Lori Tyler & Emily Miller
© Marc Wickert
www.knucklepit.com
All photos copyright IFL 2006
September 23, 2006 saw Pat Miletich’s Quad City Silverbacks take on Renzo Gracie’s New York Pitbulls at the Mark in Quad City. What resulted was one of the most intensely fought wars between 10 of mixed martial arts’ leading fighters in their respective weight divisions. In the lead-up to this showdown, both teams had secretly plotted the same game plan – to take the opposing side by surprise with their bulldozer-brand of aggressive warfare.
The ultimate winners of this thunder-blasting action were the fans who were treated to one of MMA’s most memorable nights, featuring five high-octane bouts, and the heart-melting struts between rounds by ring girls Lori Tyler and Emily Miller.
More daunting is the prospect of the long-anticipated IFL Finals between the Portland Wolfpack and the Quad Silverbacks scheduled for December 29, 2006 in Connecticut.
The Battles
Bart Palaszewski (5’9” 156 lb) vs Marcio Feitosa (5’11” 157 lb)
– Lightweight
Bart Palaszewski vs Marcio Feitosa
Round One
They stood toe-to-toe, feeling each other out.
3.26: Bart launched a right and left, then a right high kick combo that Marcio stepped away from. With a solid guard and chin tucked in, Bart was closing in on Marcio who was taunting with his hands low, hoping Bart would take the bait and leave himself open for a shoot.
3.09: Bart dispatched another right and left followed by the right high kick. Again, Marcio backed out of range.
3.04: Feitosa threw a whopping left loop to get Palaszewski’s attention, then lunged in for the takedown. Palaszewski defended well and stood clinched in the corner.
2.31: Marcio had his way and Bart was on his back with Marcio in open guard.
2.02: The ref recommenced the action in the same position at center ring. Bart was hugging Marcio in closed guard while Marcio delivered fists, but they were of little consequence.
0.52: The ref separated them and restarted play. The pair swapped gloves and Marcio scored with a powerful leg kick.
0.20: Marcio attempted another takedown, which Bart defended against and they faced off again.
0.08: Bart returned the kick, before Marcio replied with a high front kick that Bart avoided as the bell rang.
Round Two
Marcio missed with a jab and Bart missed with a leg kick. Both then sent out jabs that failed to connect.
3.45: Marcio opted for the takedown and Bart defended.
3.14: More shadow boxing till 3.14 when Palaszewski glanced Feitosa with a left loop.
3.04: Feitosa scored a leg kick.
2.59: Feitosa tried to shoot in and succeeded taking down Palaszewski. Feitosa used g’n’p-ing to dominate, then stood up while Palaszewski kicked up from his back. Marcio dived into Bart’s guard and attacked his body with short punches. Bart tried tying Marcio up, but Marcio was still working away with fists.
1.11: The ref moved them away from the ropes.
0.21: Marcio stood from the guard and rained down with two loaded lefts to Bart’s face. On the bell, the commentators agreed the first two rounds belonged to Feitosa. It appeared he had dominated the action thus far.
Round Three
They traded more aggressively in the stand-up, and it appeared Bart caught one in the mouth.
3.31: Marcio went for the takedown, but Bart just shrugged him off.
3.25: Feitosa attempted another shoot while Palaszewski closed in, looking for the knockout. Marcio slipped and Bart moved in with a knee to the body. They parted. Bart’s intentions were obvious and he had Marcio on the run, dodging Palaszewski’s big fists.
3.00: Palaszewski caught Feitosa in a Thai clinch and shot up a knee. When Marcio broke free, Bart rewarded him with a powerful right uppercut. Bart was outgunning Marcio in the glove department.
2.41: Feitosa shot for Palaszewski’s left leg.
2.26: Bart was standing in the clinch and dispatched a big knee to Marcio’s breadbasket. They played tug o’ war, clinching in the corner till the ref intervened with 1.47 remaining on the clock.
1.30: Marcio landed with a right jab and Bart answered with a right cross. Bart was unloading hooks and an uppercut.
1.24: Marcio didn’t like being peppered and elected to clinch.
1.21: Palaszewski drove in two more strong knees to the body.
0.57: Feitosa seized Palaszewski’s right leg and attempted to pull him to the ground.
