Tag Archives: Henry Clark

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF TURNS THE OLD PORT INTO KING’S LANDING FOR A NIGHT OF NONSTOP MMA BATTLES

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Portland, Maine (April 28, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returned to Aura in Portland on Saturday night with its latest mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN.”  The event was in homage to the HBO series Game of Thrones complete with ring girls attired as the “Mother of Dragons” Daenerys Targaryen and Sansa Stark, as well as a cello player opening the event with music from the hit show’s soundtrack.  A capacity crowd of over 1100 was on hand for the action.

In the main event, Ras Hylton (4-2) defeated Charles Penn (0-1) in a heavyweight contest.  The ringside physician stopped the bout in the first round when a cut on Penn’s forehead could not be closed.  Hylton landed a perfectly-placed straight right hand that opened the gash on Penn’s head and left blood pouring to the mat in a gruesome stream of crimson.

Caleb Hall (3-0) remained undefeated to start his professional career with his third straight win.  Hall submitted journeyman Jay Ellis (15-86) in the first round of the co-main event of the evening.

On the amateur portion of the fight card, four titles were at stake.

In the first championship bout of the evening, Tom Pagliarulo (3-1) captured the vacant NEF Amateur Featherweight strap with a unanimous decision victory over Zac Richard (3-1-1).  In doing so, Pagliarulo, a native of Haverhill, Massachusetts, handed Richard the first loss of his career.

Duncan Smith (5-3) defended the NEF Amateur Welterweight Title against Jon Tefft (2-1).  After five hard-fought rounds, Smith was declared the winner on all three judges’ scorecards.  It was a good night for Smith’s team of Evolution Athletix.  The Saco, Maine-based team went 4-0 on the evening with Smith’s teammates Adina Beaudry (3-0), Keegan Hornstra (4-11), and Megan Rosado (1-1) all picking up wins.

Taylor Thompson (4-0) made short work of Michigan’s Andrea Howland (2-1) to become the first-ever NEF Women’s Amateur Bantamweight Champion.  Thompson submitted Howland in the first round with an armbar.  The fight was brought to Portland by NEF in conjunction with Queen MMA Media.

In the fourth, and final, championship bout on the amateur card, Kam Arnold (5-0) kept his knockout streak alive with a first-round downing of Henry Clark (5-5).  It was the fifth straight knockout for Arnold who retained the amateur bantamweight belt.

The fight promotion also announced several fights for its long-awaited return to Lewiston on June 22 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.  The event is titled “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN.”

Hometown favorite Jesse Erickson (9-7) will take on Lewis Corapi (8-5) that evening in a lightweight contest.  Erickson is a mainstay of the NEF cage and a perpetual top contender to the promotion’s professional 155-pound title.  Massachusetts’ Corapi is a seasoned veteran of the New England MMA circuit, finally making his NEF debut on June 22. 

Josh Harvey (6-0-1) announced that he would return to the cage at “NEF 39” to take on Jordan Downey (5-4) from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Harvey will defend the NEF Pro Featherweight Title that evening looking for his first successful defense since capturing the belt last February in Bangor.  Downey is on a two-fight win streak.

Nate Boucher (4-3) will take on Robert Presley (5-4) for the vacant NEF Amateur Flyweight Title.  Boucher has finished his last two opponents in the first round to move himself back into contention for another shot at the 125-pound belt.  Presley represents the Lancaster Academy of MMA in Lancaster, Ohio.

In a solemn moment to open the event, NEF paid tribute to longtime staff member Casey Main with a ten-bell salute.  The Wiscasset, Maine resident passed away unexpectedly late last week.  The promotion dedicated the event to his memory.

