Tom Atencio Denies Affliction's Demise: LISTEN HERE

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Atencio Quashes Rumors of Affliction’s Demise

Earlier tonight Bloodyelbow.com broke a story entitled “Affliction is DONE”, which reports the rumor that Affliction Entertainment will cease promoting MMA events.

Tonight on Sports Rage Uncensored with Gabriel Morency on Hardcore Sports Rage (Sirius 98), Affliction VP Tom Atencio said that the rumors were completely untrue and denied that the company was in financial peril. Atencio reiterated that he still had the backing of Golden Boy Promotions, Donald Trump and M-1 Global.

"The rumors are just that, rumors, they're not true, there's no truth to it," said Atencio. "People love to build you up, but they love to watch you fall even more and hopefully I'm not that guy. I've always maintained that I've taken the high road, I don't talk shit about people."

Atencio also declined speaking about the company’s financials. "I don't want to get into money, it's really nobody's business. That's like me coming in and asking you how much you make at your company,” said Atencio.

Atencio alluded to UFC President Dana White being threatened by Fedor Emilianenko’s status as the world’s top fighter.

"You can talk shit about Fedor, but the bottom line is that his record speaks for itself. Whether Arlovski was beating him, his record speaks for itself. Arlovski made a mistake and Fedor capitalized on it. The guy is the number one fighter in the world and I personally think Mr. White wouldn't be talking about him if he wasn't worried. If can't control something, he starts talking shit about it. I think that he knows that Fedor is the number one fighter in the world and that's why he says what he says," said Atencio.

Notable quotes:

"The rumors are just that, rumors, they're not true, there's no truth to it"

"I don't know where that came from, I just got off another interview and apparently someone was on Tom Leyis's show and said they were me"

"I know Dana's phone number, that's pretty much the extent of it"

"Have I spoken to Dana, yes. Have I recently, no."

"I have Donald Trump behind me, I have Golden Boy Promotions behind me, I have M-1, where are we going?"

"People love to build you up, but they love to watch you fall even more and hopefully I'm not that guy. I've always maintained that I've taken the high road, I don't talk shit about people."

"I have a lot going on right now with Trump, Golden Boy and M-1 and things are moving forward"

"I can start a rumor tomorrow that B.J. Penn got injured and not go to the UFC event"

"Larry Merchant, I guess he spoke to Richard Schafer from Golden Boy Promotions, he said something about Oscar and even apologized for it"

"Coming from Tom Atencio, Oscar had an appointment with us and planned on coming to the event all along. It was scheduled before the Mosley-Margarito fight and he fulfilled his commitment"

"Right now, I'm learning a lot about this business. I've been honest from day one and right now, I'm going to sit down with Golden Boy, M-1 and Mr. Trump and we're going to figure out how we're going forward. We're going to do events every three or four months"

"The bottom line is, this is only our second event, let me learn, let me do what I'm doing, but I must be doing something right because someone is starting these rumors"

"I don't want to get into money, it's really nobody's business. That's like me coming in and asking you how much you make at your company"

"I'm not in business and my partner's aren't in business to lose money, so things will work out, we're just taking it slowly, I'm learning and that's why I brought those people on board"

"Everybody seems to be happy, they have a home now and I've got guys calling me all the time saying 'I want to fight for you'. I just want to make a home for these people"

"I'm not trying to be cocky, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself"

"Everything that I do and every time that somebody doubts me and every time there's another boulder in the road, I just go around it. This is a pretty fun part of life for me. I can honestly sit back and say that I love my life, I love what I do, I love where I am and even if there's change, I'm just going to get up and move forward."

"On the first show, I handled most of the contracts and match making and on this show, I took on more responsibilities. I definitely have learned every aspect of the game."

"Eventually yes, I think that we will see that fight (Tito Ortiz vs. Renato Sobral). Tito's contract is not finished yet, but I can't talk about that. Tito and I have become friends, he's a work horse and everything that he says he's going to do, he does."

"You can talk shit about Fedor, but the bottom line is that his record speaks for itself. Whether Arlovski was beating him, his record speaks for itself. Arlovski made a mistake and Fedor capitalized on it. The guy is the number one fighter in the world and I personally think Mr. White wouldn't be talking about him if he wasn't worried. If can't control something, he starts talking shit about it. I think that he knows that Fedor is the number one fighter in the world and that's why he says what he says."

"I don't think anything he says personally about me. I couldn't care less, business is business. He's (White) actually said nice things about me and I can't deny that they've built this industry."

"I want to see GSP and B.J. Penn"

"That's (UFC regulating sponsorships) just another example of what's going on. I guess it's old school tactics versus new school tactics. Old school is you threaten and coerce and if you don't do something, you're going to lose your job."