Fighters Only

Issue 020

December 2006

September 23rd 2006, Moline, Illinois

Written by Derek Constable, photographed by Zack Lynch.

It was a bittersweet night for the Silverbacks as Pat Miletich’s team defeated Renzo Gracie’s Pitbulls in the International Fighting League’s World Championship Quarterfinals. The event was held in the MARK of the Quad Cities (Moline, Ill.) and topped off a thrilling night of fights with an incredible superfight between Pat Miletich and Renzo Gracie.

The Silverbacks won three of five matches, thanks to a devastating counter punch KO by Ben Rothwell in the final match of the contest, but Miletich submitted to a guillotine choke by Gracie in the first round of their superfight. Despite this emotional win for Gracie, it is Miletich’s fighters who will advance in the IFL’s World Championship tournament.

Tied at two wins apiece, Rothwell entered the ring against Bryan Vetell in need of a win to lift the Silverbacks over the Pitbulls. The two fighters stayed on their feet for most of the first round and Rothwell put the final nail in the coffin by ducking a strong left hand and countering with a devastating right. Rothwell knocked Vetell out cold 3:17 into the first round.

With his team’s victory already in hand, Miletich entered the ring for a super-fight with Gracie. The two men took a few moments to engage, respecting each other’s abilities in the ring, but shortly after getting physical it was Gracie who took the initiative by applying a standing guillotine choke. Miletich remained up for several moments, but Gracie jumped guard and tightened his grip until he felt Miletich give way. Pulling down and back, Gracie forced the tap - Miletich calmly got up and turned around, but took only three steps before falling to his knees from lack of oxygen.

Gracie’s supporters jumped through the ropes, filling the ring with a sea of red Pitbulls jerseys as Miletich sat on the mat trying to regain his composure. Based on the crowd’s sudden outburst, it appeared as if Gracie’s team had won the war, when in fact it was Miletich’s Silverbacks who would advance to the IFL’s World Championship Finals to take on Carlos Newton’s Dragons (Dragons defeated the Razorbacks 3-2)

Another exciting bout that was not to be missed paired Rory Markham (Silverbacks) against Luke Stewart (Pitbulls). Markham won due to strikes at 3:58 of the first round, but only after nearly having his ankle broken. As the two fighters tangled neared the end the first round, Stewart applied an ankle lock that would have stopped most men, but reportedly after the fight Markham said he made a deal with God and was unafraid of having his ankle broken. He said, “God, I’m going to let him break my foot, I got another one.”

Markham miraculously escaped the hold and as soon as he got to his feet, lunged toward his opponent delivering a powerful right cross. This was the very same “Superman punch” which knocked out Mike Pyle in Markham’s IFL debut. The solid shot sent Stewart to the mat and Markham mounted his opponent delivering a final series of hard blows, ending the match by TKO 3:58 into Round 1 of the fight.

With ten fights between two teams, not to mention a superfight between Miletich and Gracie, the IFL certainly packed in a crowd at the MARK. There were reportedly over 6,000 people in attendance, including several Hall-of-Fame worthy fighters such as Marco Ruas, Don Fry, Allan Goes, Mark Kerr, Ricardo Almeida and Bas Rutten. Both the Ultimate Fighting Championships and the North American Grappling Association (NAGA) hosted shows on the same date, albeit in Las Vegas and New Hampshire. That the fighters featured on this show had the pick of where to be and chose the IFL speaks volumes as to the growing status of this promotion. As the IFL and other organisations continue to grow in size and popularity, there is truly no limit to how big the sport of mixed martial arts can become in the United States and the world.