Tag Archives: Hyannis

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, wrestling

JUNIKO SWEEPS; BATTLES VICTORIOUS IN PRO DEBUT; WOMEN’S FIGHT STEALS THE SHOW

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts (May 15, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its most recent event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE” on Saturday night at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  The HYCC was at capacity for  the first sanctioned mixed-martial-arts (MMA) show ever held on Cape Cod.  The venue opened the upstairs walking track to give standing-room-only fans more elbow room.  The crowd was electric all night for the eight-fight card presented by NEF.

 

Team Juniko, based out of Hyannis and Hanover, Massachusetts, was a perfect 5-0 on the night.  Fabian Miranda (3-0), Thomas Lee Davis, Jr. (2-0), Ed Forlenza (1-0), and Kylie O’Hearn (1-0) all picked up wins for the team on the amateur portion of the card.

 

It was O’Hearn’s bout with Angela Young (1-2) of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine that will be remembered for years to come by all in attendance.  The two women battled back and forth for three grueling rounds before O’Hearn was declared the winner by unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.  The fight will be a serious contender for “Fight of the Year” in the northeast by the time 2016 comes to an end.

 

Team Juniko member Brendan Battles (1-0) was victorious in the main event of the evening via technical knockout over Mike Hansen (4-4).  The bout was the pro debut for the native of Eastham, Massachusetts and standout wrestler from Nauset Regional High School.   Battles rebounded from an early flurry by Hansen to get the referee stoppage at 1:46 of the first round.

 

The full results of “NEF 23”:

 

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS

Brendan Battles def. Mike Hansen via TKO, round 1
Matt Denning def. Derek Shorey via heel hook, round 1

Crowsneck Boutin def. Ruben Redman via TKO, round 1

 

AMATEUR FIGHTS
Kylie O’Hearn def. Angela Young via unanimous decision

Ed Forlenza def. Frank Johanson via doctor stoppage, round 3
Victor Irwin def. Tracey Schryba via KO, round 1

Thomas Lee Davis, Jr. def. Anthony Spires via KO, round 1
Fabian Miranda def. Steve Bang via armbar, round 2

 

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.”  Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

 

For more information on the events 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.”

 

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 Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF 23 WEIGH-INS TO BE HELD AT RED FACE JACK’S THIS FRIDAY

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts (May 11, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE” this Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  The event will be the first sanctioned mixed-martial-arts (MMA) show ever held on Cape Cod.  Earlier today, the promotion announced that it would conduct the event weigh-in this Friday, May 13, 2016, at 5:00 pm EDT at Red Face Jack’s Pub.  Red Face Jack’s Pub is located at 585 Main Street in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts.

 

Weigh-ins are open to the public.  All of the fighters competing on Saturday night will be at the weigh-in, including headliners Brendan “Lock Down” Battles (0-0) and Mike “The Mustache” Hansen.  Fans and press are encouraged to attend.  Fighters and NEF executives will be available for interviews at the request of press.

 

The “NEF 23” fight card (subject to change):

 

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTS

MIDDLEWEIGHT: Crowsneck Boutin vs Ruben Redman
HEAVYWEIGHT: Brendan Battles vs Mike Hansen
LIGHTWEIGHT:  Derek Shorey vs Matt Denning

 

AMATEUR FIGHTS
LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT: Tracey Schryba vs Victor Irwin

BANTAMWEIGHT: Kylie O’Hearn vs Angela Young
CATCHWEIGHT: Thomas Lee Davis, Jr. vs Anthony Spires
CATCHWEIGHT: Fabian Miranda vs Steve Bang
CATCHWEIGHT: Ed Forlenza vs Frank Johanson

CATCHWEIGHT: Razzle Dazzle vs Dustin Veinott

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place this Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside. They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets

 

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 the promotion on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

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 New England’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF CAGES THE CAPE ON MAY 14 WITH THRILLING FIGHT CARD

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts  (May 6, 2016) – It will be no day at the beach, but they might just leave some blood on the sand.  New England Fights (NEF) plans to storm Cape Cod on Saturday, May 14, 2016 with the first-ever mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event to be held on the popular tourist destination.  The northeast’s top regional fight promotion will pack up its cage in one week and make the 200-mile trek south from NEF’s base of operations in Lewiston, Maine to the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC).

