Originally fighting in the 155-pound class, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt originally pared down to the bantamweight class, however has found little success in the new division.

After going 2-1 in the new division, Fabiano is committed to returning to the more comfortable weight-class of 145-pounds upon his UFC debut, and hopes that he can regain some of the early success that he attained not so long ago.

In his last outing, Fabiano met with perennial contender Joseph Benavidez at WEC 52 last November, where he was surprisingly submitted with second-round guillotine choke.

Fabiano, though never says it directly, attributes the tough weight-cut to his not so impressive performances inside the cage. While he’s usually been able to submit his opponent’s, Fabiano has had difficulty doing so when he met with overmatched opponents such as Frank Gomez and Clint Godfrey, taking both men to a decision.

“That weight cut destroyed me”, said the former IFL champion who spoke with TATAME.com about his future.

“It was a hell of a sacrifice, but I can’t keep up losing that kind of weight… Not for fighting.”

Despite suffering a loss in his last outing against Benavidez during the WEC/UFC merger, Fabiano will still be part of the Zuffa fold, and hopes to return in the coming months.

“I won’t fight on the 135lbs anymore, I’m going to the 145lbs… I can’t do it anymore”.

So, MMA peeps, what do you think of Wagnney’s decision to move back up to the featherweight class? It is where he originally found success as a mixed martial artist, becoming the IFL’s 145-pound champion. Sound off in the comment section below.

World Extreme Cagefighting, the sister promotion of the UFC under the Zuffa banner, has since merged with the worlds largest mixed martial arts organization and as such, with the heavy influx of new fighters, a lot will be cut heading in.

More than likely, those of whom are coming off of losses heading into the UFC will be cut pre-merger, however Fabiano is still secured to be among the few to transition into the organization’s new bantamweight class.

“It was like a thump for me. I was well trained, feeling fine, but I was defected at that time, I don’t know what happened, I froze”, said the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt of his submission loss to Benavidez, who spoke with TATAME.com on the matter.

“I was fine on the two first guillotine chokes, but then I stopped, froze again and, when I realized, it was too tight. It was very frustrating for me. I know I still have four more fights, but it doesn’t mean a thing. My loses bring much learning to me and I’ll change it all for my next fight.”

It was Benavidez’ patented aggressive style, which is customary with will all ‘Team Alpha Male’ products, that threw him off the most come fight time.

“It’s that thing: you won’t change a winning team… I’ve been doing the same training for all my opponents, but this one was completely different”, said the former IFL featherweight champion.

“I didn’t expect him to be so aggressive, I thought he’d use his Wrestling skills, so I was lost… I was cool, but then I just froze.”

However, a 4-2 record inside the WEC will carry the Brazilian over into his new career inside the UFC.

“I’m there. I have four more fights to do, but it doesn’t mean a thing, everybody knows that”, said the Nova Uniao product.

“My next fight must be different, I’ll change it all, I have to go there and win because I couldn’t get this one… Let’s move on and keep the hard trainings, trying to improve more and more because that’s the main goal: to keep improving. Let’s see, let’s go there and try to bring this win home.”

So, MMA peeps, what do you make of Wagnney’s claims? Would you like to see him transition to the UFC, and if so, against who? Sound off in the comment section below.

MMAWeekly recently verified the following fighter salaries with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. As was expected, headlining attraction “The California Kid” Urijah Faber topped the list as the highest-paid athlete. Here’s how everything broke down…

Urijah Faber: $56,000 (includes $28,000 win bonus) defeats Takeya Mizugaki: $10,000.

Chad Mendes: $17,000 (includes $8,500 win bonus) defeats Javier Vazquez: $11,000

Erik Koch: $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) defeats Francisco Rivera: $4,000

Joseph Benavidez: $35,000 (includes $17,500 win bonus) defeats Wagnney Fabiano: $19,000

Demetrious Johnson: $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) defeats Damacio Page: $9,000

Raphael Assuncao: $26,000 (includes $13,000 win bonus) defeats L.C. Davis: $11,000

Anthony Njokuani: $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) defeats Edward Faaloloto: $3,500

Dustin Poirier: $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus) defeats Zachary Micklewright: $3,000

Michael McDonald: $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus) defeats Clint Godfrey: $3,000

Cub Swanson: $21,000 (includes $11,000 win bonus) defeats Mackens Semerzier: $4,000

Yves Jabouin: $5,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus) defeats Brandon Visher: $4,000

MMAWeekly also got the list of fighter medical suspensions from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, here’s those numbers as well…

Urijah Faber is suspended until 5/11/11 unless his left shoulder is cleared by a medical professional.