0.30: The ref restarted them from the clinch.
0.20: Marcio fired off a left and Bart sent it back. Bart scored an uppercut, and Marcio quickly latched on. He grabbed Bart’s right leg and pulled him down as the bell pulled the third round up.
The judges were not unanimous in their decisions, but awarded the fight to Bart. Marcio was not impressed.
Result: Bart Palaszewski by split decision.
Silverbacks 1 Pitbulls 0
Rory Markham (5’11” 170 lb) vs Marcelo Azevedo (5’11” 171 lb)
– Lightweight
Rory Markham vs Marcelo Azevedo
Marcello came out cracking with a leg strike and went for the shoot. But Rory checked the leg kick and sprawled. Rory snapped on a guillotine and Marcelo pulled him to the canvas, briefly taking side control before Rory wriggled Marcelo into his guard.
3.26: Azevedo stood up in Markham’s open guard, with Markham appearing to go for an arm bar, while Azevedo vied for a heel hook.
3.09: Marcello latched on an ankle lock and Rory rolled from one corner to the other in an attempt to spin his way out. Amazingly the multi-skilled Markham escaped the hold.
2.50: Rory was crouched over Marcelo.
2.42: Marcelo fought from Rory’s open guard.
2.16: Marcelo stood and looked to rain down leather.
2.14: He had side control before going into Rory’s guard, then half guard, then back to side control. The pace was blistering. One second Marcelo had Rory’s back, then a blink later, Azevedo was in Markham’s guard.
1.16: Markham had them on their feet in the clinch.
1.08: They were standing apart.
1.06: The ref called time out to adjust Azevedo’s shorts. Marcelo threw a jab and Rory answered with a blasting left and right that backed Marcelo up. Azevedo went for a shoot, but Markham fought it off.
Rory dispatched a superman punch and had Marcelo fighting from his back. But the damage was done. Markham jackhammered away with his right fist – punctuated by the odd left – causing Marcelo to go for an arm bar. Rory shrugged it off and cranked up the jackhammering another notch, before the ref switched it off.
Result: Rory Markham by TKO – 3.58, Round One.
Silverbacks 2 Pitbulls 0
Fabio Leopoldo (6’1” 187 lb) vs Ryan McGivern (6’0” 185 lb)
– Middleweight
Fabio Leopoldo vs Ryan McGivern
Round One
Fabio moved in with jabs and Ryan countered with an overhand right. They exchanged more fists then clinched in the corner. Ryan tried to hip-throw Fabio and was eventually successful after they quick-stepped from one corner to the opposite end of the ring.
3.33: McGivern had Leopoldo fighting from his back when the ref informed the fighters they were to relocate at center ring. McGivern stepped across, and Fabio – still on the ground – walked on all fours, with the pair strangely resembling a solidly built gladiator and a muscular lion parading at the Colosseum. Back in position, Ryan did some close-quarter striking from Fabio’s half guard, while Fabio looked for a limb to tie up.
2.52: McGivern stood up and Leopoldo followed.
2.22: McGivern was throwing big fists, which Leopoldo evaded by circling out of harm’s way until Ryan backed him up with a jab.
2.17: Ryan then caught him with a right. Fabio scored with an uppercut, but Ryan overrode that with another right.
2.15: They clinched. McGivern forced Leopoldo into the corner and landed some body shots. He drove a knee up into Leopoldo’s midsection as Fabio spun him into the corner. Ryan was hooking his right fist around the back of Fabio’s head and striking him on the right temple from the clinch.
1.42: Fabio brought his knee up into Ryan’s midsection and Ryan spun Fabio’s back into the corner.
1.35: McGivern took Leopoldo down and Leopoldo slipped on a guillotine.
1.11: Ryan powered his way out of the choke before starting to g’n’p from the guard.
1.00: The ref moved them to center ring.
0.24: Ryan got half guard, then stood and was striking down at Fabio.
0.14: Ryan had side control, then the mount as the bell rang.
Between rounds, McGivern’s corner worked his right eye, which was closing up from a strike.
Round Two
They faced off and Ryan landed another of his strong jabs. Fabio came back with a leg kick, then a left and right fist.
3.31: McGivern jabbed again.
