Edwin Dewees confirms multi-fight deal with Affliction

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 09, 2008 at 7:35 pm ET
As part of his agreement to fill in for Vernon White at the July 19 "Affliction: Banned" event, Edwin Dewees has earned a multi-fight deal the upstart promotion.

Dewees (35-12), who fights former PRIDE stand-out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (13-3) at the Affliction show, trains at Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den in Scottsdale, Ariz., and representatives from the gym today confirmed the signing.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"This is obviously a great opportunity for me," Dewees stated in today's press release. "Affliction has done an unbelievable job in organizing a world-class event, with some of the biggest names in the sport on the fight card."

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, White was scratched from the event after failing a drug test (due to a banned diuretic) following a May 31 Xtreme Fighting Association event in Las Vegas. Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio immediately targeted Dewees a former UFC fighter and cast member from "The Ultimate Fighter 4."

"We definitely had our sites set on Dewees, and I am very happy to announce that he has signed a multi-fight deal with us," Atencio stated. "Dewees was our first choice as a replacement for White. He is a great addition to our all-world-caliber card."

Although the White-Nogueira fight had been slated for the FSN portion of the event, the cable station will now instead air a bout between Vitor Belfort and Terry Martin (in addition to Paul Buentello vs. Aleksander Emelianenko). The Dewees vs. Nogueira fight will take place on the un-aired preliminary card.