These previews have been rather extensive lately due to all of the interesting matchups that have been taking place. If the length of my preview is any indication of the quality of the card, then this preview should be short and to the point. We'll see how it goes, but one thing is for sure... the IFL has failed to make great matchups on paper.

Three championship bouts will take place on Friday night from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ. Vladimir Matyushenko will defend his light heavyweight title against Jamal Patterson, Wagnney Fabiano will defend the featherweight title against Shad Lierley, and Xtreme Couture fighter Jay Hieron will take on Mark Miller in a Welterweight title bout. The card will feature bouts between Midwest Combat and Renzo Gracie jiu-jitsu out of NYC, American Top Team vs. MFS, and some undercard tussles between TUF contestant Alex Schoenauer and Brendan Barrett, and the return of Chris Horodecki against Nate Lamotte.

Preview/Predictions

I'm going to move through these quickly because I'm honestly not excited about this card. There are a few fights of interest, but the matchups aren't exactly intriguing to the hardcore fanbase. Let's take a look.

• Jay Hieron vs. Mark Miller: This matchup tends to move toward becoming an actual fight than a lopsided affair. Hieron has been rolling in his last two bouts and was able to crush a tough jiu-jitsu fighter in Delson Heleno to win the Welterweight title. He has solid all-around power with a venerable wrestling game to back it up. He's not well-known for ending fights in spectacular fashion, but he does push the pace. He'll need it against Miller.
  
  Miller trains out of Hellhouse in Chicago, the infamous fight camp of Clay “The Carpenter” Guida. There is no doubt that his cardio should be great, but I've seen a few Hellhouse fighters gas out during fights when they hit the 2nd round. Miller has an interesting record because he defeated Brad Blackburn who knocked out Hieron, but he lost unanimously to Delson Heleno earlier in 2007. Miller did manage to knock out Josh Neer in his last battle in May of 2007, an impressive win at this stage in his career. Can Mark Miller get the upset? I think Hieron will be better, but it'll take awhile to get rid of Miller. Jay Hieron via unanimous decision.
  


• Wagnney Fabiano vs. Shad Lierley: I'm not a big fan of this matchup. Sure, Lierley produced a great performance against Chris Horodecki back in June of 2007, but with only 3 total professional fights on his record, he'll likely be heavily outmatched by Fabiano. Fabiano's jiu-jitsu is phenomenal, and he should take care of Lierley after a round of battle. Wagnney Fabiano via submission, Round 2.
  


• Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Jamal Patterson: Another semi-interesting matchup. Matyushenko doesn't have finishing power in his hands, but he has great wrestling skills and some sly submissions at his disposal. Patterson is at 4-1 with two big wins over veteran Matt Horwich. He has power, jiu-jitsu skills, and some good striking that could be the key to defeating “The Janitor”. This could be the upset pick of the evening, but Matyushenko is very tough to submit. In fact, he's never been submitted in his 23 fight career. Vladimir Matyushenko via submission, Round 4.
  


• Bart Palaszewski vs. Jim Miller: I'm going to lay down a bet on Miller in this battle, but Palaszewski has good submission defense and his hands are much better than Miller's standup. Miller is a great grappler in his own right, and he holds only one loss in 11 fights, the loss coming from the UFC's Frankie Edgar. Bart has the striking advantage, and he also has some excellent wrestling submission skills. I think his striking will be the big factor in this fight. Bart Palaszewski via unanimous decision.
  


• Brad Blackburn vs. Delson Heleno: Heleno will be the heavy favorite here, but Blackburn is always in each battle he's given. Blackburn is tough to submit, and Heleno doesn't possess big power in his hands, so I'm inclined to think this will head to decision. Delson Heleno via unanimous decision.
  


• Alex Schoenauer vs. Brendan Barret: As one friend of mine says, a good bet is always against Schoenauer. I'm not sure I agree here, but Schoenauer does have sporadic losses to subpar competition on his record. Barret is all about power in his hands, but Schoenauer hasn't lost via TKO/KO since his bout with Mike Swick at the Ultimate Fighter first season finale back in 2002. Schoenauer's wrestling should be game enough to get the win. Alex Schoenauer via submission, Round 2
  


• Chris Horodecki vs. Nate Lamotte: The IFL's poster boy should be able to take out Lamotte quickly, but Horodecki will still need to look out for the ground game as Lamotte will still be decent on the ground. Horodecki's Xtreme Couture training should help significantly though. Chris Horodecki via TKO/KO, Round 1
  


• Carmelo Marrero vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz: I think this is a good matchup for Mike Ciesnolevicz. Marrero likes to submit guys on the ground, and Mike has a great submission defense. He'll likely try to sprawl for the knockout, and I think it's possible for him to win here over the former UFC fighter. Mike Ciesnolevicz via TKO/KO, Round 2
  


• Rafael Dias vs. LC Davis: Interesting bout between these two featherweights. I'm actually going to take Dias here by an upset. He's at American Top Team and should have some great training in the submission game. If he can overwhelm Davis, look for him to end it early. Rafael Dias via submission, Round 1
  


• Emyr Bussade vs. Jesse Lennox: I don't know much about either, but I've seen some footage on both. Lennox looks to be a ground guy, but also has the ability to unleash some devastating strikes. Bussade is also good on the ground as well, but he lacks the power to put opponents out. I believe Bussade is going to be very tough to submit since he's only lost via decisions in the five fights that he's lost. ATT training will also be a big factor. Emyr Bussade via submission, Round 2