The full results from Portland, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL

Ras Hylton def. Charles Penn via doctor stoppage, round 1
Caleb Hall def. Jay Ellis via submission, round 1
Keegan Hornstra def. Zenon Herrera via submission, round 1
Bryant Bullock def. Fred Lear via submission, round 2

AMATEUR

Kam Arnold def. Henry Clark via KO, round 1
Taylor Thompson def. Andrea Howland via submission, round 1
Duncan Smith def. Jon Tefft via unanimous decision
Tom Pagliarulo def. Zac Richard via unanimous decision
Arii Fernandez def. Ryan Savage via submission, round 1
Titus Pannell def. Justin Philbrook via TKO, round 2
Brian Cosco def. Garry Carr via TKO, round 1
Megan Rosado def. Amanda Bennett via split decision
Jason Landry def. Justin Boraczek via submission, round 1 
Brandon Maillet-Fevens def. Jesse Fitzsimmons via submission, round 1
Jordan Norman def. Greg Ishihara via TKO, round 2
Nate White def. Clifford Redman via tapout to strikes, round 1
Schuyler Vallaincourt def. Dillon Henry via ref stoppage, round 2
Adina Beaudry def. Traci Baldwin via TKO, round 2

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN,” will take place on Saturday, June 22, 2019 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CHAMPION ‘KILLA’ KAM ARNOLD – ‘I WANT A BLOODBATH’

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New England Fights (NEF) bantamweight champion “Killa” Kam Arnold has been perfect so far in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, carving out a flawless 4-0 record with four knockouts since he debuted in the promotion just over a year and a half ago

On April 27th, the 135-pound “King in the North” makes his highly anticipated return to the cage when he is scheduled to defend his title against longtime bantamweight mainstay, Henry Clark (5-4).

Arnold recently joined Jason Floyd on The MMA Report podcast to discuss his origins in the sport, his reign at the top of the New England 135-pound division, and his goals for the future.

“I fell in love with combat sports at a very young age, mostly boxing,” Arnold explained to Floyd. “I was the youngest of all boys. I grew up in a pretty rough family, and I had to be tough growing up, and my love for combat sports came into the fold. I also played hockey as a kid, so I had a physical upbringing. And I also wrestled when I was in school and it transformed into this. I never thought I was going to be doing MMA as a kid, although I loved it.

“I hit rock bottom when I was a young teen,” Arnold continued. “I hit rock bottom, and my mother came from out-of-state and picked me up, and we moved to Lewiston [Maine]. And I always swore to myself as a kid I’d never move there because I thought it was the worst place in the world. But it was actually the best move I ever made in my entire life.”

When Arnold’s parents—whom he credits for “making me the man I am today”–brought him to his adopted hometown of Lewiston, Maine, he also found a gym family at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (CMBJJ) where he has started training under longtime NEF veterans Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) and former NEF flyweight champion Dustin Veinott (5-4).

“I’m trying to become a whole complete martial artist,” Arnold stated. “I’m not trying to be known as just this brawler that’s going to go out there and bang with anybody.”

“Bang,” however, is exactly what Arnold did in April 2018 when he knocked out David Thompson at “NEF 33: Riptide” in a lighting fast 11-seconds.

“I mean yeah, it was a hell of a knockout highlight reel,” Arnold confessed. “But I’ve been doing that my whole life, man.”

“We were working that overhand right, we knew that was going to be there right from the beginning,” Arnold continued. “I spoke it into existence and that’s exactly what happened. I cracked him with a jab, I saw his head snap back, and then as he’s coming in, he’s coming in very aggressive, he dropped his hand, he’s coming in for an upper cut and he left his chin right on a shelf for me.”

Arnold solidified his position at the top of the New England bantamweight division in June 2018 at “NEF 34: Home of the Brave” when he defeated Killian Murphy (1-2) via fourth-round knockout to become the NEF bantamweight champion. Despite a back and forth battle that brought the crowd to its feet that night, and the culminating moment he landed the knockout punch that iced the win for him, Arnold looks back and still sees room for improvement.

