MMA Melee: Affliction Fallout & Kimo

Kimo Leopoldo, former UFC Fighter, died of a heart attack last week. Kimo himself was shocked by the news as tabloid website TMZ.com confirmed his death. Turns out, Kimo is alive and well and the idiots at TMZ once again printed a false story without checking their facts. Kimo is currently in California battling his drug demons.
So as Josh Barnett has tested positive for steroids for the 2nd time in his career, he ruined a legitimate #1 Heavyweight vs. the #2 Heavyweight bout, and killed the entire Affliction PPV. The “Babyface Assassin” can now look forward to a career away from his home of the United States, and begin Pro Wrestling in Japan as well as a bevy of “freak fights” he’ll now be forced to take against the likes of Zulu and Giant Silva. You have successfully ruined your career twice. Nice work and enjoy the fact that your legacy is that of a man who tried to cheat in the 2 biggest MMA fights of his life.
It was thought that Vitor Belfort would forgo his fight with Jorge Santiago and face Fedor Emelianenko though the deal was pulled off the table by Affliction officials. I wanted to see the 2 very talented Middleweights who are at a pivotal point in their careers, face each other, but the entire card was cancelled. Santiago is the guy who won the Strikeforce (2007) and DREAM (2008)Middleweight Tournaments and the “Phenom” was riding a 4-fight win streak as well as beginning to dazzle the public once again. Now this potentially brilliant fight goes by the wayside as Vitor is most likely called up to the UFC and what is initially looking to be a fight with Dan Henderson with the winner advancing to fight Anderson “Spider” Silva.
The absence of Affliction now sets up a great opportunity for the odd man out of this whole ordeal, Fedor Emelianenko. M-1 is having their 1st card in the United States in August and as a shareholder and co-promoter, the “Last Emperor” could take a new fight on to help promote his product. Already in training, he would just have to push a bout back around 20 days and find a new opponent. Besides Vitor Belfort, Jeff Monson, Brett Rogers, Paul Buentello, and Bobby Lashley, who were already in the mix to replace Josh Barnett at Affliction, would jump at the opportunity to face the #1 Pound4Pound fighter in the world. What a coup it would be for Fedor and M-1 to launch their product in America with Fedor fighting on the card! How could you not book Seth “The Kimbo Killer” Petruzelli here?
Nick Diaz rematch with Joe Riggs has been cancelled due to “Diesel” having a bad reaction to some prescribed medicine. Possible replacements include Jay Hieron and Phil Baroni. I would personally vote for loudmouth coward KJ Noons to come up in weight and put some action behind his words and finish business with “Diablo” (their 1st fight was called after doctors deemed Diaz’ cuts too severe to continue the bout).
Tito Ortiz was "welcomed back to the UFC" by President Dana White who has apparently resigned his nemesis. The rumor was launched from Mr. White himself on a "Twitter" so "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" is back.

Light Heavyweight Champion Renato "Babalu" Sobral is now defending his belt against Gegard Mousasi at the August 1st Strikeforce card. Originally slated for the Affliction show, the bout was successfully restored in California and let us hope this leads to more "moved" bouts for the fighters.
Affliction is officially dead as Dana White has allowed Tom Atencio to put his T-Shirts back into the UFC store. Expect ads to soon follow and I personally think Dana told Tom if he just scrapped their final PPV, he'd allow him back in. No hard feelings. God these ladies are bitches.