International Fight League
Encyclopedia
The International Fight League was an American
mixed martial arts
(MMA) promotion billed as the world's first MMA league
. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008. Instead of the established norm for MMA events, where matchups are strictly one-on-one affairs, each IFL card was a showdown between two camps of at least three fighters, each fighter fighting one match against another in the opposing camps.
magazine founder Gareb Shamus, two well-financed devotees of mixed martial arts who were inspired by the Mark Kerr documentary The Smashing Machine. With the IFL, they intended to create a system not only to showcase mixed martial arts action but also to provide a business plan that will allow fighters to also share more of the profits of the sport. In a marked contrast with the rest of the industry, instead of paying fighters only purses after fights, the IFL paid a salary and health benefits to train and fight. The team concept was intended to be conducive for television, where episodes could be regularly produced in the continuing storyline of an ongoing season.
It had been widely speculated that the IFL, with the deep pockets of its founders, television deal and innovative business plan, would become a major circuit for MMA in North America, directly competing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
. The UFC and IFL had a hostile relationship, as the UFC accused the IFL of and sued them for illegally using proprietary information obtained by hiring executives from the UFC organization. The IFL shot back with their own suit claiming the UFC was threatening potential partners not to work with the IFL, including Fox Sports Net (a deal with Fox Sports was later signed before resolution of the suit ). The tension between the IFL and the UFC worsened with accusations that the IFL has attempted to buy out several top UFC fighters.
The inaugural event was held on April 29, 2006 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, featuring the Quad City Silverbacks
vs the Los Angeles Anacondas
and the Seattle Tiger Sharks
vs the New York Pitbulls
, with a superfight between Jens Pulver
and Cole Escovedo
.
On August 31, 2006 publicly traded (OTCBB) company, Paligent Inc., principally held by New Jersey
developer and real estate industrialist Richard J. Kurtz, authorized a merger agreement that coincided with its acquisition of the IFL. The IFL became the parent entity as Paligent agreed to change its name to International Fight League, Inc. Subsequently, on November 29, 2006, the IFL became a publicly traded company, under the symbol IFLI. Their market capitalization
was around $150 million.
In September 2007, Kurtz sold his interest in the IFL.
On May 8, 2008, the IFL revealed during a conference call that their August 15, 2008 event would feature the debut of a six-sided cage called "The Hex." This event was cancelled due to the company's financial problems, and no announcement was made in regards to when or if it would resume full-scale operations again.
In July 2008, there were reports of the IFL's possible purchase by the UFC
. That same month, Joe Favorito, former IFL senior vice president, cited financial troubles for the closing of the company on July 31, 2008. Anonymous sources stated that parent company of the UFC, Zuffa, had bought the IFL. Other reports cited the UFC's airing of IFL footage on its programming, and the signing of previous IFL fighters, as an indirect confirmation of the purchase.
and MyNetworkTV
. This made it the first MMA promotion to appear regularly on broadcast TV in the United States.
The premiere of IFL Battleground on March 12, 2007 on MyNetworkTV
scored a 0.8 household rating (1.12 million viewers), and gained 250% in all key male demographics (0.7 vs. 0.2) over February. This represented a new MyNetworkTV
high for male 18-34, a 17% rise over the previous record of 0.6.
However this episode was criticized by MMA journalists and fans, saying it glorified violence and brutality. Kurt Otto apologized to fans, their fighters and coaches, and critics for the content of that show, and that "we made a mistake with some parts of the show, but we will learn from this and grow."
On February 5, 2008 the IFL announced a partnership with the HDNet to air the first three events of their 2008 season live.
On February 15, 2008 MyNetworkTV
cancelled IFL Battleground.
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Camps for the 2008 season
|-
!Camp
!Coach
|-
|Team Tompkins
formerly known as the Los Angeles Anacondas
(Was called Xtreme Couture but had to change name due to Randy Couture's law suit with the UFC)
|Shawn Tompkins
|-
|Renzo Gracie Academy
formerly known as the New York Pitbulls
|Renzo Gracie
|-
|Miletich Fighting Systems (IFL camp) formerly known as the Quad City Silverbacks
|Pat Miletich
|-
|Team Quest (IFL camp) formerly known as the Portland Wolfpack
|Matt Lindland
|-
|Ruas Vale Tudo formerly known as the Southern California Condors
|Marco Ruas
|-
|Lions Den formerly known as the Nevada Lions
|Ken Shamrock
|-
|Midwest Combat
formerly known as the Chicago Red Bears
|Igor Zinoviev
|-
|World Class Fight Center
² 5
|Mario Sperry
|-
|Team Bombsquad
|Ryan Citolli
|-
|Team Prodigy
|Hector Pena
|-
|Camp based out of Britain
6
|Ian Freeman
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Former Teams
|-
!Team
!Coach
|-
|San Jose Razorclaws
7
|Frank Shamrock
|-
|Toronto Dragons
|Carlos Newton
|-
|Tokyo Sabres
|Ken Yasuda
|-
|Tucson Scorpions
|Don Frye
|-
|Seattle Tiger Sharks
|Maurice Smith
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Camps outside of IFL
|-
!Team
!Coach
|-
|American Top Team (IFL camp)
|Ricardo Liborio
|-
1 Antonio Inoki
was originally going to be the Tokyo Sabres' coach and mentor but has since been dropped by the IFL. Japanese bodybuilder Ken Yasuda is now the head coach.
