Lewiston, Maine (Lub kaum hli ntuj 7, 2015) - Tshiab England Fights (NEF), America lub xov tooj-ib regional sib ntaus qib, yuav tuav nws tom ntej no kev tshwm sim, “NEF XX: Ib tug ua phem” rau Saturday, Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21, 2015 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. The event will feature a first for Maine – mixed martial--arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side. On the amateur portion of the fight card, John Raio Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA pab neeg ntawm Brunswick, Maine yuav xa tsis tsawg tshaj li plaub sib tw mus rau hauv lub NEF tawb ntawd yav tsaus ntuj.

Tseem kuj nyob rau hauv nws kiag, Raio lub gym tau zus, ob nab tus xeeb ntxwv thiab cia, since its inception in 2013. Uas nyuam qhuav, pab neeg no tsiv mus rau hauv ib tug newer, larger space at Fort Andross in Brunswick. With his own base in wrestling, Raio tseem nyuam qhuav ntxiv trainers thiab cov chav kawm nyob rau hauv txawv martial arts disciplines los nthuav txoj kev kawm ntawm nws cov tub kawm.

“Kuv muaj ib lub zeem muag thaum kuv qhib lub qhov gym yuav tsi muaj ib tug University of mixed martial arts kawm,” Hais Ray. “A school that included all of the different components of MMA and fitness so that students could pick and chose classes they were interested in. We are adding another fitness class this month and a yoga class soon. Having the same instructor teach everything can be boring to some and instructors that teach every night can burn out. Ib txhia tsev kawm ntawv muaj ib tus xibfwb qhia uas pom tau tias lawv paub wrestling, BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), kickboxing, karate, judo, thiab lwm yam. zoo txaus los qhia lawv tag nrho cov muaj ib theem siab. Yog hais tias koj tsis txhob koj kev kawm mus zoo li cas rau ib tug neeg paub, you can only learn as much as that one individual is able to relay to you. We have a black belt that teaches BJJ-Tim Fawber, ib tug Kempo dub siv uas qhia tawm -Shawn Tardif, ib tug pro Boxer uas qhia boxing- James Carville, thiab kuv yog ib tug tau zus ib lub xeev wrestler, Kuv pw tsis nyob rau hauv kev kawm qib siab rau plaub lub xyoos, and I competed in MMA several times. Chris McBean and Katie Baker also teach BJJ. I attend all of our classes. As an instructor and coach, Kuv yeej ib txwm rau siab ntso kawm ntxiv txog kev ua si nawv.”

Raio retired from MMA competition this past June to spend more time with his family and to focus his efforts on developing his students at First Class. He notes the differences between coaching and fighting and the personal sense of satisfaction each provides him.

“Lawv yog cov ob lig txawv tsiaj,"Raio hais. "Kuv hlub lawv ob rau txawv yog vim li cas. Kuv nyiam sib tw vim hais tias kuv yuav muab tso rau txhua yam ntawm kuv kom pom tseeb thiab cov kev kawm rau hauv kuv lub sib ntaus. Kuv nyiam kev coach vim hais tias kuv yuav muab tso rau tag nrho cov uas ua kom pom tseeb rau lwm tus neeg. Kuv xav tias yog li ntawd zoo txhua lub sij hawm ib tug ntawm kuv cov tub kawm yeej, nws hais tias kuv yog tawm muaj sib ntaus sib tua. Kuv xav tias zoo li kuv yuav qus npaj zoo thiab paub qhov kev ua si zoo txaus mus nrhiav zoo matchups raws li kuv tua hluav taws kev kawm.”

Cov pov thawj yog nyob rau hauv lub paj npleg, raws li lawv hais, when it comes to finding the right matchups for his students. Ntawm “NEF XIX” lub hli tas los, Raio’s team went undefeated with three big wins. Nick Shea (2-0) yeej nws ob MMA bout hmo ntawd thaum Hannah Sparrell (1-0) thiab BJJ dub siv Rafael Velado (1-0) were victorious in their respective cage debuts. Raio credits cross-training with other gyms and the quality of instruction from First Class coaches for the team’s recent success.

