No Holds Barred: Jay Larkin on the Rise and Fall of the International Fight League

No Holds Barred: Jay Larkin on the Rise and Fall of the International Fight League

http://nhbnews.podOmatic.com/entry/2009-01-28T20_05_37-08_00

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks with Jay Larkin, the former head of the Showtime boxing program, and more recently the CEO of the International Fight League (IFL) mixed martial arts company. Once the second most popular mixed martial arts company in America, the IFL stopped running shows in 2008 after losing millions of dollars, and is no longer in business.

In a lengthy, candid, and spirited interview, we discuss the rise and fall of the IFL, some of the mistakes that company made, the status of mixed martial arts in America, the role of grappling in mixed martial arts, how MMA compares to boxing, the media bias which the IFL faced, and much more.

Also, No Holds Barred is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The No Holds Barred theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we present a tribute to the late former light heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame fighter, Jose "Chegui" Torres, who passed away January 19. He was 72. Jose Torres retired in 1969 with a record of 41-3-1with 29 KO's after fighting in 45 fights and 300 rounds. He won the world light heavyweight championship in 1965 by stopping Willie Pastrano in the ninth round in Madison Square Garden. After three successful defenses, he lost that title to Dick Tiger in 1966 by decision, also in Madison Square Garden. He was also known as an author and writer, a former chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, and a fighter for social justice and many causes, including the movement for boxers to form a union. To remember and honor Jose Torres, we spoke with his long-time colleague and friend, Paul Johnson, the chairman of the Boxers Organizers Committee. He attended the funeral for Jose Torres held this past week in Ponce, Puerto Rico. We spoke about Jose's life, his legacy, and a project in which he was involved, to call a conference of the major players in boxing, including the fighters, to create some unified structure for the sport. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

No Holds Barred is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Wrestling 411 (http://wrestling411.tv), providing coverage of the sport of wrestling on TV, the Internet, and radio. Wrestling 411 is produced by Media Sports Productions (http://www.mediasportsproductions.com/), whose sole mission is the marketing and promotion of the sport of wrestling.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman
http://eddiegoldman.com

Enjoy!
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See you at the Fights.
Thanks for your time.

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com

©®™2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios, Khris Kirkpatrick Morrisey for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

IFL Cancels August 15 Event‏

INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE DECIDES AGAINST AUGUST 15 EVENT IN NEW JERSEY Organization Working On Financial Situation NEW YORK, June 10, 2008: The International Fight League (OTC.BB: IFLI ) today announced that it has canceled its scheduled August 15 event at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in light of the company's current financial condition. IFL continues to explore options for maximizing shareholder value. However, if the IFL is unable to successfully leverage any of those options, the company may seek protection from its creditors through a court proceeding. The IFL is working with other top MMA organizations to keep its top fighters active in the sport and showcase their talent, while it pursues options that may enable it to continue its MMA operations. Several IFL athletes will compete on the Adrenaline MMA card in Chicago on June 14, and announcements with other promoters working with IFL athletes are expected in the near future. The IFL will also continue to downsize its staff to reduce costs. International Fight League™ (IFL) has its headquarters in New York. For more information about IFL, please see: www.ifl.tv. Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

NELSON, SCHULTZ, MILLER WIN INTERNATIONAL FIGHT LEAGUE TITLES AT MOHEGAN SUN Nelson, Schultz Defend, Miller Submits McGivern For First Belt

