2008 "IFL Fight Night" broadcast continues on FSN with Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alex Schoenauer Title Bout, Four Other Matchups Saturday at Midnight‏

NEW YORK– The first-ever International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI) individual title bout between light heavyweights stars Vladimir Matyushenko (Belarus) and Alex Schoenauer (Las Vegas) and IFL World Grand Prix semifinal contests featuring stars Jay Hieron (Las Vegas), Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) will be among those featured in the next edition of “IFL Fight Night” on Fox Sports Net (FSN). The episode debuts on Saturday, April 26, at midnight local time in most markets. Viewers can confirm the time and replays during the week on their respective regional FSN networks at http://www.ifl.tv/TV-Schedule-FSN.html. In the feature bout, Matyushenko, unbeaten in IFL competition, takes on Schoenauer, who first gained attention in the MMA world as a contestant on the first Ultimate Fighter program, in the IFL’s first individual Championship. Other bouts on the one-hour telecast include: • Hieron, a Long Island, N.Y., native, tries to follow up his submission victory over Donnie Liles (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in this 170-lb. rematch• Heleno, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Capoeira master, also aims to reprise his earlier welterweight victory over Gideon Ray (Roselle, Ill.)• Nelson, whose only IFL defeat was via split decision, battles Renzo Gracie pupil Bryan Vetell (New York) in a heavyweight slugfest• Antoine Jaoude (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), unbeaten in IFL competition, takes on Shane Ott (Reading, Pa.), a surprise semifinalist after a stunning win over Chad Griggs. Veteran IFL play-by-play man Kenny Rice is joined by MMA legend Bas Rutten at the microphone ringside, with Ron Kruck providing additional commentary. The bouts were contested at the Sears Centre in suburban Chicago in November. In addition to the weekly “IFL Fight Night” on FSN, as well as in over 70 other countries and five continents around the world, ranging from HBO Latin America to Star TV in Asia and Middle Eastern Broadcasting and the Armed Forces Network, the first three IFL events of the year are being shown live on HDNet. IFL programming is already among the most viewed MMA programming worldwide, despite being in existence only two years. The next live IFL event is set for May 16 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., where three Championship belts will be on the line. HDNet will again provide live coverage. About the IFLInternational Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv.

"Hey, I'm Giuseppe Franco. I'm not putting my name on the line for something that doesn't work."- Giuseppe Franco * * *
Jerry Milani, Manager of Public Relations International Fight League
Catch the IFL on FSN Saturdays at midnight and LIVE on HDNet on May 16

Matyushenko, Fabiano, Hieron Retain Titles at IFl New Jersey‏

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.– International Fight League titleholders Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko (Belarus), Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Jay “The Thorobred” Hieron (Freeport, N.Y./Las Vegas) each retained their respective titles at the IFL event at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. in front of 5131 spectators this evening. Matyushenko weathered a strong first round by Jamal “The Suit” Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.), then punished the challenger with a series of right hands before the bout was stopped with 30 seconds left in the second round. Fabiano, known for his world-class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expertise, stunned Shad Lierley (Seattle) with a solid punch just 37 seconds into the first round to record the KO.
Hieron dominated the entire round against Mark Miller (Chicago), finishing the round with a ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in for the TKO. In the camp vs. camp competition between Miletich Fighting Systems and American Top Team, LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) of MFS scored a knockout of Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) with just seconds remaining in the third round of a very competitive featherweight bout. ATT’s welterweight Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) won a second-round submission via kneebar over Jesse Lennox (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). The light heavyweight bout between Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.) and Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) was ruled a no contest when a cut from the head of Marrero from an inadvertent head butt would not stop. In addition to Matyushenko vs. Patterson, in the bouts between Midwest Combat and Renzo Gracie Academy, Gracie’s Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.) scored a unanimous decision over Bart Palaszewski (Wonder Lake, Ill.) in a highly entertaining lightweight bout; Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) turned around a welterweight bout in which he was trailing with a third-round KO over Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The night started with a non-title bout between light heavyweights, with IFL veteran Alex Schoenauer (Las Vegas) claiming a split decision over Brendan Barrett (Tuckerton, N.J.). In another non-title bout, Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (London, Ontario) scored a narrow but unanimous decision over Nate Lamotte (New Hampshire). IFL East Rutherford, N.J.Friday, April 4, 2008 Non-Title Bouts205 lbs.: Alex Schoenauer (Las Vegas) def. Brendan Barrett (Tuckerton, N.J.) via decision (split) after three rounds155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario) def. Nate Lamotte (New Hampshire) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds American Top Team vs. Miletich Fighting Systems145 lbs.: LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) def. Rafael Dias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) via KO (strikes), 3:56, 3rd170 lbs.: Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) def. Jesse Lennox (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) via submission (kneebar) 1:25, 2nd205 lbs.: Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) vs. Carmelo Marrero (Douglasville, Pa.), no contest Midwest Combat vs. Renzo Gracie Academy155 lbs.: Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.) def. Bart Palaszewski (Wonder Lake, Ill.) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds170 lbs.: Brad Blackburn (Olympia, Wash.) def. Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) via KO (strikes), 1:50, 3rd Championship Bouts 205 lbs.: Vladimir Matyushenko (Belarus) def. Jamal Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.) via TKO (strikes), 3:35, 2nd145 lbs.: Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) def. Shad Lierley (Seattle) via KO (punch), 0:37, 1st170 lbs.: Jay Hieron (Freeport, N.Y.) def. Mark Miller (Chicago) via TKO (strikes), 2:10, 1st About the IFL International Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York and offices in Las Vegas. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv. Visit www.image.net for photographs from the bout