IFL Feb 29th UnderCard Preview

Xtreme Couture (Coach Shawn Tompkins) vs. World Class Fight Center (Coach Mario Sperry)


-Santino DeFranco vs. Rafael Dias

Santino DeFranco Scouting Report:

vs Melvin Guillard


vs Robert Maldanado


vs Josh Pacheco


Analysis: DeFranco is fighter out of the Southwest MMA circuit. Pretty slick bjj/submisssion wrestling game. Has some experience on a larger stage, having fought on both Rumble on the Rock and Bodog cards. Has only fought sporadically, sometimes fighting once in a calendar year so rustiness may be an issue. Is 1-1 vs next level competition with a win over Melvin Guillard and a loss to Rodrigo Damm.


Rafael Dias Scouting Report:

vs Eduardo Pessoa in the Copa Brasilia BJJ Tourney



Analysis: BJJ guy, formerly aligned with American Top Team but fighting here for Mario Sperry's team. Started of on the Florida MMA circuit before working several cards for Bodog. In a fight between two ground specialists, Dias seems to have the better pedigree, so i would tend to favor him if it goes to the ground.


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-Josh Haynes vs. Leopoldo Serao

Leopoldo Serao Scouting Report:
Leopoldo's Tryout with the IFL



Cristiano Lazzarini Vs. Leopoldo Serao


Analysis: Serao is a BJJ guy that has been around for a while, fighting since 1998. Has competed in the BJJ US Open. Has been unable to have that break through performance when facing the elite level talent, with losses to Assuerio Silva, Ninja Rua, and Jorge Santiago. Is Dangerous on the ground, but like a lot of the bjj guys, has a weak stand up game, a weakness that got him KO'ed in his only fight of 07 vs journeyman Rob Wince. He should be able to get Haynes on the ground at some point and when he does he needs to finish him quickly. Haynes has a way of biding his time on the ground, avoiding sub attempts and then making the guy pay for giving him another life.


Josh Haynes Scouting Report

Haynes vs Seth Kleinbeck


Cedric Marks vs Haynes


Analysis: Haynes is the more well known guy in the match-up due to his time on reality TV in The Ultimate Fighter and Ty Murray’s Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge. Haynes isn't the most talented guy in the world but is tougher than a $2 steak, and shows a lot of heart win or lose. His forte is mainly in the clinch and on the ground, as to be expected from a guy aligned with Team Quest and Coach Matt Lindland. He's generally overmatched when in with a striker, but his own striking game should be superior to Serao's and will be his route to the pay window in this fight. He needs to use his clinch and sprawl to keep this on the feet and pick apart Serao's suspect boxing skills.

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-Lew Polley vs. Alexandre Ferreira

Lew Polley Scouting Report:

weight training


Radio interview with Lew


Nice bio piece on IFL.com

Analysis: Polley is a former college wrestler at UNC-Pembroke. Trains with American Top Team and will fight for them on next month's card. Is filling in for XtremeCouture because he was referred by EC fighter Benji Radach after one of their fighters got injured. Has a win over highly regarded Roger Hollett. His one loss was in SpiritMC, a fight he took on 2 days notice. Has talked of possibly dropping down to 185. Kinda reminds me of Dan Henderson that he strikes to set up the takedown effectively. Uses the ground and pound but has also been able to work a few armbars in from the top. Lew Probably feels more comfortable on the ground but he's not gonna want to go there with Ferreira. Will need to work at getting underhooks, sprawling and trying to outpoint Ferreira standing.


Alexandre Cacareco Ferreira Scouting Report:


vs Rodrigo Rsicado


vs Paulo Filho Grappling Match


vs Fabricio Werdum Grappling (He beat Werdum)


Analysis: Ferreira is a bit small for 205 but it doesn't seem to slow him down. Has been fighting again the past couple of years after taking about 4 years off from the sport. Had some nice wins pre-2000 (Heath Herring Bob Schribjer Rodney "Die" Faverus). Doesn't have any KO losses on his card so he either has a good chin or is able to get the fight to the ground on his terms (the latter based on his bowling ball physique.) That will probably be his game plan here, get it to the ground where his submission experience should take the day.

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Jake Ellenberger of Team Quest vs Pat Healy of the Lion's Den

Jake Ellenberger Scouting Report:

vs Jose Pele Landis-Jons


vs Zach Light


Analysis: Ellenberger trains with Matt Lindland at Team Quest in Oregon. Only losses in IFL competition were to Grand Prix Finalists Jay Hieron and Delson Heleno. Is well rounded with good wrestling, a potent ground and pound, pretty decent stand up. Seems to be a little more athletic and dynamic than Healy. May try to exploit a stand up advantage to overwhelm Healy.





Pat Healy
vs Chris Wilson


vs Rory Markham



Analysis: Healy has a spotty record, but he has been in there with a long list of "name" guys. He has wins over WEC Champ Carlos Condit and Cage Rage Champ Paul Semtex Daley. Has been in there with Denis Kang, Chris Lytle, Jay Hieron, Chris Wilson, Carlo Prater, Rory Markham, and Tiki. Known to have a good chin despite the two knockout clips above, he usually puts on some entertaining fights. Is only 24 but is a veteran at that age with all of the quality fighters he has faced. Will probably want to use his wrestling to take Ellenberger down a try to work for a sub from the top or get Ellenberger's back and choke him out.