Renzo Gracie black belt Ricardo Almeida is making his return to mixed martial arts following a three-year layoff, according to a report by Kid Peligro of ADCC News.

Almeida, who has been busy running his own academy and performing assistant coaching duties for Renzo's New York Pitbulls team in the IFL, hinted at a possible return when he last spoke with MMAWeekly's Mick Hammond in April of this year, saying, "I have been training really hard, as always, and I have been considering some proposals to come back into the MMA middleweight scene."

According to Peligro's report, Almeida will make his return fighting for the Cage Fury Fighting Championships promotion on the East Coast. It appears that Dennis Hallman is the likely opponent for Almeida's return bout.

Despite a rollercoaster start to his professional career, Almeida quickly established himself in the sport. After starting 2-2, he walked away from competing in MMA and his King of Pancrase title with an 8-2 record, stringing together wins over the likes of Nate Marquardt, Kazuo Misaki, Ikuhisa Minowa, and Ryo Chonan.

A veteran of the UFC, Pride, and Pancrase, the 30 year-old Almeida's only losses were to Andrei Semenov and Matt Lindland, two of the better fighters in mixed martial arts.

Toronto Dragons vs. New York Pitbulls

Brent Beauparlant (Pictures) vs. Fabio Leopoldo (Pictures)
Round 1
They exchange single strikes to start. Leopoldo offers the fight's first combination, a one-two that glances off Beauparlant's gloves. Leopoldo wins a scramble and finishes with a knee, but Beauparlant is the aggressor and keeps moving forward. A thwack of a low kick by Leopoldo is followed by a head-snapping right hand lead. The Brazilian is kicking well, first to the head and now to the body. Beaparlant scores a takedown but Leopoldo immediately looks for a submission; in a scramble to return to their feet. Leopoldo is breathing heavily now, while Beaparlant looks comfortable to close out the round. 10-9 Leopoldo.

Round 2
Good straight shot to the gut by Beauparlant, who looks calm as he stalks the New York Pitbull. Leopoldo takes a telegraphed double-leg attempt and Beauparlant easily ushers the middleweight away. And exchange of big uppercuts excites the ground and Beauparlant is really coming forward now. He is throwing slow, but clean combinations and now they're grappling in the center of the ring. Nice hook to the body by Beauparlant as his coach Carlos Newton warns to "watch for the uppercut." Beauparlant really seems to be targeting the body. He catches a right hand behind the ear, but is unfazed. With his corner asking for a takedown, Beauparlant obliges with a big double-leg that leaves the middleweights scrambling to close out the second period. 10-9 Beauparlant.

Round 3
Renzo Gracie is in Leopoldo's face, demanding his fighter respond to Beauparlant's aggression. They touch gloves and the Brazilian laces a right straight that does no damage. Beauparlant continues where he left off, dropping a combination that attacks the body and is finished with a leg kick. Another kick to the leg and another punch to the body. One more leg kick drops Leopoldo to the canvas, and Beauparlant walks away. Leopoldo is very tired and eats yet another low kick. Leopoldo takes punishment on the floor and he talks to Beauparlant, who delivers two more shots before Leopoldo again speaks, this time grabbing his right shoulder. Beauparlant backs off and the fight is called. Leopoldo stands under his own power, and is now sitting in the center of the ring on a stool that matches the color of his red trunks. He walks out of the ring and seems hesitant to use his right arm. The end comes at 2:22 due to injury and Toronto takes the early lead.

Wojtek Kaszowski (Pictures) vs. Andre Gusmao (Pictures)
Round 1
Andre kicks to the inside of Kaszowski's right leg momentarily drops the Toronto light heavyweight, but the two quickly engage again. Catching a Kaszowski kick, Gusmao slams the fight to the floor where he opens up with a bit of ground-and-pound. Gusmao passes to side-control and plays a tight game. Very little action now, despite Gusmao's position. Gusmao looks to isolate Kaszowski's left arm, but the Toronto Dragon fighter smartly defends -- at least for a moment. With Gusmao dropping punches down, Kaszowski turns his back and Gusmao immediately looks for a choke that looks more like a horse collar than a rear-naked, getting it with less than 10 seconds remaining in the first frame. The official time of the fight comes at 3:53 of the first.

Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) vs. Erik Owings (Pictures)
Round 1
Fabiano opens with an early takedown, and before you can blink transitions beautifully from mount to armbar, forcing a lightning-fast tapout from lightweight Owings. Fabiano took what he was presented with and made brutally efficient use of it, closing out the fight 58 seconds after the opening bell to give Toronto a 2-1 lead.

Gideon Ray (Pictures) vs. Delson Heleno (Pictures)
Round 1
Two mean looking welterweights move to the center of the ring. They're dancing and the crowd boos. Heleno responds by bullrushing Ray to the canvas. He's on top in half-guard but there's very little action, and the Las Vegas crowd, which by this point has filled the Las Vegas Hilton ballroom, voices its displeasure. Heleno isn't listening and moves into full mount, though he's still not overly active. Heleno looks for a triangle from the top but Ray explodes out of it. Heleno reacts by attempting an armbar from the guard, but Ray survives and they return to the feet. Jumping right straight by Ray snaps Heleno's head. On the floor now after a scramble, Heleno finds an armbar and nearly locks it out, but from underneath Ray spins and survives the opening period. Good action here. 10-9 Heleno.

Round 2
They dance to start the second, and the southpaw Ray lands a nice kick. Heleno, who appears to be the physically stronger of the two, puts Ray on his back and works from half-guard. And now side-control. Mount. Again, however, Ray explodes his way out of a bad position, but Heleno is undaunted. He passes and begins working on Ray's right arm, extending the limb past the point of no return and Ray appears to be injured as he taps. Ray stands, holding his right arm at the elbow. With replays now on the ballroom's big screen, Ray and Heleno watch as the UFC veteran's right elbow pops out of place. The crowd groans, but the New York Pitbulls are happy as they've forced this one to a deciding fifth fight. Verbal submission at 1:29 of the second.

Rafael Feijao vs. Marcio Cruz (Pictures)
Round 1
Marcio Cruz immediately tries a single-leg, but Custodio stands his ground and has fought off the takedown for almost a full minute. The heavyweights are clinched against the ropes now, and Custodio is the one who puts it on the floor first. He plays inside Pe da Pano's guard but the action is very slow. With 1:40 remaining Custodio stands above Cruz and begins to sink low kicks into the BJJ champion's legs. Feijao backs away and Cruz seems winded, though he again dives in for a single-leg takedown. Finally Cruz gets a takedown but Feijao grabs the ropes and ends up on top. Referee Mario Yamasaki immediately calls time and takes a point away from Custodio, making it a 9-9 round on the Sherdog card.

Round 2
Cruz is breathing heavy and looks out of shape as the fight restarts. Feijao lands a clean left hook before fending off another Cruz takedown attempt. Pe da Pano really needs a change of fortune and he gets one as Feijao sprawls through the ropes. Cruz takes back mount and unloads punches, and does the same as Feijao rules to face him. The Toronto Dragon has regained some control by putting Cruz in the half-guard; he was just seconds from losing the fight. Cruz is still on top, though his pace has diminished. Feijao takes several right hands to his ribs before finally regaining full guard. Cruz has made the most of this chance, and he continues to pound on Custodio. With 10 seconds remaining in the round, Yamasaki stands the heavyweights and Feijao lands an uppercut. 10-9 Cruz.

Round 3
Cruz once again tries his single and eats a right hand for the effort. But he remains vigilant and plants Feijao in the center of the ring, where they now fight from the guard. Cruz is beginning to take control, staying active with ground-and-pound despite the Toronto corner calling for Yamasaki to stand the fighters. Cruz delivers a Sakuraba-esque double chop, which is more show than substance. Newton calls for a point deduction do to what he thought was a headbutt from Cruz. The crowd begins to boo and Feijao lands an illegal kick Cruz's head. Yamasaki penalizes Custodio a point. The fight restarts and Custodio again plants an illegal kick to Cruz's face. Yamasaki stands over the fighters and calls the fight, disqualifying Custodio and ending the Dragons' 2007 campaign, as Toronto loses 3-2. New York, now 3-0 on the season, become the third team to make the IFL playoffs.

Wow. The Gracie Train is falling apart faster than Amtrack. On an interview with Taggradio , cousin Renzo does not mince his words, stating that Royce should be "ashamed" of 'supplementing' the Gracie Diet and commenting that Royce has been distancing himself from The Family.