UNCASVILLE, Conn.,– Heavyweight Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) and lightweight Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defended their respective International Fight League titles while Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) scored a victory over defending middleweight champion Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) before 4,530 tonight at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Nelson capped the evening with a victory over Brad Imes (Kansas City, Mo.), after Schultz defeated fellow lightweight Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) to retain his belt. Nelson started with a blitz of punches right at the start of the first round which Imes was able to recover briefly. Nelson finished the bout with a crunching series of blows for the quick KO. Schultz and Taurosevicius battled hard, with both surviving near-submissions and solid strikes. Ultimately, Schultz claimed the unanimous decision. Miller’s was a quick finish, after an exciting first three minutes of the first round in which both competitors maintained a high-energy pace. Miller caught McGivern in a kneebar to win his first title. The preliminary bouts featured athletes from four MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy. Lightweight John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) of Bombsquad got the night off to an exciting start with a first-round submission victory over Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.). Team Quest’s Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) then scored a unanimous decision over Bombsquad’s Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) in a light heavyweight bout. John Howard (Boston) then knocked out Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) of Bombsquad with a third-round flurry of strikes in an entertaining matchup of welterweights. The second set of preliminary bouts began with Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) of Team Quest recording a unanimous decision over Joey Guel (Oregon) in a middleweight matchup. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) of Team Prodigy then wrapped up a quick TKO over Team Quest’s Zac George (Norman, Okla.), before World Class Fight Center’s Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) scored a first-round submission victory via kneebar over Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) of Bombsquad. The IFL’s next scheduled event is set for August 15 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J., when it will unveil its new six-sided ring surface, dubbed “The Hex.” IFL Mohegan SunFriday, May 16, 2008 Preliminary Bouts155 lbs.: John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) def. Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) via submission (rear naked choke), 2:19, 1st 205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) def. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) def. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) via TKO (strikes), 2:24, 3rd 185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) def. Joey Guel (Oregon) via decision (unanimous) after three rounds155 lbs.: Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) def. Zac George (Norman, Okla.) via TKO (strikes), 0:47, 1st 185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) def. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) via submission (kneebar) 3:44, 1st Championship Bouts185 lbs.: Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) def. *Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) via submission (kneebar), 3:36, 1st 155 lbs.: *Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) def. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) via decision (unanimous) after five rounds265 lbs.: *Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) def. Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) via TKO (strikes), 2:55, 1st *Defending Titleholder ---"What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in everything."- Laurence Stern * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jerry Milani Manager of Public Relations
International Fight League

Catch the IFL on FSN Saturdays at midnight and LIVE on HDNet on May 16

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

IFL, in conjunction with Throwdown Industries, will utilize a new six-sided ring, known as "The Hex," beginning with an event at the Izod Center

NEW YORK– The International Fight League (IFLI: OTC.BB) today announced it is in the process of developing a hexagon-shaped mixed martial arts ring, to be used in future IFL competitions. The new ring, created in conjunction with Throwdown Industries, the makers of Throwdown Energy Drink, will debut on Friday, August 15, at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The fight card for that event will be announced in June. Dubbed “The Hex,” the six-sided surface will measure 24 feet across (27’ 8 ½” end-to-end) and will be enclosed by five ropes. The use of The Hex maintains the viewing advantage for fans in attendance as well as the television audience that the ring provides, while also allowing for the strategic benefits of a hexagonal surface. “From a production and live event standpoint, the ring has proven to be the most fan and media friendly environment, as well as providing the safest possible environment for our athletes,” said Jay Larkin, IFL CEO. “The Hex allows for the larger surface that is utilized in other MMA organizations while still retaining the advantages we have enjoyed with the ring.” A prototype of The Hex is currently being constructed and will be housed in Las Vegas. Throwdown, the leader in MMA Gyms and Training centers, has built training centers and personal gyms for the top MMA athletes in the world. Athletes and coaches will have the opportunity to work out in it prior to the August 15 New Jersey event. “‘The Hex’ is quite different from the other world-class MMA facilities we have built,” said Throwdown President Mike McIntyre. “We are excited to be putting our expertise to work in developing what we feel will be an optimal surface for the sport as it continues to grow.” Tickets for the East Rutherford, N.J. event will be available at the IZOD Center Box Office (located at the Meadowlands), www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (201) 507-8900. About Throwdown Throwdown Industries, Inc. specializes in premium impact and action sports goods and services. Their current product portfolio includes a full line of MMA fight gear: cages, rings, racks, bags, gloves accessories, performance apparel, media and Training Centers under the THROWDOWN brand name. Throwdown Energy Drinks: Classic and Rampage Punch – both available in regular and sugar-free formats -- are scientifically designed for those who want to “Throwdown” by providing double the energy than the average drink in this category. 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. --- "I have not yet begun to fight!"-John Paul Jones * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jerry Milani Manager of Public Relations International Fight League