“I just haven’t been able to find that perfect fight, I guess,” Arnold pondered. “A lot of people would point to Killian Murphy maybe being that fight for me, but in my eyes that was a very poor performance for myself. I kept my hands very low for a reason, and a lot of people said, ‘Oh, you looked tired.’ If I was so tired, I wouldn’t have knocked him out in the fourth round. I kept my hands low for a reason because of his wrestling ability. And people seem to forget that I used to wrestle too, and I outwrestled him that whole fight. But I was still upset that I shouldn’t have been able to take that many shots as I did with Killian. I should have put him out earlier in the fight.

“It’s hard to get the perfect fight,” Arnold continued. “I talk to other people about it and they’re like, “Dude, it’s so hard.” Even guys that have been fighting for 10, 15 years they’re like, “It’s so hard to find that perfect fight.” Because I was like, “Man, is there something wrong with me? I feel disappointed in myself after a win.”

So what does Arnold want out of one of his fights in order to walk away satisfied?

“I want to have a bloodbath,” he admitted. “I want to split somebody wide open, have a doctor stoppage, because I’m beating somebody so badly. I love seeing people’s eyes roll in the back of their heads, I like making people stiff as a board.”

Currently still competing as an amateur, Arnold is already being discussed as a future threat in the professional bantamweight division. Before he turns pro, however, he has plans set to defend his title on April 27th against a very experienced and crafty veteran in Henry Clark, who comes into the bout riding a two-fight win streak.

“Henry’s tough, man,” Arnold warned. “He has a chin on him, he’s a gamer, he’s not going to back down and he’s solid all the way around.”

With his two-year anniversary since his debut still four months away, Kam isn’t anxious and is confident that he has a lot left to contribute to the sport.

“I still have some amateur goals that I want to accomplish and we’re only scratching the surface of my career, really,” Arnold stated. “I don’t want to make too much of a premature jump into the next group of talent. But I’m not afraid either, I’ve got to make the decision here coming up shortly, I’d like to get at least a couple more fights in. Depending on how those fights go—I’m one fight at a time—but if I keep on remaining successful, then I can’t see why I wouldn’t go pro after a sixth or a seventh fight.

“I’m very excited for the next chapter,” Arnold concluded.

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising. == z5�PZ

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

TOP BANTAMWEIGHT CONTENDERS TO SQUARE OFF AT NEF 36 IN PORTLAND, MAINE

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Portland, Maine (September 17, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its final mixed-martial-arts event of 2018, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” on Saturday, November 17 at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur bantamweight bout to the card.  Henry Clark (4-4) is scheduled to meet Killian Murphy (1-1) in a battle of top contenders to the promotion’s 135-pound amateur title.

Henry Clark is a member of the Choi Institute based in Portland.  After starting his amateur career at 3-1, Clark would lose his next three in a row.  He would bounce back this past June with a first-round submission of Jack Greene (2-6) via D’Arce choke at “NEF 34” in Portland.  It was a return to form as Clark had picked up all three of his previous wins by submission – all various forms of chokeholds.  He previously challenged for the amateur bantamweight title in early 2016 in a losing effort to Johnny Crafts (4-1).

“I’m hyped about this fight with Killian,” said Clark.  “He’s as game as they come, but he is nowhere near ready for me. I’ll smash him up, and then next I’ll take that belt and put it around my waist with my own hands. This is my time to shine.”

Killian Murphy is a former Maine state wrestling champion.  He captured a title for Marshwood High School in Elliott in 2015.  Murphy made his amateur MMA debut earlier this year at “NEF 33” in Portland with a technical knockout of Krishna Scott (0-1).  Like Clark, he would also make an unsuccessful bid for the amateur bantamweight title.  Murphy lost to current champion Kam Arnold at “NEF 34” in a hard-fought battle that will certainly be a contender for “Fight of the Year” at the end of 2018.  He trains with Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire under former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, and current UFC fighter, Devin Powell (9-3).

