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Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts
RFA 28 GETS A NEW CO-HEADLINER AS GEANE HERRERA HEADS TO THE UFC
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RFA 28 – SANCHEZ vs. POPPIE
MAIN EVENT:
ANDREW SANCHEZ vs. JOHN POPPIE
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
CO-MAIN EVENT:
MATT MANZANARES vs. KEN PORTER
FLYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th LIVE ON AXSTV
LIVE at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, MO
Tickets on Sale through MetroTix.com
LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Resurrection Fighting Alliance (RFA) president Ed Soares announced today that RFA 28 will feature a new co-main event after Geane “La Pulga” Herrera got called up to compete in the UFC. Replacing the undefeated Herrera will be former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares, who will be making his record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. He will face St. Louis’ own Ken Porter, who is a rising flyweight MMA prospect and an undefeated professional boxer. The main event of RFA 28 will feature RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez and The Ultimate Fighter alum John Poppie vying for the vacant RFA middleweight title. The event takes place Friday, August 7th at The Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis, Missouri. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to see Geane Herrera represent what the RFA is all about by extending his undefeated record in the UFC,” stated Soares. “The co-main event of RFA 28 will now feature the return of former RFA flyweight champion Matt Manzanares against fellow boxer-turned-MMA fighter Ken Porter.
Tickets for RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie are available for purchase NOW through MetroTix.com.
Manzanares (7-5) returns to the RFA for a record-tying seventh appearance for the promotion. In his time as a professional fighter, the former RFA flyweight champion has faced and accepted bouts with the who’s who of his division and will be looking to take full advantage of that experience. The two-time Junior Olympian boxer possesses some of the slickest hands in the sport, but those skills will be tested to the fullest against Porter who is 4-0 as a professional boxer. Manzanares and Porter also bring with them nearly 300 combined amateur boxing matches, which could make this one of the best flyweight striking displays in MMA this year.
“This is the most motivated I’ve been for a fight in a very long time,” Manzanares exclaimed. “I think Ken Porter is a great fighter and has a lot going for him, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m looking forward to getting my hand raised and putting my name back at the top of the division.”
Porter (8-2, 1 No Contest) will be the man tasked with welcoming back the hungry former champion and he looks forward to doing it in front of his excited home crowd. The proud St. Louisan is perhaps the only flyweight in MMA that can match Manzanares’ experience in amateur MMA and amateur boxing. He has also lived up to his nickname “The Sensation” since making his professional boxing debut in May 2014. In that time, he has been sensational in combat sports by going 4-0 in professional boxing and 4-0 in professional MMA. Porter is now eager to extend that streak at RFA 28.
“I feel like Manzanares poses a much bigger challenge than Herrera,” stated Porter. “He brings a lot more to the table and has fought much tougher guys. I’ve been working really hard for this fight and look forward to making a big statement in my national television debut for the RFA.”
The main event of RFA 28 will feature two of MMA’s top middleweight prospects, when RFA fan favorite Andrew Sanchez (6-2) returns home to St. Louis to battle Wisconsin native John Poppie (6-1) for the vacant RFA middleweight title. Sanchez was a two-time NAIA national champion, four-time NAIA All-American, and the 2011 NAIA Wrestler of the Year while attending St. Louis area school McKendree University. He will face Poppie (6-1), who was a light-heavyweight cast member on the nineteenth season of the UFC’s hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter. Now competing at his natural weight class of 185-pounds, Poppie will look to extend his four-fight win streak. Poppie also has a collegiate wrestling background from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
RFA 28 also features the return of Bobby “The Wolfman” Moffett (7-1). The fearsome featherweight will look to follow up his dominant RFA debut in March with another howling triumph in his sophomore appearance for the promotion. He will face one of Missouri’s top featherweight prospects in Nick LoBosco (8-1). LoBosco has never lost in his home state and the collegiate wrestler will be looking to keep that record intact when he fights in front of his home crowd on August 7th.