“Nws pib nrog peb tsev neeg tus phooj ywg huab cua,” Hais Ray. “Peb cia cov me nyuam thiab cov txiv neej thiab cov poj niam ntawm tag nrho cov muaj hnub nyoog mus koom tag nrho peb cov chav kawm ntawv tshwj tsis yog sparring. Kuv tus poj niam Jody tau ib tug lossis loj kev pab. Peb cov xib yog zoo heev. Peb tau koob hmoov kom muaj feemxyuam ncaws pob, wrestlers, strikers thiab grapplers taug kev los ntawm peb qhov rooj. They all work hard and put in the time. They all work together and want each other to win. They have positive attitudes and treat each other with respect. We are trying to match seven fighters for NEF next February and have 15-20 menyuam kawm ntawv xav tau fights nyob rau hauv lub xyoo tom ntej. Many of our students are here to learn and not compete. All of our students are helpful on giving advice and tips. Peb kuj ntoo khaub lig lub tsheb ciav hlau ntau li ntau raws li peb tau. Peb muaj ob peb cov tub ntxhais kawm uas qhia los ntawm lub Foundry BJJ system rau BJJ thiab taug kev mus qhia rau hauv peb lub gym rau ciav, wrestling and MMA. Our BJJ coaches are all Foundry BJJ members. Peb sim mus spar nrog pab neeg Irish nyob rau hauv Brewer txhua hli thiab kuv tseem qhia ntawm Choi tus (lub Choi lub koom haum ntawm Portland, Maine) ib zaug ib lub lim tiam. Hannah Sparrell mus rau Choi tus ib zaug ib lub lim tiam dhau.

“Thaum kuv thawj zaug qhib lub gym kuv heev teem rau kuv tus kheej txoj kev kawm thiab cia cov menyuam kawm ntawv lwm yam npaj rau lawv sib ntaus raws li lawv xav. Tam sim no kuv nyob rau sab saum toj ntawm fighters nrog Individual sparring, yam tsawg kawg nkaus cov chav kawm ntawv txhua lub lim tiam thiab yuav tsum tau luj-ins. Yog hais tias koj yuav tsis tau raws li qhov tsawg kawg nkaus uas yuav tsum tau, koj yuav tsis sib ntaus sib tua rau peb gym. Tej zaum koj yuav sib ntaus sib tua raws li ywj siab los yog koj yuav nrhiav tau ib tug tsev kawm ntawv uas pom zoo ntawm koj cob thaum koj xav tias zoo li nws. Peb tau zoo heev vim kuv hloov cov kev cai.”

Rau Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21, Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA pab neeg Nick Gulliver (1-0) yuav tsum nyob rau hauv heavyweight txiav txim tawm tsam Gravin Guillen (2-2). Gulliver won his amateur debut last June in the NEF cage over Sonny Spratt (0-2).

“Kuv zoo siab heev rau sib ntaus sib tua dua rau ib tug zoo lub koom haum zoo li NEF,” qw hais tias Gulliver. “Nws xav li ntawd amazing los yeej yog kuv thawj thawj kev sib ntaus nyob rau hauv pem hauv ntej ntawm kuv tsev neeg thiab cov phooj ywg nyob rau hauv lub Androscoggin Bank Colisee nyob rau hauv Lub rau hli ntuj. Kuv ua hauj lwm tiag tiag nyuaj rau kuv thawj kev sib ntaus, tab sis kuv xav tias zoo li kuv muaj ib tug ntau los ua pov thawj rau kuv tus kheej. Txij thaum kuv txhais tes twb tsa rov qab nyob rau hauv Lub rau hli ntuj, Kuv tau raug kev cob qhia nyuaj nrog Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA thiab cov Foundry. Kuv instructors thiab coaches yog qhov zoo tshaj plaws leej twg thov tau kom muaj. Kuv qhia nyob rau hauv Farmington, Maine nrog lub Foundry nyob rau hauv Brianne Genschel thiab Seth Harris. Lawv tau muab tso rau li cas lub sij hawm mus rau hauv kuv txoj kev kawm nyob rau lub xyoo thiab kuv tsis tau ua lawv tsaug txaus. Lwm tus neeg kuv xav ua tsaug rau thawb kuv yuav kuv tug phooj ywg zoo thiab tus xibfwb qhia Shawn Smith. Shawn yog ib tug neeg uas yog ib txwm cob nyuaj thiab kuv sim thiab lub tsheb ciav hlau zoo li nws tsis. Nws pushes txhua leej txhua tus nyob rau gym mus qhia ib. Kuv kuj qhia nyob rau ntawm thawj hoob kawm MMA nrog John Raio. John yog vim li cas kuv muaj lub sijhawm los sib ntaus sib tua. John tau li ntawd ib qho amazing luag hauj lwm qauv thiab cov phooj ywg rau kuv tus kheej thiab tag nrho nws cov neeg tua hluav taws. Txhua leej txhua tus ntawm ob lub tsev kawm kuv qhia ntawm no yog amazing thiab yeej zoo kawg thiab instructors. Kuv zoo siab kuv tau txais mus tua rau lub Foundry thiab Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA. Kuv tab tom nrhiav rau pem hauv ntej rau tau txais rov qab rau hauv lub tawb thiab qhia kuv tsev neeg thiab cov phooj ywg yuav ua li cas nyuaj kuv tau ua hauj lwm. Kuv xav kom muaj qhov zoo tshaj plaws tus neeg uas kuv yuav ua tau thiab kuv yuav ua li ntawd. Kuv xav kom muaj kuv txhais tes tsa tsis yog rau kuv, tab sis rau cov neeg uas muab tso rau li cas lub sij hawm mus rau hauv dab tsi koj pom nyob rau hauv lub tawb. Kuv tab tom nrhiav rau pem hauv ntej rau kuv tau txais lub sij hawm los mus sib ntaus sib tua dua rau NEF thiab qhia tus kiv cua dab tsi kuv muaj. Kuv cog lus rau kuv yuav qhia ib thiab muab nws txhua yam kuv tau ua rau cov neeg coob coob zoo siab. Kuv yuav tsis txhob tos mus saib txhua leej txhua tus nyob Kaum ib hlis 21. Ua tsaug rau koj rau kuv tsev neeg thiab cov phooj ywg thiab instructors rau txhua yam.

