Tag Archives: Mixed Martial Arts

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

NEF RE-SIGNS JAROD LAWTON TO MULTI-FIGHT DEAL

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Lewiston, Maine (February 2, 2015) –New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, announced earlier today that the company had re-signed Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) to a multi-fight contract. While the exact terms of the deal were not released, NEF executives confirmed that the contract would be long-term over a course of years.

 

“I am very excited to continue to be a part of the NEF organization,” stated Lawton when reached for comment. “They have been a great supporter of my development in MMA and have done a great job building a sustainable platform for local fighters to grow and improve. I am very excited about the upcoming year with them and guarantee some great performances.”

 

“Jarod Lawton is one of the hottest prospects on the regional MMA (mixed-martial-arts) scene right now,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “He’s a big, strong, athletic BJJ Black Belt with very solid standup skills. We have no doubt that Jarod has next-level potential and this deal will give him the opportunities he needs to get there.”

 

Lawton, 30, holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) under Alexey Cruz, a 5th degree BJJ Black Belt under Ricardo de La Riva. Lawton is the owner and operator of Team Lawton Martial Arts – a Team New England United (NEU) affiliate located in Farmingdale, Maine.  Lawton has won his last three MMA fights in a row in the NEF MMA cage.  NEF executives anticipate that Lawton will have the first fight of his new contract this spring.

 

While Lawton’s greatest accomplishments have come on the grappling mats and the MMA cage, he proved his versatility in combat sports this past fall on the very first NEF Boxing event in Lewiston, Maine.  Lawton, in a double pro boxing debut, fought experienced amateur boxer Joel Bishop (0-0-1) to a majority draw on the judges’ scorecards.  It was a fight, however, that many in attendance felt Lawton clearly won.  NEF executives confirmed that the new agreement with Lawton would guarantee him both MMA and boxing fights with the promotion.

 

“All around, Jarod Lawton is just a great, great athlete,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “Matt (Peterson) and I knew it three years ago.  We’re very proud to have him back on our roster for many fights to come.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVI,” takes place on February 7, 2015with an all-star lineup of fights scheduled.  Ray “All Business” Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title against Bellator and WEC veteran Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (16-9).  NFL and UFC The Ultimate Fighterveteran Tyler King (7-2) puts the NEF MMA Heavyweight Title on the line against Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-2).  In the feature bout of the evening, UFC, Bellator and Strikeforce veteranNah-Shon Burrell (10-5) makes his NEF MMA debut against Ryan Hodge (6-9).  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.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.

Fight Network, kickboxing, martial arts, mixed martial arts

FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Feb. 2-8, 2015)

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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.
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, Feb. 2

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

6:30 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

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 – Enfusion Live: Dublin 2014 – Professional kickboxing from Mar. 22, 2014 in Dublin, Ireland.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

 

11:30 a.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S. professional and amateur MMA events.

 

12:30 a.m. ET – Best of ROH Wrestling – Featuring the biggest stars from ROH’s past including CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Samoa Joe.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

8:00 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.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 41 – Featuring Rodney Wallace vs. Misha Cirkunov from Jan. 30, 2015 in Calgary, Ontario.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – BAMMA USA: Badbeat 8 – Featuring Jared Papazian vs. Terrion Ware, Joseph Henle vs. Miguel Cosio and Ernest Chavez vs. Tom Gloudeman from Mar. 15, 2013 in Commerce, CA.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

 

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. MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

 

7:30 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa and more.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 64 – Featuring James Pennington vs. Cory Tait and David Lee vs.Nad Marimani from Feb. 15, 2014 in London.

 

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, Feb. 5

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 31: Grove vs. Czerwinski – Featuring Neil Grove vs. Tomasz Czerwinski in heavyweight action from Dec. 1, 2012 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Professional MMA from Florida featuring Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkle, Luis Palomino and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Season 3 – Fighters from 18 different countries compete in the 85 kg MAX category in Ohrid, Macedonia as they live and train together in their quest for a kickboxing title.

 

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, featur4es and inside analysis on the fight game.

 

11:00 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.

Friday, Feb. 6

 

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 class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewel – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Professional MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkle, Luis Palomino and others.

 

6 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Frank Shamrock – Sit-down interview with MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock.