Catch the IFL on FSN Saturdays at midnight and LIVE on HDNet on May 16

Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience The Video Channel Online http://www.youtube.com/ELEmpress1

EL Boxing Empress Keisha Morrisey's Myspace http://www.myspace.com/Keishadivine

Honorable Keisha Morrisey http://www.keishamorrisey.com/

©®™ 2007, 2008 All photos by "EL Boxing Empress" Keisha Morrisey- Empire Morrisey Studios, for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and Starlite Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mo Lawal, Ron Scott Stevens

NO HOLDS BARRED: Mo Lawal, Ron Scott Stevens

On this edition of NO HOLDS BARRED, host Eddie Goldman speaks with freestyle wrestler Mo Lawal and Ron Scott Stevens, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.

This past Saturday, April 26, Mo Lawal (http://www.myspace.com/molawal) won his third U.S. Nationals title at 84 kg/185 lbs. With this victory, he advances directly into the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which take place June 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nev. The winners at the Olympic Team Trials will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, in August.

We spoke at length with Mo Lawal about his victory at the Nationals and his plans for the future.

Since 1997, the sport of mixed martial arts has been banned in the State of New York. Now there are plans to repeal the regressive legislation outlawing it and place it under the sanctioning of the New York State Athletic Commission.

To get his view on this matter, we spoke with Ron Scott Stevens, the chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission.

To listen to NO HOLDS BARRED, click the link at the start of this message, scroll down that page, and just press the play button on the player.

You can also download it by scrolling down that page and clicking on the download link (right-click to save it).

Also, NO HOLDS BARRED is available through iTunes at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=150801513&s=143441.

The show is in MP3 format, so may take some time to download.

The NO HOLDS BARRED theme song is called "The Heist", by musician Ian Carpenter (http://iancarpenter.com/).

Make sure to check out my regular weekly boxing show SecondsOut Radio, at http://www.secondsout.com/radio/. On this week's edition of SecondsOut Radio, we review the latest show of the popular local boxing series, Punchin' at the Paradise, which was held Friday, April 25, at the Utopia Paradise Theater in the Bronx, NY. We spoke with two of the victorious undercard fighters, heavyweight Joe Hanks (2-0. 1 KO) and middleweight Bryant Pappas (6-0, 6 KOs), about their fights, and promoter Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing about his promotion and this show. It is free to listen to SecondsOut Radio, but you must register to gain access to it. Just click here, http://www.secondsout.com/radio/, and listen, learn, and enjoy.

Make sure to check out my regular articles on the ADCC News at http://www.adcombat.com and on FightBeat.com at http://fightbeat.com.

NO HOLDS BARRED is free to listen to and is sponsored by:

YAMMA Pit Fighting (http://yammapitfighting.com). The producers of the original UFC and Live Nation (http://livenation.com/), worldwide leaders in live entertainment, present YAMMA Pit Fighting mixed martial arts. On the streets, it's against the law. In the pit, it IS the law.

IFL, the International Fight League (http://ifl.tv/), the world's first professional mixed martial arts league. Make sure to check out their regular TV shows on FSN (Fox Sports Net) (http://msn.foxsports.com/story/1636002) in the U.S., and to check your local listings for dates and times. Check out the IFL web site (http://ifl.tv/), for a listing of IFL live events and their TV schedule, at http://ifl.tv/TV-Schedule.html.

Gladiator Challenge (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/), shaking up the mixed martial arts world since 1999, and now with 30 shows per year. For more news and info, check out their web site, GladiatorChallenge.com (http://gladiatorchallenge.com/).

BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com), your premier source for all Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gear, videos, books, and much more.

