Tag Archives: Maine

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CORAPI OUT, LOCKARD IN AGAINST ERICKSON; FIGHT NOW FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE AT NEF 39

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (June 4, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, June 22 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced that Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) will meet Dylan Lockard (5-1) for the vacant NEF Professional Lightweight Championship.  Former champion Ryan Sanders (18-9) decided to vacate the title late last year due to the extreme weight cuts he had to endure to make the lightweight limit of 155 pounds.

The bout, originally scheduled to be a non-title affair between Erickson and Lewis Corapi (8-5), came about after Corapi had to pull out due to illness.

“Jesse Erickson has been a perennial contender since the inception of the NEF Lightweight Title,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “In 22 bouts between his amateur and professional career, you have to go all the way back to his very first fight in 2012 to find the one time that Erickson has ever had a fight go to the judge’s scorecards. He always competes with a ferocity that leads him to securing the finish, or being finished. He’s pure fire every time he climbs in the cage. Dylan Lockard, by the same token, has only lost once between his amateur and professional outings and is one of the hottest prospects in New England right now. As an amateur, Lockard beat both Josh Harvey and Caleb Hall—two NEF staples that are undefeated and have looked unstoppable since turning professional. You couldn’t ask for a more perfectly matched fight between two experienced, hungry athletes to fill the highly coveted lightweight title.”

Erickson has attempted to capture the lightweight belt three times previously, twice against Bruce Boyington (17-11) and once against current UFC competitor Devin Powell (9-4), only to come up short in each fight.  Erickson says he will be patient in this bout in hopes of winning the title that has eluded him to date.

“First, I want to thank Dylan for stepping up to take the bout,” remarked Erickson. “He seems well-rounded and has wins over some quality opponents. I’m working hard every day and will enter the cage in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m not going to be in a rush in the cage on June 22nd. I have five rounds to put him away and finally walk out with that belt. Victory or Valhalla, fourth time’s the charm.”

Lockard will definitely be entering hostile territory with hundreds of Erickson’s hometown friends, family and fans in the crowd.  The fight will take place ten pounds heavier than the featherweight limit Lockard usually competes at.

Everything about Lockard’s background, however, indicates that he rises to meet any challenge.  In 2010 he won a state championship at 152 pounds wrestling for Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, New Hampshire, finishing his senior season with an impressive 38-9 record.  He began his amateur MMA career in 2014 and went a perfect 4-0, defeating some of the best the region has to offer including Harvey and Hall.  Lockard turned pro in the summer of 2016.  His only loss to date has been against a very tough Shane Manley (5-5), who longtime NEF fans will remember as the athlete who handed both Jesse Erickson and Ray Wood (8-5) the first losses of their respective MMA careers.  Lockard is currently on a two-fight win streak since the loss to Manley, most-recently upending previously-undefeated Anthony Wright (4-1) on a fight card in Rhode Island last fall.

“I’m excited to come up to Maine and fight for the NEF title,” said Lockard when reached for comment.  “Jesse is a really tough opponent, and I think we match up well. It’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans.”

“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

BOUCHER HOPES SECOND TIME WILL BE A CHARM FOR CAPTURING FLYWEIGHT TITLE

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (May 25, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, June 22 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN.”  One of the featured fights on the amateur portion of the pro/am card will see Nate Boucher (4-3) tangle with Robert Presley (5-4) for the vacant NEF Amateur Flyweight Title.

This will be Boucher’s second attempt at capturing the flyweight belt.  Then-undefeated, Boucher met Justin Witham (4-4) in November 2017 for the championship in Portland, Maine.  Witham went on to win the bout, and the title, via split decision on the judges’ scorecards.  Many in attendance, however, felt that Boucher had dominated the bout.

The loss to Witham was the start of a three-fight skid for the former wrestler from Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine.  Boucher has rebounded and put himself back in contention for the flyweight strap with back-to-back first-round submission victories at “NEF 36” and “NEF 37,” respectively.

Boucher represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Lewiston, Maine.

