Changes Coming to IFL
During a conference call Wednesday, the International Fight League
discussed sweeping changes that have been made in an effort to
retool the IFL's product and alleviate some issues the company has
contended with in the past.
The biggest change is the IFL's plan to move away from the mascot-themed city teams that it has used in the past two years and toward a more realistic "camp" system. In essence, each team will be identified by the coach with whom it trains. For example, the New York Pitbulls will be referred to as Renzo Gracie (Pictures)'s camp.
Coming back for the 2008 season will be coaches Matt Lindland (Pictures), Ken Shamrock (Pictures), Pat Miletich (Pictures), Marco Ruas (Pictures) and Renzo Gracie (Pictures). It looks as if Bas Rutten (Pictures) will return to coaching duty as
well.
Gone are Frank Shamrock (Pictures), Maurice Smith (Pictures), Carlos Newton (Pictures) and Don Frye (Pictures), although the IFL will be keeping Frye as an IFL representative and continue his duties as an online comedian.
As with the mascot-themed teams, camps will be pitted against each other while ultimately competing for the IFL championship. A unique caveat will be that camps outside of the IFL's purview will get a chance to challenge squads within the IFL.
IFL President Kurt Otto threw out the hypothetical that someone like Tito Ortiz (Pictures) or Randy Couture (Pictures) could bring in a few guys from Team Punishment or Xtreme Couture to challenge current IFL camps. While no formal talks have been made, Otto alluded to this scenario as being a feasible situation.
"We are also excited about the ability to have this open-door policy, where globally any camp that wants to put together three guys in the weight classes we would specify for that particular event, they're invited to compete," Otto said. "They show up with those three guys in that weight class, they can get in the mix. In the past we didn't allow that. For instance, if Tito Ortiz (Pictures) wants to promote Team Punishment and promote Team Punishment fighters, he can do that."
In other words, if there's a team out there that thinks they have some guys that could knock off some of Miletich's boys, now is your time.
At first glance it's a tad confusing since it seems as if everything will just be up to the IFL's discretion, but that was the main issue that kept the IFL weighed down before. Stringent schedules and pairings impaired the organization from putting on the best events it could. The ability to make matches and changes on the fly should alleviate the need to rely on lesser fighters.
"In reference to a camp or team like Red Devil or Golden Glory or anybody for that matter that can put together three guys at the level we need at the weight class we need, they can do that," Otto said.
The IFL plans to have at least eight events in 2008, and each camp will fight at least three times with room for more if needed. One of the major problems that plagued the IFL this past season was bouts being cancelled. Unlike other organizations, cancelled fights in the IFL nixed some bouts that were especially important to the promotion's previous team format based on records.
Instead of being able to push a fight back to a later date, the IFL was forced to slap in a replacement that didn't always meet standards. The lack of flexibility in the previous format is evident in the upcoming Grand Prix. IFL lightweight standout Chris Horodecki (Pictures) has seen his opponent's name change four times since the matchups were first announced. The IFL hopes that its new system will bring the ability to make changes to matchups, which will ensure that each card is filled with the best fights available.
Another change for the organization is the location of venues for the 2008 events. Instead of hosting events all over the country, the IFL will have eight shows total in three locations: Mohegan Sun (Connecticut), Orleans Arena (Las Vegas) and the Izod Center (East Rutherford, N.J.). There is also a possibility of other locations for special events.
Maybe the most important change this year is the plan for every IFL event to be broadcast live. The IFL is still working with FSN and MyNetwork to continue airing events, but with the Dec. 29 show appearing live on HDNet, the company admits that all options are still open in regard to broadcasts for the new season.
The IFL has also decided to add a 145-pound weight class, which will debut at the Grand Prix on Dec. 29, when Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) faces L.C. Davis for the belt.
Also, title defenses will be on the line for every show in order to keep things interesting beyond the camp matchups.
The first 2008 show is scheduled for Las Vegas on Feb. 29, and all events are planned for Friday evenings.
"We're still going to wind up at the end of the year [with] who has the best camp and the best fighting style, and also you're going to see belts changing hands, so it's almost like a world grand prix that's completely diversified throughout the year," Otto said. "Ultimately these moves are all made for the fans and what's best for the sport, period."
