Mousasi/Sobral Moved to Strikeforce
Jake Rossen Jul 28, 2009
Renato
Sobral and Gegard
Mousasi, two light heavyweights forced off the Affliction’s
Titanic last week, are on solid footing once more:
Strikeforce has picked up the bout intact for their Aug. 15
show in San Jose, Calif.
Fortuitous, since the card has had its share of problems: Nick Diaz is now without an opponent thanks to Joe Riggs dropping out; Josh Thomson made noise during an MMAJunkie radio spot that he may postpone (again) a bout with Gilbert Melendez to later in the year; Alistair Overeem re-injured his hand, scrapping a title bout with Fabricio Werdum.
There are suddenly a lot of in-shape replacements available, but whether A). Strikeforce is capable of matching their salary requests, or B). the UFC will tie their contracts up in mediation if they have first crack at the Affliction rubble is up in the air. (Sobral had a pre-existing relationship with Strikeforce and remains their light heavyweight champion.)
Gilbert Yvel and some of the lighter-weight Affliction athletes might be within financial reach: Yvel, who is unlikely to be of interest to the UFC thanks to a spotty behavioral record and a lax ground game, made just $30,000 for a fight with Josh Barnett at Affliction II last January. He could probably be convinced to punch someone on short notice. He may be punching someone at this very moment, sans compensation.
Less likely: Vitor Belfort, who made $225,000 last January and would probably balk at taking a pay cut.
Fortuitous, since the card has had its share of problems: Nick Diaz is now without an opponent thanks to Joe Riggs dropping out; Josh Thomson made noise during an MMAJunkie radio spot that he may postpone (again) a bout with Gilbert Melendez to later in the year; Alistair Overeem re-injured his hand, scrapping a title bout with Fabricio Werdum.
There are suddenly a lot of in-shape replacements available, but whether A). Strikeforce is capable of matching their salary requests, or B). the UFC will tie their contracts up in mediation if they have first crack at the Affliction rubble is up in the air. (Sobral had a pre-existing relationship with Strikeforce and remains their light heavyweight champion.)
Gilbert Yvel and some of the lighter-weight Affliction athletes might be within financial reach: Yvel, who is unlikely to be of interest to the UFC thanks to a spotty behavioral record and a lax ground game, made just $30,000 for a fight with Josh Barnett at Affliction II last January. He could probably be convinced to punch someone on short notice. He may be punching someone at this very moment, sans compensation.
Less likely: Vitor Belfort, who made $225,000 last January and would probably balk at taking a pay cut.
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