Vlad the Impaler! photo via Middle Easy

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If you remember last summer Zuffa reportedly issued an ultimatum to every MMA fighter not in the UFC stating that any fighter who signed on to be apart of Electronic Arts upcoming MMA video game --a rival to the UFC licensed video game published by THQ--  would be banned from the UFC.

Six months later and the ban might not exist or the UFC just doesn't care enough to follow through on it. Case in point the above screenshot  of Vladimir Matyushenko from EA Sports upcoming MMA game. Matyushenko is currently fighting with the UFC --he made his return at UFC 103-- yet he signed on with Electronic Arts while he was outside of the UFC fighting for Affliction. When Affliction folded in August of 2009 the UFC swooped in and signed Vladimir to a new contract; he made his return at UFC 103.

Valdimir's inclusion in the UFC appears to indicate that there is/was no ban, right?

Well, this is where things get complicated. There was certainly a lot of chatter surrounding the threat; so much chatter that it seems impossible to dismiss it as a simple misunderstanding. But did a true ban ever exist? Vladimir's inclusion in the game and presence within the UFC would indicate that there is no "ban" but we don't know if the UFC ever told a free agent that they wouldn't sign him due to being involved with EA.

With such a hazy picture all we can rely on is what we know for sure. Several UFC fighters are in EA's upcoming MMA game.

WKR already mentioned Matyushenko but there is another, bigger name who is apart of EA Sports MMA: Randy Couture.

Couture signed on with EA during his contract dispute as he controlled the rights to his image at the time. When Randy and the UFC reconciled in 2008 Zuffa overlooked Couture's presence in Electronic Art's rival video game. It isn't hard to understand why the UFC turned a blind eye, as Couture went on to fight on three main events at UFC 91, 102 and 105 in addition to being the headliner at UFC 109 this February.

Couture's case shows us that money is the big issue but Vladimir Matyushenko isn't a huge draw. If there was a ban why would the UFC sign Vladimir?

One could argue that signing him prevented Strikeforce from grabbing him but there is another possibility. THQ's license with the UFC will expire and there is a chance that EA will swoop in and outbid THQ. The UFC could be simply walking back from their earlier hostile stance because they've gotten wind of future bidding war.