 

The attention the event has received has been staggering.  “The Cape Cod community has welcomed us with open arms,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “The HYCC is a great venue with an awesome staff.  Patti Lloyd at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has been a huge help in making this event happen as well.  And we have some fantastic new sponsors on the Cape like Bodystrong Fitness who have helped us spread the word.”

 

Indeed, the word has spread and ticket sales have been so strong, and demand so overwhelming, that the promotion had to order more chairs and tickets when cageside inventory sold out last week.  “The fans were asking us to add some more cageside seats, so we happily accommodated them,” noted DiSalvo.

 

And fight fans in attendance will be treated to a night filled with wild cage action.  The card is stacked with world class wrestlers and martial artists from Maine, Cape Cod and Massachusetts’ South Shore.  Hyannis-based Team Juniko will be prominently featured in no less than six of the evening’s bouts.

 

Brendan “Lock Down” Battles (0-0) of Juniko is scheduled to make his professional MMA debut in the heavyweight main event, locking horns with Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (4-3).  Battles was a three-time All American wrestler out of nearby Nauset Regional High School where he won two state championships and three New England championships.  He was 2-0 as an amateur MMA fighter.  Hansen has a wrestling pedigree of his own, having captured a state title for Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine.  Hansen is a ten-year-plus veteran of the MMA cage.

 

The co-main event of the evening will feature a rematch from “NEF 15” in November 2014.  “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (3-6) will look to avenge a loss to Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-2).  Shorey’s supporters have claimed for the past year-and-a-half that Denning’s submission victory was a fluke and that Denning would not be able to defeat Shorey a second time should the pair ever meet again.  Those claims will be put to the test in Hyannis in this lightweight rematch.

 

“It was a short notice fight that NEF asked for, and I know Derek wanted a rematch,” said Denning.  “After I beat him again, I’ll prove it wasn’t a fluke. I wanted this fight so I could get some new fans in Massachusetts and show my skills. I have had two losses in a row to great guys and want to get back in the win column.”

 

“I thought I could beat him the first time, and he caught me with an armbar,” Shorey admitted.  “This time I will leave that cage the victor.”

 

“It’s one of those fights we always get asked whether there will be a rematch,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “This will finally prove, once and for all, whether Matt Denning got lucky coming up with that armbar that night.  Whatever you do, don’t blink!  These two guys are finishers.  Whatever the outcome, it’s not going to the judges.  Someone’s getting knocked out or submitted in this one.”

 

In another pro fight, longtime NEF mainstay Crowsneck Boutin (1-2) will take on another promotion regular in the form of Ruben Redman (0-0).  The bout will be Redman’s professional debut after six amateur fights with NEF in Maine.  Boutin is a prolific striker based out of the Choi Institute in Portland.  The fight will take place at the middleweight limit of 185-pounds.

 

The amateur headliner will see Dustin Veinott (4-4) in a flyweight showdown with Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Kane (4-3).  Veinott is the former NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Champion.  He dropped the title in a very close split decision loss to Ryan Burgess (2-0) last November.  Kane, from Plymouth, Massachusetts, is a member of Team Juniko and an accomplished competitor in the ancient Greek martial art of Pankration.

 

A women’s fight will be prominently featured on the amateur card.  Angela Young (1-1) is scheduled to face Kylie O’Hearn (0-0).  Young is coming off a big win just two weeks ago against Hannah Sparrell (1-1) at “NEF 22” in Lewiston.  O’Hearn, another product of Plymouth, Massachusetts and Team Juniko, will be making her amateur MMA debut.  The fight will take place at the bantamweight limit of 135-pounds.

 

Young’s teammate Victor Irwin (1-0) will make the five-hour road trip along with her from Bangor, Maine to compete in Hyannis.  Irwin will square off with newcomer Tracey Schryba (0-0) in the amateur light-heavyweight division.

 

Brewster’s Ed Forlenza (0-0) makes his amateur debut against Frank Johanson (0-1) in a 160-pound catchweight bout.  Forlenza is a 2004 graduate of Nauset Regional High School where he was a standout on the wrestling team.  Johanson’s opponent pulled out of their bout on fight day two weeks ago at “NEF 22.”   Not one to let a good fight camp go to waste, Johanson agreed to take the fight with Forlenza in Hyannis.