“I’m excited to fight Henry,” said Murphy. “Beating Henry gives me another shot at the title – and winning that belt has always been my goal.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” will see the company make its return to Aura in Portland, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

FINISHES GALORE HIGHLIGHT NEF 34 FIGHT NIGHT IN PORTLAND; NEF ANNOUNCES RETURN TO BANGOR

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Portland, Maine (June 17, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) made its return to Portland, Maine on Saturday night with the fight promotion’s latest mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave.”  A jam-packed house of fight fans took in the action as NEF fighters delivered the non-stop excitement from bell to bell in what many are calling one of the best events the company has ever produced.

 

 

 

On a card featuring a total of 18 fights, the judges’ scorecards were not needed until the thirteenth bout of the evening.  Prior to that time, the early card featured a plethora of exciting finishes including a pair of D’Arce Chokes courtesy of Angelo Rizzitello (2-1) and Henry Clark (4-4) and highlight-reel knockouts by Cody Rolling (5-5) and Zac Lawrence (1-0).  Thirteen of the evening’s fights ended in the first round.

 

 

 

Kam Arnold (4-0) and Killian Murphy (1-1) waged an absolute war for the vacant amateur bantamweight title in what made history as the first amateur fight in Maine to ever go beyond the old three-round limit.  Arnold claimed the title with a fourth-round knockout in a bout that will certainly be a contender for “Fight of the Year” this December when voting begins.

 

 

 

Not to be outdone, Carlton Charles (2-2) and Duncan “The Highlander” Smith (3-2) took their amateur welterweight title fight into the fourth round as well.  Smith took the gold home after putting Charles out with a rear-naked choke.

 

 

 

On the professional side of the card, Young’s MMA teammates “The” Ryan Sanders (16-9) and Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-2) were in action.  Sanders submitted Vince McGuiness (5-8) with just seconds remaining in the first round while Lacey lost a unanimous decision to Da’Mon Blackshear (5-1) in the main event.

 

 

 

NEF announced that its next MMA event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” would originate from the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on September 8, 2018.  Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Monday morning at 10 am.  A pre-sale for online tickets started Saturday night at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com with pre-sale code “NEF.”

 

 

 

The full results from Portland, Maine:

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

 

Da’mon Blackshear def. Aaron Lacey via unanimous decision

 

 

Ryan Sanders def. Vince McGuiness via armbar, round 1

 

AMATEUR MMA

Duncan Smith def. Carlton Charles via rear-naked choke, round 4

 

Kam Arnold def. Killian Murphy via KO, round 4

 

Mark Gardner def. Eric Camacho via armbar, round 1

 

 

Glenn Kasabian def. Jordan Young via unanimous decision

 

 

Glory Watson def. Chelsea Tucker via TKO, round 1

 

 

Carter Labrecque def. Josiah Kenney via TKO, round 1

 

 

Angelo Rizzitello def. Clifford Redman via D’Arce Choke, round 1

 

 

Zac Lawrence def. Jordan Norman via KO, round 1

 

 

Henry Clark def. Jack Greene via D’Arce Choke, round 1

 

 

Curtis Ouellette def. Dalton Dunphy via TKO, round 2

 

 

Brady MacDonald def. Greg Waterbury via guillotine, round 1

 

 

Cody Rolling def. Mike Williams via KO, round 1

 

 

Sarah Matulis def. Carol Linn Powell via rear-naked choke, round 1

 

 

Joe Howard def. Brandon Clark via guillotine, round 1

 

 

Christian Barrett def. Brandon Schwinck via TKO, round 1

 

Taylor Bartlett def. Delmarkis Edwards via TKO, round 1

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm.  The ticket pre-sale is happening now online at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com with pre-sale code NEF.  Tickets will go on sale to the general public this Monday morning, June 18 at 10:00 am EDT.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