The main card of RFA 28 will also feature the highly-anticipated RFA debut of Curtis “Razor” Blaydes (4-0). Blaydes was an NJCAA national wrestling champion at Harper College and is widely considered one of the top heavyweight prospects in the sport. He will have a stiff test in his promotional debut as he faces a dangerous RFA vet in Justin “The Grizzly Bear” Frazier (7-2). Frazier hails from “The Natural State” of Arkansas and has displayed a natural finishing ability, as all seven of his wins have come via stoppage.
In the featherweight division, Jamal Parks (5-1) returns to the RFA Octagon for the second time. The former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University will face promotional newcomer Javon Wright (6-3). Wright has not lost a fight in two years dating back to a hotly-contested split decision verdict he dropped to current RFA bantamweight kingpin Luke Sanders.
In lightweight action, Turkey’s first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Murat “Lord Pitbull” Kazgan (2-0-1) will be making his highly-anticipated RFA debut. Kazgan, who has already fought in Turkey, South Korea, and Russia, is looking to remain unbeaten in his North American debut. He will face two-time Golden Gloves winner Jake “The North County Nightmare” Roberts (4-0). The St. Louis native Roberts, who has recently joined The MMA LAB in Glendale, Arizona, is currently riding an impressive streak. Roberts has submitted all 12 men he has faced in MMA: 8 as an amateur and 4 as a professional.
Additional bouts at RFA 28 will be announced soon. RFA 28 will be the promotion’s second event to take place in the state of Missouri and its first foray into the city of St. Louis. The entire main card of RFA 28 – Sanchez vs. Poppie will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Friday, August 7th.
Please visit RFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. RFA is also on Facebook at Facebook.com/RFAfighting, Instagram at @RFAfighting, and Twitter at @RFAfighting.
About RFA: RFA is a professional mixed martial arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. The RFA presents live events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver and Milwaukee. RFA can be seen live in over 43 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, RFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV Fights: AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, and Europe. And Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in-depth fighter coverage, and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events from RFA, Lion Fight, Legacy FC, and MFC every Friday night at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET.
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A FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION TO BE CROWNED AT NEF XIX
Lewiston, Maine (July 7, 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 Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced a fight on the card that will determine the first-ever NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Champion. Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-1) is scheduled to face Dylan Lockard (3-0) at a fight weight of 145-pounds with the winner to be crowned the inaugural amateur featherweight kingpin.
Aaron Lacey has been a standout of the NEF amateur roster since debuting with the promotion in the fall of 2013. He is undefeated in the NEF cage, holding victories over the likes of Dom Cofone (6-5) and Caleb Hall (5-3). His only loss to date was on a fight card in New Hampshire to Matt Tullos (7-0). Lacey represents Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.
“I’m super excited for this fight,” exclaimed Lacey. “It’s a tough matchup between two top ten guys. I have a new secret weapon on my side and her name is Vanessa Sanders. Vanessa has been transforming my strength and conditioning, so come September 12th, I’m going to display a side of me that no one has seen before. I’m a different, more dangerous fighter. Don’t miss this one – I’m bringing that belt home.”
Dylan Lockard holds the only victory to date over Lacey’s teammate, and reigning NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Champion, Josh Harvey (4-1). Lockard burst onto the regional scene last year and, like Lacey, also holds a win over Caleb Hall. He is a member of Tim Barchard’s Professional Martial Arts Academy (PMA) in Derry, New Hampshire. Prior to competing in MMA, Lockard wrestled for Timberlane Regional High School in Plaistow, New Hampshire and later the University of New Hampshire (UNH).
“I’m excited to come up and fight for the NEF belt against a tough opponent like Aaron Lacey,” said Lockard. “I haven’t had an easy fight yet, and this one is no different. We’re going to steal the show on September 12th.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” 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 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.”
