About

Each of the 12 IFL teams for 2007 competes in three regular season events. The teams with the top four overall win-loss team records will advance to the semifinals, which will be held on Thursday, Aug. 2, at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J.

The 2007 IFL Finals will be held at The Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday, Sept. 15. Each of the nine regular season IFL events consists of four teams – each with an athlete in five weight classes competing. The team that wins the best three of five match setup wins. The coach of each team is a world-renown mixed martial arts champion, or MMA, who has assembled his team -- the athletes all train as a team together -- in a specific city and training center.

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.

International Fight League Facts, Frequently Asked Questions(top)

WHAT IS THE IFL?
International Fight League, Inc. is the world's first team-based professional MMA league. The IFL was created to organize, host and promote live and televised MMA sporting events and to benefit from the growing popularity of MMA in the United States and around the world.

WHAT IS MIXED MARTIAL ARTS?
Mixed martial arts is an intense and strategic sport that is the nexus of four Olympic sports (karate, judo, boxing and wrestling) combined with the sports of tae kwon do, kickboxing, muay thai, and other disciplines.

IS IT REAL?
Yes. The matches are real and the athletes are all well-trained professionals who are champions or rising stars in the sport of MMA. IFL matches also differ from those typically organized by other MMA promoters because IFL's matches take place in an oversized boxing ring with five ropes, not in a cage.

HOW ARE THE TEAMS ASSEMBLED?
The team coaches determine the team rosters. Each team consists of five athletes, one in each weight class per event. The weight classes are as follows:
-Lightweight: 145 pounds to 155 pounds
-Welterweight: 155 pounds to 170 pounds
-Middleweight: 170 pounds to 185 pounds
-Light Heavyweight: 185 pounds to 205 pounds
-Heavyweight: 205 pounds to 265 pounds

HOW IS A MATCH STRUCTURED?
All nonchampionship matches consist of three four-minute rounds.

HOW DOES A COMPETITOR WIN A MATCH?
The result of an IFL match may be determined in a number of ways including knockout, submission -- when an athlete uses his hand to tap on an opponent or mat to indicate that he no longer wishes to continue -- technical knock out -- referee stoppage -- and judges' decision following the three rounds.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A DRAW AFTER THREE ROUNDS?
If there is a draw after three rounds, a fourth three-minute round will take place to determine the winner of the match. Unlike MMA matches held by other promoters that can end in a draw, each IFL match will have a winner and a loser.

WHERE CAN THE IFL BE SEEN?
In addition to live events, our plan is to make matches primarily available on basic cable and free broadcast television. We believe that this strategy will allow us to reach a broader audience and more quickly develop a base of loyal fans than if we relied solely on pay-per-view. The IFL will have 22 hours of programming from February through September on Fox Sports Net and an additional 44 hours in primetime on MyNetworkTV in the United States.

WHO SANCTIONS THE EVENTS?
Each event has to be sanctioned by the state athletic commission where the event is being held. The referee is also sanctioned and assigned by the applicable commission. Currently 32 states sanction MMA events, with the number growing every month.

WHAT ABOUT THE 2007 SCHEDULE?
The full 11-event 2007 schedule will include events in 10 locations throughout the United States, including: Los Angeles -- twice; Atlanta; Chicago; Oakland; East Rutherford, N.J.; Houston; Lakeland, Fla.; Everette, Wash.; Reno, Nev. and Moline, Ill. Please check the schedule below for more information.

WHERE IS THE IFL BASED?
The IFL has offices in New York and Las Vegas.

HOW IS THE IFL DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MMA GROUPS?
Unlike other MMA sporting event promoters, the IFL has a league and team structure and announces its full season schedule in advance. The IFL intends to retain its team coaches and athletes pursuant to exclusive agreements.