 BANTAMWEIGHT BOUT ADDED TO ALREADY-STACKED PORTLAND FIGHT CARD

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Portland, Maine (May 24, 2018) – Last week New England Fights (NEF) released the official card for its upcoming return to Aura in Portland, Maine.  The mixed-martial-arts event, entitled “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” is scheduled to take place on Saturday night, June 16, 2018 with a bell-time of 7:00 pm EDT.  NEF matchmakers, however, were still hard at work on adding fights to the card, and earlier today they announced the addition of an amateur bantamweight bout to the event.  Henry Clark (3-4) will face Dave Brown (1-3) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

 

 

 

The lead-up to “NEF 34” has been somewhat of a wild ride for Henry Clark.  He was originally scheduled to face Florida’s Krishna Scott (0-1) on the card.  Just prior to the announcement of the full fight card, Scott’s camp informed NEF that he was pulling out of the fight.  Clark remained in training camp at the Choi Institute in Portland in the hope that NEF matchmakers would find him a replacement opponent.  When Dave Brown stepped up to the plate, Clark was quick to accept the opportunity to fight in front of his hometown fans and friends once more.

 

 

 

“I’m so grateful that Dave Brown stepped up,” said Clark. “It takes a lot of guts to take a short notice fight. I would have fought anyone on a week’s notice if it meant fighting in Portland. It’s great motivation for me to finish up my camp knowing who I’m fighting. I’m coming to showcase and steal the show.”

 

 

 

A native of North Andover, Massachusetts, Dave Brown is a three-fight veteran of the NEF cage.  Prior to his time competing in MMA, Brown wrestled for Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire.  He will return to NEF after a three-year absence following his loss to Norman Fox in the spring of 2015.  Brown, “‘Downtown’ Dave Brown” as he is known to his fans and friends, is looking forward to his return to action.

 

 

 

“I’ve seen Henry Clark in action and I have a lot of respect for his abilities,” said Brown when reached for comment.  “But come June 16, I’m gonna take him down… all the way downtown!”

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

 

 

 

About New England Fights

 

 

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF RELEASES FIGHT CARD FOR RETURN TO PORTLAND ON JUNE 16

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Portland, Maine (May 18, 2018) –Earlier today, New England Fights (NEF) released the official card for its upcoming return to Aura in Portland, Maine.  The mixed-martial-arts event, entitled “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” is scheduled to take place on Saturday night, June 16, 2018 with a bell-time of 7:00 pm EDT.

 

 

 

The main event will feature two rising East Coast prospects when Bangor, Maine’s own Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-1) meets Fayetteville, North Carolina’s Da’Mon “The Diamond” Blackshear (4-1) in a featherweight bout.  Lacey is coming off a dominant win over veteran Josh Parker (6-9) earlier this year, while Blackshear looks to rebound from the first loss of his professional career last August.

 

 

 

Lacey’s Young’s MMA teammate “The” Ryan Sanders (15-9) will see action in the co-main event against Tampa, Florida’s Vince McGuiness (5-7).  Sanders is the reigning NEF MMA Pro Lightweight Champion.  The fight with McGuiness will be a non-title affair.

 

 

 

Rounding out the professional portion of the card will be yet another Young’s MMA competitor in the form of Carl Langston (0-1) who is scheduled to rematch The Choi Institute’s Ernesto Ornelas (3-7) in a battle of Portland fan-favorites.  Langston and Ornelas initially met last month at “NEF 33” with Ornelas coming out on top via unanimous decision. Langston immediately requested a rematch blaming his performance on nerves surrounding his pro debut.  Ornelas obliged and has promised to finish Langston this time out, leaving no room for question.

 

 

 

The amateur portion of the card will be headlined by a pair of title fights.  Undefeated Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) prospect Kam Arnold (3-0) will face Michael Crespo (3-3) of First Class MMA for the vacant NEF MMA Amateur Bantamweight Championship.  In the second title fight, Carlton Charles (2-1) of the Charles Fighting Family and Berserkers MMA meets Duncan “The Highlander” Smith (2-2) of Evolution Athletix to crown a new NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Champion.  Both fights are scheduled for five three-minute rounds – a first in the NEF amateur division as all previous title fights had been scheduled for three three-minute rounds.

