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BOYINGTON RETURNING TO NEF CAGE AFTER TWO-YEAR ABSENCE
Lewiston, Maine (December 29, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Lewiston on Saturday, February 3, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday.” Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional catchweight bout to the card. Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-11) has signed to face Taylor Trahan (7-8) at a fight weight of 150-pounds.
The fight will be the first for Boyington in the NEF cage since February 2016 when he successfully defended the NEF Lightweight Title against Jon Lemke (7-8). It was Boyington’s third defense of the belt since winning it in the late summer of 2014. After the Lemke defense, Boyington relinquished the championship in order to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF).
While he has fought on many of the largest stages in the world over the past two years, including Madison Square Garden in New York City and halfway across the globe in Russia, Boyington is looking forward to his homecoming and the opportunity to once again fight before his many Maine fans.
“Man, I couldn’t possibly be more excited to get inside the NEF cage, where I have molded my career, built my fan base and learned so much about myself over the years,” said Boyington. “I am so hungry to entertain people that I can guarantee everyone will want to see what’s going down! I live for this, and on February 3rd, there will be some of the best MMA that has ever been on display from the State of Maine, and I’m grateful and humbled by the opportunity. My opponent is a respectable guy that I believe loves to fight and I want that in there. I wish him the very best in preparation, and I thank (NEF owners) Matt (Peterson) and Nick (DiSalvo) once again for providing me a platform.”
Boyington currently owns and operates Boyington’s Taekwondo of Bangor, Maine. He also trains with Young’s MMA in the same city.
Taylor Trahan is a familiar face to NEF fans. He has competed twice for the promotion in the past. Trahan submitted Matt Denning (5-7) in the first round of their meeting at “NEF 25.” He returned to Maine just weeks later at “NEF 26” in a losing effort to Aaron Lacey (4-1). Trahan is coming off a win over Conor Barry (3-2) last month in New Hampshire. He represents Team Link of Hooksett.
“I’m looking forward to returning to NEF,” said Trahan. “They always put on a good show and treat the fighters right. I’m really looking forward to fighting Bruce. He definitely is the most experienced fighter I’ll be going up against so far.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018. Tickets are on-sale now online at www.TheColisee.com.
M-1 Arena grand opening and M-1 Challenge 100 to highlight 21st season for M-1 Global
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 In January the new M-1 Arena is scheduled to open in Saint Petersburg
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (December 29, 2017) — The grand opening of the state-of-the-art M-1 Arena in Saint Petersburgh, in addition to the celebration of M-1 Challenge 100 later in 2018, will highlight M-1 Global’s 21st season.
Plans in 2018 also include more events, expansion into new countries and, as the No. 2 MMA organization in the world, to keep giving its fans world-class competition, entertaining match-ups, innovative developments and even a few surprises.
M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein discussed a few of these subjects (see below) prior to the holidays.
Can you tell us about the new M-1 Arena?
VF: “M-1 Arena is an absolutely unique structure seating a maximum of 3000. It is built in the form of the Colosseum, stone and wood, with an incredible dome made of glulam, which gives the place perfect acoustics. Not only can we promote sporting events, but also music concerts. M-1 Arena allows us to have even more events and realize new ideas like, for example, a reality show. M-1 Arena will be multifunctional but martial arts will be the main form of entertainment held there.”
M-1 Challenge was more international last year in terms of showcasing more fighters from different countries like USA, Portugal, UK, Canada, South Korea, China, etc. Do you plan to expand your fighter base even more this year and, if so, what countries are you targeting for fighters?
VF: “Usually, we hire fighters from countries where our events are being broadcasted. If we have new contracts with the countries from where we don’t have representative fighters, or only have a few of them, we are going to increase their number. The same for countries where we’ve held events because fans desire to see the local athletes fighting in the Rage. We give them an opportunity to see that.”
With the success of female MMA stars around the world do you plan to add a female division in 2018?
VF: “One day we will probably create a female division in M-1 Global. Right now, though, we don’t have enough strong female fighters to do it, yet. As soon as we are ready to make this happen, it will be done, but we don’t want to open a new division just to check the box. We want the best fighters to compete at the highest level.”
M-1 Global is closing in on your 100th M-1 Challenge event. Do you plan to promote your 100th event in 2018? If so can you provide any additional information about when, where, special plans, etc.
VF: M-1 Global has already promoted more than 200 events, including 85 M-1 Challenges, which was created in 2008. I think that this event will happen either in Saint-Petersburg or in Moscow, but we still have a lot of time left and a dozen other events before it. We are going to take care of it a bit later.”