(Scorpions) and Marco Ruas
(Piranhas) and based in Arizona and Southern California respectively.
² The Bulldogs will participate in a few matches in 2007 but won't start officially for the IFL until the 2008 season. The San Diego, France, South Korea and Brazil teams have yet to have a team logo and name.
³ At the 3/17 show in LA, Bas Rutten
stepped down from being the coach of the LA Anacondas to become the "face/spokesperson" of the IFL as well as the co-host of the "IFL Battleground" show on MYnetwork TV. Rutten was replaced by assistant coach Shawn Tompkins.
4 On 9/13/07 it was announced by the IFL that Shawn Tompkins
was let go from the IFL and removed from his duties as coach for the Los Angeles Anacondas
. Reasoning was that Tompkins has "spread himself to thin" between his duties of coaching the Anacondas and becoming a new trainer at the Randy Couture owned gym in Las Vegas. A replacement has yet to be named.
5 On 9/20/07 IFL commissioner Kurt Otto announced in an interview that the IFL will stay at 12 teams in the 2008 season with one or more franchises moving from their current location and at least one of them closing down. To replace the closing team will be a team coached by Mario Sperry based in either Florida or Las Vegas.
6 On 9/25/07 IFL commissioner Kurt Otto reiterated that in the 2008 season there will only be 12 teams in the IFL with TWO new teams emerging. One of them coached by the already mentioned Marrio Sperry and the other by Cage Rage veteran Ian Freeman.
7 On 10/10/07 Frank Shamrock revealed that he and his team, the San Jose Razorclaws, were let go from the IFL. Shamrock thought that Razorclaw Brian Foster might still be offered a stay in the IFL but will join a different team due to his successful 2007 season and his entrance into the 2007 GP.
2006(second half)- Quad City Silverbacks
2007- New York Pitbulls
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Division
! Champion
! Camp
! Since
! Title Defenses
|-
| Heavyweight
||
Roy Nelson || Lions Den || Dec 29, 2007 || 2
|-
| Light Heavyweight
||
Vladimir Matyushenko
|| Midwest Combat
|| Nov 03, 2007 || 1
|-
| Middleweight
|| Dan Miller
|| Renzo Gracie Academy
|| May 16, 2008 || 0
|-
| Welterweight
|| Jay Hieron
|| Team Tompkins
|| Dec 29, 2007 || 1
|-
| Lightweight
|| Ryan Schultz
|| Team Quest (IFL camp) || Dec 29, 2007 || 2
|-
| Featherweight
||
Wagnney Fabiano
|| Renzo Gracie Academy
|| Dec 29, 2007 || 1
|}
On 5/08/08 the IFL announced the unveiling of a new six sided ring that will be used for the IFL. Nicknamed the "hex", the ring was created by Throwdown, an MMA equipment manufacturer. The ring allows more surface area to fight and gives fans a better view of the action. This never came to fruition as the IFL soon folded.
There are three other weight classes specified in the Unified Rules which the IFL does not use: flyweight
(125 lb. and below), bantamweight
(126–135 lb.), and super heavyweight
(266 lb. and above).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA) promotion billed as the world's first MMA league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
. It was founded on January 7, 2006 and closed on July 31, 2008. Instead of the established norm for MMA events, where matchups are strictly one-on-one affairs, each IFL card was a showdown between two camps of at least three fighters, each fighter fighting one match against another in the opposing camps.
History
The IFL was founded January 7, 2006 by real- estate developer Kurt Otto and WizardWizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...
magazine founder Gareb Shamus, two well-financed devotees of mixed martial arts who were inspired by the Mark Kerr documentary The Smashing Machine. With the IFL, they intended to create a system not only to showcase mixed martial arts action but also to provide a business plan that will allow fighters to also share more of the profits of the sport. In a marked contrast with the rest of the industry, instead of paying fighters only purses after fights, the IFL paid a salary and health benefits to train and fight. The team concept was intended to be conducive for television, where episodes could be regularly produced in the continuing storyline of an ongoing season.
It had been widely speculated that the IFL, with the deep pockets of its founders, television deal and innovative business plan, would become a major circuit for MMA in North America, directly competing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. The UFC and IFL had a hostile relationship, as the UFC accused the IFL of and sued them for illegally using proprietary information obtained by hiring executives from the UFC organization. The IFL shot back with their own suit claiming the UFC was threatening potential partners not to work with the IFL, including Fox Sports Net (a deal with Fox Sports was later signed before resolution of the suit ). The tension between the IFL and the UFC worsened with accusations that the IFL has attempted to buy out several top UFC fighters.