 

 

 

Three women’s bouts will take place on the amateur card.  Brianne Genschel (0-1) of First Class MMA and the Foundry will take on Tampa, Florida’s Amanda Gallo (1-1) while Genschel’s First Class MMA teammate Chelsea Tucker (0-2) faces the debuting Glory Watson (0-0) of Young’s MMA, and Carol Linn Powell (0-1) meets Sarah Matulis (1-0) of the Outlet.  Powell owns and operates Nostos MMA of Somersworth, NH alongside her husband, UFC signee and former NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion Devin Powell (8-3).

 

 

 

Henry Clark (3-4) and Killian Murphy (1-0) both had opponents pull out on them prior to press time.  NEF matchmakers are working on finding replacement opponents.  Bantamweight and featherweight amateurs interested in either fight are asked to contact NEF via email at newenglandfights@gmail.com.  Serious inquiries only please.

 

 

 

The full “NEF 34” fight card (subject to change):

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

 

155 Ryan Sanders 15-9 (Young’s MMA) vs Vince McGuiness 5-7 (Bang Muay Thai Tampa/Gracie Pac MMA)

 

145 Aaron Lacey 5-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Da’mon Blackshear 4-1 (Team ROC)

 

135 Carl Langston 0-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Ernesto Ornelas 3-7 (Choi’s)

 

 

 

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

170*TITLE Carlton Charles 2-1 (Charles Fighting Family/Berserkers MMA) vs Duncan Smith 2-2 (Evolution Athletix)

 

135*TITLE Michael Crespo 3-3 (First Class MMA) vs Kam Arnold 3-0 (CMBJJ)

 

205 Cody Rolling 4-5 (F2 Arena) vs Mike Williams 2-2 (CMBJJ)

 

185 Mark Gardner 2-0 (The Academy) vs Eric Camacho 0-0 (F2 Arena)

 

185 Jordan Norman 0-0 (Bad Little Falls Dojo) vs Zac Lawrence 0-0 (Nostos)

 

180 Rich Kenney 0-0 (Kenney’s MMA) vs Brandon Schwinck 0-1 (Independent)

 

170 Dalton Dunphy 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Curtis Ouellette 0-1 (CMBJJ)

 

170 Christian Barrett 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Michael Vizza 1-3 (RMNU)

 

155 Angelo Rizzitello 1-1 (The Outlet) vs Clifford Redman 0-4 (Independent)

 

155 Brandon Clark 0-0 (The Academy) vs Joe Howard 0-0 (CMBJJ)

 

150 Delmarkis Edwards 0-1 (Independent) vs Taylor Bartlett 0-1 (CMBJ)

 

150 Josiah Kenney 0-0 (Kenney’s MA) vs Carter Labrecque 0-0 (CMBJJ)

 

140 Jordan Young 0-0 (Independent) vs Glenn Kasabian 1-3 (Nostos)

 

135 Brianne Genschell 0-1 (First Class MMA) vs Amanda Gallo 1-1 (RMNU)

 

135 Sarah Matulis 1-0 (The Outlet) vs Carol Linn Powell 0-1 (Nostos)

 

130 Chelsea Tucker 0-2 (First Class MMA) vs Glory Watson 0-0 (Young’s MMA)

 

125 Greg Waterbury 0-0 (White Mountain BJJ) vs Brady MacDonald 0-1 (Pictou County Titans)

 

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

 

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HOMETOWN PRIDE IS ON THE LINE IN BANTAMWEIGHT BATTLE AT NEF 31

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (August 24, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland onFriday, 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 bantamweight bout to the card.  Henry Clark (3-3) is scheduled to face Carl Langston (6-9) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

Henry Clark is a member of the Choi Institute based in Portland.  Since his debut in the fall of 2014, Clark has been known for producing exciting moments in the NEF cage.  In a memorable bout with Langston’s Young’s MMA teammate, and current NEF MMA Amateur Bantamweight Champion, Fred Lear (6-2), Clark held onto a triangle choke while Lear viciously slammed him not once but twice.  He will look to break a two-fight losing streak with what Clark predicts to be a dominant performance against Langston in front of his hometown fans.

