The Triangle Choke: Independent Fight League

The IFL will hold their first promotion in Ohio on August 21st at the Western Sports Mall in Cincinnati. It will be a great opportunity for local fight fans to view a quality event at affordable prices. The event is sponsored by Actual Fighter and Intimidation Clothing and will be broadcast on www.gofightlive.tv which is an incredible website for viewing MMA events all over the globe. ProFighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief Scott Dryden spent some time with IFL owner Mike Wick to discuss the upcoming event:

Intimidation Clothing products will be available for sale at the Independent Fight League event on August 21, 2010.

SD- How did you get involved in the sport of MMA?

MW- We got involved in the sport a few years ago. We own an apparel and sign business. Through MMA customers that were coming in we slowly became involved by printing their apparel. We became more involved by having our own apparel and supplying MMA products and eventually opened up a complete MMA store. It was around that time, around two years ago, that we decided to move into the promotion side of it. We had all the pieces already in play and decided it was time to put it all together and put on a good show.

SD- You have held events in Indiana in the past. Speak about your decision to have events in Ohio.

MW- The decision to move to Ohio was strictly made on the fact that they have rules in place and are fully sanctioned. We knew opportunities in Indiana existed but being part of a sanctioned event where rules exist and the fighters are protected is a much better alternative for us. Being part of a sanctioned event gives our fighters the opportunity to move forward with their careers. Unsanctioned events do not give fighters room to grow in the sport. We really do not want to participate in that environment going forward.

SD- What type of crowd are you expecting?

MW- We are expecting a good crowd from the Western Hills area. The people from Western Hills typically work there and support the area. I know that because I was born and raised in the area and haven’t strayed too far from there. As a business owner in the area, it’s a great opportunity to help out local businesses. Attendance is questionable right now as it is mid-summer so there are a lot of things to do. There are soccer games going on and football is about to start. I do anticipate above 500. The venue will have a lot going on, not just MMA. It will be a full production and I believe we will have a very good crowd but I don’t really want to jinx myself.

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SD- What differentiates your show from other shows?

MW- Our show is different because of the involvement we have with MMA. We promote this different than the standard promoter. We have businesses already in place that have the products. We started from the bottom and worked our way up instead of just having a promotion. We have a solid fundamental base that we have grown off of. We are growing to a specific point, by that I mean to be a launching pad for fighters to get to the larger promotions and make a career out of it. I believe it’s the foundation that we have that makes it so much different than anything else. It’s the ideas we have in place that will push us to the next level; what we are doing for the fighters and what we are doing for the crowd. The UFC has already taken the sport to a high level and we are chasing what they do to take that experience and opportunity to the local crowd and local fighters.

SD- This is a big event for the IFL not just because of the Ohio aspect. The event will be broadcast on www.gofightlive.tv. Speak about that opportunity and what the website brings to you.

MW- Gofightlive is an interesting opportunity. I have personally watched some of their events. I’m sure many of your readers have as well. It is an opportunity to take it to fans that aren’t necessarily in the local area. It brings significant exposure to our event and more importantly to the fighters. The event will be inexpensive; only $4.99 to view it. It opens us up to the entire world as far as exposure. It will bring a new element to our show as you never know who is watching. That may generate the phone call that a fighter is waiting for.

To order tickets to the event visit http://www.iflfights.com/.

By Scott Dryden
ProFighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief
Follow Scott Dryden on Twitter @scottdryden