The inaugural event was held on April 29, 2006 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, featuring the Quad City Silverbacks
Quad City Silverbacks
The Quad Cities Silverbacks are an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the USA. Coached by former UFC Middleweight and Lightweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, the Silverbacks were one of four teams...
vs the Los Angeles Anacondas
Los Angeles Anacondas
The Los Angeles Anacondas were an International Fight League team based in Los Angeles, California. The Anacondas were the first IFL team to have gone through not just one coach but two...
and the Seattle Tiger Sharks
Seattle Tiger Sharks
The Seattle Tigersharks are an International Fight League team based in Seattle, Washington. Coached by former kickboxing World Champion and Ultimate Fighting Championship 14 & 15 Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith, the Tigersharks were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural...
vs the New York Pitbulls
New York Pitbulls
The New York Pitbulls were an International Fight League team based in NYC, New York. Coached by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert and MMA veteran Renzo Gracie, the Pitbulls were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural season.-Record/Roster:...
, with a superfight between Jens Pulver
Jens Pulver
Jens Johnnie Pulver is an American mixed martial artist . He was the first Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show, which aired on Spike TV. He was formerly signed as a featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting , which is...
and Cole Escovedo
Cole Escovedo
Cole Escovedo is an American mixed martial artist from Fresno, California currently fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
.
On August 31, 2006 publicly traded (OTCBB) company, Paligent Inc., principally held by New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
developer and real estate industrialist Richard J. Kurtz, authorized a merger agreement that coincided with its acquisition of the IFL. The IFL became the parent entity as Paligent agreed to change its name to International Fight League, Inc. Subsequently, on November 29, 2006, the IFL became a publicly traded company, under the symbol IFLI. Their market capitalization
Market capitalization
Market capitalization is a measurement of the value of the ownership interest that shareholders hold in a business enterprise. It is equal to the share price times the number of shares outstanding of a publicly traded company...
was around $150 million.
In September 2007, Kurtz sold his interest in the IFL.
Changes in 2008
On December 20, 2007, IFL Commissioner Kurt Otto made an announcement in regards to some major changes for the 2008 season. First and foremost, the team concept would be changed to instead focus on distinctive MMA camps. Otto reasoned that many of the teams did not train together, nor did many of them live in the respective cities they represented. Instead, the new concept of the IFL would focus on camps and the fighters that already train in those camps. Also changing will be the five on five format to a more simplified three on three format. This was designed to allow more flexibility in matchmaking, as the teams would not be confined to pick one fighter in each weight class. Instead the three fighters can be from any weight class or they can all be from the same class. The "team" concept would still be somewhat intact as the camps would compete with each other for points in a final standing. Otto also announced that the IFL would extend an open invitation to any camps not already affiliated with the IFL to participate in "one off" events, where a non-IFL camp could challenge an IFL camp for supremacy. Similarly, any of the title defenses could also involve fighters who were not currently signed with the IFL in a "one off" fight. Otto announced that there would be eight shows in 2008 with no plans for a GP final.On May 8, 2008, the IFL revealed during a conference call that their August 15, 2008 event would feature the debut of a six-sided cage called "The Hex." This event was cancelled due to the company's financial problems, and no announcement was made in regards to when or if it would resume full-scale operations again.
In July 2008, there were reports of the IFL's possible purchase by the UFC
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. That same month, Joe Favorito, former IFL senior vice president, cited financial troubles for the closing of the company on July 31, 2008. Anonymous sources stated that parent company of the UFC, Zuffa, had bought the IFL. Other reports cited the UFC's airing of IFL footage on its programming, and the signing of previous IFL fighters, as an indirect confirmation of the purchase.
Television
In 2007, the IFL made a television deal with Fox Sports NetFox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
and MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
. This made it the first MMA promotion to appear regularly on broadcast TV in the United States.
The premiere of IFL Battleground on March 12, 2007 on MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
scored a 0.8 household rating (1.12 million viewers), and gained 250% in all key male demographics (0.7 vs. 0.2) over February. This represented a new MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
high for male 18-34, a 17% rise over the previous record of 0.6.
However this episode was criticized by MMA journalists and fans, saying it glorified violence and brutality. Kurt Otto apologized to fans, their fighters and coaches, and critics for the content of that show, and that "we made a mistake with some parts of the show, but we will learn from this and grow."
On February 5, 2008 the IFL announced a partnership with the HDNet to air the first three events of their 2008 season live.
On February 15, 2008 MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
cancelled IFL Battleground.
Camps
The IFL consisted of nine camps, all owned by the league, and each coached by a veteran MMA fighter. Originally the IFL had teams that were associated with cities but that proved to be a lark as many of the teams did not train in their respective cities nor did all the fighters live in those cities as well. Thus in 2008 the IFL changed the format to revolve around existing camps and their established fighters. The camps for this season were as follows:{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Camps for the 2008 season
|-
!Camp
!Coach
|-
|Team Tompkins
Team Tompkins
Team Tompkins is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture, Team Tompkins took the place of Team Xtreme Couture after a lawsuit from the UFC prevented former UFC Heavyweight champion Randy Couture...
formerly known as the Los Angeles Anacondas
Los Angeles Anacondas
The Los Angeles Anacondas were an International Fight League team based in Los Angeles, California. The Anacondas were the first IFL team to have gone through not just one coach but two...