“Portland is my town,” declared Clark. “On November 3rd, I’m showing up to prove that. I’ve got a great opponent in Carl who always shows up to fight, but I’m planning on keeping it a dominant, one-sided affair. Truly my only desire is that of violence, my only intention is victory. Both will be achieved.”

Like Clark, Carl Langston calls Portland home.  With a background in Taekwondo, Langston has thrilled NEF fans on numerous occasions with his prolific striking abilities.  He knocked out Alex Johnson (2-3) with a series of violent kicks to the body in Langston’s last NEF appearance.  Langston says this will be his last amateur fight before turning professional.

“This will be my last amateur fight and there isn’t any better way to go out fighting for NEF’s first card  in my hometown in Portland,” stated Langston.  “I’m super pumped to be part of this card! As far as my opponent, he’s a good guy and I have nothing bad to say about him, but come fight time, I’m going to walk through him. He won’t make it out of the second round. He has nothing to offer me.”

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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

CLARK VS. CLARK ANNOUNCED FOR NEF 27

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (December 6, 2016) –New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on February 11, 2017 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the first amateur fight confirmed for the card.  Henry Clark (3-2) is scheduled to face Alex Clark (3-2) at a catchweight of 140-pounds.

 

Henry Clark fights out of the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine.  With wins over the likes of Sheldon Bang (2-2) and Fred Lear (4-2), Henry earned a shot at the NEF Amateur Bantamweight Title earlier this year.  The finish of the bout was mired in controversy as Henry contended that the referee stoppage resulting in a technical knockout victory for Johnny Crafts (4-1) was actually the result of an illegal eye poke suffered by Clark.

 

“I’m coming into to this fight with an iron will and a desire for violence,” declared Henry Clark.  “After my last loss, I can guarantee it will not go that way for me again. I’m the best 135-pounder in Maine, and I’m here to prove that. After I take what I want from Alex, there’s only one place for me to go and that’s a championship fight. I look forward to facing the challenges Alex will bring.”

 

Alex Clark is a member of Young’s MMA based in Bangor, Maine.  He recently returned to the NEF cage after an extended leave of nearly three years from active competition.  At “NEF 26” last month, Alex  lost a hard-fought battle against Florida’s Shawn Lunghi (2-0).  He will be looking to bounce back from that loss at “NEF 27,” and he promises an exciting contest for fight fans.

 

“I’m super excited about this fight,” said Alex Clark.  “Henry is a tough guy with absolutely no quit in him. He’s not afraid to stand and exchange and has good BJJ to back it up. This is an awesome matchup between a couple of strong willed warriors, but I think my strength and athleticism is going to be the difference. Styles make fights and there’s no doubt that this one will be a crowd pleaser.”

 

NEF’s next event, “NEF 27: RESURGENCE” takes place on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 7 p.m.  Tickets start at $25 and are on sale now 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 @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA

TRASH TALK BEGINS AROUND FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT AT NEF 22

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Lewiston, Maine (February 12, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 22, 2016at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts.  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a featherweight contest to the amateur portion of the “NEF 22” fight card.  Bantamweight Champion Johnny Crafts (4-0) will move up in weight to face Taylor Costantino (2-1) at 145-pounds.

 

Crafts was successful last Saturday in his attempt to capture the inaugural NEF MMA Amateur Bantamweight Title.  He took out Henry Clark (3-2) in the third round of their bout in Lewiston.  Crafts is a decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) brown belt out of Team New England United (NEU).  He also cross-trains with Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston.

 

“I’m excited to step up to 145 to fight Taylor,” said Crafts of the upcoming matchup with Costantino.  “I will be very strong at that weight seeing as I cut pretty extensively to make 135.  It will allow me to focus on different areas this camp instead of putting a lot of my energy into cutting weight.”

