FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (September 12, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Friday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur mixed-martial-arts bout to the card. Carol Linn Powell (0-0) is scheduled to take on Francesca Morabito (0-0) in a women’s bantamweight contest.
Carol Linn is the wife of former NEF Lightweight Champion, and current UFC fighter, Devin Powell (8-3). Devin earned a contract with the UFC after impressing the company’s president, Dana White, on his web series Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight at an event promoted by NEF in Bangor, Maine last year. Together, the Powells own and operate Nostos MMA & Conditioning Facility in Somersworth, New Hampshire. Last month, they were awarded the “Best Martial Arts Gym” at the “2017 Best of the Seacoast” awards.
“Fighting has been something I’ve fantasized about for a few years and now that it is finally happening, I couldn’t be more excited,” said Carol Linn when reached for comment. “I was supposed to have my first fight in June and it ended up falling through, and I think this fight is a much better match up and is in one of my very favorite towns. Francesca and I have trained together a few times and we were really excited to be a part of each other’s camps, but after realizing what a good matchup we are, we decided to put our friendship aside and both get in there for our first fights. We are very similar, and I’m excited to put a great show on for everyone.”
“I am very excited for my wife to make her debut,” noted Devin. “She’s been around the sport for almost half a decade, but is just recently getting into hard training and the competitive aspect of it. I never told her to fight or said I thought she should. She was very independent in this choice and when somebody chooses to do something on their own and they commit all of themselves to it, I think that is a great equation for a successful person in anything they do. She is going to find out a lot about herself on the 3rd. Happy to have a cage-side seat for it.”
Francesca Morabito trains at the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine. Her true passion lies in her work with non-profit organization Speak About It. Morabito has toured the world as a theatre artist with the Portland-based group, educating high school and college students on affirmative consent, healthy relationships, and sexual assault prevention.
“It is such an honor to make my debut just a couple blocks from where I’ve been training for the past two years,” said Morabito. “I’m elated to fight in my hometown – on the same street where I’ve trudged home on countless Maine winter nights, with my gym bag slung over my shoulder and my wet hair freezing solid underneath my Choi hoodie. My time has come. And I came to win.”
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 Friday, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.