(Was called Xtreme Couture but had to change name due to Randy Couture's law suit with the UFC)
|Shawn Tompkins
Shawn Tompkins
Shawn Tompkins was a Canadian kickboxer and mixed martial artist, and later trainer. At the time of his death, he was an instructor at the Tapout Training Center.-Biography and career:...
|-
|Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by MMA legend Renzo Gracie, Renzo Gracie Academy takes the place of the New York Pitbulls who were the 2007 IFL champions....
formerly known as the New York Pitbulls
New York Pitbulls
The New York Pitbulls were an International Fight League team based in NYC, New York. Coached by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert and MMA veteran Renzo Gracie, the Pitbulls were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural season.-Record/Roster:...
|Renzo Gracie
Renzo Gracie
Renzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...
|-
|Miletich Fighting Systems (IFL camp) formerly known as the Quad City Silverbacks
Quad City Silverbacks
The Quad Cities Silverbacks are an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the USA. Coached by former UFC Middleweight and Lightweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, the Silverbacks were one of four teams...
|Pat Miletich
Pat Miletich
Patrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
|-
|Team Quest (IFL camp) formerly known as the Portland Wolfpack
Portland Wolfpack
The Portland Wolfpack were a team in the now-defunct International Fight League and based in Portland, Oregon. The Wolfpack were coached by Olympic silver medalist in Greco Roman Wrestling, Matt Lindland. The Wolfpack were established in the middle of the 2006 season...
|Matt Lindland
Matt Lindland
Matthew James Lindland is an American mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008....
|-
|Ruas Vale Tudo formerly known as the Southern California Condors
Southern California Condors
The Southern California Condors are an International Fight League team based in Orange County, California. Coached by MMA legend Marco Ruas, the Condors were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season...
|Marco Ruas
Marco Ruas
Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...
|-
|Lions Den formerly known as the Nevada Lions
Nevada Lions
The Nevada Lions were an International Fight League team based in Reno, Nevada. Coached by UFC and MMA legend Ken Shamrock the Lions were one of four teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season.-Record/Roster:...
|Ken Shamrock
Ken Shamrock
Kenneth Wayne Shamrock is an American mixed martial arts fighter, UFC Hall of Famer and professional wrestler...
|-
|Midwest Combat
Midwest Combat
Midwest Combat is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. It is unknown who is coaching the camp at this time. Midwest Combat takes the place of the Chicago Red Bears which used to be coached by Igor Zinoviev....
formerly known as the Chicago Red Bears
Chicago Red Bears
The Chicago Red Bears were an International Fight League team based in Chicago, Illinois. Coached by MMA fighter Igor Zinoviev the Red Bears were one of four teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season.-Record/roster:...
|Igor Zinoviev
Igor Zinoviev
Igor Zinoviev is a Russian former mixed martial artist. He competed in the Extreme Fighting organization, holding the middleweight title until their demise, then moved to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Most recently, he coached the Chicago Red Bears in the International Fight League.-Early...
|-
|World Class Fight Center
World Class Fight Center
World Class Fight Center is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by MMA legend Mario Sperry, World Class Fight Center will be based out of Las Vegas and will consist of some members from Sperry's former camp Brazilian Top Team, though it will not be affiliated...
² 5
|Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry
Mario Sperry is a Brazilian heavyweight martial artist. His specialty is Brazilian jiu-jitsu, grappling and ground fighting.-Career:Sperry first broke onto the sport Jiu-Jitsu scene in the early eighties...
|-
|Team Bombsquad
|Ryan Citolli
|-
|Team Prodigy
|Hector Pena
|-
|Camp based out of Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
6
|Ian Freeman
Ian Freeman
Ian William Freeman, a.k.a. "The Machine," is a retired English mixed martial artist. He used to fight as a light heavyweight for Cage Rage. He was their final British Light Heavyweight champion....
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Former Teams
|-
!Team
!Coach
|-
|San Jose Razorclaws
San Jose Razorclaws
The San Jose Razorclaws were an International Fight League team based in San Jose, California, United States. The Razorclaws were coached by former King of Pancrase and UFC Lightheavyweight champion Frank Shamrock. The San Jose Razorclaws were established in the middle of the 2006 season and were...
7
|Frank Shamrock
Frank Shamrock
Frank Shamrock is a retired mixed martial arts fighter. Shamrock was the first to hold the UFC Middleweight Championship and retired as the four-time defending undefeated champion...
|-
|Toronto Dragons
Toronto Dragons
The Toronto Dragons are an International Fight League team based in Toronto Canada, led by MMA Veteran and former UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos Newton. The Dragons were established in the middle of the 2006 season. The Dragons were based out of Newton"s home academy Warrior Mixed Martial...
|Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton
Carlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
|-
|Tokyo Sabres
Tokyo Sabres
The Tokyo Sabres are an International Fight League team based in Tokyo, Japan . The Sabres are coached by bodybuilder Ken Yasuda. Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki use to be a mentor to the Sabres but after their horrible 0-5 loss to the Los Angeles Anacondas Inoki broke all ties with the IFL...
|Ken Yasuda
Ken Yasuda
Ken Yasuda is a Japanese professional bodybuilder. He was formerly a mixed martial arts coach for the Tokyo Sabres of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
|-
|Tucson Scorpions
Tucson Scorpions
The Tucson Scorpions are an International Fight League team based in Tucson, Arizona. Coached by MMA and UFC legend Don Frye, the Scorpions were one of four new teams established at the beginning of the 2007 season.-Record/Roster:...