 

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 27: Cage Time – Featuring Mamed Khalidov vs. Maiquel Falcao and Mariusz Pudzianowski vs. Oli Thompson from Gdanslk, Poland.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of international fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

Saturday, Feb. 7

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: New Heroes Optaija 2013 – Featuring Ivan Stanic vs. Laurent Attrifi, Andy Van Steen vs. Mladen Brestovac and more from Feb. 2, 2013 in Opatija, Croatia.

 

4:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Yan Pellerin from TKJO 26 and Todd Gouwenberg vs. Martin Desilets from TKO 27.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Tyson Griffin vs. Urijah Faber from Gladiator Challenge 42.

 

8:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring classic fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shimya Aoki, Hayato Sakuri and Gerard Mousasi.

 

9:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-famale Japanese MMA league Jewels.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

3:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion LIVE #24: Eindhoven – Live professional kickboxing from Eindhoven, Netherlands, featuring Ismael Lazaar vs. Thomas Vanneste for the Enfusion heavyweight world title.

 

5:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 45 – Featuring Phillipe Nover vs. Mike Santiago and Frankie Perez vs. Adam Townsend from June 14, 2013 in Atlantic City, NJ.

 

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 – Final Fight Championship 13 MMA: Wolf vs. Milinkovic – Featuring Igor Jurkovic vs. Luis Tavares in kickboxing action from June 6, 2014 in Zadar, Croatia.

Sunday, Feb. 8

 

10:00 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.

 

11:00 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.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
Bellator, mixed martial arts

“Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” preliminary lineup featuring  California’s top fighting prospects, complete with eight new matchups

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 Easy Tweet: “#BellatorMMA announces prelims packed with top prospects for @team_manhoef vs. @stormshlemenko onn @SpikeTV Feb.13! CHECK IT“

 

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 29, 2015) – With a thrilling middleweight matchup between knockout artist Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef (29-12-1) and former Bellator MMA champ Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (50-9) in the headlining role, “Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” now features a full lineup of 12 contests, loaded with some of California’s top fighting talent.

Bellator officials today announced the addition of eight preliminary contests, which join previously announced matchups of Manhoef vs. Shlemenko, Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8), Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0) and Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0).

The newly announced bouts include featherweights Art “King Arthur” Arciniega (14-4) vs. Charley Huston (6-2), undefeated middleweights Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0), flyweightsPaul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2), welterweights “Terrible” Tom Cook (1-1) vs. Mason “The Mangler” Fowler (1-0), lightweights Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1), light heavyweights John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1), lightweights Jonathan “J.T.” Contrestano(4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1) and bantamweights Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0).

“Bellator: Manhoef vs. Shlemenko” which takes place Feb. 13 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. Airs live and free on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET.  Tickets for the event, which start at just $28, are currently on sale at Bellator.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Arciniega vs. Huston, Watkins vs. Zuniga, Sperling vs. Ruiz and Cook vs. Fowler all stream live on Spike.com beginning at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT local time) and precede the evening’s four-fight Spike TV-televised main card.

Meanwhile, Bustamante vs. Jauregui, Elias vs. Sons, Contrestano vs. Tobar and Cevera vs. Picolotti stream live on Spike.com following the conclusion of the televised card.

Art “King Arthur” Arciniega, of Dos Palos, Calif., brings a seven-fight winning streak to the cage, having last tasted defeat in 2009. He now face Charley Huston, of Orangeville, Calif., who has earned five of his six career wins by first-round stoppage.

Blake Watkins, of Fresno, Calif., has opened his career in spectacular fashion, owning all four of his career wins by first-round stoppage, including three of just 67 seconds or less. He now meets fellow undefeated fighter George Zuniga, who is also no stranger to quick wins, having earned a 34-second win this past September in his Bellator MMA debut.

Paul Ruiz, of Firebaugh, Calif., is a two-time Bellator MMA veteran, who made his professional debut fighting for the promotion in 2011. He now meets Nicolas Sperling, who opened his professional run with consecutive losses but has since bounced back to earn three-straight first-round stoppage wins.

“Terrible” Tom Cook, of Placerville, Calif., has earned mixed results in his first two professional bouts, but both ended in the opening frame. He now meets Mason Fowler, of Fresno, Calif., who in October needed just 28 seconds to pick up a submission win in his professional debut.

