By Jason Bryant
[email protected]
Atlantic City, N.J. “It wasn’t an advance sellout, but with Fox Sports Net producing and Jimmy Lennon Jr. owning the mic in the center of the ring, the International Fight League’s premier at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City came off as a complete success.
For wrestlers that have branched over from their traditional folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman roots, training in mixed martial arts has become a career path for some.
The IFL, which debuted with four teams in a dual-style team format with the four teams competing in five fights for team advancement, doesn’t feature a superstar MMA roster yet, but one thing was apparent, the team concept and the growth of the IFL opens the door for more wrestlers to have a career after wrestling “and one that doesn’t involve fighting as a secondary profession.
Joe Rogan, who sat ringside for the IFL premier, has been a broadcaster for many of the Ultimate Fighting Championships the past several years. He feels the league is definitely a boon for the world of MMA.
“I hope it works (the IFL),” Rogan said after Saturday night’s final bout. “This gives fighters more options and (the team concept) can get them seen every six weeks.”
“It will give the fans more opportunities to get the know the fighters and start following a team based on styles that each coach has,” Rogan said.
The teams, coached by kickboxer Maurice Smith, jiu-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie and current MMA-specific trainers Bas Rutten and Pat Miletich, the IFL already has its degree of star power, at least outside the ring.
Miletich’s team “the SilverBacks — earned a 4-1 victory (one point for each bout won) over Rutten’s Anacondas, while Gracie’s Pit Bulls fell to Smith’s Tiger Sharks in a match that came down to the final bout of the evening.
The IFL even gave fans a treat with a superfight, pitting former UFC lightweight champion, Jens Pulver against Cole Escovedo.
Pulver, with a deep-rooted wrestling background, made his first appearance at the Taj Mahal since winning the UFC title six years ago.
“It was good to be back in AC,” Pulver said. “This is the house that Jens built.”
Wrestling skills were prevalent in nearly all of the 11 fights on the card “of course some ended with strikes. The IFL has instituted one rule that no one seemed to notice “a lack of elbows.
“How many guys got sent to the hospital tonight?” asked IFL co-founder Kurt Otto. “One, for stitches.”
The IFL is looking to provide a career for fighters and the premier was the first step to giving wrestlers, jiu-jitsu artists, fighters with muay thai backgrounds a career in this rapidly growing sport.
“I want these guys to not have to work (crap) jobs,” said Rogan. “I want them to make a living and retire from fighting and have a life just like every other professional athlete.”
That vision is one that makes the IFL attractive to wrestlers.
Ben Uker, a former Iowa Hawkeye, didn’t fight on the card, but the Davenport, Iowa resident is very hopeful of the new league’s success and feels it will give fellow wrestlers that have decided to move into MMA, a chance to make a respectable living.
“If I get an offer, I’ll resign my job right now,” said Uker at the post-event press conference.
From ringside, the wrestling background were apparent with many of the fighters “Ryan McGivern’s hawkeye tattoo on his back right shoulder left little doubt where his background came from and New Jersey native Jamal Patterson, a Blair Academy grad, won his pro debut against Matt Horwich, a powerful fighter who succumbed to a rear-naked choke at 2:57 of the first round.
One bout that didn’t got the way of the grappler was Travis Wiuff’s outcome against fomer The Ultimate Fighter contestant Alex Schoenauer. Wiuff, dominating the fight with a series of takedowns and heavy blows, got high and left his leg low, allowing Schoenauer to spin free and slide in a heel lock. After a brief scramble, Wiuff submitted at the 3:23 mark of the second period.
Matt Pyle, one of the more seasoned fighters in the IFL’s stable, was dropped by virtual unknown Rory Markham at 44 seconds into the first round.
According to Markham’s statement in the IFL press kit, he shares the enthusiasm about the IFL.
“I’m excited to be a part of an organization that puts the fighters first,” Markham said. “The IFL gives me the confidence that I will be protected and appreciated for my performance.”
That ideal is crucial for guys like Uker “former wrestlers that don’t have that Olympic dream and find something that uses their strengths “wrestling “as a building block for fighting.
I really feel this is an opportunity that you’ll see a lot of guys flocking to the organization,” Uker said. “I think you’re going to see a lot of fighters, as soon as they graduate, try to find a team. Or they’ll move, find out who they want to be a part of when it takes off.”
The influx of wrestlers has been steady, with Matt Lindland and Dan Severn two of the most noticeable former wrestlers to have competed at the UFC level.
Josh Koscheck was a four-time All-American at Edinboro and was a popular personality on The Ultimate Fighter’s first season.
“I think you’re going to see a little bit better wrestling (in MMA),” Uker said. “It’s going to take a long time before both sports affect each other. You’re going to see wrestlers transition over into MMA more than an MMA fighter would go into the wrestling world.”
And the team concept “dual meets in Atlantic City?
“I’m a huge fan of this concept,” Uker said. “The American public likes the team concept. They like to pick out a team and pick out individuals on each team, just like any league organization.”
“The team concept is the American way, that’s why I think it’s going to excel, quite a bit.”
The IFL’s second event will be back at Trump Taj Mahal on June 3.
The IFL will premier on Fox Sports Net on May 21 and May 28. Check local listings for times in your area.
For more info: www.ifl.tv
RESULTS
International Fight League
Atlantic City, N.J.
Trump Taj Mahal
SILVERBACKS 4, ANACONDAS 1
Bart Balaszewksi (SB) def. John Shackelford “TKO (strikes) 1:31(R2)
Ben Rothwell (SB) def. Krysztof Soszynski “TKO (strikes) 3:59 (R1)
Alex Schoenauer (A) def. Travis Wiuff — SUB (heel hook) 3:32 (R2)
Ryan McGivern (SB) def. Amir Rahnavardi “UDEC 30-27 (3-0)
Rory Markham (SB) def. Matt Pyle “KO (punch) :44 (R1)
TIGERSHARKS 3, PIT BULLS 2
Erik Owings (PB) def. Justin Jones “SUB (guillotine) 2:58 (R1)
Brad Blackburn (TS) def. Gustavo Machado “SDEC 29-28 (2-1)
Dennis Hallman (TS) def. Delson Heleno “DQ (illegal upkick) 3:59 (R1)
Jamal Patterson (PB) def. Matt Horwich “SUB (rear naked choke) 2:57 (R1)
Devin Cole (TS) def. Carlos Cline “UDEC 30-27, 29-28
Superfight
Jens Pulver def. Cole Escovedo “KO (punch) :55 (R1)
Wrestling Gear