|Don Frye
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
|-
|Seattle Tiger Sharks
Seattle Tiger Sharks
The Seattle Tigersharks are an International Fight League team based in Seattle, Washington. Coached by former kickboxing World Champion and Ultimate Fighting Championship 14 & 15 Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith, the Tigersharks were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural...
|Maurice Smith
|-
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 50%"
|-
| bgcolor="#FFCBCB" align="center" colspan="2"|Camps outside of IFL
|-
!Team
!Coach
|-
|American Top Team (IFL camp)
American Top Team (IFL camp)
American Top Team is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. It is unknown who is coaching American Top Team's IFL representatives but the group was founded by Ricardo Liborio...
|Ricardo Liborio
|-
1 Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
was originally going to be the Tokyo Sabres' coach and mentor but has since been dropped by the IFL. Japanese bodybuilder Ken Yasuda is now the head coach.
Don Frye
Donald Frye is a retired American mixed martial artist, actor, and professional wrestler. Frye rose to fame fighting in early Ultimate Fighting Championship events, winning the UFC 8 and Ultimate Ultimate 96 tournaments...
(Scorpions) and Marco Ruas
Marco Ruas
Marco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...
(Piranhas) and based in Arizona and Southern California respectively.
- On 11/2/06 the IFL announced two new teams to join the IFL ranks. Recently retired and former UFC superstar Ken Shamrock will coach the Northern California Lions. British MMA legend Ian Freeman was announced as the coach to the British based British Bulldogs.
- 11/06 the IFL announced the 12th and final team of the 2007 season, the Chicago-based Red Bears who will be coached by Russian MMA fighter Igot Zinoviev. The team, though based in Chicago, will be composed mostly of Russian fighters (somewhat similar to the Renzo Gracie-led NY Pitbulls who are composed mostly of Brazilian fighters)
- 11/06 The Southern California Piranhas apparently changed their name to the Orange County Condors as well as the Northern California Lions are now being relocated to Nevada.
² The Bulldogs will participate in a few matches in 2007 but won't start officially for the IFL until the 2008 season. The San Diego, France, South Korea and Brazil teams have yet to have a team logo and name.
- 12/06 The IFL confirmed that four new teams will partake in extra league events during the 2007 season (similar to the British Bulldogs status). One team will be led by BJJ specialist Mario Sperry and be based out of Brazil, a San Diego based team will be led by PRIDE superstar Dan Henderson, K-1 superstar Jerome Le Banner will be leading a French based team and Olympic Judoka Doo B. Park will take the helm of a Korean based team as well. None of the teams have names as of yet.
³ At the 3/17 show in LA, Bas Rutten
Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak...
stepped down from being the coach of the LA Anacondas to become the "face/spokesperson" of the IFL as well as the co-host of the "IFL Battleground" show on MYnetwork TV. Rutten was replaced by assistant coach Shawn Tompkins.
4 On 9/13/07 it was announced by the IFL that Shawn Tompkins
Shawn Tompkins
Shawn Tompkins was a Canadian kickboxer and mixed martial artist, and later trainer. At the time of his death, he was an instructor at the Tapout Training Center.-Biography and career:...
was let go from the IFL and removed from his duties as coach for the Los Angeles Anacondas
Los Angeles Anacondas
The Los Angeles Anacondas were an International Fight League team based in Los Angeles, California. The Anacondas were the first IFL team to have gone through not just one coach but two...
. Reasoning was that Tompkins has "spread himself to thin" between his duties of coaching the Anacondas and becoming a new trainer at the Randy Couture owned gym in Las Vegas. A replacement has yet to be named.
5 On 9/20/07 IFL commissioner Kurt Otto announced in an interview that the IFL will stay at 12 teams in the 2008 season with one or more franchises moving from their current location and at least one of them closing down. To replace the closing team will be a team coached by Mario Sperry based in either Florida or Las Vegas.
6 On 9/25/07 IFL commissioner Kurt Otto reiterated that in the 2008 season there will only be 12 teams in the IFL with TWO new teams emerging. One of them coached by the already mentioned Marrio Sperry and the other by Cage Rage veteran Ian Freeman.
7 On 10/10/07 Frank Shamrock revealed that he and his team, the San Jose Razorclaws, were let go from the IFL. Shamrock thought that Razorclaw Brian Foster might still be offered a stay in the IFL but will join a different team due to his successful 2007 season and his entrance into the 2007 GP.
IFL World Team Champions
2006(first half)- Quad City SilverbacksQuad City Silverbacks
The Quad Cities Silverbacks are an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the USA. Coached by former UFC Middleweight and Lightweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, the Silverbacks were one of four teams...
2006(second half)- Quad City Silverbacks
Quad City Silverbacks
The Quad Cities Silverbacks are an International Fight League team based in the Quad Cities region of the USA. Coached by former UFC Middleweight and Lightweight Champion and founder of the very successful Miletich Fighting Systems camp, Pat Miletich, the Silverbacks were one of four teams...
2007- New York Pitbulls
New York Pitbulls
The New York Pitbulls were an International Fight League team based in NYC, New York. Coached by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expert and MMA veteran Renzo Gracie, the Pitbulls were one of four teams competing in the IFL's inaugural season.-Record/Roster:...
