(‘So I put on my good jeans for nothing then?’)

Affliction VP Tom Atencio tells Fighters Only the organization won’t be announcing the signing of Tito Ortiz at today’s press conference after all.  With Ortiz on the shelf recovering from back surgery Atencio says they’re not even discussing contract specifics yet, despite reports to the contrary.  Could it be that even Atencio has his doubts about Affliction being around long enough for Ortiz to fight for them?

Updated: He’s an announcer for the event.  Happy now?  Me neither.

If there’s no Tito signing, that leaves Affliction with a problem at today’s presser.  There’s going to be no Fedor, since he’s decided to stay in the gym following his sambo loss.  There’s no big news, now that the big fights are all announced.  It’s nothing but a photo op, and “Pretty Boy” Lindland is probably going to wander into all the pictures anyway so even that aspect of it is a waste.  

Hardly the kind of thing they need to drum up interest in January’s card, which will air opposite a rebroadcast of UFC 91 on Spike.  Apparently Dana White has downgraded the Affliction threat from ‘emergency Fight Night needed’ to ‘reruns will kill it’ status – ouch.  

Our advice on how to handle this press conference: make stuff up.  Worry about making it come true later.  

Just saying, what if the Iron Sheik was a guest referee in the main event?  What if Josh Barnett was reassigned to a pro wrestling match against Don Frye, while Aleksander Emelianenko stepped in to face Gilbert Yvel?  What if both Aleks and Gilbert were given blood tests before and after the fight, just to see how the results differed?  What if the loser of the Vitor Belfort-Matt Lindland fight actually had the design for the Affliction “River Styx” tee (only $56!) tatted on his torso in front of a live audience?  People can say they won’t watch that show, but they some lying bastards.