FIGHT NETWORK MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (July 6-12, 2015)
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(U.S. only schedule. For Canadian schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com from your region.)
Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.
Below find highlights of this week’s programming:
Monday, July 6 6:30 p.m. ET – Judo Samsun Grand Prix 2015 Highlights – Highlights from Judo Samsun Grand Prix from Mar. 27-29 in Turkey. 7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action. 7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 8:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 12 MMA: Staring vs. Simonic – Featuring Dion Staring vs. Tomaz Simonic from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 10:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 12 Kickboxing: Daley vs. Fabjan – Featuring Paul Daley vs. Miran Fabjan from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tuesday, July 7 1:30 a.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA. 5:00 & 5:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans. 8:30 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action. 8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 10:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds Today – Video podcast with John Ramdeen and Robin Black breaking down a wide variety of topics in the MMA world, including previews of upcoming events and all the latest rumors and headlines. 11:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge 59: Kharitonov vs. Garner – Featuring Sergei Kharitonov vs. Kenny Garner from July 3, 2015 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Wednesday, July 8 3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage. 6:00 p.m. ET – Best of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others. 7:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features. 7:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 8:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors FC: Fight Night 4 -Featuring Andreas Kraniotakes vs. Mike Hayes for the Cage Warriors heavyweight title form Mar. 16, 2012 in Dubai, U.A.E. 11:00 p.m. ET – MMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews. 11:30 p.m. ET – TakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews. Thursday, July 9 1:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 15: Showdown – Featuring Ben Smith vs. Amokrane Sabet and John Maguire vs, Henrique Santana from Sept. 18, 2010 in London. 3:30 a.m. EI – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and others. 6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others. 7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level. 8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features. 8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 9:00 p.m. ET – SuperKombat New Heroes Bucharest 2015 – Featuring Claudiu Badoi vs. Adrian Asoltani and Zsolt Benedek vs. Bogdan Nastase from May 23, 2015 in Bucharest, Romania. Friday, July 10 12:00 a.m. ET – It’s Showtime Special – The world’s premier kickboxing organization featuring Badr Hari, Melvin Manhoef and Giorgio Petrosyan. 2:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others. 4:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring classic fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gerard Mousasi. 5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA League, Jewels. 12:00 p.m. ET – Bookie Beatdown – Preview of the betting lines and top picks for major UFC events. 6:00 p.m. ET — M-1 Challenge– Pro MMA from Europe and Russia featuring top prospects and international stars. 7:00 p.m. ET – CANADA ONLY – UFC 189: Mendes-McGregor Weigh Ins – LIVE coverage of official weigh ins for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes- Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. 8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Rory Macdonald – Sit-down interview with rising Canadian UFC welterweight star Rory Macdonald. 8:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures. 9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 25: Khalidov vs. Sakurai – Featuring Mamde Khalidov vs. Ryuta Sakurai and Aslambek Saidov vs. Daniel Acacio from Dec7, 2013 in Wroclaw, Poland. Saturday, July 11 5:00 a.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features. 5:30 a.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Urijah Faber vs. Ivan Menjivar from TKO 24. 7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Urijah Faber vs. Charles Bennett from Gladiator Challenge 46. 8:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen. 9:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others. 4:30 p.m. ET – Enfusion LIVE #30 Dublin: Philpott vs. Jaraya – LIVE pro kickboxing from Dublin, Ireland, featuring Alan Philpott vs. Mohammed Jaraya and Ilias Bulaid vs. Simon Santana in championship fights. 7:00 p.m. ET –UFC 189: Mendes-McGregor Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes vs. Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. 8:00 p.m. ET – Fight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features. 8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game. 11:00 p.m. ET — Ring of Combat 50 – Featuring George Sheppard vs, Jeff Lentz, Phillipe Nover vs. Dan Cion, Julio Arce vs. Thomas Vasquez and Chris Piriz vs., Leo Muniz from Jan. 23, 2015 in Atlantic City, NJ. Sunday, July 12 1:00 a.m. ET – UFC 189: -Mendes- McGregor Pre-Show – LIVE post-fight coverage, highlights and official press conference for UFC: 189 Chad Mendes- Conor McGregor in Las Vegas. 6:00 a.m. ET – Pancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others. 11:00 a.m. ET – Best of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie. 12:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National Team 11:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Live #22: Souwer vs., Sheikholeslami – Featuring Andy Souwer vs, Ardalan Sheikholeslami Mohammed Jaraya vs. Mark Vogel Andrew Tate vs. Orhan Karlioglu and Max Baumert vs. Valdet Galshi from Oct. 4, 2014 in Germany. INFORMATION:
Twitter & Instagram @fightnet
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| ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK: Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. |
FIRST TITLE FIGHT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX
Lewiston, Maine (July 3, 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 title bout on the fight card. Josh Harvey (4-1) will defend the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship against Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-3). The fight will take place at the lightweight limit of 155-pounds.