IFL Individual Champions
{| style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="1" cellpadding="3"|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Division
! Champion
! Camp
! Since
! Title Defenses
|-
| Heavyweight
Heavyweight (MMA)
The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
||
Roy Nelson || Lions Den || Dec 29, 2007 || 2|-
| Light Heavyweight
Light Heavyweight (MMA)
The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
||
Vladimir MatyushenkoVladimir Matyushenko
Vladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko is a Belarusian mixed martial artist and the first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion...
|| Midwest Combat
Midwest Combat
Midwest Combat is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. It is unknown who is coaching the camp at this time. Midwest Combat takes the place of the Chicago Red Bears which used to be coached by Igor Zinoviev....
|| Nov 03, 2007 || 1
|-
| Middleweight
Middleweight (MMA)
The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
||
Dan MillerDan Miller (fighter)
Daniel James Miller is an American Middleweight mixed martial artist signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the older brother of fellow MMA fighter Jim Miller.-Martial arts background:...
|| Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by MMA legend Renzo Gracie, Renzo Gracie Academy takes the place of the New York Pitbulls who were the 2007 IFL champions....
|| May 16, 2008 || 0
|-
| Welterweight
Welterweight (MMA)
The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...
||
Jay HieronJay Hieron
James Thomas Hieronymus , better known as Jay Hieron, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is known for his wrestling base and heavy hands....
|| Team Tompkins
Team Tompkins
Team Tompkins is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by former UFC Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture, Team Tompkins took the place of Team Xtreme Couture after a lawsuit from the UFC prevented former UFC Heavyweight champion Randy Couture...
|| Dec 29, 2007 || 1
|-
| Lightweight
Lightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
||
Ryan SchultzRyan Schultz
Ryan James Schultz is an American mixed martial artist. Before the closing of the International Fight League, he was the promotion's Lightweight Champion.-Biography:...
|| Team Quest (IFL camp) || Dec 29, 2007 || 2
|-
| Featherweight
Featherweight (MMA)
The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...
||
Wagnney FabianoWagnney Fabiano
|-|Loss|align=center|14-3| Joseph Benavidez|Submission |WEC 52||align=center|2|align=center|2:45|Las Vegas, Nevada, USA||-|Win|align=center|14-2| Frank Gomez|Decision |WEC 49||align=center|3|align=center|5:00...
|| Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy
Renzo Gracie Academy is one of the camps participating in the International Fight League. Coached by MMA legend Renzo Gracie, Renzo Gracie Academy takes the place of the New York Pitbulls who were the 2007 IFL champions....
|| Dec 29, 2007 || 1
|}
Grand Prix
In order to appease the many MMA critics who felt that the team concept the IFL displayed had no place in the one-on-one sport of MMA, the IFL decided to conduct an end of the year Grand Prix which will take the four best fighters of each weight class to fight it out in a mini tournament that will be conducted over two events. The first event took place on November 3, 2007 and the second on December 29, 2007. Each Grand Prix winner was crowned the first IFL champion of their weight class and awarded titles to defend during the 2008 season.- 2007 IFL Grand Prix2007 IFL Grand PrixIn 2007 the team with the most members in the Grand Prix were from the Los Angeles Anacondas with 4. The Toronto Dragons have 3 representatives while the New York Pitbulls, Nevada Lions and San Jose Razorclaws have 2...
IFL Schedules/ Seasons
- 2006 International Fight League2006 International Fight LeagueThe inaugural season of the International Fight League started in 2006 and was split into two halves.-First Season:The first half of the season consited of two events and only four teams...
- 2007 International Fight League2007 International Fight LeagueThe first full season of the International Fight League will be composed of 11 events . Over the span of nine events each of the 12 IFL teams will compete in 3 events each and the top four teams with the best records will advance to the semi final event...
- 2008 International Fight League2008 International Fight LeagueThe 2008 International Fight League season was to have had at the minimum eight events which would be based out of three main sites; Las Vegas, New Jersey and Connecticut...
IFL Draft
As announced on September 25, 2007, the IFL underwent their very first IFL draft to find new talent to fill the ranks of fighters that were cut from their IFL contracts (due to poor records). The draft took place in the three different locations on October 13, 2007.Super Fights
Along with the traditional five on five team system matches the IFL also has occasional super fights between various fighters that do not count towards any team system and may include fighters not associated with any IFL team. So far these superfights have occurred along with their results:- Jens PulverJens PulverJens Johnnie Pulver is an American mixed martial artist . He was the first Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion and was a coach on the The Ultimate Fighter 5 reality show, which aired on Spike TV. He was formerly signed as a featherweight with World Extreme Cagefighting , which is...
def Cole EscovedoCole EscovedoCole Escovedo is an American mixed martial artist from Fresno, California currently fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
by KO in 56 seconds of the first round (4/29/06) - Ben Uker def Travis Doerge by submission (key lock) in 2:10 of the first round (6/03/06)
- Chris HorodeckiChris HorodeckiChristopher Horodecki is a Polish-Canadian mixed martial artist. He is best known for his fights in the WEC and the IFL.-Mixed martial arts career:Horodecki was born in Poland and raised in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada...
