Lewiston, Maine (Kia 19, 2015) - New Ingarangi whawhai (Nef), Tau-kotahi whakatairanga whawhai rohe Amerika o, Ka mau i ona tekau ma waru whakauru-hōia-toi (MMA) takahanga, “NEF XVIII: Hanga i AMERICA,” i runga i Rāhoroi, Pipiri 13, 2015 i te Androscoggin Bank Colisee i Lewiston, Maine. I mua i teie mahana, kauwhautia te whakatairanga i te tonu kāri whawhai mo te hui.
In a highly-anticipated rematch, NEF MMA Ngaio Kōmāmā Champion Bruce “Boy ātaahua” Boyington (10-8) takes on rivalJohn “Class Tuatahi” Ray (2-7) in a non-title catchweight contest. Raio scored a victory over Boyington by rear-naked choke in their initial meeting in February 2014. That win, Heoi, was marred in controversy as Boyington contends the referee mistook his wave to his fans in the crowd as a sign of submission. Ahakoa, Boyington and Raio will look to settle the score on Pipiri 13 i roto i te Lewiston.
NEF homegrown talent, a 2014 “Fighter o te Tau,” Crowsneck Boutin (0-0) will debut in the professional ranks against “Ko te kitenga i Dog” Ryan Cowette (2-2) i roto i te a'ee taumahawaenga. Boutin has developed over the course of three years from a street brawler to a well-disciplined martial artist. Cowette is the head coach of MMA Athletix and the preacher of Victory Church in Bath, Maine.
In other professional bouts: Hehe “Ko te Viking” Erickson (4-4) looks to follow up his commanding performance last month at “Nef XVII” with another victory when he takes on Zenon Herrera(0-0); “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (2-1) will also try to make it two-in-a-row when he meets Canada’s Jeremy DiChiara (1-0) in a bantamweight battle; a Iraia “Danger Kiore” Leland (2-1) hopes to rebound from a loss last month when he fights Chad “Machine Pū” Kelly (3-2) in what many are predicting to steal the show on the professional side of the card.
“NEF XVIII” will mark the first time NEF has crowned a set of amateur champions. The amateur card will feature five championship title bouts. Among those bouts will be a heavyweight title fight between the popular Billy “Bigfoot” Leahy (2-1) aRyan Glover (1-0). Glover won a 2011 state championship wrestling for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine.
In another amateur title fight, Ricky Dexter (3-0) tapawhā atu ki Josh Harvey (3-1) for the lightweight championship. Dexter will represent Team Irish while Harvey will represent Irish’s Bangor-area rival Young’s MMA.
A women’s fight will also be featured on the amateur card withAlex Walker (0-1) e anga Kendra Streeter (0-0). Walker thrilled the Lewiston crowd of more than 2,000 i “Nef XVII” last month with her “Whawhai o te Po” performance against Randi Knowles (1-0).
Ko te kāri whawhai tonu (kaupapa ki te huri i):
NGAIO
150 Bruce Boyington 10-8 (Young’s MMA/Boyington’s TKD) vs John Raio 2-7 (First Class/Choi)
185 Ryan Cowette 2-2 (MMA Athletix) vs Crowsneck Boutin 0-0 (Choi Institute)
155 Hehe Erickson 4-4 (CMBJJ – Team NEU) vs Zenon Herrera 0-0 (Independent)
135 Derek Shorey 2-1 (Aro Club Shatterproof) vs Jeremy DiChiara 1-0 (Wulfrun MMA)
135 Iraia Leland 2-1 (Ko te Academy) vs Chad Kelly 3-2 (Fighting Arts Academy)
265 Michael Hansen 2-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs TBD
AMATEUR
265*Taitara Billy Leahy 2-1 (CMBJJ/Young’s MMA) vs Ryan Glover 1-0 (Berserkers MMA)
155*Taitara Ricky Dexter 3-0 (Team Irish) vs Josh Harvey 3-1 (MMA o Young)
145*Taitara Arona Lacey 5-1 (MMA o Young) vs Alex Johnson 2-1 (Nanakia MMA & Mekemeke)
125*Taitara Norman Fox 4-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Dustin Veinott 3-3 (CMBJJ – Team NEU)
135 *Taitara Johnny Crafts 3-0 (Team NEW) vs TBD
S.HWT Countess Guillen 2-2 (Independent) vs Dave Smith 1-0 (Berserkers MMA)
265 “Sonny” Ora Spratt IV 0-1 (Aro Club Shatterproof) vs Nick Gulliver 0-0 (Tuatahi Class MMA)
185 Heath Hanson 1-2 (3Ronin Athletics) vs Reupena Redman 0-2 (Independent)
170 Mike Bazanson 0-0 (Team Kaže) vs Jeff Dustin 0-0 (Independent)
170 Alex Bronish 0-0 (Berserkers MMA) vs Alex Payson 0-0 (MMA Athletix)
160 Pat Kelly 2-0 (MMA o Young) vs Dr. Steve Bang 1-0 (CMBJJ – Team NEU)
155 Corey Hinkley 2-3 (CMBJJ) vs Cory Trial 0-1 (Nanakia MMA & Mekemeke)
155 Dom Cofone 5-5 vs Jason Lachance 2-1 (MMA Athletix)
145 Dustin Shorey 0-1 (Aro Club Shatterproof) vs Rob Robinson 0-0 (Tuatahi Class MMA)
135 Mike Crespo 2-2 (MMA Athletix) vs Caleb Costello 2-3 (Team Irish)
125 Justin Witham 0-2 (Aro Club Shatterproof) vs Ryan Burgess 0-0 (Berserkers MMA)
125 David Brown 1-3 (Plymouth Fight Cluib) vs Steve Desjardins 4-3 (Team Irish)
125 Alex Walker 0-1 (Team Kaže) vs Kendra Streeter 0-0 (Independent)
145 Jimmy Jackson 2-2(MMA o Young) vs TBD
145 Mike Pietersen 2-0 (MMA o Young) vs TBD
Tikiti hoki “NEF XVIII: Hanga i AMERICA” tīmata i te tika $25 a kei runga i te hoko i teie nei i www.TheColisee.com ranei i karanga i te tari pouaka Colisee i 207.783.2009 x 525. For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. I tua atu, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, te whai ia ratou i runga i Twitternefights, me te uru atu ki te rōpū Facebook whaimana "New Ingarangi whawhai."
Mō New Ingarangi whawhai
New Ingarangi whawhai ("Nef") Ko te whawhai whakatairanga ngā kaupapa kamupene. Misioni a nef ko ki te waihanga i te mau ohipa kounga teitei mō ngā whawhai, me pā o Maine rite tahi. Whānui wheako i roto i te whakahaere hākinakina whawhai he kapa whakahaere o nef, production ngā kaupapa, whanaungatanga pāpāho, marketing, ture me te pānuitanga.