Gladiator Magazine (http://gladmag.com/), for in-depth coverage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, submission grappling, and MMA, as well as lifestyle articles on surfing, cars, movies, and more. Gladiator Magazine is available at any major bookstore and online at BJJMart.com (http://bjjmart.com) or Jiu Jitsu Pro Gear (http://jiujitsuprogear.com/).

FightBeat.com (http://fightbeat.com/), for news, results, interviews, and free exclusive videos from the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts.

Thanks, Eddie Goldman

No Holds Barred blog
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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

NeuLion Packs a Punch with the IFL‏

Plainview, NY & New York – IPTV service provider NeuLion and the International Fight League (IFL) announce today a new partnership to deliver The IFL Network to fans worldwide. The International Fight League is one of the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts fighting organizations, currently in its second year of operation. The new IFL Network brings fans closer to the action and is the next best thing to being ringside. The IFL Network is free to viewers and has already attracted many top advertisers. Through its iPTV service, NeuLion will also provide the IFL with complete billing services to support pay-per-view, registration, and future subscriptions. The IFL will be able to offer live events and video on demand showing the preparation fighters endure before going inside the ring. This announcement follows the successful launch of NeuLion iPTV networks for the National Hockey League, New York Knicks, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Toronto Maple Leafs regional sports network, New York Dragons, Cuban Baseball and others. “NeuLion Sport Networks continue to grow. We are excited to have the IFL as a new network and partner. It gives fans the opportunity to watch the best IFL content as never seen before. Consumers prefer to have a choice in watching sports on either the TV or the PC and that is something we specialize in, since our platform can deliver to either device,” said Chris Wagner, executive vice president and co-founder of NeuLion. “We have had some of our greatest success, both internationally and domestically, on the television and digital platforms, and partnering with an industry trailblazer such as NeuLion gives us another piece to the new media puzzle that others don’t have,” said IFL CEO Jay Larkin. “The future of MMA lies in growing the sport and telling the stories of our young and dynamic athletes and coaches, and this will be a great stage to further reach that goal.” The IFL Network is now live and can be accessed by visiting http://www.ifl.tv/Video.html. Viewers can watch high quality video right from their web browser and have the option of sharing videos through NeuLion’s syndication features. Other social networking IFL opportunities for online chat, text messaging, and Fantasy Fighters will be added to the service in the future. Leveraging NeuLion’s iPTV platform to broadcast content, the IFL Network is user friendly and can be accessed anywhere, anytime. The IFL Network features elements such as: What’s New, Behind the Ropes, Live Events, IFL on TV, Championship bouts and much more. The IFL is currently televised in the United States on Fox Sports Net and HDNet and in over 70 countries worldwide. This exciting video player caters to the growing fan base and gives consumers one central place to access all things IFL and watch the latest content not available anywhere else. To access the IFL Network please visit http://www.ifl.tv/Video.html and a complete media kit can be found at http://www.neulion.com/IFL. Log-on, put on your gloves and step inside the ring today. About NeuLion:NeuLion is an IPTV service provider that builds broadcasting networks operating over the Internet. By using the public Internet, content can reach viewers anywhere in the world. NeuLion customers are interested in reaching specific markets with a broadcast television and video streaming service or are broadband providers looking for new applications. NeuLion offers an end-to-end service that delivers content directly to the TV, PC or a variety of other consumer devices. Programming carried by NeuLion includes sports, religious networks, broadcast television from international providers and others. The technology used by NeuLion allows streaming video to be delivered at lower bandwidths than cable and satellite television signals without sacrificing picture quality. NeuLion’s service also allows Customers to have their own network. To learn more visit www.neulion.com 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. "But you know he’ll always keep movin’You know he’s never gonna stop movin’Cause he’s rollin’, he’s the rollin’ stone.And when you wake up it’s a new morning The sun is shining, it’s a new morningBut you’re going, you’re going home."- Gerry Rafferty, 'Baker Street' www.ifl.tv * Catch the IFL on FSN Saturdays at midnight and LIVE on HDNet on May 16