If anyone had been pondering the number of shows Afflicition may put on in 2009, former UFC heavyweight, Fabricio Werdum appears to have the answer.

Werdum stated that Affliction will continue to produce many cards in 2009, while discussing the potential companies he would sign with. Apparently, Werdum hasn’t been drinking the Dana White Koolaid and believes Affliction will be around after January.

“I’m recuperating myself from injuries and, for this event now (in January), there’s not way. Affliction is promising more than 16 shows in 2009.

Sixteen shows would be a pace that only ZUFFA LC. has been able to maintain in recent years. This would be a remarkable feat to say the least, especially since Affliction produced only one show in 2007 and had to cancel their October show in Las Vegas due to poor ticket sales.

Apparently, advertising nearly 3,000 miles away in Times Square pumps up box offices sales as well as pay-per-view buys.

Many questions would have to be addressed before that number of shows could be considered realistic. One would be if Affliction’s pay scale would have to change dramatically for this to happen.

They shelled out 3.3 million dollars for Affliction: Banned, a hefty price for one card, let alone sixteen. Considering that UFC 91’s pay scale, the card labeled the “Biggest Fight in UFC History”, topped off around 1.35 million, after fighter bonuses were handed out.

V.P. of Entertainment Tom Atencio claimed that Banned did over 100,000 buys back in July. One would assume Affliction would have to rake in much more then 100,000 in pay-per-view buys to keep their fight promotion profitable.

Truth be told, for Affliction to go from holding one event in 2008 to sixteen in 2009 is about as likely as Kimbo Slice becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion.

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