| In mixed martial arts, hometown crowds
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| | Much like the last line in the classic
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| are something of a rarity. Certainly, you
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| | film, Chinatown, that remark says it all.
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| wouldn't want to face Matt Lindland in
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| | Let it go, John Gunderson. It's Moline.
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| Oregon, or Renzo Gracie in Rio de
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| | But now, as the Silverbacks and Red Bears
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| Janeiro, but those scenarios don't come
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| | prepare to face each other in Chicago on
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| up as often as in other sports.
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| | May 19th, a new question arises. Who will
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| At least, that's what I thought until a
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| | truly be the hometown team there?
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| few weeks ago, when the IFL came to
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| | The Red Bears are the official
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| Moline, Illinois, the home of the Quad
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| | Chicago-based team, with Chicago natives
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| Cities Silverbacks. It wasn't the first
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| | like Mark Miller on their roster. But the
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| time the IFL had ventured into the
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| | Silverbacks hold sway over a large
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| hometown of one of its teams, but this
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| | portion of the Midwest. Another Chicago
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| was different.
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| | native, Rory Markham, is their star
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| For the first team contest between the
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| | welterweight. To make things more
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| Red Bears and Tiger Sharks, the crowd
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| | confusing for fans, Markham will take on
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| seemed much like previous audiences. They
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| | the Red Bears' Miller when the two team
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| cheered when a fighter landed a big punch
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| | meet.
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| or executed a sharp takedown. They grew
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| | The Silverbacks can't afford to lose this
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| restless at the slightest pause in the
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| | match if they hope to earn a spot in the
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| action. But when that match-up was over
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| | playoffs and defend their 2006
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| and it was time for the Silverbacks to
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| | championship. They need to beat the Red
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| take on the Nevada Lions, it became
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| | Bears, and beat them by a hefty margin.
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| abundantly clear just what these fans had
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| | The match between the two Chicago
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| come to see.
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| | fighters could easily be the turning
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| It was the first time I'd ever personally
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| | point there.
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| seen a crowd get behind and entire team
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| | Miller has proved himself a relentless
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| of fighters so completely. They cheered
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| | and determined competitor in his first
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| the Silverbacks all the way to the ring.
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| | two IFL fights. He battled it out in a
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| They booed the Lions from the moment they
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| | grueling bout against Delson Heleno back
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| were introduced - and they didn't miss
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| | in February, and came from behind to win
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| many opportunities thereafter.
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| | a decision over Brad Blackburn earlier
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| But when the night was over and the
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| | this month. So far he's been the Red
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| Silverbacks had climbed back into the
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| | Bears strongest and most consistent
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| playoff hunt via two very close decision
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| | performer, and the man they'll depend on
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| victories, the question had to be asked:
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| | to help them get some respect in the IFL
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| did the crowd affect the judges? Were the
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| | ranks.
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| three people at ringside who we'd all
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| | For his part, Markham has become such a
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| like to think of as completely insulated
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| | fan-favorite in the Midwest that he had
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| and impartial won over by the boisterous
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| | the entire arena in Moline chanting his
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| fan support?
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| | name after a third-round knockout of the
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| Silverbacks coach Pat Miletich dismissed
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| | Lions' Pat Healy. Charismatic and
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| the idea, saying that the real benefit of
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| | explosive, Markham seems to feed on crowd
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| a hometown event was sleeping in his own
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| | energy, but will he have it against
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| bed. Beyond that, he claimed, the
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| | Miller?
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| difference was negligible.
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| | The Red Bears have yet to distinguish
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| But Lions coach Ken Shamrock took another
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| | themselves in their home city the way the
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| view, using the outcome of the evening's
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| | Silverbacks have in theirs, but this
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| heavyweight contest as proof.
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| | could be their chance to do just that. A
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| "You're really got to give it to the fans
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| | win over the defending champions in front
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| tonight," said Shamrock. "They won that
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| | of a Midwestern audience might send a
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| fight for Ben (Rothwell). He would land
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| | message. The 2007 season may be lost for
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| one punch they exploded. Then Roy
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| | Igor Zinoviev and his squad, but there's
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| (Nelson) landed three and it was quiet."
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| | always next year.
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| Lions lightweight John Gunderson, who
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| | If there's one thing Zinoviev and the Red
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| also lost an extremely close decision,
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| | Bears have proved in their rocky first
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| felt similarly about the effect of the
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| | IFL season, it's that they don't even
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| hometown crowd.
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| | know how to give up. While they may not
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| "As soon as I heard it was a split
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| | have excessive fan support going into
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| decision, I knew," he said. "I mean, it's
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| | this one, they might still get it before
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| Moline."
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| | the night is over.
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