Gulliver extols qhov virtues ntawm Raio tus coach style nyob rau ntawm thawj chav kawm ntawv, eco sentiments ntawm lwm leej lwm tus txog instructors muab cov kev xav tau ntawm cov tub ntxhais kawm thawj.

“Txhua leej txhua tus nyob rau ntawm thawj hoob kawm MMA muaj tib lub hom phiaj thiab hais tias yog los yeej,” Gulliver txuas ntxiv. “But what separates First Class from any other gym is that everyone will sacrifice their needs and goals to help you win. What is so unique about First Class MMA is that any gym can teach you to fight, tab sis, nrog Thawj chav kawm ntawv, Yauhas qhia hais koj lub plawv. Cia li saib cov xeem Thawj chav kawm ntawv kev ua tau zoo ntawm NEF. Uas yog lub plawv. We’re looking to do the same this time around. John Raio is a class act. Nws tsis yog tsuas yog ib lub dav hlau tua rog los yog ib tug cob qhia, Kuv kuj xav txog nws ib tug zoo phooj ywg. John tsis cia li qhia rau koj mus ua ib yam dab tsi, nws yeej ua tau nws nrog koj. Yog hais tias koj nyob nraum tawm hws, he’s sweating—and that goes back to my statement that our school has heart. Nws tag nrho cov stems los ntawm peb cov tsheb loj thauj neeg, John.”

Rafael Velado, uas yog lub hli tas los ntawm yeej “NEF XIX” tshaj Cory mus sib hais (1-2), yuav ib zaug dua sawv cev Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA rau Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21 thaum nws kauj ruam nyob rau hauv lub tawb opposite Ken Dunn (0-2). Like Gulliver, Velado khab nias txoj kev vam meej ntawm lub pab neeg mus Tsheb loj thauj neeg Raio.

“Ob lo lus, John Ray,” said Velado when asked to differentiate First Class from other gyms he has trained at. “Kuv twb kawm ntawm ntau lub tsev kawm dhau kuv martial arts hauj lwm, tab sis yeej tsis muaj kuv tuaj nyob rau hauv kev sib cuag nrog ib tug cob qhia uas taug kev qhov kev taug kev txoj kev uas nws tsis. Kuv tsis tau qhia rau koj li cas ib tug workhorse nws yog, and that work ethic is something that has translated well as a coach. It’s no surprise to most that John has been so successful as an MMA coach. Nws ris ntau kaus mom xws li cov thawj coj, phooj ywg, mentor, kev kawm khub thiab dab ntxwg nyoog tus kws lijchoj thaum tsim nyog. Nws tau nyob rau hauv zoo nkauj npaum li cas txhua txhua qhov teeb meem no koj yuav tau xav seb nyob rau hauv lub tawb, thiab hais tias muab nws credibility. I trust his advice implicitly and you will see his MMA mind at work when I step in the cage to execute his game plan. Some gyms will destroy every new student that walks through the door, tab sis Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA yog lub antithesis ntawm uas mus kom ze. Peb zoo siab txais tos leej twg thiab txhua leej txhua tus tuaj lub tsheb ciav hlau tsis hais ntawm lawv cov keeb kwm yav dhau los yog ambition mus tua MMA.”

Velado cog lus kiv cua hais tias lawv yuav pom ntau npaum li cas tawm ntawm nws nyob rau hauv nws yavtom ntej bout nrog Dunn ntawm “NEF XX.”

“Ib feem ntawm kuv xav kom peb txhua sib ntaus mus raws li scripted zoo li kuv debut tiv thaiv Cory mus sib hais, tab sis kuv nyob ntawm no rau kev ua zoo. Kuv tsom txog 1% ntawm yuav ua li cas nyob rau hauv kuv lub xeem sib ntaus, li ntawd, kom koj ob lub qhov muag peeled rau ib yam dab tsi koj yeej tsis tau pom nyob rau hauv NEF.”