Harvey won the title at “NEF XVIII” last month by defeating Ricky Dexter (3-1) via first-round submission. He is a perfect 3-0 in the NEF cage since debuting with the promotion in the fall of 2014. All of Harvey’s victories in Lewiston have been first-round stoppages. He is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.
“Any time you can get two title-holding, top-ranked fighters, it’s bound to peak interests and get attention,” said Harvey. “Since that is exactly what this title defense is, I believe we have all the necessary ingredients for the fight-of-the-night. This will be yet another step in the right direction. Ryan, get ready to hook on, Bub.”
Ryan Dibartolomeo is no stranger to the NEF cage. He fought for the promotion at “NEF X” in September 2013, defeating Nermin Zilic (0-2) via unanimous decision. It was the start of a four-fight win streak that Dibartolomeo will look to continue on September 12 in Lewiston. He recently captured his first amateur MMA championship on a fight card in New Hampshire. Dibartolomeo represents Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.
“Fighting for the NEF belt is a huge step forward in the positive direction in my career,” stated Dibartolomeo. “It’s always an honor to fight for one of the top regional promotions, and now throwing a chance at the belt in on top of that – I couldn’t be more excited to go out and put on a show for the fans. Josh Michael Harvey is arguably the best ammy 155 fighter coming out of Maine right now. I’m going to have to be ready in all aspects of the game and look to eliminate as many mistakes as possible. I am going to show up ready to fight. I’m looking to bite down on my mouthpiece and press forward until he has had enough of me up in his face and looks for a way out. There is no room for error, but I am extremely confident in the fact that I have Coach Fain and Coach Olsen standing behind me in my corner.”
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.”
FIRST AMATEUR BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX PROMISES FIREWORKS
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.”
WSOF 22 Adds Lightweight Bout To Live NBCSN Telecast
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Plethora of Northeastern Talent Completes “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov” Undercard
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 1, 2015) – Four preliminary bouts featuring prime east coast fighters have been added to complete the full card of “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place July 17 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
The additional bouts include a featherweight faceoff between Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) and Ryan Quinn (10-5,1 NC), Billy “Wolverine” Giovanella (8-3), who faces Rodrigo “The Young Lion” Almeida (12-2) at bantamweight, Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (4-4), who fights Sarah “Soulja” Payant (1-0) in a women’s strawweight scrap, and lightweights Dean “The Hammer” Hancock (1-0) versus Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC).
Bellator 140 features five world-class welterweight bouts including World Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears(16-13), Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) scrapping with Gavin “War Horse” Sterritt (6-1), and knockout artistPaul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8). The event also boasts several additional previously announced preliminary contests featuring more top prospects from the Northeastern United States.
The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which start at just $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.
