PITBULLS, LIONS WIN AT IFL LAS VEGAS; IFL PLAYOFF SEEDS SET
Gracie’s New Yorkers Secure Playoff Berth, Second Overall Seed
LAS VEGAS, June 16, 2007 – The New York Pitbulls and host Nevada Lions claimed victories in the final 2007 regular-season International Fight League matches for each team, before a sold-out crowd of 3,200 at the Las Vegas Hilton. The Pitbulls took out the Toronto Dragons, 3-2, while the Lions scored a 4-1 win over the Tucson Scorpions.
With the win, the Pitbulls (3-0 team, 10-5 individual) have qualified for the four-team IFL Playoffs, which will begin on August 2 (semifinals, E. Rutherford, N.J.), where they will be the No. 2 seed and will take on the third-seeded Tokyo Sabres (3-0, 9-6). The top-seeded L.A. Anacondas (3-0, 11-4) will battle the No. 4 seeds, the Quad Cities Silverbacks (2-1, 9-6) in the other semifinal in New Jersey. The defeat eliminated the Dragons (1-2, 8-7) from contention.
In the first matchup, the Dragons’ Brent Beauparlant (Montreal, Quebec) defeated Fabio Leopoldo (Sao Paulo, Brazil) in the middleweight bout via TKO when Leopoldo injured his shoulder during the third round of what had been a very competitive bout, for a 1-0 Toronto lead. Light heavyweight Andre Gusmao (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) tapped out Wojtek Kaszowski (Winnipeg, Manitoba) with just seconds left in the first round to even things at 1-1.In the pivotal lightweight fight, Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) made quick work of Erik Owings (New York) in a battle of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu experts, gaining a victory by armbar submission a minute into the first round to put the Dragons up, 2-1. Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) earned a second-round welterweight submission victory for the Pitbulls over Gideon Ray (Roselle, Ill.) by armbar, evening the match at two wins apiece. In the decisive heavyweight bout, with his team’s season on the line, the Pitbulls’ Marcio Cruz (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) won by disqualification from Rafael Feijao (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), after Feijao committed a second illegal head-kick, to propel Renzo Gracie’s squad into the playoffs.
In the nightcap, Daniel Molina (Carson City, Nev.) put the host Lions (2-1, 8-7) on top with a submission victory, heel hooking Seth Baczynski (Phoenix) of the Scorpions (0-3, 4-11) in the middleweight bout. At welterweight, Pat Healy (St. Louis) scored a split decision over Mike Guymon (Lake Forest, Calif.) to double the Lions’ edge to 2-0. John Gunderson (Medford, Ore.) secured the Lions’ victory with a late second-round submission win over Gabe Casillas (Tucson, Ariz.) in the lightweight bout. Hometown favorite Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) was dominant in his unanimous heavyweight verdict over Shane Ott (Reading, Pa.), adding to the Lions’ lead. Mike Whitehead (Central Point, Ore.) salvaged the final point for the Scorpions by defeating Vernon White (East Palo Alto, Calif.) via second-round TKO.
In the preliminary bout which preceded the regular team competition, Rick Reeves (Reno, Nev.) of the Lions defeated Chris Kennedy (Las Vegas) of the Scorpions via unanimous decision in a welterweight battle fought mostly on the ground.
About the IFL
International Fight League™ (IFL) is the world’s first professional mixed martial arts sports league. IFL has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv.
International Fight LeagueLas Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, June 16, 2007
Pitbulls (3-0, 10-5) def. Dragons (1-2 team, 8-7 indiv.), 3-2185 lb: Brent Beauparlant, Dragons, def. Fabio Leopoldo, Pitbulls, via TKO (injury), 2:22, 3rd205 lb: Andre Gusmao, Pitbulls, def. Wojtek Kaszowski, Dragons, via submission (rear naked choke) 3:53, 1st155 lb: Wagnney Fabiano, Dragons, def. Erik Owings, Pitbulls, via submission (armbar), 0:58, 1st170 lb: Delson Heleno, Pitbulls, def. Gideon Ray, Dragons, via submission (armbar), 1:29, 2nd265 lb: Marcio Cruz, Pitbulls, def Rafael Feijao, Dragons, via disqualification (repeated illegal head kicks), 3:42, 3rd
Lions (2-1, 8-7) def. Scorpions (0-3, 4-6), 4-1185 lb.: Daniel Molina, Lions, def. Seth Baczynski, Scorpions, via submission (heel hook), 1:32, 1st170 lb.: Pat Healy, Lions, def. Mike Guymon, Scorpions, via decision (split), after three rounds155 lb.: John Gunderson, Lions, def. Gabe Casillas, Scorpions, via submission (rear naked choke), 2:58, 2nd265 lb.: Roy Nelson, Lions, def. Shane Ott, Scorpions, via decision (unanimous), after three rounds205 lb.: Mike Whitehead, Scorpions, def. Vernon White, Lions, via TKO, 0:54, 2nd
Preliminary Bout170 lb.: Rick Reeves, Lions, def. Chris Kennedy, Scorpions, via decision (unanimous), after three rounds
IFL Standings Through June 16Team Overall Match (1)Anacondas 3-0 11-4(2) Pitbulls 3-0 10-5 (3) Sabres 3-0 9-6 (4) Silverbacks 2-1 9-6Condors 2-1 8-7Lions 2-1 8-7 Dragons 1-2 8-7Tiger Sharks 1-2 8-7Wolfpack 1-2 7-8 Scorpions 0-3 4-11Razorclaws 0-3 4-11Red Bears 0-3 4-11
(playoff seed noted in parentheses)
— IFL —