Nick Bustamante, of Fresno, Calif., makes his Bellator MMA debut on the strength of two stoppage wins to start his career. He now challenges Luis Jauregui, of Madera, Calif., who fell short in his 2010 professional debut but then took nearly four years off before returning with consecutive stoppage wins.

John Paul Elias, of Madera, Calif., owns both of his his wins by stoppage, including one knockout and one submission. He now faces Cody Sons, of Bakersfield, Calif., who suffered a disappointing TKO loss in his professional debut but now looks to rebound for his first career win.

Jonathan “J.T.” Contrestano, of Visalia, Calif., returns to action following an 18-month layoff to meet fellow prospect Ryan Tobar, of Oakdale, Calif., who open his career with three-straight first-round victories but suffered a decision loss in October and now looks to rebound from the first setback of his career.

Ray Cervera, of Bakersfield, Calif., brings a three-fight winning streak to the cage and has earned seven of his eight career wins by stoppage. He’s also never been stopped, as both of his professional defeats have come by decision. He now faces undefeated prospect Adam Piccolotti, of Fresno, Calif., who began his professional career in 2013 and has since earned four-straight wins, including two knockouts and one submission.

Bellator 133: Friday, Feb. 13, Save Mart Center, Fresno, Calif.

Main Card on Spike TV (9 p.m. ET)

Bellator Middleweight Main Event: Melvin Manhoef (29-12-1) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (50-9)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-6) vs. Daniel Weichel (34-8)

Bellator Women’s Featherweight Feature Fight: Julia Budd (6-2) vs. Talita Nogueira (6-0)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (5-0) vs. Clayton MacFarlane (4-0)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (8 p.m. ET)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Art Arciniega (14-4) vs. Charley Huston (6-2)

Bellator Middleweight Prelim Fight: Blake Watkins (4-0) vs. George Zuniga (3-0)

Bellator Flyweight Prelim Fight: Paul Ruiz (5-2) vs. Nicolas Sperling (3-2)

Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Tom Cook (1-1) vs. Mason Fowler (1-0)

Preliminary card on Spike.com (Following Manhoef vs. Shlemenko)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Nick Bustamante (2-0) vs. Luis Jauregui (2-1)

Bellator Light Heavyweight Prelim Fight: John Paul Elias (2-0) vs. Cody Sons (0-1)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Jonathan Contrestano (4-0) vs. Ryan Tobar (3-1)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Ray Cervera (8-2) vs. Adam Piccolotti (4-0)

 

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

PACKED HOUSE EXPECTED FOR “MOST ANTICIPATED” LEWISTON MMA EVENT TO DATE

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Lewiston, Maine (January 29, 2015) – One week from this Saturday, New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, presents its sixteenth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVI,” in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.  The show will mark the three-year anniversary of the company’s inception.  NEF executives announced today that they were expecting one of the largest crowds ever for the wildly-popular fight promotion’s event.

 

“Our February events have always been our flagship,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “Coupled with the fact that this card is loaded with UFC, Bellator, NFL veterans, two title fights, and the return of Ray Wood (5-0), it’s no surprise that ticket sales have been going the way they’ve been going.”

 

Indeed, ticket sales have been at an all-time high for this event.  It is not unusual for the fight promotion to sell out their floor seats for any given show.  The sell-out, however, has always come on fight night.  The floor seats for “NEF XVI” were sold out a full 17 days prior to the event.  NEF executives give partial credit for the quick sales to the addition of complimentary waitress drink service for all cage-side ticketholders.  They did not confirm whether or not the promotion was considering adding more floor seats for the event.

 

As DiSalvo indicated, fans are clamoring for the return of Ray “All Business” Wood who will defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title against Bellator and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteranAnthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (16-9).  This will be Wood’s first homecoming after moving from Maine to South Carolina in late-2014.

 

“I’m excited for this fight,” said Wood when reached for comment. “I have absolutely nothing to lose.  Anthony Morrison has fought some of the best fighters in the world and I have an opportunity to make a statement with this fight.  I improve my skills each time I step in the cage and I know that this showing will be no exception. I have respect for Anthony and where he’s been in this sport and I am honored to have the opportunity to fight him.”

