Tag Archives: MMA

Royce Gracie Hosts Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminar Live Today at 3 p.m. PST / 6 p.m. EST on Bellator MMA’s Social Channels

Today at 3 p.m. PST / 6 p.m. EST on Bellator MMA’s social channels, one of the most influential MMA fighters of all-time, Royce Gracie, will be teaching a Brazilian jiu-jitsu seminar.

The event will begin promptly on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Bellator MMA Statement on May Events

Due to the ongoing safety concerns surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as current federal, state and local government mandates, Bellator MMA officials today have announced that three upcoming live events scheduled for May have been postponed.

These events include:

  • Bellator 242 – May 9 ee San Jose, Message.
  • Bellator European Series London – May 16 ee London
  • Bellator 243 – May 29 in Temecula, Message.

The organization will continue to monitor the situation closely and fully intends to reschedule the events as soon as possible.

Sida had iyo jeer, the health and safety of our athletes, Taageerayaasha, partners and staff remains our top priority. We appreciate the understanding and patience of everyone involved during this incredibly difficult time.

Refunds for ticketholders to these events, as well as Bellator 241 originally scheduled for March 13 at Sun Mohegan Arena, will be available at their original point of purchase.

Fadlan booqoBellator.com Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah.

NEF 43 LOOGU TALAGALAY JUNE 13 DARYEELKA KORONAVIRUS

Orono, Maine (March 20, 2020) - Dagaaladu New England (NEF) ayaa maanta ku dhawaaqay in dhiirrigelinta dagaalka ee soo socda ee isku-dhafan-fanka-fanka (MMA) dhacdo, "NEF 43: Duullaankii,”Waxaa dib loogu dhigay Sabtida, June 13, 2020. Munaasabadan ayaa waxaa, kaas oo ka soo bilaaban doona Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins oo ku taal xarunta Maine ee calanka xarunteeda Orono, waxaa markii hore loo qorsheeyay in la qabto Abriil 18. Qabanqaabiyeyaasha munaasabadda, Si kastaba ha ahaatee, ayaa go'aansaday in dib loo dhigo jadwalka 13 ku saleysan Xarumaha Xakamaynta iyo Kahortagga Cudurrada (CDC) kula talintii dhaweyd ee ahayd in dhammaan dhacdooyinka iyo isu imaatinnada oo ka kooban 50 dadka ama in ka badan ayaa dib loo dhigaa ugu yaraan siddeed toddobaad sababo la xiriira walaac ku saabsan faafidda cudurka 'COVID-19' ee coronavirus.

Goor hore oo maanta, NEF waxay sii deysay bayaankan soo socda oo ay ka soo saartay milkiilayaasheeda Nick DiSalvo iyo Matt Peterson iyaga oo soo mariyay bartooda Facebook:

Sababo la xiriira welwelka socda ee ku hareeraysan coronavirus iyo meelaha dadku isugu yimaado, NEF 43 ayaa dib loo qorsheeyay ilaa Sabtida, June 13, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee Orono. Albaabadu way ka furmi doonaan 6 pm iyo dagaalka ugu horeeya wuxuu noqon doonaa 7 pm.

Tigidhada laga iibsado halgame (ama kuwa qorsheynaya inay tikidhada ku iibsadaan dagaalyahan): Dhammaan tikidhada la daabacay Abriil 18 taariikhda waxaa lagu sharfi doonaa albaabka bisha Juun 13. Haddii aadan ka soo qayb geli karin munaasabadda maalinta cusub ee Juun 13, fadlan la xiriir dagaalyahankii markii hore kuu iibiyay tigidhka.

Tigidhada laga iibsado xafiiska sanduuqa CCA: Dhammaan tikidhada la daabacay Abriil 18 taariikhda waxaa lagu sharfi doonaa albaabka bisha Juun 13. Haddii aadan ka soo qayb geli karin munaasabadda maalinta cusub ee Juun 13, fadlan emayl ugu dir xafiiska sanduuqa atccatix@maine.edu. Sidoo kale waad wici kartaa 207.581-1755 oo fariin uga tag. Xafiiska sanduuqa ayaa qaadan doona codsiyada lacag celinta illaa Jimcaha soo socda, March 27, 2020, at 5 pm EDT.