“Since coming up short on the judges’ scorecards in my first title fight—a fight that many fans feel I won—I have been focused on one single goal: getting another shot at the belt,” said Boucher. “Finally, that opportunity is here and I don’t plan on allowing anything to stand in my way of achieving my main goal which is winning the flyweight title! I’m doing everything that I need to do in order to make sure that the judges don’t play a role in the outcome on June 22nd. Special thanks to all of my sponsors and supporters for helping me on my way back to the belt fight—I vow to make you all proud at ‘All-American’ in Lewiston.”

Robert Presley, known as “The Warrior,” comes to Maine all the way from Lancaster, Ohio to challenge for the flyweight title.  He was victorious in his most recent bout last January via unanimous decision.  With this being his tenth amateur bout, Presley plans on turning pro soon after.  He represents both 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu and the Lancaster Academy of MMA.

“On June 22nd, I will be flying in from the little town of Newark, Ohio to go to war with Nate Boucher for the NEF flyweight title,” said Presley. “I don’t know much about Nate, but I will be honored to share the cage with him. After this fight, I am turning pro. I’ve learned a lot from my amateur career and am ready to showcase my talent. Many thanks to NEF for giving me a chance to please their home crowd. I hope everyone is ready for a battle!”

“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 atwww.TheColisee.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

A NEW MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION WILL BE CROWNED AT NEF 39

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (May 22, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, June 22 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 39: ALL-AMERICAN.”  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur title fight to the card.  Carlton Charles (3-2) will face Jordan Norman (2-1) for the vacant amateur middleweight belt.

Prior to entering the MMA ranks, Carlton Charles made his mark on the football field.  He played for Windham High School in Windham, Maine and later led the team to a Class A title as an assistant coach.  Charles went on to play fullback for the University of Maine Black Bears.  He made his NEF debut in the summer of 2017 with a 23-second knockout win.  He would top that performance with a 12-second knockout victory in February 2018.  After an unsuccessful attempt at capturing the amateur welterweight title against Duncan Smith (5-3) last June, Charles returned to the cage one month ago in New Hampshire and picked up yet another first-round knockout win.

“As always, I feel blessed and very grateful for the opportunity to fight for the belt,” said Charles.  “I know Jordan has come a long way in this sport and is always training hard and improving. I will be looking to not be caught by one of those big meat hooks that he has for hands. He’s a big powerful guy, and I’m going to be training hard as always to be able to go out and perform to my best ability. I know my coaches will have me ready for this one! have no doubt in my mind the fans will be in for a real treat with this one.”

Jordan Norman has indeed come a long way since his NEF debut last June.  He lost that evening via first-round knockout, but Norman would come firing back in his next two bouts.  He won a split decision over John Assam (0-1) last fall, and just last month finished Greg Ishihara (0-1) in the second round.  Norman represents the Bad Little Falls Dojo.

“I’m honored for the opportunity to get into the NEF cage and compete for the amateur title against someone like Carlton,” exclaimed Norman. “He and I will put on one hell of a show for the Lewiston crowd. Both of us come to fight and it won’t be any different on June 22nd. I have nothing but respect for him and his team. I’m excited for the task at hand and scrapping it out for the middleweight title.”

The middleweight title fight between Charles and Norman is the fourth already announced for the “NEF 39” card.  Josh “Hook On” Harvey (6-0-1) is scheduled to defend the professional featherweight title against Jordan Downey (5-4), while Nate Boucher (4-3) will square off with Robert Presley (5-4) for the vacant amateur men’s flyweight belt, and undefeated Glory Watson (4-0) takes on Caree Hill (4-1) to crown NEF’s first amateur women’s flyweight champion.  Also announced for the card, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) faces Lewis Corapi (8-5) in a professional lightweight bout.

“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.

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 38 SELLS-OUT IN RECORD TIME; SIXTH STRAIGHT SELLOUT FOR MAINE-BASED FIGHT PROMOTION

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (April 22, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” this April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced that tickets for the event were officially sold-out.

The sellout comes a full five days prior to the event, marking a new record for the fight promotion.  The previous record holder, “NEF 37,” sold out three days before that event earlier this year.  This marks the sixth straight sellout for NEF, a streak stretching back to April 2018.