 

In another 160-pound catchweight bout, Steve Bang (3-4) takes on Fabian Miranda (2-0).  Bang is a member of the famous father-sons fighting family of Auburn, Maine.  Miranda represents Team Juniko and will look to add to his undefeated record in the fight with Bang.

 

Rounding out the fight card is a 190-pound catchweight bout featuring Anthony Spires (0-1) and Thomas Lee Davis (1-0).  Spires, an independent fighter from Maine, hopes to rebound from a loss in his debut last fall at “NEF XX.”  Davis is a member of Team Juniko.

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside. They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets

 

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, New England Fights

MAIN EVENT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF MMA DEBUT ON CAPE COD

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts  (May 3, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF) America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE” on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Earlier today, NEF announced the main event of the fight card. Brendan “Lock Down” Battles (0-0) has signed to face Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (4-3) in a professional bout at a fight weight of 265-pounds.

 

Brendan Battles is a native of Eastham, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. There, he was a three-time All American wrestler for Nauset Regional High School. During his high school career, Battles captured a total of two state championships and three New England championships with an amazing 161 wins to his credit prior to graduating in 2012. A multi-sport athlete, he later played defensive end and tackle for the University of Connecticut. Battles made his NEF debut earlier this year at “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” when he efficiently dispatched of Mike Hansen’s Berserkers teammate, Dave Smith (2-2) in the first round via TKO ref stoppage. Battles trains out of Gracie Fitness and is a member of Team Juniko based out of Hyannis.

 

“I look forward to Mike coming down to my backyard for my first professional fight,” said Battles. “I know he is a tough fighter, but I look forward to showcasing the skills I have acquired thus far as I continue my journey to become a well-rounded MMA fighter.”

 

Mike Hansen is the founding member of Berserkers MMA based out of Rumford, Maine.  He won a Maine state championship in wrestling as a heavyweight in 2004.  Hansen made his MMA debut shortly after graduating from high school, only to step away from the sport for a decade in order to serve his country as a combat engineer in the United States Army.  He returned to the MMA cage in 2015 as a member of the NEF roster. Hansen has become known for taking tough fights against opponents that he is generally undersized next to. Less than two weeks ago, he defeated former top-tanked amateur light heavyweight Jesse “The Barbarian” Baughman (0-2) via first round submission at “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE.”  Always up for a challenge, Hansen requested the opportunity to face Battles in his highly anticipated professional debut.

 

“I like this fight because I get to fight in Massachusetts again,” stated Hansen. “I made my pro debut at Club Lido at the ‘Wonderland’ Blue Line stop just over a decade ago. I rode the ‘T’ from Fenway to Wonderland on August 6th, 2005 to make my debut against Eric Brown who I beat by rear naked choke at 1:27 in the first round. Jumping up two weight classes sucks, but I’ve competed at this weight many times. Battles is a very accomplished athlete with a stacked resume. With only three minutes of cage time, I think it’s time Battles was in the cage with someone ready to fight. I will gladly welcome Battles to the professional ranks and see how he stacks up. I’m going to stand right in front of him and make him beat me up and, if he can, he’s a good fighter. If he can’t, it is because I didn’t want him to. On May 14th, we will have a fight my friend!”

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside. They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets

 

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.”

 

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 New England’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

RAZZLE DAZZLE AND DUSTIN VEINOTT PREPARE TO CAGE THE CAPE ON MAY 14

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts (April 8, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will bring Cape Cod its first sanctioned mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this spring.  The event, entitled “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” will take place on May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Both professional and amateur MMA bouts will be presented that evening.  Earlier today, NEF announced the first amateur bout on the fight card.  Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Kane (4-3) will meet Dustin Veinott (4-4) in a three-round amateur flyweight bout at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

At age eighteen, Ryan Kane burst onto the New England MMA scene in early 2014.  And while eighteen may seem like an early start, Kane had already established himself in combat sports at a younger age.  In 2011, and then again in 2012, Kane medaled in the World Pankration Championships in Greece.  The Plymouth, Massachusetts-native trains with Team Juniko and Sityodtong.  Kane will be looking to rebound from a first-round loss in his last MMA bout earlier this year.