We do not disagree with Renzo's sentiment, but it is quite shocking to hear a Gracie family member (and a Brazilian person at that) turn on one of its own. I guess Nandralone is thicker than blood.

New York Pitbull middleweight Fabio Leopoldo (Pictures) (5-1-0) faces Brent Beauparlant (Pictures) (5-4-0) of the Toronto Dragons June 16 in Las Vegas in the International Fight League's 2007 regular season finale. Sherdog.com recently spoke with Leopoldo, who aims for his fourth IFL victory in as many bouts.

How has the training been for this fight?

The training had been very good. I made it through uninjured and without any concern. I trained sufficiently, and stayed extremely focused. I am in the best physical condition and at the top of my game.

Do you know your adversary, Brent Beauparlant (Pictures)?

Yes, I know him. He's a Canadian wrestler that spent time on the Olympic team. He's a very tough guy, but I have always been matched-up with wrestlers. I'm very accustomed to these bouts. He has heavy hands and comes right at you. It will be one more challenge, but I am very confident.

What are the expectations for your debut in Las Vegas?

This fight really has a different importance, beyond the playoff implications. We will be in Las Vegas. For me, after Japan, it's the most important place in the world of combat sports.

You are undefeated in the IFL. How do you analyze your performance?

I am having a good campaign in the IFL, so it feels great. I'm very focused on my training. Due to my performance this season, I must fight in the IFL grand prix with four other middleweights. This will happen at the end of the year.

What do you think about the fight preparation led by Renzo Gracie (Pictures) and his team?

The training is incredible here. Renzo and Ricardo Almeida (Pictures) are very intelligent, strategically minded guys. They are responsible for the MMA and submission technique. Moreover, I'm training with Matt and Martin Rooney in boxing and Muay Thai, and hitting the wrestling mats with some experienced friends.

There will be a confrontation between Brazilians when your teammate "Pe de Pano" Marcio Cruz (Pictures) meets Rafael Feijão. What are your thoughts on this bout?

I know that Feijão is a very skilled fighter, but I'm one that believes a lot in jiu-jitsu, and "Pé de Pano" is a specialist in BJJ. Beyond the fact that he's a guy with great talent, he's very confident and very well trained in MMA. We are very happy to have a guy like him on the team and in such critical times like these.

Delson Heleno (Pictures) will compete Saturday on the same card. Are you following his training? How is his preparation for this fight?

No comments about "Pé de Chumbo," he's a really great guy. Beyond being very confident, he can adapt himself to any style -- if he's facing a wrestler, he'll wrestle. And if he'll faces a striker, he will fight standing up. The black dude is f___ing awesome, undoubtedly the best at his weight in the league.

How do you analyze the Dragons? Is there any adversary who worries you?

The other team is very tough, with really tough guys. The best fighters on their team, clearly, are the Brazilians.

The IFL innovated this format of team battles. Do you like this type of competition?

Yes, of course. This team format is very good. There are several advantages, but the most important part is a synchronized team, sharing the same objectives. For us athletes, it's great to be on salary and on a set schedule of fights. I am very happy to be part of the IFL, and mainly of the Pitbulls.

You used to live in São Paulo, Brazil and now you're living in New York. How's your life there?

It's a new life for me. I am living in a very cool place here in New York. I'm very happy with everything. Training, good people around me and above all, I got married on June 11. Can you imagine how I feel?

Toronto Dragons versus New York Pitbulls

The Toronto Dragons are still in the driver's seat for a spot in the playoffs, but it will be hard to steer since the New York Pitbulls will be on the roof punching them through the window. Carlos Newton (Pictures)'s team has looked good this year, narrowly losing to the Portland Wolfpack and then rebounding by curb stomping the Tucson Scorpions in their last outing.

Renzo Gracie (Pictures)'s Pitbulls haven't been too shabby either. They easily dispatched the Chicago Red Bears to start their 2007 campaign and grinded out a tough victory against the Portland Wolfpack in April.

As long as they don't get swept or lose 4-1 to the Dragons, New York is assured a spot in the playoffs. Of all the teams competing for the final two spots, they have the best chance considering the match-ups and the recent addition of BJJ monster "Pe de Pano" as their heavyweight.

