Once again local Mixed Martial Arts fans get the chance to experience the explosive action of the International Fight League as the world’s first team based league returns to the Mark of the Quad Cities on Saturday, April 7 with an 11-bout card beginning at 7:30 p.m. Local favorites and defending champions, The Silverbacks, coached by Pat Miletich take on Ken Shamrock’s Lions, a team based in Reno. The roster also features the Seattle based Tiger Sharks,
led by MMA and kick-boxing champion Maurice Smith, facing the Chicago Red Bears who are coached by Igor Zinoviev. Following the team fights, popular lightweights Jeff Curran and Kevin English face each other for the Superfight.
Miletich’s Silverbacks team won the 2006 IFL World Team Championship but they now find themselves in a must win situation to make it to the playoffs. Their record is 0-1, 2-3 individual and will be depending on welterweight Rory Markham, heavyweight Ben Rothwell, and lightweight Bart Palazewski. Former UFC light heavyweight Sam Hoger will fill in for the injured Mike Ciesnolevicz, against the very tough Vernon White of the Lions. Shamrock’s Lions (1-0, 3-2) include undefeated heavyweight Roy Nelson and lightweight John Gunderson, who won his past eight MMA matches.
A win is a must for the Tiger Sharks (0-1, 2-3) and Red Bears (0-1,1-4), to make it to the postseason.
The following are the matchups for the event at the Mark of the Quad Cities (order is determined by the coaches prior to the weigh-in):
Tiger Sharks (0-1, 2-3) vs. Red Bears (0-1, 1-4)
LW/155: Shad Lierley (Seattle) (1-0 IFL, 1-0 overall) vs. Mike Correy (St.
Louis) (0-0, 4-1)
WW/170: Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) (2-1, 9-8) vs. Mark Miller (Chicago)
(0-1, 5-2)
MW/185: Bristol Marunde (Sequim, Wash.) (0-2, 2-4) vs. Chris Albandia (Chicago)
(0-1, 5-4)
HW/265: Allan Goes (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (2-0, 9-4-2) vs. Homer Moore (0-0,
24-7-2)
HW/265: Reese Andy (Billings, Mont.) (3-1, 5-1) vs. Adam Maciejewski (0-0, 5-2)
Lions (1-0, 3-2) vs. Silverbacks (0-1, 2-3)
LW/155: John Gunderson (Medford, Ore.) (1-0, 11-4) vs. Bart Palaszewski (Wonder
Lake, Ill.) (5-1, 25-8)
WW/170: Pat Healy (St. Louis) (1-0, 17-11) vs. Rory Markham (4-1, 10-2)
MW/185: Daniel Molina (Carson City, Nev.) (0-1, 6-6) vs. Ryan McGivern
(Bettendorf, Iowa) (3-3, 9-4)
LHW/205: Vernon White (East Palo Alto, Calif.) (0-0. 24-30-2) vs. Sam Hoger
(Eagle River, Alaska) (0-0, 6-3)
HW/265: Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) (1-0, 7-0) vs. Ben Rothwell (Kenosha, Wis.) (5-0,
20-5)
Superfight
Kevin English (Lake Station, Ind.) (0-0, 9-3) vs. Jeff Curran (Crystal Lakes,
Ill.) (0-0, 25-8-1)
The official weigh-ins take place on Friday, April 6 at 3 p.m. at Hooters, 110 East Kimberly Rd. Davenport. This will also include the press conference prior to the event.