 

Wood’s teammate at Young’s MMA, Fred Lear (2-0), will be featured on the amateur portion of the card in a catchweight bout against Bryant Orrick (3-5) from Ruthless MMA and Boxing.  The fight will be contested at 140-pounds.

 

“These people push me to be a better fighter, student, and person,” said Lear of his teammates and coaches at Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.  “I am grateful for their presence in my life, it is something I will treasure forever. I am honored to be fighting for Young’s MMA.”

Not looking beyond his own fight, Lear points out three exciting matchups his teammates Josh Harvey (2-1), Mike Peitersen (1-0) and Aaron Lacey (4-1) will contest against members of the Choi Institute of Portland, Maine.

 

“Leading up to ‘NEF XVI,’ I can’t help but highlight our matchups with Choi’s,” Lear continued.  “Nick Spencer [Lacey’s opponent (7-4)] is dangerous everywhere, Henry Clark [Peitersen’s opponent (1-0)] is coming off of an impressive debut, and I’ve known Caleb[Hall – Harvey’s opponent (5-1)] since high school and there is no doubt about his grit and talent. The atmosphere at the Colisee will be electrifying as six high-caliber fighters look to leave their mark.”

 

Hall and Harvey are set to open the show in a featherweight bout at 7:00 pm sharp.  Hall has competed on six previous NEF MMA events, and he has definitely noticed an increased excitement from fans leading into “NEF XVI.”

 

“The anticipation is at an all time high because of all the good match ups on the card,” noted Hall.  “On February 7th, I’m expecting it to be the most exciting night yet.”

 

Having fought for smaller promotions in the past, Harvey is clear that the size of the crowd does not matter to him.  He will bring his A-game to the cage whether the fight be under the big lights in a world-famous arena like the Androscoggin Bank Colisee or held in a tiny, poorly-lit room with a few chairs set up around a cage.

 

“Personally it doesn’t matter who or how many people are watching,” stated Harvey.  “I’m going to put on a show whether there are 20 people or 20,000.  I love to entertain.  After Caleb hooks on to me he’ll know he’s been in a fight.”

 

Jason Lachance (0-1) from MMA Athletix in Bath, Maine is scheduled to meet Steven Bang (3-2) of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Auburn, Maine at “NEF XVI.”  Lachance credits the level of talent on the NEF roster with bringing in large crowds like the crowd expected on February 7.

 

“NEF has a lot of talent on this night of fights, as they always do,” said Lachance.  “I expect nothing less than an exciting night for the fans.  The support from our fans means everything, and my fellow fighters and I come ready to throw down and send everyone home with even more anticipation for the next event.  God has blessed us with another opportunity to do what we love to do in front of so many.”

 

Billy “Bigfoot” Leahy (1-1) will also see action at “NEF XVI” when he steps into the cage to face debuting independent fighterBrandon Lessard (0-0) in a heavyweight bout.  Leahy got the first win of his MMA career this past September at “NEF XIV” before some 2,000-plus fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.  As such, he is familiar with the feeling that comes from performing for a massive, ravenous fight crowd.

 

“I’m expecting a great night of fights,” exclaimed Leahy.  “I am honored to be on such a great card.  The NEF fans are like no other, and I can’t wait to put on a great show in front of my family, friends and fans.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVI,” takes place on February 7, 2015with an all-star lineup of fights scheduled.  Ray “All Business” Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title against Bellator and WEC veteran Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison (16-9).  NFL and UFC The Ultimate Fighterveteran Tyler King (7-2) puts the NEF MMA Heavyweight Title on the line against Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-2).  In the feature bout of the evening, UFC, Bellator and Strikeforce veteranNah-Shon Burrell (10-5) makes his NEF MMA debut against Ryan Hodge (6-9).  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.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.

Fight Network, mixed martial arts

FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Jan. 26-Feb. 1, 2015)

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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.
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, Jan. 26

 

6:30 p.m. ET – USA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and a look back at the past.

 

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 – Enfusion Live Vol. 13: Amsterdam – Professional kickboxing from Feb. 22, 2014 in Amsterdam, Holland.

 

Tuesday, Jan. 27

 

12:30 p.m. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S. professional and amateur MMA events.