WHAT IS CONSIDERED OFF-LIMITS IN A MATCH?
The IFL rules have been designed to highlight both athleticism and strategy and keep the athletes safe and healthy. The rules prohibit head-butting, hair-pulling, elbows to the head or face, and strikes to the spine, kidney, throat or back of the head. Athletes are not allowed to use abusive language in the fighting area or any form of unsportsmanlike conduct that causes injury to an opponent. The IFL safety rules actually are more restrictive than the rules of most state athletic commissions.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO THE ATHLETES USE?
Each athlete is required to use a mouth piece and new 4-, 5- or 6-ounce gloves, all approved by the applicable state athletic commission.

WHERE ARE THE TEAMS FROM? (top)
The teams will train in the cities where the coaches are based.

Anacondas -- Los Angeles
Coach: Bas Rutten -- MMA heavyweight champ

WILL THE LEAGUE SEEK TO EXPAND INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD?
Yes. In addition to the two 2007 season teams based in Toronto and Tokyo, the IFL has already announced teams from the United Kingdom, France, South Korea and Brazil that are expected to participate in the 2008 season. Additional teams for the 2008 season will be announced in the coming months.

WHO ARE THE ATHLETES?
The teams will be made up of athletes from various MMA disciplines who have had extensive professional training and success in their field of expertise.

WHO WATCHES THE IFL?
Mixed martial arts is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the world. It is estimated that there are millions of martial arts practitioners, including high school and college wrestling participants, in the United States alone. MMA is most popular with the key 18 to 35-year-old male demographic group.

WHEN IS AN ATHLETE DISQUALIFIED?
Disqualification occurs after any combination of three fouls or after a referee determines that a foul was intentional and flagrant. Fouls will result in a point being deducted by the official scorekeeper from the offending athlete's score. A fouled competitor has up to five minutes to recuperate.

WHAT IS THE LONG-TERM VISION OF THE IFL?
The plan is to grow the IFL steadily both in the United States and abroad, adding teams and markets as appropriate. The key to success will be presenting a professional, well-staged and well-organized sports and entertainment product for both television and the live audience.

2007 International Fight League Schedule/Matchups(top)

All events begin at 7:30 p.m. local time.

Jan. 19 - Oakland, Calif., ORACLE Arena
Tiger Sharks (Seattle) vs. Condors (So. Calif.)
Lions (Nevada) vs. Razorclaws (San Jose)
Superfight: Niko Vitale vs. Jeremy Horn

Feb. 2 - Houston Reliant Arena
Anacondas (Los Angeles) vs. Silverbacks (Quad Cities)
Sabres (Tokyo) vs. Scorpions (Tucson)
Superfight: Carlos Newton vs. Matt Lindland

Feb. 23 - Atlanta, The Arena at Gwinnett Center
Dragons (Toronto) vs. Wolfpack (Portland)
Red Bears (Chicago) vs. Pitbulls (New York)
Superfight: TBD

Mar. 17 - Los Angeles, The Forum
Condors (So. Calif.) vs. Sabres (Tokyo)
Razorclaws (San Jose) vs. Anacondas (Los Angeles)
Superfight: TBD

Apr. 7 - Moline, Ill., The MARK of the Quad Cities
Lions (Nevada) vs. Silverbacks (Quad Cities)
Tiger Sharks (Seattle) vs. Red Bears (Chicago)
Superfight: TBD

Apr. 13 Lakeland, Fla., Jenkins Arena/Lakeland Center
Scorpions (Tucson) vs. Dragons (Toronto)
Wolfpack (Portland) vs. Pitbulls (New York)
Superfight: TBD

May 19 - Chicago, Sears Centre Arena
Razorclaws (San Jose) vs. Condors (So. Calif.)
Silverbacks (Quad Cities) vs. Red Bears (Chicago)
Superfight: TBD

June 1 - Everett, Wash., Everett Events Center
Sabres (Tokyo) vs. Wolfpack (Portland)
Anacondas (Los Angeles) vs. Tiger Sharks (Seattle)
Superfight: TBD

June - TBD
Dragons (Toronto) vs. Pitbulls (New York)
Scorpions (Tucson) vs. Lions (Nevada)
Superfight: TBD

Aug. 2 - E. Rutherford, N.J., Continental Airlines Arena

Sept. 15 - Los Angeles, The Forum
Finals -- semifinal winners
Superfight: TBD