Legendary MMA Champion and 2005 “Playmate of the Year” to Give Viewers the Play by Play Inside and Outside of the Ring
NEW YORK, March 6, 2007 – The International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI), the world’s first team-based professional mixed martial arts league, and MyNetworkTV today announced that Sebastian “Bas” Rutten and Tiffany Fallon will co-host “IFL Battleground.” The two-hour show premieres on MyNetworkTV, Monday, March 12 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
”Tiffany and Bas are the perfect co-host team for ’IFL Battleground,’” said Greg Meidel, President, MyNetworkTV. “His invaluable knowledge of the sport, coupled with her cunning personality makes them the ideal choice for this type of program.
“IFL Battleground” follows the athletes, coaches and personalities of the International Fight League, the world’s first professional mixed martial arts organization to compete in a team format. Cameras will capture the stories both in and out of the ring, bringing fans all of the event and behind the scenes action. Segments will take viewers up close during the competition and also into the locker rooms, training routines, and home lives of this diverse group that is part of the world’s fastest growing professional and recreational sport.
“We are very pleased to have two great personalities…an MMA expert like Bas and a rising star like Tiffany…to present this sport to the largest audience possible,” said IFL co-founder and CEO Gareb Shamus. “New fans will be able to get Tiffany’s perspective on the goings-on of the lives of these great athletes and coaches, while Bas’ expertise in MMA will give both the MMA fan and the casual observer unique insight into what’s going on during the fight action. It’s a very solid balance we think everyone will enjoy.”
Known for her intelligence and quick wit on camera, Fallon is widely regarded as one of the great new faces in television. The former Miss Georgia has been featured in dozens of commercials and has held on-camera roles for Spike TV, E! and TBS Rivals.com. A graduate of Florida State University with a degree in Sports Management, Fallon was selected as Playboy’s “Playmate of the Year” in 2005.
Rutten is one of the most colorful and well-respected personalities in the MMA world. The 41 year-old Dutchman competed professionally for over 20 years in various MMA disciplines, holding titles in the Pancrase (the Japanese precursor to MMA) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight division title. Following his retirement he moved on to coaching, acting and broadcasting, landing roles on TV shows, such as “Martial Law” and “The King of Queens,” as well as three movies, “The Eliminator,” “The Vault” and “The Kingdom of Ultimate Power.” He was also the color commentator on PRIDE’s Fighting Championship events, where his sense of humor and intimate knowledge of the sport immediately made him a fan favorite.
Each of the nine regular season IFL events consists of four teams – each with an athlete in all five weight classes competing – for a minimum of 10 bouts per card. 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 IFLInternational 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.
About MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a primetime general entertainment broadcast television network. Targeted to Adults 18-49 and broadcast television’s only all Hi-Definition network, it reaches over 95% of the country. MyNetworkTV provides its affiliates 12 hours of programming Monday through Saturday. Currently, MyNetworkTV airs Twentieth Television’s dramas “Wicked Wicked Games,” starring Oscar-winning actress Tatum O’Neal, and “Watch Over Me,” with Dayanara Torres, Casper Van Dien and Catherine Oxenberg. For more information, please visit www.mynetworktv.com.
Contacts:International Fight League – Jerry Milani, 917/797-5663, jmilani@ifl.tvMyNetworkTV – Jessica Schweitzer, 212-301-3817, jessica.schweitzer@foxtv.com
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