 

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ET – Xtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

 

8:00 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.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Rumble in the Cage 50 – Featuring Brandt Dewsberry vs. Tyler O’Brien and Derek Boyle vs. Shawn Fitzsimmons from Oct. 18, 2014 in Lethbridge, AB.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 28

 

2:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa and more.

 

3:00 a.m. ET – Texas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star’s top prospects in the cage.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Rocktagon MMA – Professional and amateur MMA from the Buckeye State of Ohio featuring the next generation of stars.

 

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. 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 score, recaps, features and inside analysis on the fight game.

 

8:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA – Compilations of international MMA fights from ONE FC, UCMMA, KSW, WFC, FFC, BAMMA, EFC Africa and more.

 

9:00 p.m. ET – Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 63 – Featuring Stevie Ray vs. Ivan Buchinger for the lightweight title, plus Jim Alers vs. Graham Turner for the featherweight title from Dec. 31, 2013 in Dublin, Ireland.

 

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, Jan. 29

 

1:30 a.m. ET – Ultimate Challenge MMA 30: Towler vs. Lake – Featuring Darren Lake vs. Dayman Lake from Oct. 6, 2012 in London.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – Championship Fighting Alliance – Professional MMA from Florida featuring Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkle, Luis Palomino and others.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – Enfusion Season 3 – Fighters from 18 different countries compete in the 85 kg MAX category in Ohrid, Macedonia as they live and train together in their quest for a kickboxing title.

 

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, featur4es and inside analysis on the fight game.

Friday, Jan. 30

 

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 class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

 

5:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewel – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

 

6:00 p.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

7:00 p.m. ET – UFC 183 Weigh-Ins LIVE! – Live coverage of official UFC183: Silva vs. Diaz weigh-ins from Las Vegas.

 

8:30 p.m. ET — KSW 26: Materia vs. Silva – Featuring Michal Materia vs. Jay Silva and Marcin Rozalski vs. Nick Rossborough from Mar. 22, 2014 in Dec. 7, 2013 in Warsaw, Poland.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Hard Knocks Fighting 41 LIVE! – Live professional MMA from Calgary, Canada, featuring Rodney Wallace vs. Misha Cirkunov in the main event.

Saturday, Feb. 1

 

1:00 a.m. ET – SuperKombat: New Heroes Sao Paulo 2013 – Featuring Featuring Felipe Micheletti vs. Edson Lima, Thiago Michel vs. Miodrag Olar and Alex Pereira vs. Cesar Almeida from Mar. 23, 2013 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

 

4:00 a.m. ET – Toe 2 Toe with Elias Theodorou – Sit-down interview with UFC welterweight star Elias Theodorou.

 

4:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m-by-12m arena with three levels.

 

6:00 a.m. ET – Best of TKO – Featuring Jonathan Goulet vs. Travis Axworthy from TKO 29 and Jeremy Horn vs. Kristof Midoux from UCC 11.

 

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Joe Stevenson vs. Maurice Wilson from Gladiator Challenge 3.

 

8:00 a.m. ET – Best of DEEP – Featuring classic fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shimya Aoki, Hayato Sakuri and Gerard Mousasi.

 

9:00 a.m. ET – Best of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-famale Japanese MMA league Jewels.

 

10:00 a.m. ET – Best of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

 

11:00 a.m. ET – M-1 Challenge – Professional MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

 

3:00 p.m. ET – Ring of Combat 44 – Featuring Deividas Taurosevicius vs. Guillermo Serment and Mike Massenzio vs. Ariel Sepulveda from Atlantic City, NJ.

 

6:30 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.

 

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 – Final Fight Championship 12 MMA: Staring vs. Simonic – Featuring Dion Staring vs. Tomaz Simonic in MMA action from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

 

10:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 12 Kickboxing: Daley vs. Fabjan – Featuring Paul Daley vs. Maran Fabjan in a kickboxing main event from Apr. 24, 2014 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

 

11:00 p.m. ET – Final Fight Championship 11 Kickboxing: Jurkovic vs. Kaluderovic – Featuring Igor Jurkovic vs. Jovan Kalunderovic in kickboxing action from Osijek, Croatia.

