European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 24, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pace 6 scene stars and stripes june 2007 cover Story Getty images Josh Odom of the razor Laws fights against Josh Gunderson of the Lions during an International fight league event in january at Oracle Arena in an army ser Geant with the Florida National began training to fight during a tour in military veterans take fighting skills to the next level co a q co d c d co 8 Brian Foster remembers watching his first mixed martial arts fight while still in the service and won Dering How much punishment he could a few phone Calls and sparring ses Sions he stepped into the ring for his first i was in the and i had been through army Ranger but i really wanted to know if i could get in the ring and beat those he it turns out i he took less than five minutes to Knock out his now Hes boxing and choking out martial arts experts for a living in the International fight and you cant beat this int the weekend Warrior stuff any More that i did in the military or while i was a Tattoo Foster this is the real its not Flag foot this is the professional pounding the founded in wraps up its second season of fighting this the league was developed As a team the rules off if bouts Are three four minutes in the event of a the bout will go to a fourth and deciding round the fighting area is a Standard rectangular boxing not an Octagon All fighters must Wear a Groin six ounce gloves and shirts and shoes Are based alternative to the already Stab listed ultimate fighting championship league and its related mixed martial arts and has drawn modest crowds in its first two years of opera mixed martial arts itself has become More mainstream Over the last few evolving from the Bohol debarred matches of the 1990s to an officially sanctioned fighting pfc matches have become a major pay preview generating million in pay preview sales in More than either boxing or wrestling for the a reality show to find their next great fighters airs on Cable state Eye and related gouging moves Are prohibited Throat Elbow smashes to the and spine punches Are prohibited kicks or knee strikes while a fighter is Down Are prohibited for a full list of visit Side and on american forces network the if airs its competitions on the new owned by the Fox overseas troops will begin seeing More of the leagues fighters in coming As part of upcoming Uso Tours to military bases but the sport and the if is still More brutal to casual fans than tradition Al boxing or olympic in one a fighter was dropped in the first round by an opponents flying knee to the Foster lost earlier this year when his opponent put him in a Guillotine Locking his arms around Fosters neck from behind to Stop the blood flow to his i still wanted to fight is one of several league fighters who first Learned of the sport while in the he spent five years As part of a reconnaissance unit based at Camp and started watching the fights with other marines in his free i had always done karate and other martial and the last two years i was in the marines i found some Guys to train and spar he i started fighting when i got maybe two or three times a when the if came it gave him an Opportunity to make punching his i was getting beat and i figured if i was going to keep fighting i needed to take this More he and i still wanted to Josh a current army sergeant with the Florida National said had fought in some local karate tournaments but began thinking about Mma it As a career while stationed in Iraq in we got i met a Guy who knew brazilian ii and he started training me 25yearold