Dhamaantiin waad ku mahadsan tihiin dulqaadkiina iyo taageeradiina joogtada ah iyadoo aan sii wadno kormeerida iyo la qabsiga xaaladan aan hore loo arag. Waxaan u rajeyneynaa dhamaan taageerayaasheena, Xarakada, shaqaalaha, iyo saaxiibada caafimaad iyo badbaado wanaagsan xilligan adag.

– Nick DiSalvo & Matt Peterson

Dagaaladu New England’ dhacdo isku xigxiga-fanka-fanka, “NEF 43: Duullaankii,” dhici doona Sabtida, June 13, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee UMaine Orono. Tigidhada waa on sale hadda eewww.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.  

BJ GARCEAU TO FIGHT ONE LAST TIME AT NEF 43 IN ORONO, MAINE

Degdeg loo sii daayo: Orono, Maine (March 12, 2020) - Dagaaladu New England (NEF) waxay soo bandhigi doontaa farshaxankeeda isku dhafan ee soo socda (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, cinwaankeedu yahay “NEF 43: Duullaankii,”Ayaa dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, leh gambaleel-waqtiga ah 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur strawweight bout to the card.BJ Garceau(1-1) ayaa lagu wadaa in ay la kulmaanFatima Kline(1-0) at a fight weight of 115 pounds.

BJ Garceau will enter the NEF cage for the third and final time on April 18. Garceau, who was diagnosed with Type-1 juvenile diabetes in 1993, made headlines with her amateur debut and became an inspiration to many. She defeated Sarah Ziehm (1-2) via split decision at “NEF 32” in February 2018. Garceau returned to the cage later that year, losing to Chelsea Tucker (3-3) in the third round of an “NEF 36” contest. Garceau is a product of Young’s MMA based in Bangor, Maine

“I’m so excited to be back in the cage in my hometown, for what will be my final fight this April,” said Garceau.  “I want to be able to leave my old stomping grounds with my hand held high at the end and walk away with a win for my fans, asxaabta, qoyska, tababarayaasha, team and myself. I’ll give it everything I’ve got one last time and this will be a fight you don’t want to miss. With that being said, I am beyond grateful for my opponent taking on the fight and every opportunity Young’s MMA, NEF and everyone in the mixed martial arts community has given me over the years. Waad ku mahadsan, mahadsanid, mahadsanid!"

Fatima Kline will make the trek from her home in Hyde Park, New York for the fight. At just 19-years-old, Kline already holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. She made her amateur MMA debut last fall with a unanimous decision win on a card in White Plains, New York. Kline represents Black Hole Jiu-Jitsu based in Wappingers Falls, New York.

“I would like to thank NEF for giving me the opportunity to showcase all of my hard work,” said Kline when reached for comment. “Being that this is my debut fight for the organization, I promise to be at the top of my game come fight night. Waad ku mahadsan, BJ, for accepting this matchup, and I look forward to seeing you in the cage. The one message I would have for the crowd is: be prepared to be entertained.”

Dagaaladu New England’ dhacdo isku xigxiga-fanka-fanka, “NEF 43: Duullaankii,” dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee UMaine Orono. Tigidhada waa on sale hadda eewww.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.  

About Dagaaladu New England

Dagaaladu New England ("NEF") waa dagaalka shirkadda dalacsiiyo ama dhacdooyinka. Himilada NEF waa in loo abuuro dhacdooyin tayo sare leh halgamayaasha iyo taageerayaasha si isku mid ah. Kooxda Fulinta NEF ee uu leeyahay waayo-aragnimo ballaaran u leeyahay arrimaha maamulka isboortiga dagaal, wax soo saarka dhacdooyinka, xiriirka warbaahinta, marketing, sharci iyo advertising.

AARON LACEY RETURNING TO THE CAGE AT NEF 43 IN ORONO, MAINE

Degdeg loo sii daayo: Orono, Maine (March 11, 2020) - Dagaaladu New England (NEF) waxay soo bandhigi doontaa farshaxankeeda isku dhafan ee soo socda (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, cinwaankeedu yahay “NEF 43: Duullaankii,”Ayaa dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, leh gambaleel-waqtiga ah 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the card.Aaron “Relentless” Lacey(6-2) ayaa lagu wadaa inuu la kulmo“Yours Truly” Chris Herd(2-3) at a fight weight of 145 pounds.

It will have been 19 months since the last time Aaron Lacey stepped in the NEF cage as a competitor. Lacey defeated veteran Jon Lemke (7-9) in the main event of “NEF 35” in September 2018. He has not fought since due to an injury suffered later that fall. A former NEF Amateur Featherweight Champion, Lacey started his professional career a perfect 4-0 before going 2-2 in his last four bouts. He will look to make his comeback a successful one on April 18. Lacey represents Young’s MMA based in nearby Bangor, Maine.

