People can say whatever they want about the next big promotion that is going to take down or at least compete with the UFC.
Until recently there was a worthy alphabet soup of contenders that included the IFL, the WFA, and Elite XC, but now there is nothing left but Affliction.
The T-shirt company turned MMA promotion made headlines with its inflated pay scale for the first card, but on today’s MMA scene no promotion provides consistent fight opportunities like the UFC.
An up and down career in the UFC does not guarantee fights in the octagon these days.
Jonathan Goulet felt himself slipping out of favor with the promotion despite putting on multiple entertaining performances in the cage. Instead of sitting back and waiting to for his fate, Jonathan Goulet took action.
Mike Swick was originally scheduled to fight Chris Leben in a rematch of his first career loss. According to Swick, papers were sent to Leben so he could decide at what weight the fight was going to take place. Eventually Leben decided against taking the fight at all, and Swick was left without an opponent.
Around this time, Goulet’s new manager, Ken Pavia, informed his French-Canadian client that the fight was now available. Goulet was immediately interested.
According to Goulet, Swick’s camp informed his management that they were not going to take the fight. He was not willing to take no for an answer.
On the advice of his friend and fellow UFC veteran, David Loiseau, Goulet took to the forums. After plastering the internet with the story of Swick avoiding the fight, the AKA based fighter changed his mind.
Now the two fighters are set to face off on Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night for the Troops, and the scent of bad blood in the air certainly makes the fight more compelling.
Not all fights need to bravado of, let’s say, a Nick Diaz and KJ Noons feud, but at the same time Swick vs. Goulet is a lot more appealing with a back story – not that fans should need a lot of convincing to enjoy free MMA in the world of $39.95 per card.
-Richard Mann