Three IFL title-holders tightened the straps on their belts in the Izod Center just through the Lincoln Tunnel from New York City Saturday night. "The Janitor" Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3), Wagnney Fabiano (10-1), and Jay Hieron (15-4) all defended their respective titles with knockouts. Lightweight standout Chris Horodecki (12-1) picked up a unanimous decision, while one-time top 155-pounder "Bartimus" Bart Palaszewski (28-11) continued his slide with a loss by unanimous decision. Featherweight Fabiano set-up a right slobber-knocker to Shad Lierley (2-2) with just his reputation as a submission specialist. "People think I'm just a jiu-jitsu fighter," Fabiano explained after the fight.  "Today I knew he would expect me shooting, so I changed my game plan." The KO came after just 37 seconds. Hieron, an Xtreme Couture 170-pounder, dispatched Mark Miller (8-3) in just 2:10. "It went quicker than I thought, but man it was not easy," said Hieron after his right hook set-up a single-leg takedown leading to a G'n'P finish. "The Janitor" had the toughest time of the IFL's three defending champions. Hometown Jamal Patterson (4-2), who's won exclusively by submission, cranked up striking flurries in the first round causing Matyushenko to duck-and-cover. But, Matyushenko handed Patterson his ass in the second with a ground'n'pound barrage the required the ref to wave the fight finished at 3:35. IFL newcomer Jim Miller (11-1) ran "Bartimus" ragged for three rounds, dumping the winless-in-three lightweight at will and filing through submission attempts like he had an extra limb.  Palaszewski fought back valiantly with several crafty escapes, but Miller took all of the cards in his IFL debut. Horodecki had a handfull named Nate Lamotte (6-3) to contend with in Horodecki's return from his first loss to "The Lion" Ryan Schultz (19-9-1) in IFL's Lightweight Grand Prix final. Lamotte delivered some vicious G'n'P when he was able to catch Horodecki, but the IFL vet kept Lamotte at bay with a snapping jab and pin-pointed punches to take a UD by 29-28 times three. And the rest of the story saw light heavyweight "Shark" Emyr Bussade (11-5) win his IFL debut with a kneebar of Jesse Lennox (6-1) at 1:25 of round two. "Bad" Brad Blackburn (12-9-1) TKO'd "Pe de Chumbo" Delson Heleno (13-5) at 1:50 of the third round of a welterweight matchup. Featherweight LC Davis (10-1) kicked Rafael Dias (10-4-1) in the head for the KO "W" at 3:56 of round three. Xtreme Couture middleweight Alex Schoenauer (13-9) eeked out a split decision over Brendan Barrett (3-3). Finally, heavyweight Miletich fighter Mike Ciesnolevicz (13-3) cut Kongo-conqueror "The Fury" Carmelo Marrero (7-2) with an unintentional headbutt in a fight declared a No Contest after 1:37. The IFL returns 16 May in at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville. ...