“I’m so super excited to be getting back into my happy place,” exclaimed Aaron Lacey.  “Matt (Peterson, NEF co-milkiilaha iyo laqabin) worked really hard to get me a fight on this card, and I am beyond grateful! April 18th ‘Relentless’ returns!"

Lacey ee soo horjeeda, Chris Herd, will make the 1,000-mile trip from his home in Wilmington, North Carolina for the fight. Herd had a stellar amateur career, socda 5-0 with four knockouts and one submission and capturing a regional championship along the way. Both of his wins as a professional have been first-round finishes with one a technical knockout and the other a submission. Herd currently represents Brunson’s MMA & Fitness based in Wilmington, North Carolina.

“No man can touch me without my permission,” said Herd when reached for comment.  “This fight will go where I want it, and I will finish it at will.”

Dagaaladu New England’ dhacdo isku xigxiga-fanka-fanka, “NEF 43: Duullaankii,” dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee UMaine Orono. Tigidhada waa on sale hadda eewww.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.  

About Dagaaladu New England

Dagaaladu New England ("NEF") waa dagaalka shirkadda dalacsiiyo ama dhacdooyinka. Himilada NEF waa in loo abuuro dhacdooyin tayo sare leh halgamayaasha iyo taageerayaasha si isku mid ah. Kooxda Fulinta NEF ee uu leeyahay waayo-aragnimo ballaaran u leeyahay arrimaha maamulka isboortiga dagaal, wax soo saarka dhacdooyinka, xiriirka warbaahinta, marketing, sharci iyo advertising.

FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT ADDED TO NEF 43 CARD IN ORONO, MAINE

Degdeg loo sii daayo: Orono, Maine (March 10, 2020) - Dagaaladu New England (NEF) waxay soo bandhigi doontaa farshaxankeeda isku dhafan ee soo socda (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. The event, cinwaankeedu yahay “NEF 43: Duullaankii,”Ayaa dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, leh gambaleel-waqtiga ah 7 pm EDT. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the card.Carl Langston (0-5) ayaa lagu wadaa inuu la kulmoAaron “Short Fuse” Hughes(0-0) at a fight weight of 145 pounds.

Carl Langston comes into the fight looking for the first win that has eluded him thus far in his professional career. Last month, Langston took on Jacob Deppmeyer (1-0) in Portland, Maine at “NEF 42,” losing via first-round technical knockout. It was his first fight back with the promotion since losing his pro debut in April 2018. Langston, a lifelong practitioner of Taekwondo, currently represents Young’s MMA based in nearby Bangor, Maine.

“It’s been hard getting fights altogether, but even more so in my home state,” noted Langston.  “So, with this last lost I didn’t think I was going to get another fight for a bit. I got in my own head and said I wanted to stop fighting for a bit, but when I got the call three weeks after the loss, I couldn’t say no. This is something I need, back-to-back fights. I just have to show up like I show up in the gym and I’ll get my hand raised without a doubt.”

Aaron Hughes will make both his professional and promotional debuts with NEF. He has had a very active amateur career since his debut in 2015, putting together a record of 4-6 while competing on fight cards in his home state of Massachusetts. Hughes represents Regiment Training Center of Fall River, Massachusetts where he trains alongside the likes of current UFC star and former NEF Professional Cruiserweight Champion Yorgan De Castro (6-0).

“I’m really excited to take the trip to Maine to make my professional debut,” said Hughes when reached for comment.  “My opponent is skilled, but I’m coming to put on a show, and he’s just a man in the way of my dreams to the UFC. Thank you to NEF for having me out.”

Dagaaladu New England’ dhacdo isku xigxiga-fanka-fanka, “NEF 43: Duullaankii,” dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee UMaine Orono. Tigidhada waa on sale hadda eewww.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.  

About Dagaaladu New England

Dagaaladu New England ("NEF") waa dagaalka shirkadda dalacsiiyo ama dhacdooyinka. Himilada NEF waa in loo abuuro dhacdooyin tayo sare leh halgamayaasha iyo taageerayaasha si isku mid ah. Kooxda Fulinta NEF ee uu leeyahay waayo-aragnimo ballaaran u leeyahay arrimaha maamulka isboortiga dagaal, wax soo saarka dhacdooyinka, xiriirka warbaahinta, marketing, sharci iyo advertising.

