The Silverbacks and Condors might not be fighting each other this weekend, but they might as well be. One team could all but eliminate the other with a one-sided victory Saturday night. The only question is, which team will it be?
When the IFL's 2007 season kicked off in January, few could have predicted that one of the last regular-season events would have the defending champion Quad Cities Silverbacks in the same boat as the newly formed Southern California Condors. One team was the undefeated, dominant force in the league. The other was brand new with a roster full of names many fans had never even heard of.
Now, nearly six months after the Silverbacks won the IFL's first team championship, they'll be fighting just to make the playoffs, right alongside the Condors, in Chicago on Saturday. Both teams go into the event with 1-1 records, though the Silverbacks are in slightly better standing because of their 4-1 win over the Lions in April.
Even so, without a dominant win over the Chicago Red Bears, they could find themselves in trouble if the Condors manage to sweep the Razorclaws, something the L.A. Anacondas did earlier.
On paper, the Silverbacks-Red Bears matchup looks like an easy victory for Quad Cities. But while the Red Bears are winless in 2007, the current roster features more experienced fighters than the team has ever had on one card.
Take Tim Kennedy, for instance. At 7-1, he has begun to very quietly establish himself as a force in the middleweight division. He holds victories over "Mayhem" Jason Miller and the Pitbulls' Dante Rivera, for one thing, and his only loss came via a cut in his professional debut against always-tough Scott Smith.
That most fans haven't heard of Kennedy simply means he's been flying under the radar, but Saturday's match with the Silverbacks' Ryan McGivern could change all that.
McGivern is a former Iowa Hawkeyes wrestler with excellent takedowns and a constant, smothering attack. He never allows his opponents enough space to mount an attack of their own or even come up for air. It should make for an interesting style matchup against Kennedy, who is similarly aggressive on the ground.
If McGivern has shown a weakness in the past, it might be that he starts fast and has trouble finishing. Kennedy could be hoping to weather the early storm and come on in the later rounds to shock the Silverbacks with an unexpected loss.
Strawn has amassed an impressive record on the smaller circuit, but it's unclear how he'll adapt to the step up. Palaszewski can't afford to take him lightly, though; Strawn has the ability and the ring experience to surprise an unsuspecting opponent.
The Condors have the advantage of facing a team they know more about in the Razorclaws, but that doesn't mean they'll have an easy night, either. The team has to be shaken by the tragic and sudden loss of middleweight Jeremy Williams. The bright and gregarious Williams was an anchor for the team and consistent performer in 2007. The only question is whether dealing with his death will distract the Condors or light a fire under them.
In the heavyweight division, the Condors' Antoine Jaoude takes on former "Ultimate Fighter" contestant Dan Christison in a match the Silverbacks' Ben Rothwell has said he'll be watching closely. If the former Olympic wrestler Jaoude can best Christison in this one, it will signal that he's a man to be taken seriously.
The most exciting fight of the night could well be in the middleweights, where the Condors' Justin Levens moves down to 185 pounds to take over for his fallen teammate against Brian Foster. Levens is an emotional fighter to begin with, na having longtime friend Williams on his mindcan only magnify that.
It's an important bout for Foster as well, even though his team is already eliminated from the playoffs. With a 1-1 record, Foster is still on the fence in terms of the year-end Grand Prix. A win here could solidify his position, but a loss will leave him watching it on TV with his teammates.
Most would agree that the Silverbacks and Condors should both win their matches, but this time winning might not be enough. Each individual bout will be of vital importance, and it might come down to which team can put together a more complete effort.
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