def Erik OwingsErik OwingsRichard Erik Owings is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He last fought for the New York Pitbulls of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
by KO in 4 minutes of the first round (6/03/06) - Jay HieronJay HieronJames Thomas Hieronymus , better known as Jay Hieron, is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He is known for his wrestling base and heavy hands....
def Jake EllenbergerJake EllenbergerJacob Steven Ellenberger is an American mixed martial artist and former United States Marine. Ellenberger is signed to Ultimate Fighting Championship, fighting in its welterweight division. Ellenberger is an assistant coach at back to back Division II National Wrestling champs, the University of...
by unanimous decision (6/03/06) - Jamal PattersonJamal PattersonJamal Patterson is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He fought with the New York Pitbulls in the now-defunct International Fight League.-MMA career:...
def Alex SchoenauerAlex SchoenauerAlex Schoenauer is an Argentine American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He last fought for the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League and resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Early life:...
by submission (guillotine choke) 2:32 in the first round (6/03/06) - Daniel GracieDaniel GracieDaniel Gracie Simoes, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a lifelong practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. The Gracie Family is world renowned for their contributions to Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. He is cousin to Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Charles Gracie and Ryan...
def Wes SimsWes Sims (fighter)Wesley Edward Sims is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the tallest MMA combatants in recent times at 6 ft 8 in and is known for his unorthodox fighting style. He is currently a member of Team Hammer House. Sims began training to compete in MMA after meeting Mark Coleman...
by technical submission (rear naked choke) 2:42 in the first round (6/03/06) - Matt LindlandMatt LindlandMatthew James Lindland is an American mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008....
def Jeremy HornJeremy HornJeremy Graham Horn is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the most experienced fighters in the sport with a professional record of 88–21–5...
by TKO (Strikes) 0:21 in the second round (9/09/06) - Renzo GracieRenzo GracieRenzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...
def Pat MiletichPat MiletichPatrick Jay Miletich is a retired American mixed martial artist and a current sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC Welterweight Champion and UFC 16 tournament champion....
by submission (guillotine choke) 3:37 in the first round (9/23/06) - Allan GoesAllan GoesAllan Goes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He last fought for the Seattle Tiger Sharks of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
def Daniel GracieDaniel GracieDaniel Gracie Simoes, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a lifelong practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts. The Gracie Family is world renowned for their contributions to Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. He is cousin to Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Charles Gracie and Ryan...
by TKO (Strikes) 1:03 in the second round (11/02/06) - Mike WhiteheadMike WhiteheadMichael Joe Whitehead is a professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has fought in the light heavyweight and heavyweight weight classes for the UFC, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce.-Mixed martial arts career:...
def Mark Kerr by TKO (strikes) 2:40 in the first round (11/02/06) - Erik OwingsErik OwingsRichard Erik Owings is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He last fought for the New York Pitbulls of the International Fight League.-Biography:...
def Ed WestEd WestEdward "Ed" Lee West, III , nickname 'the Toolbox'. , is a former professional American football player. A 6'1", 243-lb. tight end from Auburn University, West was never drafted by an NFL team but did play in over 200 NFL games in 14 seasons from 1984 to 1997 for the Green Bay Packers,...
by decision (unanimous) (12/29/06) - Andre GusmãoAndre GusmaoAndré Machado Gusmão is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is a veteran of the International Fight League where he fought for Renzo Gracie's New York Pitbulls, the IFL's 2007 league champions....
def Brent Beauparlant by decision (unanimous) (12/29/06) - Reese AndyReese AndyReese Andy is an American mixed martial artist. He has previously fought for Icon Sport and the IFL. After going 5-1 in the IFL, he signed a contract with the UFC. He made his UFC debut with a loss by decision to Brandon Vera at UFC: Silva vs. Irvin in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 19, 2008...
def Jamal PattersonJamal PattersonJamal Patterson is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He fought with the New York Pitbulls in the now-defunct International Fight League.-MMA career:...
by TKO (ref stoppage) 3:24 in the second round (12/29/06) - Daniel Markes def Tyrie Johnson by KO 1:03 in the first round (12/30/06)
- Mike WhiteheadMike WhiteheadMichael Joe Whitehead is a professional mixed martial arts fighter. He has fought in the light heavyweight and heavyweight weight classes for the UFC, IFL, Affliction, and Strikeforce.-Mixed martial arts career:...
def Krzysztof SoszynskiKrzysztof SoszynskiKrzysztof Soszyński is a Polish-Canadian mixed martial artist. He fought for the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League . After the demise of that organization, he moved to the UFC, appearing on season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter...
by decision (unanimous) (12/29/06) - Renzo GracieRenzo GracieRenzo Gracie is a Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. and a former mixed martial arts competitor in the Ultimate Fighting Championship . He is member of the Gracie family of Brazil. He is the son of Robson Gracie, grandson of Carlos Gracie, nephew of Carlos...
def Carlos NewtonCarlos NewtonCarlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
by decision (split) (12/29/06) - Jeremy HornJeremy HornJeremy Graham Horn is an American mixed martial artist. He is one of the most experienced fighters in the sport with a professional record of 88–21–5...