Wagnney Fabiano (Pictures) (Dragons) has been a submission beast so far in the IFL but his opponent Erik Owings (Pictures) (Pitbulls) may know a thing or two about the ground game having trained with Renzo Gracie (Pictures). The Pitbulls are loaded for bear in every weight class but Wagnney is no pushover and this lightweight fight could make the Pitbulls awfully nervous if they were to lose this match.

Gideon Ray (Pictures) is a lot like Jose Canseco at the plate: he can go yard with ease or strike out wildly. He'll definitely need to be at the top of his game when he faces Delson Heleno (Pictures) (Pitbulls), who has won eight of his last nine fights.

The only loss Heleno suffered during that span was a disqualification against Dennis Hallman (Pictures) in the IFL finals last year. Ray, fighting out of Chicago, will need to take it to the Brazilian while they are standing if he wants any shot of winning.

Another IFL star in the making is Fabio Leopoldo (Pictures), whose only professional loss happened outside the IFL at the hands of Portland coach Matt Lindland (Pictures). Brent Beauparlant (Pictures)'s IFL career that has been up and down along the way. The Toronto Dragon could really make a name for himself if he can get past the first round with Leopoldo and force this fight from early submission to late decision.

Light heavyweight Wojtek Kaszowski (Pictures) hasn't had much luck in the IFL, going 0-4 so far. But with losses to guys like Travis Wiuff (Pictures) and Ben Rothwell (Pictures), it's not like he's facing pushovers. Kaszowski isn't getting a pass this week either as he'll see New York's Jamal Patterson (Pictures) standing across from him. Patterson is a fearsome athlete who's made the switch from football and wrestling into MMA with aplomb. His two victories over Matt Horwich (Pictures) are proof enough that he's got skills and he alone should be able to help make sure his team makes it into the semifinals with a win here.

What do you do if you're an IFL coach and your grappling stud at heavyweight has to serve an injury suspension? You do what Renzo Gracie (Pictures) did and get yourself an even bigger stud grappler. With the late addition of Marcio "Pe de Pano" Cruz to his team, Gracie has to like his chances to get his team into the semis in Jersey. "Pe de Pano" is a world-class jiu-jitsu expert and although his MMA career is about 50/50 you can't go wrong by pairing him with this already sick Pitbulls team. Rafeal Custodio can ruin Cruz's coming out party and shake up the math with a win here.

It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out this weekend. No matter who wins, they will be at somewhat of a disadvantage to the Tokyo Sabres and Los Angeles Anacondas, who will have had over a month to rest and heal before the semifinals in August.

Other IFL news

Following up on their successful visits during "Fleet Week" in New York, the IFL sends head coaches Pat Miletich (Pictures) and Don Frye (Pictures), along with reigning PRIDE champion and Portland Wolfpack assistant coach Dan Henderson (Pictures) to the Persian Gulf for a USO tour. These legends will be participating in meet and greets along the way and will probably be giving some pointers to any MMA practitioners they meet.

USA World Grappling Team trials were held in Las Vegas this past weekend and Matt Horwich (Pictures) of the Portland Wolfpack and Bryan Vetell (Pictures) of the New York Pitbulls both qualified for the 2007 U.S. Grappling Team. The World Team Championships will be held in Ankara, Turkey this September. Exciting news for people who want to see the submission game get more respect and make it to the Olympics.

The IFL has also come to a licensing agreement with the Topps Company to create collectible cards for IFL fighters and coaches. "The sport of mixed martial arts is exciting and rapidly growing, and we are proud to partner with the IFL, their world-class coaches and rising stars to make our entry in the sport," said Ira Friedman, Topps' vice president of publishing and licensing. "We have looked for the right entry point for the MMA category from a collectible standpoint, and feel that the IFL model is the best fit for both now and for the long term." Soon you'll be able to brag to all your friends about your unopened 2007 IFL box set and how you have a signed Ben Rothwell (Pictures) rookie card that is in mint condition.

When they first entered the IFL, Renzo Gracie's New York Pitbulls had high expectations. Not only did they have a legendary jiu-jitsu fighter at the helm, but they boasted a roster decked out with homegrown competitors from Gracie's illustrious training academies in both the U.S. and Brazil.

