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 Schaumburg, Illinois - This past
weekend, Team Sanchez fighter Max Smith, who fights
under the Frankie Sanchez stable in Aurora,
Colorado, earned a spot in the
2008 International Fight League (IFL) draft. Smith is a pro MMA fighter with a current
record of 3-1. He was a standout high school and college wrestler at Ponderosa
high school and Adams State College. Smith was a 2x high school All American
wrestler and began training MMA in 2006. As an amateur MMA fighter, Max Smith
was 4-1. In 2006 he placed 2nd in the advanced division of the
Pancrase submission wrestling nationals and in 2007 1st in the
advanced grappling division at the Colorado
championships. His only loss in the pro ranks came when his last opponent
weighed in 12 pounds overweight. Smith took the fight, but later regretted and
admitted that the 185 pound weight class was just too much for a 170 pound
fighter.
Saturday October 27, 2007 Smith headed to Schaumburg,
Illinois for the last tryouts for
the 2008 IFL season. The day began with over 100 fighters in his 170 pound weight
class. After many drills and grappling watches, Smith advanced to the semifinal
round. He dominated in the semifinals and advanced to the finals. In the
finals, he again dominated his opponent with leg kicks and later submitted him.
During the tryouts, Smith
impressed IFL coach Pat Miletich. Miletich is the head coach of last season IFL
team champions the Silver Backs. Pat Miletich talked with Smith and told him
that it could be a good chance that Max Smith would be a Silver Back next
season.
The International Fight League is
the world's first team-based professional mixed martial arts league, bringing you
the most action-packed fighting events possible. Competitions are decided with
a best of five series between two teams of five fighters each, using a blend of
boxing, kickboxing, submission grappling, and wrestling (collectively known as
mixed martial arts, or MMA) to win matches by knockout, submission, or judges'
decision. The teams are coached by world-renowned veterans of the sport, many
of whom still compete in various super fights throughout the season.
Matches consist of up to three
four-minute rounds, fought inside a five-roped boxing ring. Each team has one
representative fighter in each of the five weight classes: lightweight (155
lbs.), welterweight (170 lbs.), middleweight (185 lbs.), light heavyweight (205
lbs.), heavyweight (265 lbs.).
The teams
with the best overall records at the end of the regular season
(January - June), advance to the postseason (August - September) to compete for
the World Team Championship and the IFL Championship Ring.
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