Emelianenko, M-1 File Lawsuit Against Affliction

Fedor Emelianenko and M-1 Global have filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against Affliction Clothing and Affliction Entertainment. The suit alleges that Affliction breached Emelianenko’s contract when it decided to cancel the card headlined by the Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett bout last summer.

Affliction withdrew from the fight promotion business at the same time, striking a deal with Zuffa to return to the UFC as a fighter and program sponsor.

Emelianenko’s lawyers began making noise about the lawsuit almost immediately following the cancellation of the card.

The suit alleges that Affliction was supposed to sign Brett Rogers to replace Barnett in the main event for Affliction: Trilogy, but Affliction instead opted to serve its own financial interests by hooking up with the UFC instead.

Plaintiff is informed, believes, and based thereon alleges Affliction intended to sign Brett Rogers to fight in Affliction: Trilogy and intended to go forward with the event if the UFC deal failed, but intended to cancel [the event] if the UFC deal closed. Brett Rogers was ready, willing, and able to fight Emelianenko in [the event], but instead of honoring its promises to Emelianenko and M-1 by signing Rogers, Affliction elected to serve its own financial interests at the expense of its partners.

One interesting note from the lawsuit: Emelianenko was to receive $300,000 per fight plus travel expenses from Affliction, but would also receive a substantial payment from M-1.