The biggest change is the IFL's plan to move away from the mascot-themed city teams that it has used in the past two years and toward a more realistic "camp" system. In essence, each team will be identified by the coach with whom it trains. For example, the New York Pitbulls will be referred to as Renzo Gracie (Pictures)'s camp.
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Gone are Frank Shamrock (Pictures), Maurice Smith (Pictures), Carlos Newton (Pictures) and Don Frye (Pictures), although the IFL will be keeping Frye as an IFL representative and continue his duties as an online comedian.
New coaches have been added as Ian Freeman (Pictures) will make the IFL truly more
international with a team from the U.K. Brazilian Mario Sperry (Pictures) will also be bringing in a team
based out of Las Vegas, and another yet-to-be named coach from
Chicago will eventually emerge.
As with the mascot-themed teams, camps will be pitted against each other while ultimately competing for the IFL championship. A unique caveat will be that camps outside of the IFL's purview will get a chance to challenge squads within the IFL.
IFL President Kurt Otto threw out the hypothetical that someone like Tito Ortiz (Pictures) or Randy Couture (Pictures) could bring in a few guys from Team Punishment or Xtreme Couture to challenge current IFL camps. While no formal talks have been made, Otto alluded to this scenario as being a feasible situation.
"We are also excited about the ability to have this open-door policy, where globally any camp that wants to put together three guys in the weight classes we would specify for that particular event, they're invited to compete," Otto said. "They show up with those three guys in that weight class, they can get in the mix. In the past we didn't allow that. For instance, if Tito Ortiz (Pictures) wants to promote Team Punishment and promote Team Punishment fighters, he can do that."
In other words, if there's a team out there that thinks they have some guys that could knock off some of Miletich's boys, now is your time.
At first glance it's a tad confusing since it seems as if everything will just be up to the IFL's discretion, but that was the main issue that kept the IFL weighed down before. Stringent schedules and pairings impaired the organization from putting on the best events it could. The ability to make matches and changes on the fly should alleviate the need to rely on lesser fighters.
"In reference to a camp or team like Red Devil or Golden Glory or anybody for that matter that can put together three guys at the level we need at the weight class we need, they can do that," Otto said.
The IFL plans to have at least eight events in 2008, and each camp will fight at least three times with room for more if needed. One of the major problems that plagued the IFL this past season was bouts being cancelled. Unlike other organizations, cancelled fights in the IFL nixed some bouts that were especially important to the promotion's previous team format based on records.
Instead of being able to push a fight back to a later date, the IFL was forced to slap in a replacement that didn't always meet standards. The lack of flexibility in the previous format is evident in the upcoming Grand Prix. IFL lightweight standout Chris Horodecki (Pictures) has seen his opponent's name change four times since the matchups were first announced. The IFL hopes that its new system will bring the ability to make changes to matchups, which will ensure that each card is filled with the best fights available.
Another change for the organization is the location of venues for the 2008 events. Instead of hosting events all over the country, the IFL will have eight shows total in three locations: Mohegan Sun (Connecticut), Orleans Arena (Las Vegas) and the Izod Center (East Rutherford, N.J.). There is also a possibility of other locations for special events.
Maybe the most important change this year is the plan for every IFL event to be broadcast live. The IFL is still working with FSN and MyNetwork to continue airing events, but with the Dec. 29 show appearing live on HDNet, the company admits that all options are still open in regard to broadcasts for the new season.
The IFL has also decided to add a 145-pound weight class, which will debut at the Grand Prix on Dec. 29, when Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) faces L.C. Davis for the belt.
Also, title defenses will be on the line for every show in order to keep things interesting beyond the camp matchups.
The first 2008 show is scheduled for Las Vegas on Feb. 29, and all events are planned for Friday evenings.
"We're still going to wind up at the end of the year [with] who has the best camp and the best fighting style, and also you're going to see belts changing hands, so it's almost like a world grand prix that's completely diversified throughout the year," Otto said. "Ultimately these moves are all made for the fans and what's best for the sport, period."
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