International Fight League (ifl) Adds Legends Don Frye And Marco Ruas As Coaches For 2007
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From the event’s promoter: INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE (IFL) ADDS LEGENDS DON FRYE AND MARCO RUAS AS COACHES FOR 2007 Scorpions and Piranhas to be based in Tucson, Arizona and Southern Calif September 25, 2006 — The International Fight League (IFL) today announced that world champions Don Frye and Marco Ruas have been added as coaches for the 2007 season, bringing to 10 the number of confirmed teams for the inaugural season. Frye will coach the Scorpions, based in Tucson, Arizona, while Ruas will mentor the Piranhas, based in Southern California. Two additional teams will be announced before the end of the year. The IFL will launch its first full season with 12 teams in the first quarter of 2007. "We are very excited that Don and Marco have chosen to join us," said Kurt Otto, IFL co-founder and commissioner. "Like our other coaches both are legends in the sport, expert instructors and quality people who will help us continue to grow mixed martial arts beyond its current boundaries. The addition of another team training in Southern California and one in an MMA hotbed like Arizona also will help to create a more consistent presence for the IFL in two key geographic growth areas." Don "The Predator" Frye is considered one of the original "cross-trained" MMA competitors. He was a collegiate wrestler at NCAA powerhouses Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University, holds a 2nd degree black belt in Judo and has fought as a professional boxer. He has held a championship belts for the UFC and is also a veteran of K-1 and PRIDE in a legendary career. He is also an accomplished actor, and will appear in the upcoming Rob Schneider film Big Stan. Marco "The King of the Streets" Ruas is one of the most renowned tacticians in MMA, and is regarded as the founder of Ruas Vale Tudo, a hybrid of Brazilian submission fighting and kickboxing. He too is a former UFC champion and is currently training several of the sport’s rising stars in Southern California. |
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The Big Man Returns to Hawaii! "Big" Eric Pele By Chris Onzuka  FCF: Let’s start off with your background… EP: I started fighting around 2000. I started with jiu-jitsu, boxing and then started doing MMA. But before that I had experience in high school wrestling and a little in junior college, but that is about it. When I first started, I trained with John Lewis and I pretty much stayed with him for my brief career. It was John Lewis or Marc Laimon who I trained with or who cornered me. Currently I am freelancing it. I am going to Xyience [training center]. I am going to Marc Laimon’s and John Lewis’ J-Sect [academy] and getting more information that is out there. I think it is just a better way for me to do it right now. This way I can stay out of all the politics. FCF: You are scheduled to fight at X-1, here in Hawaii. This is actually your second fight in Hawaii. Tell us about your first fight, which happened to be your debut. Click here to continue the interview |
