Lewiston, Maine (October 21, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) presents its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 26: SUPREMACY,” on Saturday, November 19 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Earlier today, NEF executives announced the full fight card for the event which will be the fight promotion’s grand finale for 2016.
In the main event, “The” Ryan Sanders (10-8) will meet Jon Lemke (5-6) in a professional lightweight bout. It will be Sanders’ first fight in Lewiston since November 2014. Much has been made of the fact that Sanders and Lemke are former teammates. The bout is considered a “dream match” by Maine fight fans, especially those from the Bangor-area familiar with the rivalry between Sanders’ camp Young’s MMA and Lemke’s camp Team Irish.
The co-main event of the evening will feature an interesting “coach vs. coach” battle. “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (4-7), head of the Shatterproof Combat Club, is scheduled to face Ruthless MMA & Boxing founder Josh Parker (4-8) in a professional featherweight contest. Shorey is coming off a big win in Rhode Island earlier this fall, while Parker will be returning to the MMA cage after spending the last three years competing as a boxer.
Rounding out the professional portion of the card will be undefeated prospect Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (3-0) and Taylor Trahan (6-6) in a featherweight bout. Lacey and Trahan both submitted their respective opponents at “NEF 25” last month. Many local followers of the sport feel that Lacey is just a handful of wins away from getting the call to the major league of the sport. Trahan will be looking to play the role of spoiler while also avenging the loss of his Team Link teammate John Santos (3-5) to Lacey in Bangor this past August.
The amateur portion of the card will be headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Nick “The Guardian” Gulliver (3-0) and Yorgan DeCastro (2-2). DeCastro stepped up to the plate to face Gulliver when no other heavyweight in the region would do so. Gulliver has been on a path of destruction, ripping through three opponents in a combined two minutes.
Two women’s fights are on tap for “NEF 26.” Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga (2-2) returns from Florida to meet Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Brianne Genschel (0-0). Genschel’s First Class MMA teammate “Hollywood” Hannah Sparrell (1-1) will also be in action against Fernanda Araujo (4-4-2).
Jay Jack and Amanda Buckner’s The Academy in Portland, Maine will send two new fighters to the cage at “NEF 26.” Chad Pierce (0-0) will debut against Shatterproof’s Lyman Curtis (0-0), while Phil Chiasson (0-0) meets Rik Seymour (0-0) of 3Ronin Athletics. Both bouts will take place in the 155-pound lightweight division.
The full “NEF 26” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):
PROFESSIONAL
155 Ryan Sanders 10-8 (Young’s) vs Jon Lemke 5-6 (Team Irish)
145 Josh Parker 4-8 (Ruthless) vs Derek Shorey 4-7 (Shatterproof)
145 Aaron Lacey 3-0 (Young’s) vs Taylor Trahan 6-6 (Team Link)
AMATEUR
265*TITLE Nick Gulliver 3-0 (First Class) vs Yorgan DeCastro 2-2 (SSSF)
265 Kevin Smith 3-2 (Young’s) vs Ras Hylton 2-0 (First Class)
210 Mike Swan 0-0 (Choi) vs Joe Krech 0-2 (Independent)
185 Nash Roy 2-2 (Young’s) vs Chris Smith 1-0 (Berserkers)
170 Darren Ducharme 0-0 (CMBJJ) vs Tom Burgess 2-0 (Berserkers)
155 Ken Dunn 0-3 (Independent) vs Angelo Rizitello 0-1 (Shatterproof)
155 Chad Pierce 0-0 (Academy) vs Lyman Curtis 0-0 (Shatterproof)
155 Phil Chiasson 0-0 (Academy) vs Rik Seymour 0-0 (3Ronin Athletics)
145 Alex Clark 3-1 (Young’s) vs Shawn Lunghi 1-0 (S. Tampa Jiu Jitsu/MMA)
145 Hannah Sparell 1-1 (First Class) vs Fernanda Araujo 4-4-2 (Defensive Edge)
135 Brianne Genschel 0-0 (First Class/Foundry) vs Jessica Borga 2-2 (Champions)
135 Fred Lear 3-2 (Young’s) vs Robby Fraser 1-1 (S. Tampa Jiu Jitsu/MMA)
The opening bell on Saturday, November 19 is set for 7 p.m. Tickets start at $25 and are available at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009, extension 525.
For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefightsand join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”