 

“I train with the best to become the best,” said Kane when reached for comment.  “I will outclass Dustin anywhere this fight goes.  If he’s judging me from my last fight, he’s in for a very long night.  I promise you I’m hungrier than ever and I’m ready to eat.”

 

Dustin Veinott began his amateur MMA career at 0-3.  Refusing to give up, Veinott came roaring back, winning his next four in a row.  In June 2015, he captured the NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Title, losing it later that year to Ryan Burgess (2-0) in a very close split decision on the judges’ scorecards.  Veinott trains at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston, Maine.  The bout on May 14 will be Veinott’s first outside of his home state of Maine.

 

“Losing the title has made me more determined than I have ever been – especially after the way I lost the belt,” said Veinott of the split-decision loss to Burgess.  “I’m eager to step up in competition and get into the cage with someone who trains at the level that he trains.  Razzle Dazzle is very well-rounded, but I don’t think anyone has seen me at my full potential.  I truly hope he doesn’t underestimate me.  I have trained very hard for this fight and I am ready to showcase the things I have been working on.  I will show up prepared and ready for a war!”

 

“NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside.  They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/ .

 

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, New England Fights

CAPE COD GETS ITS FIRST MMA CAGEFIGHTING EVENT; BATTLES & LAMONTE TO MAKE PRO DEBUTS

Leave a comment

Hyannis, Massachusetts (March 4, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, announced today that it will bring Cape Cod its first-ever mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event this spring.  The event, entitled “NEF 23: NEF CAGES THE CAPE,” will take place on May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center (HYCC) in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Both professional and amateur MMA bouts will be presented that evening.

 

To date, NEF has held twenty-two events, a mix of MMA and boxing shows, in the state of Maine.  The promotion was formed in 2012 by business partners Nick DiSalvo and Matt Peterson.  NEF has a reputation of putting on action-packed events in venues filled with thousands of rabid fight fans.  The promotion has a large, dedicated fan base unmatched by any of its competitors on the regional level.  Over the years, NEF’s cage has played host to UFC veterans such as Marcus Davis (22-11) and two-time UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia (31-10), among others.  NEF co-promoted a nationally-televised event with Bellator in the spring of 2013.  Its fight highlights have been featured prominently on AXS TV, TUFF TV and the “World’s Greatest Knockouts” on Spike TV.

 

“The NEF brand is expanding,” noted DiSalvo.  “Cape Cod is hungry for an MMA event.  I’m surprised it’s taken this long to happen with so many great teams located in the area.  NEF is honored to be the first to present an MMA show on the Cape.”

 

One MMA team whose fighters will be featured prominently on the May 14 card will be Hyannis-based Team Juniko.

 

“This show will be the first MMA show on Cape Cod in Team Juniko’s backyard,” remarked Team Juniko coach Mike Gresh.  “Congrats NEF!”

 

Gresh is a longtime, respected leader in the New England MMA community.  Two of his team’s members have been confirmed as making their professional debuts on May 14 – Erin “Fun Size” Lamonte and Brendan “Lockdown” Battles.

 

Scituate’s Erin Lamonte put together a perfect 6-0 record as an amateur competitor.  She is coming off back-to-back submission victories in Lewiston, Maine.

 

“I cannot wait for NEF to come to the Cape,” exclaimed Lamonte.  “All but one of my fights have been out of state, so I am so excited to fight in front of all my family and friends in my own backyard!  Don’t miss it.  May 14th ‘Fun Size’ goes pro and makes her presence known in the women’s straweight division!”

 

Brendan Battles is a native of nearby Eastham, Massachusetts where he was a three-time All-American wrestler for Nauset Regional High School.  Battles won two state championships and three New England regional championships while amassing a total of 161 wins over the course of his high school wrestling career.  Later, Battles played defensive end and tackle for the University of Connecticut.

 

“It’s an honor to fight down the street from my hometown and the gym where I train,” said Battles.  “It gives me the chills to fight my very first professional fight on my home turf, with my family, friends, and all who supports me to see the work I’ve put in and the fighter I have evolved into at this point of my career.”

 

“NEF 23: NEF CAGES THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth & Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts.  Tickets for “NEF 23” are $40 for general admission and $60 for cageside.  They are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/ .

 

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.”

 

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 New England’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.