Stories with the tag "IFL"

With all hope of a lightweight title defense by K.J. Noons vs. Nick Diaz now extinguished, EliteXC officials have reportedly decided to sign a middleweight bout between former EliteXC middleweight champion Murilo "Ninja" Rua and IFL refugee Benji Radach for its next installment of "Saturday Night Fights" set to take place on Oct. 4.

Top East Coast-based middleweight prospects Dan Miller and Mike Massenzio have been officially added to the card for UFC Fight Night 15 on Sept. 17, according to UFC.com. Miller is the younger brother of UFC lightweight competitor Jim Miller and is also a former middleweight champion in the IFL and Cage Fury Fighting Championship promotions.

IFL featherweight champion Wagnney Fabiano, the last remaining unsigned champion from the now-defunct organization, has signed with WEC according to the Brazilian website Tatame.com

For IFL refugees and brothers Dan Miller and Jim Miller, the chance to fight in the UFC can't come soon enough.

The Brazilian magazine Tatame is reporting that the IFL's last remaining champion, Wagnney Fabiano, has signed a contract to fight in WEC's featherweight division. Fabiano apparently is already thinking about the current WEC featherweight champion, Urijah Faber: “Faber is the best of the world now.

Despite the lack of an official announcement, the International Fight League has ceased operations and appears all but dead.

Officials with the Lemoore, California-based Palace Fighting Championship promotion have formally announced the signings of 18 new fighters to its roster. The new fighters include former IFL veterans Alex Schoenauer and John Gunderson as well former UFC veterans Gabe Ruediger, Lodune Sincaid, and Jason Von Flue.

After the seemingly defunct IFL closed its doors on July 31, IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson found himself among the many of the organization's fighters forced into free agency.

This week’s Fight of the Week features the highly decorated collegiate All-American wrestler Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3) taking on jiu jitsu wizard Jamal Patterson (4-2). Matyushenko is a veteran fighter who had steamrolled his competition in the IFL so far and is looking to do the same to Patterson in this title defense.

MMA Weekly is reporting that Jay Hieron officially announced that he would be signing a one-year, three-fight deal with Affliction. His Xtreme Couture teammates, Mike Pyle and Chris Horodecki, have all jumped on board with Affliction and Hieron is the latest fighter that they've added to their stable.

After a hugely successful debut column, MMAjunkie.com medical consultant and columnist Dr. Johnny Benjamin is back with his latest "Ask the Doc" feature.

MMAWeekly.com is reporting that former IFL lightweight Jim Miller will take on PRIDE veteran David Baron at UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben in Birmingham, England. A few weeks ago, FiveOuncesOfPain.com reported that brothers Jim Miller and Dan Miller had signed exclusive four-fight contracts with the UFC.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com broke the news several weeks ago that top East Coast prospect and former IFL middleweight Mike Massenzio had signed a four fight contract with the UFC and that he's set to debut against Drew McFedries at UFC Fight Night 15 on Sept. 17.

The UFC has announced that former IFL middleweight champion Matt Horwich will make his debut with the promotion at UFC 90 on Oct. 25 vs. jiu-jitsu black belt Ricardo Almeida. Horwich, a member of Matt Lindland's Team Quest in Portland, Ore., is 23-10-1 overall in his MMA career.

Following up an exclusive story we first reported yesterday, former IFL lightweight wunderkind Chris Horodecki has officially signed a contract with Affliction. FiveOuncesOfPain.com confirmed the news earlier this afternoon with one of his agents, Matt Stansell of North County Fight Club. According to Stansell, Horodecki has inked a three-fight deal. MMAjunkie.

LAS VEGAS - Former IFL fighter and MMA prodigy Chris Horodecki (12-1) has signed a three-fight deal with Affliction and will debut with the organization at its Oct. 11 event at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Jay Hieron, the final reigning welterweight champion of the International Fight League, received his formal release from the organization in recent weeks and is a full-fledged free agent. FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of this news Wednesday afternoon while speaking with his manager, Monte Cox. According to Cox, Hieron is considering offers from Affliction, Strikeforce, the AFL, and EliteXC.

IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson could be the latest free agent heavyweight to migrate to Affliction, according to a report by MMANews.com. MMA News spoke with Xtreme Couture heavyweight Jay White who revealed that he has signed a three-fight contract with Affliction and that he is slated to debut against Nelson.

Noted Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and Xtreme Couture trainer Jay White (2-5) and former IFL heavyweight Roy Nelson (12-3) will likely meet at "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" in October.

Sherdog is reporting that a rematch between Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and two time collegiate national champion wrestler and former IFL light heavyweight champion Vladimir Matyushenko is likely to be booked for Affliction's upcoming October 11 show. Matyushenko defeated Nogueira in Japan in 2002 via unanimous decision and is currently riding an eight fight winning streak.

Hard-hitting Drew McFedries (7-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will meet UFC newcomer and former IFL fighter Mike Massenzio (10-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 15 in September.

