TICKETS GO ON SALE MAY 10th FOR INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE’S FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT ON JUNE 3 FEATURING THE SILVERBACKS VS. TIGERSHARKS ALONG WITH SEVERAL SUPER FIGHTS
Local Fighters, Including Hoboken’s Jamal Patterson, New York City’s Erik Owings and Long Island’s Jay Hieron, to be Showcased at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City
New York City – May 9, 2006 – The world’s first team-based mixed martial arts organization, International Fight League™ (IFL), announced that its first championship event, pitting Pat Miletich’s Silverbacks vs. Maurice Smith’s Tigersharks, will be held on Saturday, June 3 at 8pm at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. The evening’s stellar card will be rounded out by several Super Fights featuring many fighters from the Tri-State area. Tickets are on sale now retailing from $35 – $150 and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com (1.800.736.1420), and the Taj Mahal Box Office.
In the battle of the Silverbacks vs. Tigersharks, the matches are:
∑ Lightweight:: Bart Palaszewski (20-7-0, McHenry, IL) vs. Rafael Dias (6-1-0, Rio De Janeiro)∑ Welterweight: Rory Markham (6-1-0, Chicago, IL) vs. Brad Blackburn (8-7-0, Olympia, WA)∑ Middleweight: Ryan McGivern (7-1-0, Bettendorf, IA) vs. Dennis Hallman (36-11-2, Yelm, WA)∑ Light Heavyweight:: Travis Wiuff (40-8-0, Rochester, MN) vs. Reese Andy (2-0-0, Seattle, WA)∑ Heavyweight: Ben Rothwell (17-5-0, Wisconsin) vs. Devin Cole (5-1-0, Medford, OR)
The IFL in finalizing several Super Fights, which at this time will feature New York-based Erik Owings (1-0-0, Covington, KY), Alex Schoenauer (9-4-0, Yakima, WA), New Jersey native Jamal Patterson (1-0-0, Hoboken, NJ) and Long Island’s son Jay Hieron (8-2-0, Freeport, NY). Additional details will be announced shortly.
The IFL’s first event, which recently took place on April 29 at the Trump Taj Mahal, featured fast-paced action, with nine out of 11 fights ending in a KO or submission. In addition to the Silverbacks and Tigersharks, also fighting were the IFL’s Pitbulls, led by Renzo Gracie and the Anacondas, coached by Bas Rutten. Those teams, along with the upcoming action taking place June 3, will be televised as three distinct broadcasts on Fox Sports Net on May 21, May 28 and June 5 at 6pm local time. The televised shows are produced and directed by Emmy award-winning producer Peter Lasser, who has worked on several Olympic telecasts as well as with ESPN, NBC Sports, NFL Films and FSN, among others.
Officially announced in January 2006, the International Fight League is the brainchild of Kurt Otto and Gareb Shamus. The avid, business-minded executives have created a stir by introducing the team-based concept and a more regulated approach to the aggressive sport. The team concept, which truly sets the IFL apart from other MMA organizations, mirrors national sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA and allows MMA, the combination of jiu-jitsu, karate, judo, kick-boxing, wrestling, and boxing to reach a broader audience.
About the International Fight League: Founded in 2005 by Gareb Shamus, founder and chairman of the comics empire Wizard Entertainment Group, and Kurt Otto, a highly successful real estate investor and a life-long martial arts participant. The International Fight League™ (IFL) and Pure Sport™ were created to establish a centralized and structured organization that brings the power and influence of the mixed martial arts industry together. Currently, four teams comprise the IFL: Silverbacks, Anacondas, Pitbulls and Tigersharks