def Falaniko VitaleFalaniko VitaleFalaniko "Niko" Vitale is an American mixed martial artist. He competes in the Middleweight division.He holds notable victories over Matt Lindland, Dave Menne, Kalib Starnes and Yushin Okami....
by decision (split) (01/19/07) - Matt LindlandMatt LindlandMatthew James Lindland is an American mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008....
def Carlos NewtonCarlos NewtonCarlos Newton is a Canadian mixed martial artist and former UFC Welterweight Champion. He is considered one of the true pioneers in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Known as the "The Ronin", he competed worldwide in the biggest MMA organizations including UFC, Pride FC, IFL, K-1, Shooto and most...
by submission (guillotine choke) 1:43 in the second round (2/2/07) - Robbie LawlerRobbie LawlerRobert Glen "Robbie" Lawler is an American mixed martial artist Lawler was the EliteXC middleweight champion before EliteXC filed for bankruptcy. Lawler has recently signed with Strikeforce. He is a member of Team Hughes fighting out of H.I.T...
def Eduardo PamplonaEduardo PamplonaEduardo Pamplona is Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who has fought for International Fight League, M-1 Global, Shooto, and Pancrase. Eduardo holds a notable win over former PRIDE FC contender Jose Landi-Jons.-Early career:...
by TKO (ref. stoppage) 1:36 in the third round (2/23/07) - Jeff CurranJeff CurranJeffrey M. Curran is an American mixed martial artist. He fights at a number of different weight classes for a large number of organizations, including: Ultimate Fighting Championship , Strikeforce, PRIDE Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting , International Fight League , and King of...
def Kevin English by submission (guillotine choke) 1:12 in the second round (4/7/07) - Maurice Smith def Marco RuasMarco RuasMarco Antônio de Lima Ruas is a retired mixed martial arts fighter and instructor. Most notably, he was the UFC 7 Tournament Champion and is considered one of the earliest examples of the complete mixed martial artist, highly skilled in both striking and grappling.-Biography:Ruas is famous for...
by TKO (Towel) at 3:43 into the fourth round (5/19/07) - Lyman GoodLyman GoodLyman Good is an American mixed martial artist and instructor. He currently fights as a welterweight in the Bellator Fighting Championships, and won the first Bellator Welterweight Tournament.-Biography:...
def Mike Dolce by decision (unanimous) (08/02/07) - Dante RiveraDante RiveraDante Rivera is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 7 making it to the quarterfinals where he was defeated by Jesse Taylor....
def Nissim Levy by TKO (strikes) at 1:15 of the third round (08/02/07)
Rules
The IFL followed the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts established by the New Jersey Athletic Board, with several exceptions. In addition, the IFL was also sanctioned by the *ISCF - International Sport Combat Federation- Matches consist of three rounds of four minutes instead of the usual five,
- Elbow strikes are not allowed to the face or head,
- If the match is initially scored a draw after three rounds, there will be a three-minute sudden victory round to decide a winner.
Ring
In contrast with most mixed martial arts promotions in the United States, the IFL staged their fights in a five-roped ring similar to the one used in PRIDE.On 5/08/08 the IFL announced the unveiling of a new six sided ring that will be used for the IFL. Nicknamed the "hex", the ring was created by Throwdown, an MMA equipment manufacturer. The ring allows more surface area to fight and gives fans a better view of the action. This never came to fruition as the IFL soon folded.
Weight Classes
The IFL used six weight classes:- FeatherweightFeatherweight (MMA)The featherweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Pancrase's featherweight division, which groups competitors within 136 to 145 lb...
: (136-145 lb.) - LightweightLightweight (MMA)The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
: (146–155 lb.) - WelterweightWelterweight (MMA)The welterweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The UFC's & Strikeforce's welterweight division, which groups competitors within 156 to 170 lb...
: (156–170 lb.) - MiddleweightMiddleweight (MMA)The middleweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*UFC's & Strikeforce's middleweight division, which groups competitors within 171 to 185 lb...
: (171–185 lb.) - Light HeavyweightLight Heavyweight (MMA)The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
: (186–205 lb.) - HeavyweightHeavyweight (MMA)The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
: (206–265 lb.)
There are three other weight classes specified in the Unified Rules which the IFL does not use: flyweight
Flyweight (MMA)
The flyweight division in mixed martial arts – as defined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission combat sports doctrine – groups together all competitors 125 lb and below...
(125 lb. and below), bantamweight
Bantamweight (MMA)
The bantamweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:*The King of the Cage bantamweight class with upper limit at 145 lb...
(126–135 lb.), and super heavyweight
Super Heavyweight (MMA)
The super heavyweight division in mixed martial arts has no weight limit but generally refers to competitors weighing above 265 lb .Across Europe and Asia, there are numerous promotions that feature open-weight competitions that can qualify as super heavyweight bouts.One such example is in Japan,...
(266 lb. and above).
Additional references
- Hunt, Loretta. Introducing the International Fight League. IFC.TV. January 9, 2006. Retrieved May 6, 2006.
- Thaler, Jeff. Breaking Down the Match-Up: UFC vs. IFL. Sherdog.com. March 2, 2006. Retrieved May 6, 2006.