3.26: Leopoldo moved in for the takedown after McGivern fared better with the first trade off. Ryan resisted the takedown and they clinched in the corner.
3.10: Ryan drove a knee into Fabio’s body. They exchanged more fists and Ryan took Fabio down. Fighting from half guard, Ryan dispatched more fists.
1.48: The ref separated them.
1.23: They scrambled and Ryan had Fabio’s back. Fabio rolled and fitted Ryan out with a knee bar. Ryan tapped.
Result: Fabio Leopoldo by knee-bar submission – 2.49, Round Two.
Silverbacks 2 Pitbulls 1
Andre Gusmao (6’2” 206 lb) vs Mike Ciesnolevicz (6’0” 206 lb)
– Light Heavyweight
Andre Gusmao vs Mike Ciesnolevicz
Round One
Mike looked to shut it down early and came out swinging bombs. Andre circled out of Mike’s flight path. They squared off as Andre came in blazing, and Mike went for the takedown. Andre pounded as Mike climbed back to his feet and took Andre down.
3.33: Gusmao latched on a guillotine. The pair played the waiting game as Gusamo looked up at the referee for a second opinion on the severity of his choke-out attempt.
2.15: Ciesnolevicz weathered the storm and his head popped out. The ref restarted the action from center ring. Mike moved from guard to half guard and commenced pounding Andre’s body with left fists.
0.55: They were standing in a clinch.
0.50: The ref separated them after Mike was kneed in the cricket set. Mike nodded that he was okay to continue. They traded and Mike elected to take Andre back down. After Mike seized Andre’s right leg, Andre snapped on another guillotine. Mike broke free and they exchanged strikes in the remaining seconds.
Round Two
Gusmao leg-kicked.
3.40: Gusmao fired off a high kick that whizzed over Ciesnolevicz’s head, then followed with a front kick to Ciesnolevicz’s body. Gusmao tried another front kick and Ciesnolevicz returned fire with a left hook, but neither connected.
3.27: Andre moved in with fists and knees. Mike fell to the floor. Andre stood over Mike and unloaded fists. He pounded Mike until the ref stepped in.
Result: Andre Gusmao by TKO – 1.01, Round Two.
Silverbacks 2 Pitbulls 2
Ben Rothwell (6’5” 265 lb) vs Bryan Vetell (6’1” 266 lb) – Heavyweight
Ben Rothwell vs Bryan Vetell
They squared off – Bryan with his guard up, Ben with his lead hand hanging out like a probe.
3.37: Ben shot out a big right that Bryan avoided. Ben then started to dispatch a right kick, but pulled it back in midflight. Bryan banged down a right hammer-fist type strike that missed its target.
3.21: Vetell lunged forward with a right and left, then clinched and tried kneeing Rothwell’s thigh.
2.55: He had Rothwell backed into the corner and delivered some more knees to Ben’s right thigh.
2.40: Rothwell responded with left fists to Vetell’s ribs.
2.37: Vetell kneed Rothwell in the midsection; Rothwell had enough of the clinches and broke free.
2.29: Bryan slammed Ben’s lead leg with a kick.
2.10: Ben came in with fists blazing, which prompted Bryan to clinch and turn Ben’s back into the corner.
1.56: Ben rummaged his way out and reversed positions with Bryan, then pounded left fists into Bryan’s ribs from the clinch.
1.32: Vetell worked his way out of the corner and tried to calf-hook one of Rothwell’s legs from the clinch.
1.21: Ben delivered a right knee to Bryan’s abs, and Bryan returned the favor.
1.14: Ben had Bryan back in the corner before the ref parted them.
1.09: They faced off in center ring.
1.02: More clinching before Ben drove up a big knee into Bryan’s stomach and forced him back into the corner. He followed with another knee and Bryan wrapped a headlock on Ben.
0.50: Rothwell backed away, then connected with a left and right. Vetell responded with a left that Rothwell ducked under and countered with a “sick enough” right that put Vetell away.
Result: Ben Rothwell by KO – 3.17, Round One.
Silverbacks 3 Pitbulls 2
This victory over the Pitbulls earned the Silverbacks team a place in the semifinals against the Toronto Dragons on November2, 2006 in Portland, Oregon.
Emily Miller driving Lori Tyler to the IFL World Team Championship Final Dec. 29, 2006