FULL FIGHT CARD AND BROADCAST DETAILS FOR THIS FRIDAY’S BELLATOR 241: PITBULL VS. CARVALHO EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA – LIVE ON DAZN

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The full slate of bouts for Bellator’s return to Mohegan Sun Arena this Friday, March 13 is official with a stacked six-fight main card, headlined by current two-division champ Patricio Pitbull (30-4) defending his 145-lb. title in the Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinals against upstart SBG-product and tournament dark horse Pedro Carvalho (11-3).



Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream live exclusively on DAZN at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel, iyo sidoo kale DAZN, laga bilaabo 7:30 p.m. IYO / 4:30 p.m. PT.



The exciting main card will also see a Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal take place in the co-main event,markii Daniel Weichel (40-11) rematches Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4) for a future shot at the world title. Waxaa intaa dheer, former New York Giants lineman Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) will be taking on Ronny Markes (19-7) in a heavyweight main card bout, while England’s Paul Daley (42-17-2) and heavy-handed Sabah Homasi (13-8) go toe-to-toe in a 170-pound matchup that is sure to produce fireworks. Rounding out the main card will see Connecticut’s own Nick Newell (16-3) qaadashada on Zach Zane (14-9) of Hawaii at lightweight and a must-see middleweight contest showcasing Anatoly Tokov (29-2) vs. Fabio Aguiar (17-1).



Kaarku wuxuu hordhac u ah Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho will stream live stream on Bellator MMA’s YouTube channel iyo DAZN at 7:30 p.m. IYO / 4:30 p.m. PT. The prelims feature appearances from Bellator prospects and other familiar names in Baby Slice (3-2, 1 NC), Robson Gracie Jr. (3-0), Leslie Smith (11-8-1), Romero Cotton (4-0), Mike Kimbel
(3-2), iyo Leandro Higo (19-5) kulan Dominic Mazzotta (15-3) at featherweight.



Complete Bellator 241: Pitbull vs. Carvalho Card Main:

DAZN

10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT



Featherweight WGP Quarterfinal World Title Bout: Patricio Pitbull (30-4) vs. Pedro Carvalho (11-3)

Featherweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinal Bout: Daniel Weichel (40-11) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (19-4)

Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Matt Mitrione (13-7, 1 NC) vs. Ronny Markes (19-7)

Welterweight Main Card Bout: Paul Daley (42-17-2) vs. Sabah Homasi (13-8)

Lightweight Main Card Bout: Nick Newell (16-3) vs. Zach Zane (14-9)

Middleweight Main Card Bout: Anatoly Tokov (29-2) vs. Fabio Aguiar (17-1)



Card hordhac ah:

Bellator’s YouTube Channel | DAZN

7:30 p.m. IYO / 4:30 p.m. PT



Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Robson Gracie Jr. (3-0) vs. Billy Goff (2-2)

160-LB. Contract Weight Preliminary Bout: Baby Slice (3-2, 1 NC) vs. Kaheem Murray (3-3)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Jordan Newman (2-0) vs. Pat McCrohan (4-3)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Romero Cotton (4-0) vs. Justin Sumter (7-3)

140-LB. Contract Weight Preliminary Bout: Mike Kimbel (3-2) vs. Kenny Rivera (2-2)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Killys Mota (12-1) vs. Nate Andrews (16-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Leandro Higo (19-5) vs. Dominic Mazzotta (15-3)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Leslie Smith (11-8-1) vs. Jessy Miele (9-3)

Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Ion Pascu (18-10) vs. Mark Lemminger (10-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Vladimir Tokov (7-0) vs. Marcus Surin (6-2)



*Card subject to change.



Fadlan booqo Bellator.com Wixii macluumaad dheeraad ah.

LIZ CARMOUCHE TO MAKE BELLATOR MMA DEBUT AGAINST UNDEFEATED MANDY BÖHM IN MAIN EVEN EVENT OF PROMOTION’S RETURN TO PECHANGA RESORT CASINO

EVENT SET FOR FRIDAY, May 29 AT 10 P.M. ET/9 P.M. CT ON PARAMOUNT NETWORK & DAZN

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, MARCH 13!



Los Angeles – Bellator officials today announced that the eagerly anticipated promotional debut of Liz Carmouche (13-7) will take place on Friday, May 29 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Message. against undefeated SBG Ireland’s flyweight prospect Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC).



