Ifl World Team Championship Final:weigh-ins And Weighty Announcements
 IFL World Team Championship Final: Weigh-Ins and Weighty Announcements By Gaby Genia (December 28th — Groton Naval Submarine Base) The highly-anticipated International Fight League’s (IFL) World Team Championship Final kicked off this afternoon with weigh-ins in the lobby of the Naval Exchange at the Groton Submarine Base. As a standing-room only crowd of excited sailors and fervent fight fans looked on, the IFL brass wowed the crowd with announcements of four new coaches and a future superfight. The first coach announced was none other than former Pride Grand Prix tournament winner Dan Henderson. Doo B. Park, a South Korean judoka and martial arts instructor to the US Army and NYPD, was introduced next, followed by three-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Mario Sperry. The final coach named was kickboxing legend Jerome LeBanner, of France. Joining the internationally-renowned new additions for a photo op on the stage were current coaches Maurice Smith, Carlos Newton, Renzo Gracie, Pat Miletich, Ian Freeman, and Matt Lindland. The IFL further energized the crowd with the announcement that veteran slugger Robbie Lawler would take on up-and-coming Brazilian banger Eduardo Pamplona in a superfight to be held on February 23rd in Atlanta, Georgia. Almost uneventful after the excitement that had preceded them, the weigh-ins themselves went off without a hitch, as each and every one of the fighters made weight with seeming ease. In the Wolfpack/Silverbacks showdown, heavyweights Devin Cole and Ben Rothwell weighed in at 237 and 264 pounds, respectively. Both light-heavyweights Aaron Stark and Mike Ciesnolevicz made the mark at 205, while lightweights Ryan Schultz and Bart Palaszewski came in at 154 and 155 pounds. Welterweights Chris Wilson and Rory Markham weighed in at 170 and 169, while in the middleweight division, an eager Matt Horwich (185) didn’t bother waiting for Ryan McGivern (184) to step on the scale before he began guzzling Pedialyte.
In the intra-league superfights, Pitbull coach Renzo Gracie and Dragons coach Carlos Newton took the scales to a roar of applause. Both crowd favorites hit the mark at 184 pounds. Heavyweight Mike Whitehead (Scorpions) tipped the scales at a whopping 262, while his opponent, Krzysztof Soszynski, weighed in at a mere 235 pounds.
Light-heavyweights Jamal Patterson (Pitbulls) and Reese Andy (Tiger Sharks) weighed in at 204 and 205, respectively, as did Andre Gusmao (Pitbulls) and Brent Beauparlant (Dragons). Lightweight Erik Owings (Pitbulls) came in at 154, while his opponent, Ed West (Sabres), came in at a scant 151 pounds. The final weigh-in of the day was that of middleweight division alternates Jake Ellenberger and Ben Uker, who both came in at 183 on the dot. As everyone made weight, the room was full of excitement and anticipation of what tomorrow will bring. And for those unable to make the trip to the sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena event tomorrow night, it was announced that the show will air on FSN on New Year’s Eve. The full fight card: Erik Owings (154.25 lbs) vs. Ed West (151 lbs) Alternates |
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From the event’s promoter: TKO 28: INEVITABLE Friday, February 9th, 7h30PM – Bell Centre, Montreal MAIN CARD (STARTING @ 7:30PM) Main Event – TKO Welterweight Championship posted by Full Contact Fighter @ 8:00 pm
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