Category Archives: mixed martial arts

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF RETURNS TO MAINE WITH STACKED FIGHT CARD FEATURING FOUR TITLE FIGHTS

October 26, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

NEF RETURNS TO MAINE WITH STACKED FIGHT CARD FEATURING FOUR TITLE FIGHTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (October 22, 2021) – When the bell rings at 7 pm EST to start the show on Friday, November 5, it will be the first time New England Fights (NEF) has presented a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event in its home state of Maine in 21 months. Shortly after the venerable fight promotion held “NEF 42” at Merrill Auditorium in Portland on February 8, 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic gripped the state and the nation. The resulting shutdown forced the indefinite postponement of “NEF 43” which was scheduled to take place in Orono, Maine later that spring. With the state not fully opening for combat sports events until well into 2021, NEF decided to turn to neighboring New Hampshire to hold “NEF 44” last summer. “NEF 45: Uprising” on November 5 will see the fight promotion make its long-awaited return to action in Maine, as well as close out its first decade of business. The event will originate from Aura in Portland.

Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for “NEF 45.” It is scheduled to feature a total of 21 bouts with four championships to be decided.

In the main event of the evening, Josh “Hook On” Harvey (7-1-1) will defend the NEF Professional Featherweight Title against the challenge of Aguilando Brandao (9-8). Harvey has held the championship since February 2019. Brandao is a tough veteran with more than 15 years of cage experience.

The co-main event will see Mark “Pockets” Gardner (1-2)take on Nick Alley (7-4) in a professional welterweight contest. Both competitors are veterans of global promotion Bellator’s cage. Both will be looking to bounce back from losses in their respective previous bouts.

Zac “Rocky” Richard (0-0) will make his professional debut against Carl Langston (0-5) after a successful amateur career that saw Richard capture the NEF 155-pound title. Langston seeks his first win as a professional fighter.

In other pro bouts, Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (5-10) meets former University of Southern Maine wrestling standout Jon Deupree (0-0) in Deupree’s pro debut, while former NEF Professional Middleweight Champion CJ Ewer (3-3) battles Shaun Ray (2-1) in the welterweight division.

The amateur portion of the fight card will be headlined by three title fights: Caleb Austin (5-0) faces Tyler Smythe (2-1) for the vacant flyweight belt; Felipe Günter (3-0) is scheduled to square off with Teddy Politis (2-0) for the vacant bantamweight championship; and Nathaniel Grimard (4-0) will defend his newly-won featherweight strap against Billy Wilson (6-1).

The sole women’s fight of the evening will also take place on the amateur card as BJ Garceau (1-1) meets the debuting Hayley Martin (0-0) in a strawweight bout. Garceau last appeared in the NEF cage three years earlier at “NEF 36.”

“It feels like forever since we had a fight in Maine—and what a card to come back with,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “So many prospects in this lineup, so many undefeated fighters putting their perfect records on the line, so much at stake for so many impressive athletes putting themselves to the test on November 5th. Four title fights. For headliner Josh Harvey, his next fight could be the last chance to see him compete before he gets the call to the UFC —he’s that close. Leading up to the main event we have several undefeated amateur athletes that are on the cusp of turning pro and trying to follow in Harvey’s footsteps. AURA is the place to be November 5th!”

The full “NEF 45” fight card (subject to change):