Tigidhada ee Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm go on sale March 13 at 3 p.m. PT and are available at the Pechanga box office, iyo sidoo kaleBellator.com, Ticketmaster.com iyo Pechanga.com.



The event will be broadcast live Friday, May 29 on Shabakada 'Paramount Network' iyo DAZN at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator’s MMA YouTube channel. roonaadaan dheeraad ah ayaa lagu dhawaaqi doonaa toddobaadyada soo socda.



A United States Marine Corps veteran and established flyweight competitor, Carmouche joined Bellator’s women’s flyweight division this past December following a six-year run in UFC – a tenure that includes world title bouts in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, as well as notable wins over Katlyn Chookagian and Jessica Andrade.



Fighting out of San Diego, the 36-year-old Team Hurricane Awesome-product also formerly competed for Strikeforce, notching a pair of victories with the promotion. She also earned a win over Valentina Shevchenko earlier in her career. Prior to “Girl-Rilla’s” days as a professional athlete, the Lafayette, Louisiana-native spent five years serving as an aviation electrician in the United Stated Marine Corps, where she completed three tours of duty in the Middle East.



Fresh off a flyweight title victory on the regional MMA scene last May, Mandy Böhm is ready to bring her undefeated mark as a professional to the highest levels of the sport when she meets former two-division title challenger Liz Carmouche on May 29. Hailing from Germany, but training under the tutelage of John Kavanagh at SBG Ireland in Dublin, “Monster” is a force to be reckoned with on the feet, but showcased her strong submission skills when she handed top Canadian prospect Jade Masson-Wong the first loss of her career in 2019.



Updated Bellator 243: Carmouche vs. Böhm Fight Card:

Flyweight Main Event: Liz Carmouche (13-7) vs. Mandy Böhm (6-0, 1 NC)



****

559 Fights returns to Visalia

SELMA, Message. – Larry Gonzales hasn’t had the best of luck in his young mixed martial arts career. The Fresno heavyweight had three fights fall apart before he even had a chance to compete.

But once Gonzales stepped foot in the cage, he hasn’t looked back amassing a 4-0 record, capturing a 559 Fights Heavyweight Championship and climbing to a No. 3 ranking in the state.

Gonzales hopes to keep the good fortune going on March 13 – Friday the 13th – in a heavyweight title showdown with Fresno’s Kail Melton (1-2) at the Visalia Convention Center. Doors open at 6pm and first fight is at 7.

“Looking at things now this might be one of the largest fight cards we’ve ever put together," 559 Fights owner Jeremy Luchau said. “15 mma bouts in all, with three of them being title fights and a grappling tournament. I don’t know what more fight fans could possibly want.”

The co-main event features a California Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Organization Middleweight State title fight, pitting two of the Valley’s best 185-pound prospects against one another – Hanford’s Marqus Blevins (3-0) and Orange Cove’s Jared Velasquez (4-3).

“It’s been a long time coming to get Blevins into the 559 Fights cage,” Luchau said. “Blevins trains out of Valley Fight Club and that’s where I had my start in mixed martial arts training. It’s an honor and a pleasure to be able to have them represented in our promotion. And I’m also excited to have Velasquez back in action. He’s as tough as they come and represents a great city in Orange Cove where we just had an extremely successful event.”

Flyweights will also take center stage, as 125-pound 559 Fights kingpin Johnny Maldonado of Bakersfield defends his perfect 4-0 record in a rematch with former champion Josue Gonzales (3-2) of San Luis Obispo.

559 Fights will also be hosting its first grappling tournament, which will take place in the 155-185 weight classes and feature competitors from all over the Central Valley.

“The fight card is pretty stacked, but I’m probably most excited about this grappling tournament that we are doing,” Luchau added. “There’s going to be a lot of notable names from the Valley competing. It’s a great start for us on where we see the future of both grappling and 559 Fights heading in the future.”

In other main card bouts; Irvine flyweight Meggan Tamondong (2-1) takes on Rocklin’s Valerie Thurs (3-4), Lindsay lightweight Mark Felix (4-3) battles Sacramento’s Julius Wright (5-4), Hanford featherweight Denzel Rosaroso (3-0) fights Bakersfield’s Sal Bruno (2-2-2), Sanger welterweight Anthony Mata (1-1) tangles with Bakersfield’s Jeramy Titsworth (1-1) and Porterville light heavyweight Omar Reneau (2-3) fights Lathrop’s Danny Moreno (2-2).