Pierce Wiegman (0-0) yuav ua kom nws pib xyaum ua MMA debut nyob rau hauv lub chav kawm ntawv Thawj banner rau Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21 nyob rau hauv Lewiston tiv thaiv David Thompson (0-1) of the Shatterproof Combat Club. Unlike Velado, Wiegman, uas yuav tig 30 ua ntej qhov kev tshwm sim, has not trained at any other gym prior to joining First Class. Like Velado, Txawm li cas los, Wiegman tau attest rau lub luag hauj lwm Raio plays nyob rau hauv txoj kev vam meej ntawm nws cov tub kawm.

“Kuv yuav tsis mus rau xav rau qhov txawv ntawm peb cov kev kawm tsoom fwv tiv tiag lwm yam gym tus, tab sis li cas kuv tau hais tias yog hais tias txhua txhua tua peb tua hluav taws yeej los, yog vim zog ua hauj lwm, dedication and excellent coaching from all of our instructors,” stated Wiegman. “John Raio yog tiag tiag ib tug thawj chav kawm ntawv tus txiv neej. Nws tus kheej cob rau nws tsev neeg, nws gym, thiab nws tua hluav taws los heev zoo siab hlo. John yog heev pab txhawb ntawm txhua leej txhua tus uas cob rau ntawm nws lub gym-cov me nyuam, cov txiv neej thiab cov poj niam thiab nws cov instructors. "

“Kuv cia li muaj hmoo txawm yuav tau hais tias kuv yuav mus ua li no,"Wiegman txuas ntxiv. "Thiab nws yog tag nrho ua tsaug rau John thiab Jody Raio thiab tag nrho cov ntawm peb cov xib nyob rau ntawm thawj cov hoob kawm hais tias kuv muaj lub sij hawm no. Yeej los yog poob, Kuv ris Vajtswv txiaj rau NEF rau muaj cov sib ntaus thiab tag nrho cov nyob ib ncig ntawm gyms lub xeev uas muab lub platform rau cov neeg kawm tau ntawv zoo nyob hauv nrhiav lawv npau suav ntawm kab ib tug zoo fighter.”

Bryce Bamford (0-0) tuaj rau Thawj chav kawm ntawv MMA los ntawm lub Foundry BJJ pab, which cross-trains with Raio’s students. Bamford is scheduled to make his amateur MMA debut in the heavyweight division at “NEF XX.” Bamford sees many similarities between the two teams.

“Qhov tseeb yog, Thawj cov hoob kawm MMA, yog tiag tiag uas zoo sib xws rau cov Foundry, nyob rau hauv lub hwm uas txhua leej txhua tus muaj los pab rau txhua leej txhua tau zoo dua. Nws yog zoo li kev kawm nrog cov phooj ywg, tsis yog cov neeg koom tes cob. That’s what attracted me down there. Steel sharpens steel. Cov zoo dua koj txoj kev kawm nrog ib tug neeg yog, lub zoo dua koj yog. John muab 100% rau tag nrho nws lub pab, thiab nws ua rau nws tsis txhob muab 100% rov qab vim hais tias nws yog li ntawd muab kev koom tes.”

Thaum nug rau ib tug twv ua ntej ntawm nws sib ntaus rau Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21, Bamford teb nrog ib lo lus – “Muaj kev ntxub ntxaug.”

“Koj yeej yuav tau txais tag nrho cov ntawm peb tua hluav taws tso siab tau, zoo npaj, los kho lawv cov tw nrog rau kev hwm thiab tawm nws tag nrho cov nyob rau hauv lub tawb,” said Raio in closing. “Cov hais mav tag nrho cov muab tso rau lawv lub sij hawm nyob rau hauv.”

Tshiab England Fights’ tom ntej no cov kev tshwm sim, “NEF XX: Ib tug ua phem,” yuav siv sij hawm qhov chaw nyob rau Kaum Ib Hlis Ntuj 21, 2015 nyob rau Androscoggin txhab nyiaj Colisée nyob rau hauv Lewiston, Maine. The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show. Daim pib rau “NEF XX” pib ntawm cia li $25 thiab yog muag tam sim no nyobwww.TheColisee.com los yog los ntawm hu rau Colisée chaw ua hauj lwm ntawm 207.783.2009 x 525. Yog xav paub ntxiv nyob rau hauv cov kev tshwm sim thiab kev sib ntaus card tshiab, thov mus saib cov qib lub website ntawm www.NewEnglandFights.com. Nyob rau hauv tas li ntawd, koj yuav saib NEF yeeb yaj duab ntawm www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, ua raws li lawv nyob rau Twitternefights thiab koom nrog cov nom Facebook pab pawg neeg "New England Fights."

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