Portland, Maine (October 6, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Hnub vas Xuv, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the full fight card for the event featuring a full slate of professional and amateur mixed-martial-arts bouts.
Maine fan-favorite Paul Gorman (10-9) is scheduled to take on James “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Blair (5-1) in the main event of the evening. Gorman, the former NEF bantamweight titleholder and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt out of the Academy in Portland, makes his return to the NEF cage after a three-year absence. Blair is a hot prospect from the world-renowned American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida where he trains alongside a veritable murderers’ row of current and former world champions like Mike Brown (26-9), Tyron Woodley (18-3-1), and Joanna Jędrzejczyk (14-0) just to name a few.
Reigning NEF Professional Middleweight Champion CJ Ewer (3-0) will be in action when he takes on Crowsneck Boutin (2-3) in a non-title affair. Ewer captured the 185-pound title over the summer when he submitted Mike Hansen (5-6) tom “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.” Boutin will be coming off a year-long layoff from competition.
“The Blackpool Ripper” Matt Probin (0-0) makes his pro MMA debut against rugged veteranJosh Parker (6-9). Both Probin and Parker have extensive backgrounds as professional boxers. Probin has trained and competed in Muay Thai in Thailand. Parker is the founder of Ruthless MMA & Boxing of Waterville, Maine.
John “First Class” Raio (2-8) will come out of retirement to face Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera (0-5). Raio last fought in the summer of 2015. He is the head coach of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine. Herrera, a veteran of both the United States Army and Marine Corps, is looking for his first win since joining the professional ranks two years ago.
The amateur side of the card will feature a total of three title fights. NEF Amateur Heavyweight Champion Nick “The Guardian” Gulliver (4-0) will defend his strap against WWE signeeTerrance Jean-Jacques (2-0), thaum lub Nate Boucher (2-0) thiab Justin Witham (3-4) square off for the vacant flyweight title. Alex Walker (4-1) thiab Hilarie Rose (4-3) will make history when they battle for the first-ever NEF women’s championship in the strawweight division.
The Walker-Rose fight will be one of four female bouts featured on the “NEF 31” amateur card. Carol Linn Powell (0-0), wife of former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion and current UFC competitor Devin Powell (8-3), is scheduled to make her cage debut against Francesca Morabito (0-0). Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey (0-0) makes her debut just eight days after her 18th birthday, the legal minimum age for competing in MMA in Maine, in a bantamweight bout with Danae Dostie (0-0) thaum lub Sarah Matulis (0-0) thiab Chelsea Elizabeth(0-0) face off in yet another double amateur debut.
The full “NEF 31” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):
PROFESSIONAL MMA
180 CJ Ewer 3-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Crowsneck Boutin 2-3 (Independent)
150 John Raio 2-8 (First Class MMA) vs Zenon Herrera 0-5 (Independent)
145 Josh Parker 6-9 (Ruthless MMA & Thawv) vs Matt Probin 0-0 (CMBJJ/Young’s MMA)
135 Paul Gorman 10-9 (The Academy) vs James Blair 5-1 (American Top Team)
AMATEUR MMA
265*TITLE Nick Guilliver 4-0 (c) (First Class /Foundry) vs Terrance Jean-Jacques 2-0 (Team Link)
125*TITLE Nate Boucher 2-0 (CMBJJ) vs Justin Witham 3-4 (Shatterproof Combat Club)
115 *TITLE Alex Walker 4-1 (Kaze) vs Hilarie Rose 4-3 (USMMA)
265 Matt Glover 1-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Jason Field 0-2 (Kenney’s MMA)
175 Carlton Charles 1-0 (Charles Family Fighting/Fire&Iron Athletics) vs Nate Evans 0-0
170 Mohammed al Kinani 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Phil Pearson 0-1 (First Class MMA)
170 David Grant 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Tom Rials 0-0 (Nostos)
155 Will McCall 1-2 (Evolution Athletix) vs Chad Pierce 1-0 (The Academy)
155 Nick Banks 0-0 (Choi Institute) vs Emmett Huber 0-1 (The Academy)
155 Garry Carr 0-0 (CMBJJ) vs David Hart 0-1 (Kenney’s MMA)
135 Sarah Matulis 0-0 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Chelsea Elizabeth 0-0 (First Class MMA)
135 Danae Dostie 0-0 (Kenney’s MMA) vs Jayda Bailey 0-0 (Young’s MMA)
135 Carl Langston 6-9 (Young’s MMA) vs Henry Clark 3-3 (Choi Institute)
135 Kam Arnold 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Caleb Costello 3-4 (Young’s MMA)
135 Carol Linn Hawkins 0-0 (Nostos) vs Francesca Morabito 0-0 (Choi Institute)
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura. The event is scheduled to take place on Hnub vas Xuv, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.