Newton and Smith Dropped From IFL

The Fight Network is reporting that the IFL will remove Carlos Newton and Maurice Smith along with their teams from the league for the 2008 IFL season. The IFL will be replacing them with Ian Freeman and Mario Sperry.

According to the report, Freeman will be operating a team based out of the United Kingdom and Sperry will be operating a team located in either Las Vegas or Tampa, Fla.

According to Favorito, the team concept many viewed as contrived will be revamped to include non-contracted camps outside the league’s eight core teams. The IFL hopes the change – one of several planned for next season – will present more flexibility for the league in terms of landing bigger names for its events.

In addition to the traditional match-ups between the IFL’s base teams, next season’s events will include bouts with outside camps, which opens up the potential for teams like Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture or Tito Ortiz’s Team Punishment to come in to compete. Former coaches – like Newton, Smith, Ken Yasuda and Frank Shamrock – will be encouraged to field teams at various events, as well. Favorito also said teams will no longer be required to field fighters in each weight class.

The 2008 season will consist of:

Matt Lindland (Wolfpack)
Ken Shamrock (Lions)
Renzo Gracie (Pitbulls)
Pat Miletich (Silverbacks)
Marco Ruas (Condors)
Mario Sperry (Las Vegas/Tampa)
Ian Freeman (United Kingdom)
Vacant (Anacondas)

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