Bellingham, MA’s Billy Giovanella is 4-1 in his last five fights heading into his bantamweight bout. His last four victories include three submissions and a knockout en route to his Uncasville bout. Giovanella’s challenger Remo Cardarelli of Framingham, MA will look to rely on his record-proven submission talent to win. Expect both fighters to relentlessly compete to break from recent losses on their record.
Danbury, CT’s Dean Hancock wowed fans with a first round submission victory at Bellator’s “British Invasion” event. Hancock will look to repeat his entertaining performance by defeating challenger Dunworth of Bridgewater, MA, who makes his Bellator debut riding a two-fight winning streak.
Another Danbury, CT fighter Ryan Quinn, who trains with American Top Team in Connecticut has found great success in the Bellator cage, emerging perfect in all six of his appearances. He now faces an established veteran of the sport in Philadelphia’s Waylon Lowe, who fights under the Bellator promotion for the first time since 2009, when he scored a win in his promotional debut.
Kaline Medeiros of Fall River, MA, has taken three unanimous decision victories in her last four bouts, and scored an impressive knockout just seven seconds into a fight. She takes on Sarah Payant from West Springfield, MA, who makes her Bellator debut following up her first professional bout this past March, where she scored a triangle choke submission victory.
Main Card (9 P.M. EST)
Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Gavin Sterritt (6-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)
Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Josh Neer (36-14) vs. Matt Secor (6-2)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (12-2)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC)
Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)
NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS HAS STRONG FIRST HALF OF 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (June 30, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA,” a little over two weeks ago at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The event was the third held by the fight promotion at the venue in just a four-month stretch, and it capped the most successful half-year period in the promotion’s history.
NEF is the brainchild of Massachusetts attorney Nick DiSalvo and Maine State Representative Matt Peterson (D-Rumford). The pair met in the fall of 2011 and formed a business partnership with the intent of promoting MMA events. Both being avid, lifelong fans of combat sports, DiSalvo and Peterson decided to setup shop in Lewiston, Maine, the famed home of the Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston world heavyweight championship rematch of 1965. NEF’s first event in Lewiston, held in February 2012, outdrew Ali-Liston II by more than 800 fans with over 3200 in attendance.
Since that time, and in a marketplace where competitors have floundered, NEF has continued to draw huge crowds to its events. The promotion has hosted fights of many UFC veterans, including former two-time world heavyweight champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10). In 2013, NEF co-promoted an event in Lewiston with national promotion Bellator. That event was broadcast live on Spike TV. Additionally, NEF’s videos on Youtube have millions of views worldwide, and the promotion’s event highlights can often be seen on AXS TV’s Inside MMA program.
In the first half of 2015, more than 6,000 people have been drawn to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee for three NEF events. It is the largest attendance number the promotion has accumulated in such a brief period of time – a mere 18 weeks from “NEF XVI” onFebruary 7 to “NEF XVIII” on June 13. It is also another example of NEF thriving in a time when other regional fight promotions struggle.
“It’s really just the result of a lot of hard work and business experience,” said DiSalvo, a 1999 graduate summa cum laude of Merrimack College in North Andover, MA, where he was a Presidential Scholar, and later a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, MA. “NEF succeeds because Matt and I have a real passion for fight promotion, and we’re willing to do the not-so-glamorous grunt work that others shy away from. You need to understand your audience. You need to know your way around a spreadsheet, a check register, and have a good grasp on finance and budgeting. It’s a business like any other.”
Due to the growth of the business, DiSalvo and Peterson decided to add a third executive to the mix earlier this year. They hired longtime Bellator Vice President of Talent Relations Sam Caplan to serve as NEF’s Director of National Business Development.
“At a time of great contraction and consolidation when it comes to the regional MMA space, NEF has gone in the exact opposite direction and actually increased their overall business,” stated Caplan when reached for comment. “To say the level of growth that NEF has been experiencing lately is rare would be an understatement. The promotion’s growth is a testament to the professionalism and business discipline of its chief proprietors, Nick DiSalvo and Matt Peterson.”
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.”
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.
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