IFL information.

[bullseyeguy]

I just wanted to put together a little bit of information on the IFL, International Fight League, for all the fight fans that dont know a whole lot about it...

http://www.ifl.tv/index.html

They have a TV scedule on their site, but it isnt working. I personally prefer the page at Mmaweekly.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/rumors.asp?articleid=3279&zoneid=14

The coaches on the IFL are a whos who in the MMA business.

Chicago Red Bears – Igor Zinoviev
Los Angeles Anacondas – Bas Rutten
New York Pitbulls – Renzo Gracie
Portland Wolfpack – Matt Lindland
Quad Cities Silverbacks – Pat Miletich
Reno Lions – Ken Shamrock
San Jose Razorclaws – Frank Shamrock
Seattle Tiger Sharks – Maurice Smith
Southern California Condors – Marco Ruas
Tokyo Sabres – Antonio Inoki (Coach Tokimitsu Ishizawa)
Toronto Dragons – Carlos Newton
Tucson Scorpions – Don Frye

There will be four more teams added to the 2008 schedule. The teams will be based in Brazil (Mario Sperry), France (Jerome LeBanner), San Diego (Dan Henderson) and South Korea (D.B. Park).

The fights are regular MMA rule bouts, the difference is in the event itself...
Matches consist of three four minute rounds, fought inside a ring. Each team has one representative fighter in each of the five weight classes: lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.), middleweight (185 lbs.), light heavyweight (205 lbs.), heavyweight (265 lbs.). Also every event has a Superfight, often times consisting of 1 or 2 coaches and/or another big MMA name.

Its an event with more of a sports feel, they have a regular season that goes from January to June, and a postseason that goes from August to September. Then they have the championship in December...



Check it out on FSN, and coming soon to MyNetworkTV...

 

[MikeO]

With them having a NETWORK deal. UFC isn't in immediate trouble, but they might be in time

 

[Motion]

I just wanted to put together a little bit of information on the IFL, International Fight League, for all the fight fans that dont know a whole lot about it...

http://www.ifl.tv/index.html

They have a TV scedule on their site, but it isnt working. I personally prefer the page at Mmaweekly.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/rumors.asp?articleid=3279&zoneid=14

The coaches on the IFL are a whos who in the MMA business.

Chicago Red Bears – Igor Zinoviev
Los Angeles Anacondas – Bas Rutten
New York Pitbulls – Renzo Gracie
Portland Wolfpack – Matt Lindland
Quad Cities Silverbacks – Pat Miletich
Reno Lions – Ken Shamrock
San Jose Razorclaws – Frank Shamrock
Seattle Tiger Sharks – Maurice Smith
Southern California Condors – Marco Ruas
Tokyo Sabres – Antonio Inoki (Coach Tokimitsu Ishizawa)
Toronto Dragons – Carlos Newton
Tucson Scorpions – Don Frye

There will be four more teams added to the 2008 schedule. The teams will be based in Brazil (Mario Sperry), France (Jerome LeBanner), San Diego (Dan Henderson) and South Korea (D.B. Park).

The fights are regular MMA rule bouts, the difference is in the event itself...
Matches consist of three four minute rounds, fought inside a ring. Each team has one representative fighter in each of the five weight classes: lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.), middleweight (185 lbs.), light heavyweight (205 lbs.), heavyweight (265 lbs.). Also every event has a Superfight, often times consisting of 1 or 2 coaches and/or another big MMA name.

Its an event with more of a sports feel, they have a regular season that goes from January to June, and a postseason that goes from August to September. Then they have the championship in December...



Check it out on FSN, and coming soon to MyNetworkTV...

Wow, that sounds pretty sweet. I didn't know much about the format before but this sounds awesome.

 

[Sethdaddy8]

I just wanted to put together a little bit of information on the IFL, International Fight League, for all the fight fans that dont know a whole lot about it...

http://www.ifl.tv/index.html

They have a TV scedule on their site, but it isnt working. I personally prefer the page at Mmaweekly.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/rumors.asp?articleid=3279&zoneid=14

The coaches on the IFL are a whos who in the MMA business.

Chicago Red Bears – Igor Zinoviev
Los Angeles Anacondas – Bas Rutten
New York Pitbulls – Renzo Gracie
Portland Wolfpack – Matt Lindland
Quad Cities Silverbacks – Pat Miletich
Reno Lions – Ken Shamrock
San Jose Razorclaws – Frank Shamrock
Seattle Tiger Sharks – Maurice Smith
Southern California Condors – Marco Ruas
Tokyo Sabres – Antonio Inoki (Coach Tokimitsu Ishizawa)
Toronto Dragons – Carlos Newton
Tucson Scorpions – Don Frye

There will be four more teams added to the 2008 schedule. The teams will be based in Brazil (Mario Sperry), France (Jerome LeBanner), San Diego (Dan Henderson) and South Korea (D.B. Park).

The fights are regular MMA rule bouts, the difference is in the event itself...
Matches consist of three four minute rounds, fought inside a ring. Each team has one representative fighter in each of the five weight classes: lightweight (155 lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.), middleweight (185 lbs.), light heavyweight (205 lbs.), heavyweight (265 lbs.). Also every event has a Superfight, often times consisting of 1 or 2 coaches and/or another big MMA name.

Its an event with more of a sports feel, they have a regular season that goes from January to June, and a postseason that goes from August to September. Then they have the championship in December...



Check it out on FSN, and coming soon to MyNetworkTV...