Many fans thought the team would make an instant impact in the league and maybe even challenge the Silverbacks for the first ever World Team Championships. As it turned out, things didn't go as planned for the New York squad. They didn't win a single team contest in their first year of competition, and they had to watch from the wings as the Silverbacks went on to claim the 2006 title.

But going into the final match of the 2007 regular season, it's a whole new story for the Pitbulls. For one thing, they're undefeated, including a dominating 4-1 victory over the Chicago Red Bears. To Gracie, the turnaround is an expected one.

"I think the fact that we are able to train more together and fix the problems that we had helps a lot," Gracie said. "Plus, experience. We had great fighters who weren't used to the rules or the environment yet. Now they are. This is like their second home and they're proving it."

One thing that separates the Pitbulls from some other IFL teams who had a rough start in the league is their insistence on keeping as consistent a roster as possible throughout their struggles.

"We see our academy and our team as a family. We're not looking to change anyone," said Gracie. "People have said that we threw (Marcio) Feitosa out because he lost, but that's not true. We would never do that. We looked at why he lost and tried to make him better. The reason he hasn't fought again is because he is very busy with the opening of a new academy."

As Gracie saw it, creating an atmosphere of unity and comfort was essential to team success.

"I could look around and pick out the best guy from all different places, but that's not what I want to do," he said. "Once you know you belong to something, you'll fight much harder. Everyone can have a bad day. I think the moment you realize that you belong to something and it's like your family, you embrace it and fight hard for it."

Considering this philosophy, it might seem odd that they've just added a new heavyweight – highly decorated Gracie Barra jiu-jitsu competitor, Marcio "Pe de Pano" Cruz – to their roster as they prepare to take on the Toronto Dragons in Las Vegas on June 16th.

While some might question the decision to add a new fighter to the team this late in the season, Pitbulls coach Gracie says the decision sprang from necessity. The team's starting heavyweight, Bryan Vetell, is still serving an injury suspension following his TKO loss in April. Gracie knew he'd need an excellent replacement to take on the Dragons' Rafael Feijao in a match the Pitbulls can't afford to lose.

A team win in Vegas gets them instant entrance into the playoffs in either the third or second position, while a loss could eliminate them. The heavyweight division may be where the match swings in one team's favor or the other, and Gracie is well aware that Feijao is no push-over.

"It's going to be a tough fight," Gracie said. "Feijao is a very tough fighter. It's going to be an interesting match."

Feijao made his debut for the Dragons in February, when he defeated the Wolfpack's Devin Cole with a highly technical and precise striking attack. Gracie knows that Feijao's standing skills aren't to be taken lightly, but he thinks he's found the man for the job in this critical match.

"I believe 'Pe de Pano' has better jiu-jitsu and better ground work. It's going to be dangerous because Feijao hits hard and picks his shots, but I do believe 'Pe de Pano' has a good chance to take him down."

But Feijao isn't the only dangerous fighter on the Dragons roster. Lightweight Wagnney Fabiano has overwhelmed his last two opponents with his aggressive ground game, earning two first-round submission victories.

"Wagnney is very good," Gracie said. "He has a very strong jiu-jitsu background, but I think [Pitbulls lightweight] Erik [Owings] is very prepared. I think even though Wagnney is very experienced, Erik never stops training. That's the beauty. Erik trains like a maniac."

Gracie clearly isn't taking Carlos Newton's squad lightly, giving them credit for assembling a qualified team with several MMA veterans. One such fighter is welterweight Gideon Ray, who looked spectacular in his debut for the Dragons in April. Fortunately for Gracie's team, he'll be facing off against one of the Pitbulls most dominant performers thus far – Brazilian Delson Heleno.

"If [Delson]'s not the best, he's one of the best," Gracie said. "His next opponent is a very tough guy, very dangerous. But I definitely believe Delson is up there. I've seen him fight guys much heavier than him and he was able to manhandle them, not just technically but physically."

The match should provide an interesting test for Heleno, just as the contest against the Dragons will determine whether the Pitbulls are genuinely playoff-ready. Gracie certainly thinks so, but said his team won't be satisfied with simply making it into the postseason.

"If you can get to the playoffs you can get to the finals. Every team in there is going to be tough. We're looking forward to facing all of them," said Gracie. "After all, fighting is our business."