Sunday, Feb. 1

 

1:00 a.m. ET – UFC 183 Post-Fight Show LIVE! – Live post-show and post-fight press conference for UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz from Las Vegas.

 

10:00 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.

 

11:00 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.

 

Information:

 

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 
mixed martial arts, WFF

LIVE MMA FEBRUARY 7 – CHANDLER

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**This is an Indoor Event – Seating is Limited**
**18 YEARS & OLDER EVENT**

Use discount code WFF for $5 off all tickets!

OR

Watch the Fights LIVE on

www.WFFMMA.com for $9.99

FIGHT CARD
125 Matt Betzold vs Brandon Moreno

**TITLE FIGHT**

130 Roy Rangel vs Adam Dye
135 Jonathon Salazar vs Andres Ponce**TITLE FIGHT**
135 Carlos Castro vs Braden Goodwin
135 Israel Gastulum vs Paul Oraha
140 Valerie Quintero vs Nicole Upshaw
145 Jesse Mejia vs Derrick Brown
145 Joshua Clifton vs Matt Hamel
155 Benny Madrid vs TBD
165 Keegan Graham vs Shawn Armstrong
185 Brendan Tierney vs Daniel Huber**TITLE FIGHT**
HWT Jeremy Cardinal vs Waldo Cortes
HWT Calvin Wishom vs Josue Reyes

Fight Card Subject To Change
Bellator, mixed martial arts

Bellator’s British Invasion Has A New King

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Bellator Logo

 “King Mo” Lawal vs. Cheick Kongo replaces Bobby Lashley vs. James Thompson and Andre Santos steps in for Douglas Lima to battle Paul Daley at “Bellator: The British Invasion” 
 
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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (January 21, 2015) – Injury has forced the delay of a heavily anticipated matchup between Bobby Lashley (12-2) and James Thompson (20-14) but Bellator MMA officials have announced a blockbuster fight to replace it in Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (14-4) vs. Cheick Kongo (22-9-2).  Also Andre Santos (37-9) has stepped in for the injured welterweight champion Douglas Lima (26-5), and will now face the always-dangerous Paul Daley (35-13).

 

The new contest is scheduled for the televised portion of “Bellator: British Invasion,” which takes place on Friday, February 27, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The night’s main card airs live on Spike TV, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.

 

Tickets for “Bellator: British Invasion,” which start at just $25, are already on sale at Ticketmaster.com and Bellator.com. Additional bouts are expected to be announced shortly.

 

“We’re disappointed we had to delay these fights between Bobby Lashley and James Thompson, and Douglas Lima and Paul Daley, but I have no doubt that these matchups will be fantastic once they eventually come to fruition,” Bellator MMA CEO Scott Coker said. “Fortunately, we’re able to replace the bouts with equally entertaining contests for our fans.”

 

“King Mo” Lawal fights for the 10th time for Bellator MMA and has established himself as one of the most recognizable superstars in the sport. A standout wrestler who normally competes at light heavyweight, the former NCAA Division I All-American and Pan American gold medalist has earned 11 of his 14 career MMA wins by knockout, including recent striking stoppages of Joe Vedepo and Dustin Jacoby. The former Bellator MMA tournament winner and Strikeforce light heavyweight world champion now moves up to heavyweight for the first time since 2009 to challenge himself against Kongo.

 

Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a former professional kickboxer who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo.  A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-1 record under the Bellator MMA banner. Training at Wolfslair MMA Academy in London, Kongo most recently flashed his well-rounded game by scoring a first-round submission over fellow striker Lavar Johnson in a September matchup. Kongo’s lone Bellator loss came in a five-round contest for the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Championship, in which he went five full rounds with Vitaly Minakov but came up short in a decision result.

 

Paul Daley is a highly feared and respected veteran with dynamite in both fists, which earned him the nickname “Semtex”. The 31-year-old from Nottingham, England has won an impressive 74% of his 35 victories by way of knockout. Having fought for Scott Coker under the Strikeforce banner, rejoining him at Bellator was a no brainer.  Daley took to the internet to share his feelings on the injury to Lima, stating: “Nervous, Scared??…..I understand, preparing to fight me…. I would be. It’s ok…. guess you get to have a few more photo shoots with the belt…. My focus has shifted, same date, new opponent…. British Invasion at Bellator 134.”