M-1 has developed fighters who’ve moved on to the UFC and other organizations. How do you feel about that trend? Does it frustrate you that you to spend time building a fighter and then have him move on, or do you look at it as a compliment that M-1 Global develops fighters who can compete in the UFC and any other organization?
VF: “We can consider this situation from different perspectives. I’m not happy to let my best fighters go, of course, but it is what it is, and we are not ready to compete with UFC yet. Sometimes our fighters leave us. From another perspective, we are happy that our fighters who leave keep winning fights and become the top competitors in other promotions. It proves that the level of M-1 Global fighters is equal to the level of UFC fighters. The top athletes who left M-1 Global for UFC are in top positions there and other promotions don’t have such results. Other organization may make their fighters popular but, as soon as they move to UFC, they start losing and get released.
“Our company is probably the second MMA promotion in the world and when some fighters move to the strongest league on the planet, they take a step forward, which I like much better than when they move to weaker promotions than M-1 Global just to make more money.”
Any plans to do anything different this year than in the past, outside of the grand opening of the M-1 arena and possible 100th event?
VF: “The main difference will be that we are going to have our own home, M-1 Arena, which means we will be able to hold even more events. We’d like to have two events each month, 24 events a year. We opened our own TV channel (M1global.tv) and next year, MMA fans from former Soviet Republics will have an opportunity to watch all the fights. Using our iOS and Android App, viewers from all over the world can watch old and new fights right now, and next year we are going to make it even better. We are also going to create our own studio to produce different content, probably a new reality show with fighters from different countries.”
Will you have showcase M-1 Medieval fights this coming year?
VF: “Apparently, we will have some medieval fights in 2018, but the only issue is that we have a lot of fighters under contract, so it is not easy to find a place for M-1 Medieval fights on our cards. We make knight fights in regions where they are popular, like in Ingushetia and Finland in 2017, because fans demonstrated to us that they want to see them. I hope one day we’ll have more resources for them.”
INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@Vadim_finkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
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FNU Combat Sports Show: Year End Special
Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the week’s boxing and MMA news, kick around the idea of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. facing CM Punk in the Octagon, and preview the upcoming events for this weekend. UFC 219 features an amazing matchup of the top female fighters in the world in Holly Holm and Cris “Cyborg” Justino. Tony also invites us to his fantasy football championship parade in Philadelphia.
Listen live here:
Selina Barrios and Lisa Porter Make Weight for NABF Lightweight Title
SELINA BARRIOS vs. LISA PORTER
Both Fighters Make Weight For
NABF Lightweight Championship
ALEXANDRIA, LA (December 28, 2017) – Undefeated female fighters, Selina “Aztec Queen” Barrios (2-0, 1 KO) and “Lovely” Lisa Porter (1-0-1), both made weight for their upcoming NABF Lightweight title bout, set to take place this Friday, December 29, at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria, LA. Barrios weighed in at 131.2 lbs. while Porter tipped the scales at 134.5 lbs.
“I’m ready for war. I know Lisa Porter is in great shape and will bring everything she’s got. All the hard work is done. Now it’s time to fight.” – Selina Barrios
“Barrios and I made weight and it’s go time now. I’m ready to take my career to the next level.” – Lisa Porter
Boxing Returns to San Antonio January 20 – TMB & PRB Entertainment Presents Fight Nite at the Scottish Rite
“FIGHT NITE AT THE SCOTTISH RITE”
DANIEL “DA BEAST” BAIZ
vs. JOEY DUNMOODIE
JANUARY 20, 2018 AT THE SCOTTISH RITE THEATRE
SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 28, 2017) – On January 20, 2018, the Scottish Rite Theatre in downtown San Antonio, TX, will host “FIGHT NITE AT THE SCOTTISH RITE”, a five-star boxing event presented by TMB & PRB Entertainment.
Headlining the main event will be an all-action showdown between hometown hero, Daniel “Da Beast” Baiz (10-1, 6 KOs), as he battles Joey Dunmoodie (9-2, 4 KOs), in a 6-round super-welterweight bout. The co-main event will feature a special female attraction when two local warriors square off against each other as Briana “Queen B” Gonzales (2-1) faces Brittany “Mi Vida Loca” Ordonez (2-1), in a 6-round bantamweight clash.
“Boxing is thriving here in San Antonio and we are expecting a sellout crowd,” said TMB & PRB Entertainment promoter Rick Morones. “The Scottish Rite is a beautiful venue and the fans are going to see some really good action-packed fights. We will be showcasing a lot of local talent. Every boxing fan that lives in San Antonio will be at this event so everyone please get your tickets in advance. Bring the family, everyone is welcome.”
