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. ...

Former UFC lightweight Dan Lauzon tapped his late-replacement opponent, Frank Latina, in a triangle choke at 3:01 of the first round at the World Championship Fighting event in  Wilmington, Massachusetts Friday. Lauzon, 8-2, cranked up after a straight right bent his head backwards.  The fight hit the mat and Lauzon took Latina, 4-1, through a list of submissions before sinking the final technique. Lauzon's fight will be featured in a future episode of "TapouT", an MMA reality show on the Versus network hosted by the founders of the TapouT apparel line. "The Upgrade" Lauzon is noted as the youngest fighter to appear in the UFC at 18-years old in October 2006, losing to Spencer Fisher.  His win versus Latina may have been an audition for a gig in the WEC. Also on the card, Henrique Bicalho tapped Jason Bennett at 2:15 of the first round. Nate Kittredge fell to 2-1 after a disqualification loss to Ronnie Wuest at 1:40 of the first. Welterweight Nuri Shakur ended a four-fight losing strike with a TKO of Travis Lerchen. John Benoit choked out Justin Hammerstrom in a triangle 45-seconds into the second round. Ken Stone improved to 3-0 after 1:46 with winless Daniel Duarte.  Duarte has lost both of his professional MMA fights in a rear naked choke. John Franchi TKO'd Justin Homsey at 40 seconds of the second round to improve to 3-0. Nate LaMotte ended Stephen Stengal's night in 39 seconds. Dan Bonnell evened to 3-3 with a guillotine choke of Mark Giove 2:45 into the fight. Greg Croteau defeated Aaron Chidester by unanimous decision. Larry Kerrigan choked out Lou Czekalski by guillotine at 3:23 of the second round. Jose Lopez notched his first win, a unanimous decision over Sean Ratcliff. UFC President, Bostonian Dan White made a special guest appearance at the Aleppo Shriners Auditorium for the second WCF card. ...