For $650,000 HDNet acquired all intellectual property owned by the IFL, including their video and image libraries, the “Hex” fighting surface, and the promotion’s website, IFL.tv, as well as other miscellaneous assets.

The majority of the IFL’s fighters, including Chris Horodecki, Roy Nelson, Dan Miller, Ryan Schultz, Jay Hieron, and Wagney Fabiano, have all found new promotions to call home since the IFL folded earlier this year.

“…The IFL will be no more as the company goes into its final stage of being sold and/or closed down.  We are very proud of what we did here in just over two years, building a brand from nothing into something that people in the industry and outside of the industry actually noticed. At the end of the day sometimes the finances don’t make sense, but it certainly wasn’t for lack of trying.”

Though no official announcement has yet been made regarding a potential sale, it has been widely reported that the UFC will purchase select assets from the IFL, likely including its fight video library and remaining fighter contracts.

Dan Miller (8-1) claimed the IFL middleweight title with a first-round submission victory over Ryan McGivern in May in his IFL debut. Miller, who also previously held the middleweight championship of the now-defunct Cage Fury Fighting Championships, has not lost in his last seven bouts.

Jim Miller (11-1) defeated Bart Palaszewski in his IFL debut in April and has won six straight bouts. His lone career loss came against UFC lightweight up-and-comer Frank Edgar.

The UFC is in the process of purchasing the IFL, including the promotion’s video library and remaining fighter contracts. Unlike previous events, UFC announcers Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan made several references to the former rival promotion during Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 14 event and IFL footage was aired to promote UFC newcomer Reese Andy, further indicating that a deal is likely in place.

Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for the latest UFC news and UFC rumors.

The IFL was formed in early-2006 and became known for it’s team-based MMA format. The promotion’s first event took place in April 2006 and the company went public later in the year. Despite signing a television deal with Fox Sports Net the promotion failed to become profitable and was recently forced to cancel an August event due to the company’s financial problems.

The primary acquisitions of a potential purchase include the IFL’s contracted fighters, such as IFL champions Roy Nelson, Vladimir Matyushenko, Dan Miller, Jay Hieron, Ryan Schultz, and Wagnney Fabiano as well as other fighters including Chris Horodecki, Deividas Taurosevicius, Bart Palaszewski, and Jim Miller, as well as the promotion’s library of fights, which would primarily be used to promote the acquired fighters.

The UFC has previously purchased rival promotions World Fighting Alliance and PRIDE.

Here are some things you may have missed:

• Though superfluous in nature, it has been announced that Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Syliva will be fighting for the WAMMA heavyweight title at their July 19th showdown.
• EliteXC announced during their broadcast on Saturday that Scott Smith will rematch Robbie Lawler on CBS on July 26th.
• After causing quite a stir with an alleged “mind blowing” announcement, Dana White has scaled back on his words and claims that he never even planned on making such an announcement to the media.
• Four additional bouts have been added to the UFC 87 card. The newly confirmed bouts are Cheick Kongo vs. Dan Evensen, Frankie Edgar vs. Hermes Franca, Chris Wilson vs. Steve Bruno, Ben Saunders vs. Jared Rollins.
• Former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk believes he will get another title shot after only one or two more fights.
• IFL CEO Jay Larkin made waves after openly insulting the UFC and the sport of MMA in general, while his promotion hangs in the balance.
• It has been rumored that UFC welterweight Matt Hughes is involved in the development of a new reality television program.
• In a recent interview, Guy Mezger detailed how PRIDE officials attempted to “alter” his fights while competing in the Japanese promotion.
• UFC lightweight Nate Diaz has been tapped to face Josh Neer at UFC Fight Night 15 on September 17th.
• Tito Ortiz recently discussed a move to heavyweight and hypothetical opponent Kimbo Slice, in a brief interview with Maxim.
• After a controversial split decision win over Nate Marquardt at UFC 85, Thales Leites has stated that he does not feel Marquardt deserves a rematch any time soon.
• Spike.com will be the new home of Evan Tanner’s personal blog.
• Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell has reportedly gotten engaged.  Liddell has also begun more heavily promoting his vested web-brand, MMAjacked.com.

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.”

For complete results from the event CLICK HERE.

• Ryan Schultz (154) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (154)
• Roy Nelson (264.2) vs. Brad Imes (249.2)
• Ryan McGivern (181.2) vs. Dan Miller (180.5)

PRELIMINARY BOUTS

• Mike Massenzio (185.2) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.7)
• Zac George (155.2) vs. Josh Souder (155.2)
• Matt Horwich (185.7) vs. Joey Guel (185.5)
• Nick Calandrino (170) vs. John Howard (170.5)
• Lamont Lister (205.2) vs. Aaron Stark (205.7)
• John Franchi (155) vs. Frank Latina (152)

A training injury to Fabricio Camoes of Brazil also necessitated a change in a non-championship lightweight bout. Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) will battle John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.). Jim Miller (Sparta, N.J.), originally slated to face Camoes, withdrew from the bout following the injury to Camoes.

Imes, known as “The Hillbilly Heartthrob,” trains with Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa. He He has competed in several MMA organizations, and was notably a finalist in the second season of The Ultimate Fighter television series. Imes is 11-4 in his MMA career and will be making his IFL debut. May 16 will also mark the first IFL bouts for Latina (4-1 overall) and Franchi (3-0).

As previously announced, two other IFL Champions will put their respective titles on the line to headline the card, as Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) takes on Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) at middleweight and Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) defends against Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) at lightweight. HDNet will televise all three championship bouts, plus three preliminary matchups.

The preliminary bouts feature athletes from four MMA camps, including Team Quest, Team Bombsquad, World Class Fight Center and Team Prodigy.

Tickets are available via www.ticketmaster.com, the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, and by telephone at 860-886-0070.

OFFICIAL FIGHT CARD
Championship Bouts

• 185 lbs.: Ryan McGivern (Bettendorf, Iowa) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (6-4, 12-5) vs. Dan Miller (Sparta, N.J.) (AMA Fight Club) (1-0, 7-1)
• 265 lbs.: Roy Nelson (Las Vegas) (Lion’s Den) (5-1, 12-2) vs. Brad Imes (Sacramento, Calif.) (Miletich Fighting Systems) (0-0, 11-4)
• 155 lbs.: Ryan Schultz (North Platte, Neb.) (Team Quest) (6-2, 19-9-1) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (Renzo Gracie) (3-0, 9-2)

Preliminary Bouts

• 155 lbs.: Frank Latina (Middletown, Conn.) (0-0 IFL, 4-1 overall MMA) vs. John Franchi (Cortland, N.Y.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 3-0)
• 205 lbs.: Aaron Stark (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (2-2, 5-4) vs. Lamont Lister (Philadelphia) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-3)
• 170 lbs.: John Howard (Boston) (0-0 IFL, 8-3 overall MMA) vs. Nick Calandrino (Emerson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 5-0)
• 155 lbs.: Zac George (Norman, Okla.) (Team Quest) (1-1, 12-2) vs. Josh Souder (Mason, Ohio) (Team Prodigy) (0-0, 10-6)
• 185 lbs.: Matt Horwich (Portland, Ore.) (Team Quest) (6-4, 21-10-1) vs. Joey Guel (Oregon) (0-0, 12-5)
• 185 lbs.: Danillo Villefort (Pompano Beach, Fla.) (World Class Fight Center) (0-0, 6-2) vs. Mike Massenzio (Paterson, N.J.) (Team Bombsquad) (0-0, 10-1)

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.