A league is the only thing to prevent MMA from going down the same horrible path of corruption and blandness boxing went down. Right now MMA is ina great place, but it will be vulnerable as it grows more and more. All successful sport entities have Leagues/Associations, controlling the power and maintaining the integrity of the respective sport. I truly hope a league takes off, and MMA follow suit like the NFL, NBA, PGA, NASCAR etc...

 

[MikeO]

A league is the only thing to prevent MMA from going down the same horrible path of corruption and blandness boxing went down. Right now MMA is ina great place, but it will be vulnerable as it grows more and more. All successful sport entities have Leagues/Associations, controlling the power and maintaining the integrity of the respective sport. I truly hope a league takes off, and MMA follow suit like the NFL, NBA, PGA, NASCAR etc...

Ya gotta hope that one company (IFL, UFC, PRIDE) just bankrupts everyone else and is the only game in town. With a network TV Deal, IFL has a huge opportunity in front of them. They will get the exposure more-so than even UFC. They gotta make the most of it though.

This scenerio is crappy for the fighters, but its great for the fans cause everyone will be in one place. They need one place to just bankrupt everyone else.

 

[Sethdaddy8]

Ya gotta hope that one company (IFL, UFC, PRIDE) just bankrupts everyone else and is the only game in town. With a network TV Deal, IFL has a huge opportunity in front of them. They will get the exposure more-so than even UFC. They gotta make the most of it though.

This scenerio is crappy for the fighters, but its great for the fans cause everyone will be in one place. They need one place to just bankrupt everyone else.

But I think that'd spell doom for a good-legit MMA run. Pride's former chief got wacked by Yakuza a few years back. If Zuffa was the only game in town, itd get corrupted at some point. If there is indeed a commitee heading the IFL, rather than a sole propreiter, it could end up MMA's saviour. right now, they just don't have the talent to elevate the league...outside of the high profile coaches, and beat Pride or UFC.

 

[MikeO]

TV exposure=money

money=talent

It won't happen overnight but the one with the best TV deal will win in the long-run. If this IFL thing fizzles out in a year, then UFC is back in the drivers seat. Right now UFC is hot, but if IFL makes the most of their tv deal......they could pass UFC in a short time by esentially raiding its talent with the exposure they could grant them

 

[Sethdaddy8]

TV exposure=money

money=talent

It won't happen overnight but the one with the best TV deal will win in the long-run. If this IFL thing fizzles out in a year, then UFC is back in the drivers seat. Right now UFC is hot, but if IFL makes the most of their tv deal......they could pass UFC in a short time by esentially raiding its talent with the exposure they could grant them

sure thats all true. showtime is getting involved now, its growing and growing as a sport. I just want MMA to maintain its dignity. right now its so good because its unspoiled and uncorrupted. guess we'll have to see.

 

[bullseyeguy]

A league is the only thing to prevent MMA from going down the same horrible path of corruption and blandness boxing went down. Right now MMA is ina great place, but it will be vulnerable as it grows more and more. All successful sport entities have Leagues/Associations, controlling the power and maintaining the integrity of the respective sport. I truly hope a league takes off, and MMA follow suit like the NFL, NBA, PGA, NASCAR etc...

I heard a rumor that Vince McMahon is interested in getting into the MMA game, if this really does happen it could possibly kill mixed martial arts forever....

I also agree that a sole company is the best thing for the business long term...Right now, I love the competition and getting to see so many fights, but long term I think we need one show...Ive heard that the fighters love fighting for the IFL.

--The fighters will all be essentially employees, drawing a salary, getting health benefits, and working for the organization. They will get performance bonuses for ending fights early (KO, TKO, or submission), as well as exciting action. It is an effort to give professional fighters an opportunity to truly be professionals, and not have to have a "day job".

 

[Sethdaddy8]

I heard a rumor that Vince McMahon is interested in getting into the MMA game, if this really does happen it could possibly kill mixed martial arts forever....

I also agree that a sole company is the best thing for the business long term...Right now, I love the competition and getting to see so many fights, but long term I think we need one show...Ive heard that the fighters love fighting for the IFL.

--The fighters will all be essentially employees, drawing a salary, getting health benefits, and working for the organization. They will get performance bonuses for ending fights early (KO, TKO, or submission), as well as exciting action. It is an effort to give professional fighters an opportunity to truly be professionals, and not have to have a "day job".

LOL, yea vince mcmahon should stick to wrastlin.

but a league format is what would preserve MMA for years to come, and save it from corruption and greed. just look how bad boxing is these days.

 

[MikeO]

I heard a rumor that Vince McMahon is interested in getting into the MMA game, if this really does happen it could possibly kill mixed martial arts forever....

I also agree that a sole company is the best thing for the business long term...Right now, I love the competition and getting to see so many fights, but long term I think we need one show...Ive heard that the fighters love fighting for the IFL.

--The fighters will all be essentially employees, drawing a salary, getting health benefits, and working for the organization. They will get performance bonuses for ending fights early (KO, TKO, or submission), as well as exciting action. It is an effort to give professional fighters an opportunity to truly be professionals, and not have to have a "day job".

Vince talked with PRIDE about helping them promote shows in the US. And PRIDE would help Vince promote his shows in Japan.

Nothing came of it though

 

[MikeO]

UFC got a TV deal on MYNETWORK as well starting in the fall. Same network IFL got a show on.

UFC might have another big announcement tonight about HBO.


Here is the report below......
Trifecta has syndicated a new show called UFC Wired in most of the major markets starting in the fall. The show has already been cleared by most of the MyNetworkTV affiliates. This comes one day after MNT officially announced its deal with IFL.