Takeya Mizugaki is suspended until 12/27/10 with no contact until 12/12/10.

Javier Vazquez must have his nasal and facial bones x-rayed, if the results are positive he must be cleared by a doctor with no contact until 5/11/11. Otherwise, Vazquez is suspended until 12/27/10 with no contact until 12/12/10.

Francisco Rivera is suspended until 12/27/10 with no contact until 12/12/10 following a knockout.

Raphael Assuncao must have his right foot x-rayed and cleared by a medical professional or else he is suspended until 5/11/11.

Edward Faaloloto is suspended until 12/12/10 with no contact until 12/3/10 due to a left eyebrow laceration.

Zack Micklewright is suspended until 12/27/10 with no contact until 12/12/10.

Clint Godfrey is suspended until 5/11/11 unless cleared by a medical professional due to a left elbow injury.

Yves Jabouin must have his left thumb x-rayed and cleared by a medical professional or he is suspended until 5/11/11.

All in all, it seems like a par-for-the-course WEC event. Unless the fighter’s injuries turn out to be more severe than previously thought, I think we may see a quick return for many of the fighters listed. In regards to the official payouts, it doesn’t surprise me in the least bit that Faber took top billing. Joseph Benavidez also earned every bit of his salary with his fantastic submission win. And to be perfectly honest, I am a bit surprised that Takeya Mizugaki made so, so much less money when compared to some of the other stars of the night. Perhaps he really was just a sacrificial lamb to save Faber’s career.

But what do you think, fans and friends? Any unexpected surprises when it comes to who got paid and who’s on the injured list?

Next for Damacio Page: Slugging it out with the other heavy-handed strikers in the new UFC Bantamweight division. It’s going to take time and a lot of work if Page ever wants to get close to a title shot, but he probably won’t have any problems consistently finding work in the UFC. Page is the kind of fighter UFC President Dana White loves: he’ll take two to give one, he’s got a pretty good chin, and he comes to knock out or get knocked out. He’ll be a consistent mid-level threat.

Next for Demetrious Johnson/Joseph Benavidez: Each other, which is why I grouped them together. I think Benavidez/Johnson would be a fantastic match. Johnson displayed some great technical wizardry off of his back when Page slammed him and threw him to the ground in their fight, but he also displayed the kind of sneaky striking power that nearly KO’d Page. Benavidez’s striking power is no secret, and neither is his vastly under-rated ground game. This fight would go a long way towards establishing the next Bantamweight contender, and it’d also probably be highly entertaining, so I’m all for seeing it happen.

Next for Wagnney Fabiano: Fabiano is 2-1 in the WEC’s Bantamweight division, so while he may never have truly lived up to his hype, there’s still a future for Fabiano in the UFC. I honestly think this loss to Benavidez was nothing more and nothing less than a stupid mistake: Fabiano took his ground expertise for granted and opened himself up to submissions, both to score a better position and because he thought he’d be able to wriggle out of anything Benavidez could throw at him. That was obviously not the case. Fabiano doesn’t have to go back to the drawing board, but in the future, if he wants to succeed he should bear in mind that anything is possible and that your strongest weapon can still fail you.

Next for Eric Koch/Next for Chad Mendes: Again, these two are grouped together because I think they should fight each other. Both men have displayed a ton of heart and skill in their time with the WEC, and their victories at WEC 52 put them both within shouting distance of a championship opportunity. Plus it’s a rematch, and most people love rematches.

Next for Urijah Faber: No matter what the future holds for Urijah Faber, I think he’ll be a co-main event or main event star for most of his run in the UFC. Faber was one of the WEC’s best and could end up being a big draw for the UFC. In regards to his future as a fighter rather than as a PPV draw, I think Faber has a long, hard road ahead of him as he faces several worthy challengers before being given a shot at the championship. But it’s a road Faber can and will walk on, if given the opportunity. By the end of 2011, we’ll probably see Faber challenging for the UFC Bantamweight Championship.

And that’s what I think, fans and friends. Now it’s your turn. Get your crystal globe out and start predicting: what does the future hold for the winners and losers of WEC 52?