Grappling competitors include; Porterville’s Brandon Cohea, Fresno’s Nick Bustamante, Selma’s Julian Tovar, Parlier’s Christian Avalos, Fresno’s Art Hernandez, Visalia’s Marc DeLaCruz, Fresno’s Alex Rojas and Bakersfield’s Matt Reed.

For more information please visit www.559fights.com

CONTROVERSIAL FIGHT WILL GET A REMATCH AT NEF 43 IN ORONO

Degdeg loo sii daayo: Orono, Maine (February 28, 2020) - Dagaaladu New England (NEF) waxay soo bandhigi doontaa farshaxankeeda isku dhafan ee soo socda (MMA) event at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine’s flagship Orono campus. Munaasabadan ayaa waxaa, cinwaankeedu yahay “NEF 43: Duullaankii,”Ayaa dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, leh gambaleel-waqtiga ah 7 pm EDT. Goor hore oo maanta, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur flyweight bout to the card. Caleb “Dr. Feelgood” Austin (4-0) wajihi doonaan James Ploss (1-2) at a fight weight of 125 pounds.

The bout will be a rematch of the first fight between Austin and Ploss that took place three years prior in April 2017 at “NEF 28.” Austin was declared the winner of that first contest, but not without controversy. Seconds into the first round, Ploss had a tight guillotine choke applied to Austin. Austin tapped out, but the referee was out of position to see the tap. Ploss released Austin from the hold, thinking he had won the fight. The referee, to Ploss’ bewilderment, ordered the fight to continue. As Ploss tried to make sense of the situation, Austin took him down and finished the fight moments later by technical knockout.

In the days that followed, many were critical of Austin on social media. The matter seemed to die down after a few days, only to be brought back to the forefront with a vengeance late last year when former UFC and WEC star Mike Brown (26-9) shared the clip on Twitter as an example of “fighting until the referee tells you to stop.” Suddenly, the fight received global attention from major online news sources likeBloody ElbowMMA JunkieThe Athletic, iyoDhulka hoostiisa mara ayaa.

The first fight with Ploss was Caleb Austin’s amateur MMA debut. He was 18-years-old at the time and still a senior at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine. Austin was a standout wrestler in high school, putting together a record of 208-11 over four years and winning state titles at 126 pounds his junior and senior years. He was named the 2017 “Wrestler of the Yearby the Lewiston Sun Journal. After graduation, Austin continued his wrestling career at the University of Southern Maine, but he took the next two years off from MMA competition. He returned last summer and has won three fights in a row since he made his comeback. Austin currently represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston, Maine.

“I’m excited to finally be able to fight James again to gain some closure,” said Austin of the rematch with Ploss. “My MMA debut has haunted me since it happened almost three years ago. I’m thankful to James and his team for giving me this opportunity to get back in there with him. I’ve wanted this for a long time and I promise to make the most of the moment. When I exit the cage this time, it will be without question or controversy—it will end definitively.”

James Ploss went on to fight two more times in 2017 and has not competed since. He is a member of Greg Williams’ Team Kaze based in Lancaster, New Hampshire. Like Austin, Ploss will be looking for closure to the outcome of their first encounter.

“I’m grateful for a rematch with Caleb,” said Ploss. “Reflecting, I have pondered the question, ‘Am I better than Caleb or is he better than me?’ This is the perfect chance to find out—a second chance for us both to give it our all and see who comes out on top giving the fans, MMA community, and both of us the rematch we all want! April 18-, we both test ourselves.”

Dagaaladu New England’ dhacdo isku xigxiga-fanka-fanka, “NEF 43: Duullaankii,” dhici doona Sabtida, April 18, 2020, Xarunta Farshaxanka ee Collins ee UMaine Orono. Tigidhada waa on sale hadda eewww.CollinsCenterfortheArts.com.  

About Dagaaladu New England

Dagaaladu New England ("NEF") waa dagaalka shirkadda dalacsiiyo ama dhacdooyinka. Himilada NEF waa in loo abuuro dhacdooyin tayo sare leh halgamayaasha iyo taageerayaasha si isku mid ah. Kooxda Fulinta NEF ee uu leeyahay waayo-aragnimo ballaaran u leeyahay arrimaha maamulka isboortiga dagaal, wax soo saarka dhacdooyinka, xiriirka warbaahinta, marketing, sharci iyo advertising.