“The NEF brand is stronger than ever and continues to grow,” remarked NEF promoter and co-owner Nick DiSalvo.  “It’s a time where we’re seeing competitors falter around us with half-empty venues and weak fight cards.  But not NEF.  We have been the trendsetter for the way in which we promote our fighters ever since we arrived on the scene in 2012.  And it shows in the numbers we have done, and continue to do, at the box office.”

“We have competitors flying in from all over the country for ‘Stomborn,'” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “With four title fights, three women’s fights, decorated wrestlers and all colors of the BJJ belt spectrum represented, it’s no wonder this show sold out early. We’ve got a couple of surprises in store for fans on Saturday too. It’s never hyperbole when we tell people to get their tickets early. If you were sleeping and missed out on this one, don’t wait on getting your tickets early for June 22nd when we go back to the Colisee to celebrate all things America. Tickets go on sale tomorrow!”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place this Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets to the event are officially sold-out.

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

OLDEST ATHLETE TO EVER WIN IN PROMOTION’S CAGE TO RETURN AT NEF 38

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (March 28, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur catchweight bout to the card.  Garry Carr (1-0) will return to the cage to take on Brian Cosco (3-7) at a fight weight of 158-pounds.

Garry Carr made his debut in the NEF cage at “NEF 31” in the fall of 2017.  That night, he submitted David Hart in the first round to pick up the win.  In doing so, Carr became the oldest athlete ever to emerge victorious in the NEF cage at the age of 56.  He will look to break his own record on April 27 when, at the age of 57, he returns for his sophomore effort.  Carr is a member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) based out of Lewiston, Maine.

“Very proud to announce my return to the NEF cage on April 27th at Aura in Portland’s Old Port district,” said Carr. “It’s been over a year since my MMA debut and I have great memories there. I will be fighting out of team Central Maine BJJ who have prepared me for this match. I’m looking to show the skills I have learned to the crowd and hope that they will cheer me on to victory. Let’s fill the house and make it a night to remember.”

Brian Cosco may be a newcomer to the NEF cage, but he is a longtime veteran of the New England MMA scene.  The Revere, Massachusetts native has competed on the regional circuit since 2011 and has ten previous cage appearances to his credit.  He will look to get back on the winning track after a loss last summer on a fight card in New Hampshire.  Cosco currently represents Sityodtong and Brazil 021 of Somerville and Medford, Massachusetts respectively. 

“I’m excited to come up to Maine and fight for NEF,” exclaimed Cosco. “I’m feeling good. I’m not injured going into a fight for the first time in a while. I plan on going in there and getting the finish. I want to win convincingly so the NEF fans will want to see me back in there. I’m going to give the fans their money’s worth. I can’t wait for that cage door to shut!”

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

GOOD FRIENDS, BETTER RIVALS: PAGLIARULO PUTS FRIENDSHIP ASIDE TO FACE RICHARD FOR NEF FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

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Portland, Maine (March 18, 2019) – Tom “The Phenom” Pagliarulo might be a man of mystery to many New England Fights enthusiasts, but the newcomer and his opponent at NEF 38: “Stormborn” require no introduction to one another.

Maybe it’s a stretch to say Pagliarulo and Zac “Rocky” Richard lead parallel lives, but the similarities are striking.

Each has a substantial, successful wrestling background. Both have accelerated from the finish line of their respective mixed martial arts careers, with one minor speed bump.

And in a world where prospective combatants usually don’t have to work hard to drum up drama and animosity, Pagliarulo, 21, said that he and Richard are reasonably good, if casual, friends.

“I’ve known Zac for a long time,” Pagliarulo said. “We’ve competed together at some of the same big, regional wrestling meets and kind of become friends through that. We have very similar backgrounds.”

Pagliarulo (2-1) will be forced to put those common denominators on the back burner for one night – Saturday, April 27 – when he confronts Richard for the vacant NEF amateur featherweight title at Aura in Portland, Maine.