Courtesy of MMA Mania: Urijah Faber defeats Takeya Mizugaki via submission (rear naked choke) at 4:50 of round one. Joseph Benavidez defeats Wagnney Fabiano via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:45 of round two. Erik Koch defeats Francisco Rivera via technical knockout (strikes) at 1:36 of round one. Chad Mendes defeats Javier Vazquez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Demetrius Johnson defeats Damacio Page via submission (guillotine choke) at 2:27 of round three. Dustin Poirier defeats Zack Micklewright via technical knockout (strikes) at 0:53 of round one. Michael McDonald defeats Clint Godfrey via submission (armbar) at 2:42 of round one. Cub Swanson defeats Mackens Semerzier via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Raphael Assuncao defeats L.C. Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Anthony Njokuani defeats Edward Faaloloto via technical knockout (strikes) at 4:54 of round two. Yves Jabouin defeats Brandon Visher via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

I probably sound like a broken record by now, but I’d just once again like to state how 2010 was a banner year for the WEC. This event didn’t disappoint, and it was another fine entry in the story of the “little-promotion-that-could” and the performers that will soon make their rightly-justified debut in the world’s biggest Mixed Martial Arts promotion. There was honestly not a whole lot to dislike in this event, we saw some incredible finishes and some amazing wars. Page vs. Johnson was the archetypal show opening, and I mean that with only the positive in mind: it was fast, it had a bit of everything, it featured two skilled opponents, and it saw a finish.

River/Koch and Benavidez/Fabiano were two great matches as well. Erik Koch proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’s the real deal, and he’s certainly put himself firmly into the mix and should be a major player when the UFC/WEC merger comes through. Likewise, Benavidez proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that you absolutely, positively should not sleep on his ground game, or else you’ll suffer the consequences. The way he was able to submit such a highly-lauded grappler just astounds me. He may never beat Dominick Cruz, but you should never, ever count out Joseph Benavidez.

When it comes to Urijah Faber, I think I’ve gone out of my way to say how hopeful I was that the man had a comeback inside of him. Part of me knew I was right, but to be perfectly honest, part of me did hold some doubts as to whether or not Faber’s drop down in weight would hinder his performance. Instead, what we got was vintage “California Kid”, and I couldn’t be happier that Faber took the first big step on the long road back to a championship. No matter what the future holds for Urijah Faber, I’ll certainly be pulling for him.

The same goes for the WEC as a whole: no matter how the UFC/WEC merger ends up playing out, I’ll always think positive. As the final chapter draws to a close, WEC 52 was one to remember. And I’ll always remember the WEC as a promotion so good that I literally adopted the role of town crier because it astounded me that so many MMA fans were potentially missing out on all this great action.

And what about you, fans and friends? How did you feel about the event?

Damacio Page vs. Demetrious Johnson: Even though Johnson shows a lot of promise for an up-and-comer, I think this fight boils down to the simple fact that Page has more experience inside the WEC and in general. He’s fought tougher opponents and has been involved in more wars. Unless he catches lightning in a bottle and scores a first-round KO, look for Damacio Page to take a lopsided Unanimous Decision win.

Joseph Benavidez vs. Wagnney Fabiano: Both men have won seven fights by submission, but many are giving the ground game to Fabiano based on the fact that his Brazilian Jui Jitsu pedigree is a step above the former WEC Bantamweight Championship challenger. Me, I think Fabiano’s ground game is technically better, but that Benavidez is by far more well-rounded. It’s going to be very close if it hits the ground, but if Benavidez fights smart, I think he’ll take a somewhat close (but not razor-thin) Unanimous Decision.

Francisco Rivera vs. Erik Koch: It’ll be the classic battle between the striker and the grappler, with both men being relatively new to the sport of MMA. Like Page, I think experience is a key factor here. Koch has more fights, won more decisively, and has three fights in the famed blue cage to Rivera’s none. Look for Koch to win via submission by the second round at the very latest.

Chad Mendes vs. Javier Vazquez: Vasquez is 2-2 in the WEC while Mendes is 3-0. Mendes would seem to have the clear advantage, but something tells me that this is going to be a very close fight. Mendes has never lost, but Vazquez has never been finished, and his two losses in the WEC were Split Decisions. Unfortunately for Javier, I think Chad Mendes is riding a rocket to the top that can’t be stopped. It’ll be one of the toughest fights on the card and a real test for Mendes, but ultimately I’m picking Chad Mendes to win by Split Decision.

