Las Vegas to host IFL mixed martial arts event in June

Las Vegas doesn’t have a franchise in the International Fight League, but the fledgling mixed martial arts circuit will see at least one of its playoff spots decided here when it hosts its regular-season finale at the Las Vegas Hilton on June 16.

The league had planned to host the 10-bout card in Reno, but co-founder Gareb Shamus wanted to stage a fight in Las Vegas and jumped at the opportunity to do so.

“We were presented an opportunity for this breakthrough event in Las Vegas, and we felt it is an opportunity we could not pass up,” Shamus said.

The IFL is the only team concept in mixed martial arts. Fighters compete at lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.

Each winning fighter scores a point for his team, and the team with the most points at the end wins the game.

At the Hilton, the Nevada Lions will face the Tucson Scorpions, and the first-place New York Pitbulls will meet the Toronto Dragons.

Nevada, which is coached by Ken Shamrock, an Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer, is led by lightweight John Gunderson (14-4) and heavyweight Roy Nelson (7-1).