The location is significant. Richard is a native of nearby Waterboro, and whether it’s that short 30-minute commute or a drive two-thirds of the way across the state to Bangor, his family and friends are fiercely loyal.

A product of Haverhill, Massachusetts, who now trains across the New Hampshire state line at both Spero’s Martial Arts Academy (Plaistow) and Burgess MMA (Manchester), Pagliarulo is fully aware that he’s walking into the belly of the beast.

“I’m going into his backyard. I know he brings a lot of fans and sells a ton of tickets,” Pagliarulo said, “Hopefully I’ll have quite a few following me, as well. He’s a great opponent. There’s no question it will be a tough fight in a tough spot. I’m just looking for opportunities to build myself and advance my career over the next two to three years.”

Pagliarulo said he accepted the risk and potential reward of his NEF debut for the same reason adventurer George Leigh Mallory once rationalized his attempt to climb Mount Everest: Because it’s there.

After three relatively short fights near his home base, Pagliarulo wasn’t satisfied with the potential competition close to home and had his handlers cast a wider net.

“I was looking for a fight anywhere in New England,” Pagliarulo said. “NEF was the first to give me this opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.”

MMA was a natural progression for Pagliarulo, who made his mark in the realms of both wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

He was captain of the wrestling team as a senior at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Pagliarulo’s transition to Plymouth State University was an immediate success: He was 16-10 and earned the team’s rookie of the year honors as a freshman in 2016-17.

All the while, he began training for the combat cage when his schedule permitted.

“I’ve always had it in the back of my mind,” Pagliarulo said. “From the time I was maybe 10 years old and started watching UFC, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I always loved fighting, loved the sport, so I started training for it as soon as I turned 18.”

After only four forays onto the wrestling mat as a sophomore, Pagliarulo hung up the singlet.

“There were some personal issues, and I got away from it,” Pagliarulo said. “I decided to focus on MMA, and I’ve done that exclusively for about the past year.”

Pagliarulo also stepped up his BJJ training. He is currently a blue belt.

“That’s also been for about a year now,” Pagliarulo said. “Between that and my wrestling, my ground game is definitely the most dangerous I’d say, but my stand-up is not something to be slept on.”

In his September 2017 MMA debut, Pagliarulo exploded onto the scene with a second-round stoppage of Harry Gigliotti via rear naked choke.

Brimming with confidence, he received a wake-up call five months later when Matt Brady locked Pagliarulo in a guillotine choke and dealt his initial loss in under a minute.


“I made a simple mistake, and my opponent took advantage of it,” Pagliarulo said. “But I bounced back with a first-round TKO, and I feel like I learned a lot from it.”

That 67-second knockout of Eddie Linscott put Pagliarulo in position for the first title fight of his career.

He’ll take on a hungry opponent who encountered adversity, of sorts, in his last fight. Richard fought veteran Fred Lear for the same belt in February, with the judges declaring a rare draw.

With Lear making the decision to eschew a rematch and turn pro, Pagliarulo is the beneficiary.

“To win a belt at this point in my career would be cool,” Pagliarulo said, “but I’m really just excited to take a fight of this caliber and find out where I stand.”

Pagliarulo remains in school as a back-up plan. He’s a junior academically. He would gladly put off using that degree, however, if it meant a chance to travel the world and jump with both feet into the sport he loves.

“UFC is definitely the end goal. Of course it is for everybody,” Pagliarulo said.

The guy who shares everybody’s dream … and was looking to fight anybody … hopes a win over an old wrestling buddy will help him get recognized as somebody.

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

SMITH TO DEFEND WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST TEFFT AT NEF 38

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Portland, Maine (March 11, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur title fight to the card.  Duncan “The Highlander” Smith (4-3) will defend the NEF Amateur Welterweight Title against Jon Tefft (2-0).

Duncan Smith captured the 170-pound championship last June when he submitted Carlton Charles in the fourth round at “NEF 34.”  He has proven himself a skilled grappler with all three of his wins in 2018 coming by way of submission.  Smith will put the title on the line for the first time when he meets Tefft on April 27.  He currently represents Evolution Athletix based in Sacco, Maine.