PROFESSIONAL MMA

145 POUND TITLE: Josh Harvey (c) vs. Aguilando Brandao

170 POUNDS: Nick Alley vs. Mark Gardner

140 POUNDS: Carl Langston vs. Zac Richard

170 POUNDS: Jon Deupree vs. Matt Denning

160 POUNDS: Jay Ellis vs. Rodrigo Almeida

170 POUNDS: CJ Ewer vs. Shaun Ray

AMATEUR MMA

125 POUND TITLE: Caleb Austin vs. Tyler Smythe

145 POUND TITLE: Billy Wilson vs. Nathaniel Grimard (c)

135 POUND TITLE: Felipe Günter vs. Teddy Politis

115 POUNDS: BJ Garceau vs. Hayley Martin

200 POUNDS: David McCarthy vs. Danny Dray

170 POUNDS: Brian Cosco vs. Tyler Kingsbury

265 POUNDS: Tucker Olinsky vs. George Pissimissis

170 POUNDS: Curtis Ouellette vs. Derek Lambert

185 POUNDS: Bryant Wade vs. Brandon Oldenberg

185 POUNDS: Brett Martin vs. Justin Philbrook

155 POUNDS: Jonas Ryerson vs. RJ Janeczek

165 POUNDS: Austin Hamilton vs. David Hart

115 POUNDS: Julian Menjivar vs. Matt Miles

155 POUNDS: Jacob Routon vs. Emmett Huber

135 POUNDS: Tyler Parent vs. Randall Hathorn

“NEF 45: Uprising” takes place on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. Doors open at 6 pm with first fight at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.Ticketmaster.com. The event will also be live streamed on pay-per-view for the price of $29.99 at www.CombatSportsNow.com.

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, women's MMA

BJ GARCEAU WILL RETURN TO THE CAGE AT NEF 45 AGAINST HAYLEY MARTIN

October 16, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (October 7, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 45: Uprising,” on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur women’s strawweight bout to the fight card. BJ Garceau will meet Hayley Martin at a fight weight of 115 pounds.

The fight will see Garceau (1-1) return to the NEF cage after a three-year absence. She made her debut at “NEF 32” in February 2018 with a split decision win over Sarah Ziehm (1-2). Garceau then lost via technical knockout to Chelsea Tucker (3-3) in the third round of their bout at “NEF 36” in the fall of that year. She had been scheduled to make her return to action at “NEF 43” in 2020 until the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the event. Garceau represents Young’s MMA of Bangor, Maine.

“I can’t believe I’m stepping back into the cage again this November,” exclaimed Garceau. “When we had to stop training last year, I felt like I lost my family, my health, and that hit me hard mentally and physically. I was a mess. So once (Young’s MMA head coach) Chris Young and so many other amazing coaches from other gyms said ‘come home’ a/k/a ‘get back into the gym,’ I finally felt whole again once we were on the mats. I didn’t think it would happen again, but honestly after everything that’s been going on in the world and personally the past 18-months, I’ve never wanted to fight this bad. I’m thankful for the opportunity and honestly it could have been anyone standing across from me at this point. I am happy to throw down with Hayley, and promise I will not let anyone down in that cage! I would say more, but I gotta go train. Let’s do this!”

Hayley Martin will be making her in-cage debut in the fight with Garceau at “NEF 45” – just a few weeks after celebrating her 50^th birthday. Martin is an independent fighter whose dream it has been to actively compete in MMA.

“I’m beyond excited to step into the cage, test my skills and show what hard work and dedication looks like,” said Martin. “I’m on this journey because I have never felt anything that makes me feel more alive, strong and confident. And when that moment happens on November 5th, I will leave it all in the cage and fight my ass off for every woman that thought dreams can’t come true.”

“NEF 45: Uprising” takes place on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. Doors open at 6 pm with first fight at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.Ticketmaster.com.

About New England Fights

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

CRIS CYBORG RETURNS AGAINST SINEAD KAVANAGH IN WORLD TITLE FIGHT ON FRIDAY NOV. 12

October 16, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **BELLATOR returns to the Sunshine State for the first time in eight years with an outstanding night of MMA action from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.**

**LOS ANGELES** – BELLATOR MMA announced today that current 145-pound world champion and top-ranked women’s pound-for-pound fighter **Cris “Cyborg”** will make her third straight featherweight title defense when she takes on the No. 5-ranked contender and Irish boxing sensation **Sinead Kavanagh** at *BELLATOR MMA 271*, Friday, Nov. 12, from Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

SHOWTIME will televise the main card live at 10 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT. Additionally, the preliminary card will airlive on the BELLATOR and SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channels, as well as Pluto TV.

Additional bouts and ticket information for *BELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh* will be announced in the coming weeks.

Only the second BELLATOR woman’s featherweight champion in the company’s history, “Cyborg” (24-2, 1 NC) aims to further her legacy as the greatest women’s mixed martial artist of all time when she battles the pride of Dublin less than two weeks before Thanksgiving.

