FOX SPORTS NET TO BROADCAST FRIDAY’S INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE MATCHUP ON SAME-DAY TAPE
Two Hour “Best Damn Sports Show Period” Special Features Pitbulls-Wolfpack Matchup
NEW YORK, April 11, 2007- Fox Sports Net will provide same-night, tape-delayed coverage of Friday’s International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) matchup between two of the league’s unbeaten teams, the New York-based Pitbulls and the Portland-based Wolfpack, from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The two-hour program begins at 11 p.m. in most markets. The “Best Damn Sports Show” themed show marks the first time FSN has broadcasted same-day coverage of IFL action.
Friday’s show features five bouts, including the league’s first rematch between light heavyweights Matt Horwich of the Wolfpack and Jamal Patterson of the Pitbulls, as well as an intriguing welterweight bout between Portland’s Mike Dolce and Delson Heleno, termed by Pitbulls coach Renzo Gracie as his “secret weapon.” The card also features the following bouts:
• Lightweights Ryan Schultz vs. Joey Sampieri• Middleweights Gerald Harris vs. Fabio Leopoldo• Heavyweights Devin Cole vs. Bryan Vetell
The evening also represents the coaching debut of Olympic Gold Medalist Kevin Jackson, who will serve as substitute coach for the Wolfpack team while Matt Lindland competes overseas.
The upcoming IFL on FSN schedule, with dates and times on each Regional FSN network, can be seen at http://www.ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html. Viewers can also check their local schedule at http://msn.foxsports.com/tv/schedule.
The FSN schedule will continue each Friday, following the order of IFL events through the season. The Scorpions-Dragons bout, also set for Friday at Mohegan Sun, will be shown on May 11 on FSN.
The FSN coverage is in addition to the 22, two-hour episodes of “International Fight League Battleground,” seen on over-the-air MyNetworkTV nationwide every Monday (8 p.m. ET/PT).(more)
Pitbulls vs. Wolfpack Same Night IFL Action on FSN – p.2
In all, more than 66 hours of original IFL programming are scheduled to run on the two networks, which together reach more than 95% of U.S. television households.
The remaining schedule of matchups on each FSN debut date is as follows through May:
April 20, Condors vs. Sabres (Los Angeles, March 17)April 27, Lions vs. Silverbacks (Moline, Ill., April 7)May 4, Red Bears vs. Tiger Sharks (Moline, April 7)May 11, Dragons vs. Scorpions (Uncasville, Conn., April 13)May 18, SPECIAL: Meet the Stars (Highlight and background of four IFL stars – Horodecki, Rothwell, Matyushenko, Hieron)May 25, Pitbulls vs. Wolfpack (Uncasville, April 13 re-air of live show)
Each of the nine regular season IFL events will consist of four teams – each with an athlete in all five weight classes competing. The team that wins the best three of five match setup will be declared the team winner for the match, similar to collegiate and high school wrestling meets. The IFL also differs from other MMA organizations in that the bouts are held in an oversized five-rope boxing ring with three, four-minute rounds, each designed to create the most compelling in-arena experience for local fans.
Each of the 12 IFL teams for 2007 will compete in three regular season events; the teams with the top four overall win-loss team records will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on Thursday, August 2, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J. The 2007 IFL Finals will then be held at The Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 15.
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, NY and offices in Las Vegas, NV. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv.