot more than the title does, as the title seemed more or less created for this card, to help hype up the Affliction show and validate the whole WAMMA thing by establishing their champion as either Fedor or Sylvia. Having either man as their champion means instant credibility, as Fedor never lost the PRIDE Heavyweight Championship, it basically just disappeared when PRIDE was taken over by Zuffa, and Sylvia exited the UFC in a Heavyweight title match, as well as holding the title numerous times. What we get is the biggest heavyweight showdown since Fedor vs. Cro Cop from PRIDE.
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We look at the Affliction card and hear from Josh Barnett, Andrei Arlovski, Freddie Roach, and Ben Rothwell. Some crazy bastard picks Sylvia! And hey, what’s going on with Rampage Jackson?

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Sherdog are reporting the news that Emelianenko Fedor is to take on Tim Sylvia on the debut event of upstart company ‘Adrenaline MMA’.

It is believed the bout will take place on July 19th in Texas and would air on the HDNet television channel.

“[Sylvia] is a good fighter, a strong fighter, the former UFC
heavyweight champion, which is important,” Emelianenko said via
telephone from Stary Oskol, Russia. “I am looking forward to fighting
him and training hard for this fight.”

By Jonathan Snowden

Tomorrow night Brock Lesnar and Tim Sylvia will enter the Octagon, Brock for the first time. They will both have something to prove, to themselves and to the fans. Sylvia should by rights be a legend. He’s a two time heavyweight champion at the peak of his powers. He’s beaten some of the best heavyweights in the world decisively, a who’s who of heavyweight MMA: Arlovski, Rodriguez, Monson, Vera. Despite this he is despised by the fans, or worse, ignored. When he fights Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the UFC’s Heavyweight Title it will be in the very large shadow of Brock Lesnar. And Tim Sylvia is not happy.

“Brock’s done alot in WWE. He has a big name. Is the wrestler going to beat the fighter? They’re trying to hype it up that way. I understand the philosophy of him getting all the exposure. I think they’re bringing him in to get him beat. That’s why he’s getting all the exposure he’s getting,” Sylvia said. “Your average bozos who don’t know anything, see Brock coming in or these superstars like Kimbo Slice who haven’t really done anything and they think they’re studs.”
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By Lee Casebolt

Now you’ve had a week to think about Penn vs. Sherk and Shamrock vs. Le, and you are, no doubt, quivering with anticipation over both fights. But wait, fight fan, there’s more. Much, much more. Well, ok, just a few more. There’s a welterweight rematch, a battle of the two best middleweights in the game, and a heavyweight scrap that’s going to annoy a lot of people. Let’s take a look.

Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra, UFC Welterweight Title

2007 was a year of upsets, but none were bigger than Matt Serra knocking out Georges St. Pierre. Forget the fact that GSP was (and is) indisputably the best 170lber on the planet. Forget that he’d just wrecked Matt Hughes, as dominant a fighter as the UFC has ever seen. Forget that Matt Serra was “just a reality show winner”. Remember that Matt Serra was (and is) a blown up lightweight groundfighting specialist who, up til last April, had never knocked out any opponent in his career. And he stops GSP in the first round? What kind of world is this?
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Total MMA Issue 7 (Right Click to Download)

This issue features a preview of Cage Force, a look back at one of the greatest fights in UFC history, and one man contemplating why, oh why, people hate Tim Sylvia so much. Also, the much maligned Tom Gentleman rankings divided by weight class.