 

The new opponent his focus has shifted to is Andre “Chatuba” Santos. A veteran of the sport in his own right, the Rio De Janeiro fighter has two more wins than Daley in four less fights.  Santos defeated James Terry at Bellator 129, in what was his first fight on American soil.  He now has his sights set on Daley, with hopes to win his seventh straight fight.
 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike TV:

Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, mixed martial arts

BOXING LEGEND OSCAR DE LA HOYA ANNOUNCES NEW COMBAT SPORTS, TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE NETWORK

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De La Hoya TV will capitalize on huge boxing and MMA fan base among U.S. Hispanics, taking them inside the lives of their heroes

 

MIAMI (Jan. 21, 2015) Olympic gold medalist, 10-time world champion in six weight divisions and leading boxing promoter Oscar De La Hoya will launch a new Spanish-language sports, travel and lifestyle cable television channel called De La Hoya TV, the “Golden Boy” announced today at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) annual conference in Miami.

 

Offering news, analysis and original programming surrounding combat sports including boxing and MMA, the multi-platform network will feature entertainment, travel, lifestyle and news on international sports, giving fans another level of access to the champions of the sports that they love.

 

“De La Hoya TV will be the premiere authority on boxing and other combat sports, providing fans with a behind-the-scenes look into the world and lifestyles of their favorite athletes,” said De La Hoya, chairman of De La Hoya TV. “The network aims to inspire all to live the life of a champion, delivering exceptional insight into the athletes and featuring entertainment, global destinations, news and more.”

 

Building on boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya’s brand, De La Hoya TV will launch with Spanish-language content and focus on engaging the U.S. Hispanic market.

 

Latino audiences, which now total more than 50 million in the U.S., have long fueled the popularity of combat sports, and De La Hoya TV will provide the Hispanic market with an experience that they’ve longed for. Among U.S. Hispanic audiences, boxing is the second most-popular sport after soccer, and recent data suggests that more than 50 percent of the Mixed Martial Arts’ fan base is Hispanic.

 

The multiplatform network will launch in the spring of 2015 and be available for cable and satellite distribution. Initially launching in Spanish, the network will in the future provide English content, offering today’s modern consumers with multiple options to engage with network programming.

 

De La Hoya TV is a partnership between Oscar De La Hoya, businessman and international boxing promoter José Alberto “Pepe” Gómez, and media executive and Fashion TV Latin America partner Victor Hugo Montero.

 

Gomez is a successful business owner and major promoter of Mexican and international boxing. Gomez operates several media companies in Mexico, including a popular newspaper and radio station.

 

Montero is an experienced television and cable executive, having launched Venezuela’s first cable channel, Sun Channel Tourism Television, which is currently available throughout Latin America. More recently Montero helped re-launched Fashion TV Latin America, an international cable channel.

 

“In my decades of working in television, I’ve seen few opportunities to connect with an untapped market with such an exponential opportunity for growth. For over a year we have worked on this project and are focused on expanding content from Spanish to include English and make it available to a larger audience, all to serve the consumer’s appetite,” said Victor Hugo Montero, CEO and general manager of De La Hoya TV.

 

“The popularity of combat sports continues to grow throughout the United States, Latin America and the globe, and now fans will finally have a unique resource to get news and analysis through De La Hoya TV,” said José Alberto “Pepe” Gómez, executive chairman of De La Hoya TV.

 

De La Hoya TV’s unique content, which will complement existing boxing programming on the established networks, like HBO, SHOWTIME, FOX, and Televisa will help continue to fuel the growth of the sport and the intensity of the fans.

 

Original production for De La Hoya TV will begin in early 2015, with details on programming schedules to be announced soon. The network is based in Miami, Florida.

 

ABOUT DE LA HOYA TV

De La Hoya TV is a new multi-platform sports, lifestyle and travel network serving as the authority of boxing and combat sports. Focused on their slogan, Beyond Boxing, the new Spanish-language channel will feature entertainment, tourism, lifestyle, news and international sports, engaging the audience on an exciting adrenaline filled journey with behind the scenes access to the life of their favorite athletes. For more information, visit www.delahoyatv.com and follow De La Hoya TV on social media: Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and YouTube.