Urijah Faber vs. Takeya Mizugaki: I know it’s wishful thinking, and I’m sure it’ll be called blatant fanboyism if someone chose to go down that road and get that debate going. But I just have to believe that Urijah Faber has one big, great comeback left in him. The alternative is that the man that put the WEC on the map is going to become an after-thought now that all the hard work has paid off and the lighter stars are about to get their justly-deserved bumps in pay and exposure. I’m sincerely hoping that Faber brings back the beast against Mizugaki, and I have faith that he’ll do just that. I know I’m going out on a limb here, but here it is: Faber wins by first-round TKO.

So those are my picks, fans and friends. What about you? What do you see happening when “Faber vs. Mizugaki” goes live?

The once undefeated fighter tore his way to a title shot after dispatching some of the best in his weight class, in Will Ribeiro, Damacio Page and Marcos Galvao, en route to a title shot against then champion, Miguel Torres.

Seemingly unbeatable, the Georgia boy made quick work of the mullet-wonder with a swift first round knockout, cementing his spot as the best bantamweight in the world–though his glory and accolades didn’t hold up for all that long.

MMAJunkie.com has reported that an undisclosed injury has prevented the return of Bowles, who hails out of the famed Hardcore Gym, which is run by former UFC fighter Rory Singer, and has produced some of the best fighters in the world, including former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

In his loss to Cruz, the then undefeated Brian was unable to counter the speed and precision that Cruz’ operated on, which advanced striking skills that elude people still in the 135-pound weight class. At the end of the second round, Bowles was unable to answer the bell to reengage in combat when he suffered a broken hand in the fight. The loss to Dominick snapped an undefeated 8 fight win streak.

Brian was to make his much anticipated return to the cage on November 11 at Pearl at the Palms Casino, in Las Vegas, Nev., for WEC 52 against top bantamweight fighter, Wagnney Fabiano.

The search is currently underway for a new fighter to replace Bowles, and it is rumored that former title challenger Joseph Benavidez is tapped as Brian’s replacement, however, no formal announcement has been made yet.

So, MMA peeps, are you disappointed with the removal? Would Benavidez provide a good replacement? Sound off in the comment section below.

Urijah Faber, once the undisputed top Featherweight in the world, will look to make his debut at Bantamweight at WEC 52 after going 2-3 in his last five fights. Faber’s first fight at 135 in the WEC was scheduled to take place at WEC 50, but he was forced to pull out due to an injury. Faber’s opponent at WEC 52 will be the same man he was scheduled to face in the first place, former WEC Bantamweight Championship challenger Takeya Mizugaki. Mizugaki earned much acclaim for his five-round losing effort against then-champion Miguel Torres, and despite going 2-2 in the promotion, should prove to be a good first test as “The California Kid” tests the waters of 136.

Brian Bowles also reached undisputed top-of-the-world status in his weight division, although his run at the top would prove to be far more short-lived than Faber’s. Bowles rocketed to the top of his division and even the pound-for-pound list when he became the only man to ever KO Miguel Torres, who up to then had been on an incredible seventeen-fight win streak. In his first defense of the WEC Bantamweight Championship, however, he was soundly picked apart by then-challenger and now-champion Dominick Cruz en route to having the fight called off after the second round due to Bowles breaking his hand. Bowles will face the tough journeyman fighter Wagnney Fabiano, a ten-year veteran of the sport whose record stands at 14-2, with four wins and one loss inside the WEC.

I’m very excited for both Urijah Faber’s debut at 135 and Brian Bowles’ return to 135. I think these two former champions still have a lot left to give to the WEC fans, and I think both men will be successful in their return bouts. I’ll be honest and admit that I’m pulling for Faber harder than I’m pulling for Bowles, though. I think Faber has had to deal with some tough losses recently, and I hope that a drop down in weight will reinvigorate him as it has reinvigorated so many MMA greats in the past. Even though both men are now on the comeback trail instead of their former path of dominance, I think a Miguel Torres vs. Urijah Faber superfight would be a Fight of the Year contender, so I hope both men prove successful enough to see this fight materialize.