 

Costantino is himself coming off a big win last Saturday at “NEF 21.”  It took him a mere 25-seconds to down Frank Johanson (0-1), a training partner of Crafts at CMBJJ, in the first round.  Costantino is clear that he is coming to fight on April 23, and he does not plan on engaging in a  grappling contest with Crafts.

 

“Respect to him for coming up in weight,” said Costantino of Crafts.  “He’s a glorified pajama warrior that has never been punched in the face with any type of authority. He will clinch quickly and look for the takedown. He’ll realize real quick that he has never fought or trained with anybody like me.”

 

Crafts and Costantino are not strangers to one another.  Several years ago, the two met in a jiu-jitsu tournament with Crafts coming out on top.

 

“Taylor and I have competed before in a sport jiu-jitsu tournament,” recalled Crafts.  “Taylor says I am a glorified pajama warrior who has never been punched in the face, but if I recall correctly, I submitted him without my ‘pajamas’ no-gi in that tournament pretty quickly. I train with a lot of very talented and tough fighters daily who punch me in the face very hard. People say the same thing about me not getting punched – well, I have had four fights and they just haven’t had the chance to. Anyone who has trained with high-level fighters will tell you that gi jiu-jitsu only makes you more of a technical fighter.  If he doesn’t believe that, that is fine – he will feel it on April 23rd.”

 

“Johnny did submit me when I first moved to Maine,” Costantino admitted.  “Legit submission, and his pure grappling is definitely high level.  My grappling is MMA based, not slow jitsu.  It’s grimy, grueling and punishing. Pure grappling, I would worry about his game.  But it’s a fight, sport jiu-jitsu means next to nothing to me.

 

“I wish I could say people will get to see my whole game, but I can’t guarantee that. Johnny will feel my power and look to go to his comfort zone. I will break him, you will see quit in his eyes.”

 

“After Taylor won in impressive fashion at NEF 21, he immediately screamed at me while still inside the cage that he wanted a black belt for his next challenge,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “Well, he’s getting a brown belt in Johnny Crafts who, by all accounts, is due to receive his black belt any day, is a perfect 4-0 in the cage and is the current NEF amateur bantamweight champion. This fight is dripping with drama and will define a future top contender for the featherweight title in NEF’s stacked 145-pound division.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 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.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FIRST AMATEUR BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX PROMISES FIREWORKS

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Lewiston, Maine (July 2, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Fred Lear (3-1) is scheduled to meet Henry Clark (2-1) at a catchweight of 140-pounds.

 

Lear made his amateur debut with NEF in the summer of 2013.  He has accumulated a perfect record of 3-0 in the NEF cage, his only amateur loss coming outside the promotion on a fight card in New Hampshire this past spring.  Two of Lear’s three victories in NEF have come by strikes while in mount position.  He has exhibited one of the most effective ground-and-pound offenses of any amateur currently on the NEF roster.  Lear is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“In preparation for Clark, we will be looking to get 1% better every day,” said Lear of his fight camp at Young’s.  “As per usual, this will be a team effort and I recognize and respect the challenge ahead of us.  Henry is dangerous and versatile.”

 

Lear is correct in his conclusion.  Henry Clark represents the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine, and he has shown a wide array of abilities in his first three bouts both on his feet and on the mat.  In his debut fight at “NEF XV” last fall, Clark was sharp with his striking in the first round against Sheldon Bang (2-2) prior to submitting Bang off his back in the second with a triangle choke. Clark recognizes that Lear is especially deadly in top position, but is confident that he can come away with the win on September 12 in Lewiston.

 

“I’m absolutely crazy about this fight,” exclaimed Clark.  “This is the exact fight I want as a growing martial artist.  Fred is super tough and a nightmare once he gets on top of you.  That said, I feel as though I have the skill and ability to ruin Fred’s night on September 12th.  I’m hungry for this challenge.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 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 @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”