“This will be a great event for boxing fans of all ages” said Greg Hannely, president of Prince Ranch Boxing, who manages Biaz and Pasillas. “Daniel Biaz has a crowd-pleasing style and brings a lot of excitement to the ring. Pasillas is returning after a long layoff and will look to stay undefeated. With all the other local fighters performing, this will be a fantastic show.”
Tickets priced $25 General Admission $30 at the door, $60 Lower Level, $75 Ringside, are on sale now, and can be purchased by calling (210) 449-5599 or (210) 322-9974. The Scottish Rite Theatre is located at 308 Ave E, San Antonio, TX 78205. Doors open at 6:00 PM, first bell at 7:30 PM
Undercard Bouts:
6-round bantamweight bout
“Vicious” Vic Pasillas (11-0, 4 KOs) vs. Alejandro Moreno (28-36-1, 11 KOs)
6-round heavyweight bout
Tyrell “Too Real” Herndon (6-2, 2 KOs) vs. Armando Herrera (3-5-1)
6-round featherweight bout
Ignacio “El Alacran” Holgiun (3-0, 1 KO) vs. Adrian Leyva (0-1)
4-round middleweight bout
“Ferocious” Luis Villareal (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Adam “Ghost” Castillo (1-5-1,
4-round lightweight bout
Frank “Bloodhound” Brown (1-1-1) vs. Daniel Sanchez
4-round featherweight bout
Gregory “Goyo” Morales (1-0, 1 KO) vs. Ben Guerrero (Pro Debut)
4-round Jr. bantamweight bout
Faith Morones (1-0) vs. Nina Gallegos (Pro Debut)
RIZIN FIGHTING FEDERATION WORLD GRAND PRIX 2017
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Undercard Fighters Talk Upcoming Showdowns Taking Place Saturday, January 20 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in Event Headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Lamont Peterson
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LFA KICKS OFF 2018 IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH LFA 30
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced the promotion will kick off 2018 with an action-packed event in southern California.
The main event of LFA 30 will feature the long-awaited clash between southern California kingpins and top LFA welterweights “Curtious” Curtis Millender and Nick “The Phoenix” Barnes. LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes takes place Friday, January 12th at the Costa Mesa Hall at the OC Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California. The entire main card of LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I’m excited to kick off 2018 by bringing LFA back to southern California”, stated Soares. “Curtis Millender and Nick Barnes are coming off big wins in LFA headlining bouts where they won in enemy territory. Now they get to face each other in the main event of LFA 30 on their home turf in a perfect headliner to start the new year.”
Tickets for LFA 30 – Millender vs. Barnes are available for purchase NOW at CageTix.com/LFA.
Millender (13-3) returns home to the building where he fought and won his first seven fights. The Orange County juggernaut is looking to build off a perfect 2017 where he won three fights, including back-to-back LFA headliners. His most recent win came via highlight reel Head Kick KO in the main event of LFA 24. Millender will meet Barnes (12-2) in a long-awaited showdown between two of southern California’s finest. The welterweight stars started their careers in the southern California regional circuit, moved on to Bellator, and will finally meet in the main event of LFA 30. Barnes, like Millender, is coming off an impressive win in an LFA headliner this past August at LFA 20.
While the main event will feature a rivalry between two of the top welterweights in LFA, the co-main event will feature a rivalry between two of the LFA featherweight division’s most talented jiu-jitsu practitioners.
Fernando Padilla (10-1) put the division on notice in October, when he submitted longtime RFA vet Darrick Minner with a Triangle-Armbar in the first round of their co-main event bout at LFA 25. Padilla, who is a 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, has now won 90% of his fights by first round stoppage. He will now face a man equally dangerous on the ground when he meets Talison Soares (9-2) in the co-main event of LFA 30. Soares is a jiu-jitsu black belt from the famed Checkmat BJJ team who has made a name for himself competing in his native Brazil. Soares has a 100% finishing rate in the nine bouts he has won and will now make his international debut in the co-main event of LFA 30.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Curtis Millender (13-3) vs. Nick Barnes (12-2)
Co-Main Event | Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Fernando Padilla (10-1) vs. Talison Soares (9-2)
Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Maikel Perez (4-1) vs. Charlie Alaniz (11-2)
Middleweight Bout (185 lb)
– Craig Wilkerson (7-3) vs. Jordan Wright (8-0)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Christian Aguilera (8-4) vs. Maycon Mendonça (6-3)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Vince Cachero (3-0) vs. TBD
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 30 will serve as the second LFA event to take place in the state of California after the merger. RFA hosted eight events inside “The Golden State” before the merger. The entire main card of LFA 30 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
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MIDDLEWEIGHT CONTENDER LAMAR “THE BOXING QUE” RUSS SIGNS WITH EL MATADOR MANAGEMENT
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