Currently fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev., “Cyborg” is coming off the second defense of her BELLATOR crown when she scored a vicious TKO over Leslie Smith at 4:51 of the fifth round in May 2021. After previously holding gold in STRIKEFORCE, UFC and Invicta, the Brazilian native made history by capturing the BELLATOR title to become a “Grand Slam Champion” with belts in four different organizations. The hard-hitting, 36-year-old sports 20 wins by finish with victories over punishing competition, including Julia Budd, Holly Holm, Smith (twice), Marloes Coenen, and Gina Carano.

Kavanagh (7-4), a winner of her last two BELLATOR outings, strives to live up to her “KO” moniker when she attempts to stop the sport’s most dominant female athlete. The former amateur boxing champion is poised for the breakout moment of her career at *BELLATOR MMA 271* when the SBG Ireland-product attempts to do what only two other women fighters have previously accomplished; defeat “Cyborg.”

**Updated *BELLATOR MMA 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh* Fight Card:**
Friday, Nov. 12 – live on **SHOWTIME**
10 p.m. ET/10 p.m. PT

*Featherweight World Title Bout:* C-**Cris “Cyborg”** (24-2, 1 NC) vs. #5-**Sinead Kavanagh** (7-4)

For more information on upcoming BELLATOR MMA events, please visit BELLATOR.com.

** Card subject to change **

****

**About BELLATOR**
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity, and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Showtime

Stakes Raised in Rematch Between Peter Queally & Patricky Pitbull as Newly Vacated Lightweight World Title Now up for Grabs in Main Event of BELLATOR MMA 270 on Nov. 5

October 16, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

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Description automatically generated — **DUBLIN –** It was announced today that former two-division champion **Patricio “Pitbull”** has made the decision to relinquish his BELLATOR Lightweight World Championship. As a result, BELLATOR MMA President **Scott Coker** confirmed that the hotly anticipated rematch between Waterford, Ireland’s **Peter “The Showstopper” Queally** (13-5-1) and **Patricky “Pitbull”** (23-10) will be elevated to the main event of *BELLATOR 270* with the newly vacated 155-pound world title on the line.

*BELLATOR MMA 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2* takes place at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday November 5^th.

In the United States, the main card action will air live on SHOWTIME at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. BELLATOR fans in Ireland can watch the eagerly anticipated event on both Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport, whilst UK fight fans can watch the event live on BBC iPlayer.

The preliminary card will stream live beginning at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and Pluto TV.

BELLATOR’s return to the Irish capital will be co-headlined by an explosive bantamweight fight between two grappling wizards in No. 6 ranked **James “The Strabanimal” Gallagher** (11-1) and the No. 2 ranked **Patchy Mix** (14-1).

Tickets for *BELLATOR 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2* are on sale now and can be purchased online from Ticketmaster.ie and Bellator.com.

Also announced today – heavyweight hostilities featuring **Gokhan Saricam** (5-1) and **Rob Beech** (5-2) has been added to the preliminary card. Please find an updated bout listing below:

*BELLATOR MMA 270: Queally vs. Pitbull 2* MainCard:
**SHOWTIME (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK) / Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)**
Friday, October 1 – 9 p.m. GMT/5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT

*Lightweight World Title Main Event*: #4-**Peter Queally** (13-5-1) vs. #1-**Patricky “Pitbull”** (23-10)
*Bantamweight Co-Main Event: #6-***James Gallagher** (11-1) vs. #2-**Patrick Mix** (14-1)
*Middleweight Bout:* #6-**Charlie Ward** (9-4) vs. #9-**Nobert Novenyi** **Jr.** (5-0)
*Featherweight Bout*: #6-**Daniel Weichel** (41-6) vs. #7-**Pedro Carvalho** (11-5)

**Preliminary Card:**
**BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV (US)**
**BBC iPlayer (UK) | Virgin Media Two & Virgin Media Sport (IRELAND)**
6 p.m. GMT/2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT

