| “ | “When I was in the UFC, they talked so much about how I wanted to get out of it and how I wanted to stop fighting. It was a bunch of baloney. I still see 3-4 more years of competition left (in me) and I want to build. I want to make a (rival) company neck and neck with the UFC. I think it’s going to be about taking care of the fighters and that’s what I’m going to do.” | ” |
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Millionaire real estate developer, casino boss and reality television star, Donald Trump, is set to announce his foray into mixed martial arts this Thursday, June 5, at a press conference at Trump Tower in New York, N.Y., at 12 p.m. ET.
According to a press release issued today, “The Donald” will partner with the start up Affliction MMA promotion, which is set to pull the trigger on its debut show at the at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on July 19.
No particulars were revealed at this time.
Here’s a snip from Trump:
“I have been a fan of professional sports since childhood, and I am particularly impressed by the athleticism, courage, and strength of these disciplined athletes. This particular sport resembles my business style of being fast paced, strategic, and aggressive … remembering to never give up. I am particularly excited to partner with Affliction and become a major player in promotion of MMA; the youngest and fastest growing sport to emerge in the last century.”
Trump is the latest deep-pocketed businessmen, joining Mark Cuban and Calvin Ayre, to toss his hat into the MMA ring.
He has a relationship with former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz, who was a contestant on his most recent season of “The Apprentice.” In fact, Trump was in attendance at UFC 84: “Ill Will” to show his support for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy.”
Trump also hosted the New York press conference to announce the “Banned” pay-per-view (PPV) event, saying that the card was “great.”
Stay tuned for more details on the partnership between Trump and Affliction.
Affliction “Banned” will feature a main event fight between between former UFC heavyweight champion, Tim Sylvia, and the last man to hold the Pride FC heavyweight strap, Fedor Emelianenko. Superstars such as Josh Barnett, Pedro Rizzo, Paul Buentello, Aleksander Emelianenko, Matt Lindland, Renato “Babalu” Sobral, Ben Rothwell and Antonio Rogerio Nogueria, among others, will also be in action.
| “ | Affliction, a popular clothing company and now a mixed martial arts promotion, is teaming up with billionaire Donald Trump. Trump released a statement Tuesday to make the partnership official:
"This particular sport resemblesmy business style of being fast paced, strategic, andaggressive…remembering to never give up. I am particularly excited topartner with Affliction and become a major player in promotion of MMA;the youngest and fastest growing sport to emerge in the last century."
Details will be revealed Thursday afternoon, when Trump will announce and discuss the partnership in a press conference at the Trump Tower in New York City.
Affliction: Banned takes place on July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The main card will air on pay-per-view, while the undercard will air on Fox Sports Net. | ” |
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Tito, Affliction and ...... Donald Trump??? 