“I don’t know anything about my opponent, but I know the gym,” said Smith. “I will be ready for anything they have for me April 27th. It’ll be my time to flow.”

Undefeated Jon Tefft made his cage debut in early 2017 with a technical knockout of Sean Worcester early in the first round at “NEF 27.”  He followed up that performance with another victory later that year over Mike Williams at “NEF 29.”  After a hard-fought first round, Williams was unable to answer the referee’s call to start the second round due to a shoulder injury.  Tefft is a member of First Class MMA located in Brunswick, Maine.

“I’m more than excited and honored for the opportunity to fight Duncan for the NEF welterweight title,” said Tefft.  “I always want to be in the conversation of ‘who’s the best’ and this my chance.  Duncan looks to be a technical fighter, we will see if he can match my grit, will and desire.”

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HORNSTRA AND HERRERA SPOILIN’ FOR A FIGHT AT NEF 38

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Portland, Maine (February 27, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional lightweight bout to the card.  Keegan “The Flu” Hornstra will take on Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera at a fight weight of 155-pounds.

Hornstra, who fought on the first three NEF cards in 2012, has not competed in the promotion’s cage in nearly seven years.  A veteran of more than 20 MMA bouts over the course of his amateur and professional careers, Hornstra is 3-3 over the course of his last six with all three wins being finishes.  He last competed on a card in Massachusetts in November 2016.  Hornstra currently represents Evolution Athletix based in Saco, Maine.

“I’m excited to be back in the NEF cage,” said Hornstra, “it’s been about seven years since my last outing in Maine. I’m fighting one of the NEF regulars in Zenon, the guy is super tough and I don’t think he’s ever said no to anyone. He’s coming off a dominant win and has found areas of success against some of NEF’s bigger names. I’m going to get in and put him out quickly and move on to the next.”

After several attempts in the NEF cage, Zenon Herrera finally picked up his first win as a professional at “NEF 32” last year with a unanimous decision victory over Nate Charles.  He returned to the cage later in the year in a losing effort to Ernesto Ornelas.  Herrera will look to bounce back from that loss on April 27 against Hornstra.  He is a member of Team Smog.

“Everything I’ve seen thus far leads me to believe that this is going to be a great and tough match,” said Herrera.  “I’ve had that moment of the glory that comes with getting my hand raised in victory and will strive to get it back.  As for Keegan, he’s one of those guys who brings his best every time he comes out, and I know this match will be no different.  I guess all I can really say is don’t look away once it starts, I have a feeling this one’s gonna end with a bang.”

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

RASQUATCH RETURNS TO THE CAGE TO AVENGE HOMETOWN LOSS

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Portland, Maine (February 26, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional heavyweight fight to the card.  “The Jamaican Shamrock” Ras “Rasquatch” Hylton is scheduled to face Charles Penn.

At 6’6,” Ras Hylton is one of the largest competitors ever to step foot in the NEF cage.  He started his amateur MMA career three years ago this month and went 3-0 prior to making his professional debut at “NEF 27” in February 2017.  Hylton has put together a record of 3-2 as a pro.  He will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Yorgan De Castro (4-0) in an unsuccessful bid to capture the inaugural NEF Cruiserweight Championship at “NEF 36” last November.

Hylton trains with First Class MMA in Brunswick, Maine as well as Dragon Fire Martial Arts in Portland.  He is a longtime practitioner of Taekwondo, a discipline in which he holds a black belt.

“I’m really grateful to be fighting in my home again,” said Hylton. “After my humbling return late last year, it’s been a time of reflection on what is necessary for my success. Lucky for me, I have family in every part of my life. From home, to the gym, to the dojo, to my job, I’m constantly getting my motivation to do things better. Thank you for keeping me going, and helping me find excellence. It’s going to be a great year!”

Hylton’s opponent at “NEF 38,” Charles Penn, will be making his professional debut.  Penn put together an impressive 6-3 record as an amateur competing throughout the Midwest.  He now represents Hayastan MMA based in North Carolina.

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. ��

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