*Featherweight Bout:* **Ciaran Clarke** (3-0) vs. **Jordan Barton** (6-1-1)
*Featherweight Bout:***Ilias Bulaid** (2-0) vs. **Georges Sasu** (5-2)
*Welterweight Bout:* **Ashley Reece** (8-2) vs. **Luca Poclit** (6-1)
*Lightweight Bout:* **Daniele Scatizz**i (10-5) vs. **Brian Hooi** (16-8, 1 NC)
*Light Heavyweight Bout:* **Lee Chadwick** (26-15-1) vs. **Arunas Andriuskevicus** (15-4)
*Heavyweight Bout:* **Gokhan Saricam**(5-1) vs. **Rob Beech** (5-2)
*Welterweight Bout:***Nicolò Solli** (3-1) vs. **Bobby Pallett** (5-0)
*Strawweight Bout:* **Danni Neilan** (4-0) vs. Audrey Kerouche (7-5, 2 NC)
*Featherweight Bout:* **Junior Morgan** (3-0) vs. **Darragh Kelly** (Pro Debut)
*Welterweight Bout:***Stephen Costello** (Pro Debut) vs. **Joe Nazokatov** (Pro Debut)

****

*Card subject to change.

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

**Updated schedule of BELLATOR events**
Sat. Oct. 16 // *BELLATOR 268: Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Semifinals* // Footprint Center // Phoenix, AZ
Sat. Oct. 23 // *BELLATOR 269: Fedor vs. Johnson* // VTB Arena // Moscow, Russia
Fri. Nov. 5 // *BELLATOR 270: Gallagher vs. Mix* // 3Arena // Dublin, Ireland
Fri. Nov. 12 // *BELLATOR 271: Cyborg vs. Kavanagh* // Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino // Hollywood, FL

****

**About BELLATOR**
BELLATOR MMA is a leading global mixed martial arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, BELLATOR events take place in major cities worldwide and can be seen on television in over 160 countries to an available audience of over one billion people. In the United States, BELLATOR can be seen on SHOWTIME. BELLATOR is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. BELLATOR is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant ViacomCBS, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

amateur mixed martial arts, Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE WILL BE UP FOR GRABS AT NEF 45 IN PORTLAND

September 22, 2021 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (September 21, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 45: Uprising,” on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur featherweight title bout to the fight card. Reigning NEF Amateur Featherweight Champion Nathaniel Grimard (4-0) will defend his belt against Billy Wilson (6-1).

Since his debut in September 2019, undefeated Nathaniel Grimard has emerged as one of the top amateur prospects on the New England MMA circuit. Grimard submitted Justin Kangas (0-3) in the first round at “NEF 40” in Orono, Maine. During the Covid-19 pandemic, and the resulting shutdown of combat sports events in the northeast region, Grimard kept himself active by taking fights in Florida where he was victorious twice. Last month at “NEF 44” he won the NEF Amateur Featherweight Title with an impressive second-round technical knockout of Brandon Maillet-Fevens (3-2). Grimard represents Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire where he trains under UFC and Bellator veteran, and former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, Devin Powell (10-5).

“I’m very excited to fight in Portland against my toughest opponent yet,” said Grimard. “Billy comes from a very credible gym with a little more experience than me, but that’s what motivates and excites me about this fight. I believe this will be a great fight, and I’m expecting to put on my best performance to date.”

Billy “The Kid” Wilson comes to Maine as the challenger on November 5^th. Of his six victories, Wilson holds four finishes with three technical knockouts and one submission. He has actively competed in the sport since summer 2017. Wilson currently represents Jackson Wink based in Albuquerque, New Mexico – a world-renowned MMA training academy whose roster reads like a “who’s who” of UFC champions and legends like Jon Jones (26-1) and Holly Holm (33-2-3) just to name a few.

“I’m very blessed to have the opportunity to go out and travel to a whole new area to compete,” said Wilson when reached for comment. “I had just switched my camps to Jackson Wink, and I think the fans will see a whole new fighter.”

“NEF 45: Uprising” takes place on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. Doors open at 6 pm with first fight at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.Ticketmaster.com.

About New England Fights