With just two fights announced, I’m already eagerly anticipating WEC 52. The WEC has been on a pretty incredible hot streak as of late, and this show probably won’t disappoint in the slightest. It’ll be Urijah Faber taking on a tough, never-say-die opponent while the heavy-handed Brian Bowles faces a veteran submission specialist. If both men put on good performances, I think this will immediately put them back into title contention, especially Faber, who has been given title shots after winning a single fight in the past. And perhaps the two men will eventually fight each other? That would also be an awesome match. Both Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles will have to prove that they still belong amongst the elite at WEC 52, but if they do, big things are in store for them, and great fights are in store for us. I can’t wait.

And what about you, fans and friends? How successful do you think Faber and Bowles will be, and how excited are you for the upcoming WEC 52 show?

Henderson consistently put Cerrone on his back while swinging power shots from top position and avoiding an arm triangle in round four and a Kimura in the final round.

Henderson and WEC lightweight champion “Worm” Jamie Varner (16-3) will now fight to consolidate the titles.

Lightweight Dave Jansen (14-0) won a three-round UD over “Cleat” Richard Crunkilton, Jr. (16-3) by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice.  Jansen was debuting in the WEC.

Featherweight “Tiger” Yves Jabouin (12-5) fought ferociously in his WEC debut, but Rafael Assuncao (13-1) eeked out a split decision victory by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 for Assuncao and 30-27 for Jabouin.

Bantamweight “Angel of Death” Damacio Page (10-5) tapped out WEC newcomer William Campuzano (6-1) in a rear naked choke at 1:02 of round one.

Lightweight Anthony Njokuani (10-2) TKO’d Muhsin Corbbrey (6-4) when the referee stopped the fight at 1:42 of round two.

Bantamweight “Young Guns” Scott Jorgensen (6-2) TKO’d The Ultimate Fighter 5 contestant Noah Thomas (14-7) at 3:13 of round one.

In a featherweight upset, Mackens Semerzier (5-0) tapped out BJJ ace and 145-pound contender Wagnney Fabiano (12-2) in a triangle choke at 2:14 of round one.

Bantamweight Eddie Windeland (14-6-1) won a three-round UD over “Mangler” Manny Tapia (10-3-1) by judges’ scores of 30-27 three times.  Tapia has lost both fights since his WEC bantamweight title challenge versus Miguel Torres (36-2) at WEC 37 in Las Vegas last December.

Bantamweight Charlie Valencia (11-5) won a three-round unanimous decision over “Ox” Coty Wheeler (9-1) by judges’ scores of 30-27 and 29-28 twice.

Lightweight Deividas Taurosevicius (11-3) won a controversial three-round split decision over “Showtime” Javier Vazquez (13-4) by judges’ scores of 29-28 twice for Taurosevicius and 29-28 one for Vazquez.

Round one opened with some light punches by both fighters.  Fabiano shot in for a double leg take down and ended up in an open half guard position on the mat.  Fabiano then worked to gain head and arm control and transitioned to the mount.

From the mount Tamura got Fabiano back into half guard where Fabiano postured up and attempted some light elbow strikes to the head of Tamura.  Tamura avoided the elbows and locked Fabiano into half guard with a grapevine lock down on his leg.  The round ended with Fabiano throwing some light punches to Tamura’s ribs from half guard.

Round two was more of the same technical fighting as Tamura landed and early knee to the body of Fabiano, who countered with a right cross to the head of Tamura.  Fabiano followed it up with an inside leg sweep and ended up in Tamura’s high rubber guard.  Fabiano pulled free and attempted a few elbows and punches to the head of Tamura.

Both fighters were stood up with 1:20 left in the round, but a body kick from Tamura provoked Fabiano to go for a single leg takedown which resulted in a near guillotine.  Fabiano passed to side control, then to mount where he attempted an arm bar as the round expired.

Round three opened with Fabiano once again shooting in on Tamura, who once again countered with an attempt at a guillotine choke.  Fabiano countered by walking his feet up and around the cage wall to gain cross side control on Tamura.  Fabiano then transition from mount to half guard twice more before rolling into an attempted guillotine choke of his own.

After Tamura rolled Fabiano back to half guard, Fabiano was able to land an elbow to Tamura’s forehead that caused a cut to open.  Fabiano was then able to transition to cross side, lock in a head and arm choke and force Tamura to submit with only 12 seconds left in the fight.

Fabiano was undefeated in the IFL, and knocked out Shad Lierley (2-2) in 0:37 in April in his only title defense.

