IFL was started a few months back by some of the guys that used to run the UFC. Zuffa and Dana tried suing them for using UFC trade secrets, but it was no success.
The idea of IFL is to start a Team Vs Team MMA. To make MMA more of an NFL, NBA type deal. They went out and hired some of the best guys to be the coaches. Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie, Pat Militech, Pat Smith, Frank Shamrock, Carols Newton, Matt Lindland, etc. These guys are the coaches and have gotten a handful of B level fighters on thier teams. There is NO association with the coaches camps (MFS) and the IFL team. So Bas Rutten's team is NOT Bas's fighters. He's simply to coach. Similar to an NBA team. Pat Riely is the Heat's coach but the players belong to the Heat not Pat.
Pat has gotten alot of slack from the UFC because he has told Dana to go fuck himself. UFC has said they would black ball anyone associated with IFL. Because of the start up and an attempt for something new they got a contract with FSN, but the fights are shown a month later. Right now they are having some super fights amoungst coaches to lure in fans. Last week the night of the UFC, Pat went up against Renzo and got guillotined in the first round and tapped.
There hasn't been too much support for the IFL...but its still in its early stages. They don't have any big name fighters.
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