MMA Junkie is reporting that a proposed fight between former IFL fighter L.C. Davis and Japanese 145 lbs. sensation Hiroyuki Takaya has been scrapped for this weekend's WEC 35 show. Davis had been added to the card as a late replacement for Cub Swanson, who broke his hand in training.

Former IFL fighter L.C. Davis (10-1), a Midwest-based featherweight prospect who verbally agreed to replace an injured Cub Swanson (12-2) at this coming Sunday's WEC event, will not compete on the card, after all.

Two of the UFC's most promising middleweight prospects, Rob Kimmons (27-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and reigning IFL middleweight champion Dan Miller (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), will meet in September at UFC Fight Night 15.

World Extreme Cagefighting has signed undefeated featherweight prospect and one-time IFL fighter John Franchi (4-0) to a five-fight deal.

L.C. Davis is the latest former IFL fighter to find a new home with Zuffa, according to a report by MMAjunkie.com. Davis, who competed as a featherweight in the IFL, will be fighting for the WEC on Aug. 3 against Hiroyuki Takaya.

The fallout from the IFL debacle continues as Sherdog is reporting that former IFL lightweight champion Ryan Schultz is headed to the Japanese Sengoku promotion. He will start out in the promotion by competing in their first ever 8-man lightweight grand prix.

WEC veteran Cub Swanson (12-2) suffered a broken hand during a recent training session, and former IFL fighter L.C. Davis (10-1) has agreed to serve as his replacement at WEC 35, an event that takes place Aug. 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

UFC veteran and current IFL welterweight champion Jay Hieron (15-4) has been forced to watch from the sidelines as several of his fellow IFL fighters have found new homes in other organizations.

According to a report on MMAjunkie.com, brothers Jim Miller and Dan Miller have both signed exclusive four-fight contracts with the UFC. Both Millers had valid contracts with the IFL, with Dan Miller holding the promotion's middleweight title.

International Fight League reigning middleweight champion Dan Miller (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and IFL lightweight Jim Miller (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) have both signed multi-fight deals with the UFC.

I interviewed "Big" Ben Rothwell for my CBSSports.com column this week. After dominating the IFL for over two years, Rothwell will be given an opportunity tonight to assert himself as an undisputed top-ten heavyweight when he takes on former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

MMAPayout.com, citing a senior producer with HDNet's "Inside MMA," is reporting that the "IFL will be bought by the UFC." FiveOuncesofPain.

Affliction main-card fight Matt Lindland, UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch (who's cornering Affliction fighter Josh Barnett), and IFL welterweight champion Jay Hieron are all booked for today's TAGG Radio show.

MMA Junkie is reporting that UFC newcomer Razak Al-Hussan is expected to step in to replace Tomasz Drwal in a bout against former IFL fighter Andre Gusmao at UFC 87 on August 9th. Both Gusmao and Al-Hussan will be making their UFC debuts.

Undefeated Midwest prospect Razak Al-Hussan (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is expected to replace Thomasz Drwal (14-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) in a UFC 87 bout with IFL veteran Andre Gusmao (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

In my weekly article for CBSSports.com, this week I decided to take a look at all the former IFL talent that has migrated into the UFC.

Undefeated light heavyweight prospect Andre Gusmao will make his UFC debut at UFC 87 on August 9 in a match against Tomasz Drwal, according to UFC.com. Gusmao, 5-0, previously fought in the IFL, where he holds two career wins over Mike Ciesnolevicz.

After snapping a 13-fight win streak with a loss to Thiago Silva during his UFC debut in September, Tomasz Drwal (14-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will now take on UFC newcomer and IFL veteran Andre Gusmao (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 87.

A source speaking on the condition of anonymity has confirmed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com that the UFC has signed former IFL welterweight fighter Rory Markham. Terms of the contract were not disclosed and the UFC has yet to officially announce the signing. Markham, who trains out of Miletich Fighting Systems in Davenport, Iowa, is 14-4 according to Sherdog.

This story has been out there for a couple of days, but I somehow missed it. According to Sherdog.com, former NCAA All-American wrestler and ex-IFL heavyweight fighter Devin Cole was charged with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy and two counts of first-degree sexual penetration in Medford, Oregon over the weekend.

After a proposed bout with Wanderlei Silva failed to materialize, Brandon Vera will instead make his light-heavyweight debut against former IFL fighter and UFC newcomer Reese Andy (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 14.

Just prior to the announcement that the IFL was in financial troubles and may never host an event again, the organization unveiled its new fighting surface: the Hex Ring, a six-sided roped structure.

Here are some random thoughts regarding the IFL and their announcement yesterday that they've canceled their card that had been scheduled for August 15: – The IFL has not filed for bankruptcy. I'm sure people will say the IFL is done, but it's technically still alive.

The International Fight League has canceled its Aug. 15 event at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, N.J., and warned investors that the company might be forced to protect itself from creditors.

The IFL announced Tuesday afternoon that their planned show for August 15 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. has been canceled. It's important to note that the verbiage used was "canceled" and not postponed.

I'm going to go old school and write this blog post in first-person, because I'm feeling frisky today. Yeah, whatever. Speculation has been running rampant for quite some time that the International Fight League's days are numbered.