Fiveouncesofpain.com reported that there has been preliminary discussion of Affliction holding its third card on a free TV outlet that night to compete with the UFC, who aggressively counter-programmed Affliction’s first two pay-per-views. Affliction executive Michael Cohen told Versus.com that he doesn’t think the company would ever look to promote an event the same night as a UFC show.
In addition to the Affliction rumor, there were reports from the boxing world that the charismatic Floyd Mayweather Jr., who headlined the most purchased pay-per-view of all time against Oscar de la Hoya in 2007, might return to boxing after a one-year hiatus for an HBO event that night. A Bernard Hopkins fight is also possible that night.