He already has his eyes set on current WEC Featherweight Champion “California Kid” Urijah Faber (21-1).

Fabiano said, “My goal is to fight for the belt and do my best.

“Faber is the best of the world now. To beat him, I think you have to be in good shape. He’s an expert fighter and he has good gas, it’s complicated to beat a guy like him. You have to set a good game plan and be calm and watch the elbows, because if he hits you it can change a whole fight.”

“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.

Tickets went on sale on Monday, Feb. 25, and are available at the IZOD Center Box Office (located at the Meadowlands), www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (201) 507-8900.

Of particular interest is the addition of Florida-based American Top Team, which is “outside” of the core IFL camps to compete under the new IFL format which encourages challenges from the top MMA camps across the world.

Matyushenko, who defected to the U.S. while a member of the Belarus national wrestling team in the early 1990’s, was the IFL’s first individual champion, capping an unbeaten 2007 by winning the light heavyweight title by defeating Alex Schoenauer last November in Chicago.  On April 4, Matyushenko will battle “The Suit” Jamal Patterson, a Colgate University graduate who now serves as regional sales manager for an orthodontics company in addition to his MMA career.

Hieron, a Long Island native who will be fighting in front of a decidedly hometown crowd, knocked out “Pe de Chumbo” Delson Heleno in Connecticut in December to claim the welterweight crown.  His opponent in New Jersey will be Mark Miller, a former machine gunner in the U.S. Marines who was one of the big surprises at 170-lbs. last year in the IFL.

Fabiano is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert who used that skill to record five submissions, four of them in the first round, in a perfect 2007, culminating in a win over LC Davis in the featherweight championship in December.  He takes on Shad Lierley, a former collegiate conference wrestling champion at New York University who moves to 145-lbs. after impressing with two victories and a well-documented thrilling battle with “The Polish Hammer” Chris Horodecki last year.

“I like the local feel of this card,” said Bas Rutten, IFL Vice President, Fighter Operations.  “In addition to three outstanding championship matchups, featuring fighters from New York and New Jersey, you have Renzo Gracie’s camp, which was the champion last year, Midwest Combat, which features our top fighters from the Chicago area, and great battles with the Miletich camp and American Top Team, which we are very excited to have on board.” 

Among the intriguing matchups in the Miletich-ATT pairing are those between welterweights Rory Markham and Emyr Bussade and light heavyweights Mike Ciesnolevicz and Lew Polley.  LC Davis will also compete against a yet-to-be-determined featherweight opponent.

The Gracie-Midwest bouts include a rematch of last year’s exciting Deividas Taurosevicius vs. “Bartimus” Bart Palaszewski matchup.  Delson Heleno will also fight at 170 lbs; his opponent is TBD. 

Outside of the camp matchups, Chris Horodecki will battle a yet unnamed lightweight for a planned minimum nine-bout card.

IFL East Rutherford, N.J.
Friday, April 4, 2008
(order TBD)

Additional Bouts
155 lbs.: Chris Horodecki (London, Ontario) (7-1 IFL, 11-1 overall MMA) vs. TBD

American Top Team vs. Miletich Fighting Systems
145 lbs.: TBD vs. LC Davis (Kansas City, Mo.) (2-0, 9-1)
170 lbs.: Emyr Bussade (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (0-0, 10-5) vs. Rory Markham (Chicago) (6-2, 12-3)
205 lbs.: Lew Polley (Coconut Creek, Fla.) (0-0, 6-0) vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz (Williamstown, Pa.) (5-3, 13-3)

Midwest Combat vs. Renzo Gracie Academy
155 lbs.: Bart Palaszewski (Wonderlake, Ill.) (8-3, 29-10) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Lithuania) (3-0, 9-2)
170 lbs.: TBD vs. Delson Heleno (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (6-3, 13-4)
*205 lbs.: **Vladimir Matyushenko (Belarus) (5-0, 20-3) vs. Jamal Patterson (Jersey City, N.J.) (4-1, 4-1)

Additional Championship Bouts
*170 lbs.: **Jay Hieron (Freeport, N.Y.) (6-2, 14-4) vs. Mark Miller (Chicago) (2-1, 8-2)
*145 lbs.: **Wagnney Fabiano (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (5-0, 9-1) vs. Shad Lierley (Seattle) (2-1, 2-1)

*Championship Bout
**Current Titleholder