Tonight, Tom, Tony and Rich recapped the last two weeks of action in combat sports. Listen to the whole broadcast to catch up on all the major news and events that you missed and what’s coming up this weekend, too.
Tag Archives: mma
VETERAN WEST COAST FIGHTER MONTOYA FINDS A NEW HOME IN MAINE MMA SCENE
Brunswick, Maine (August 15, 2018) – It’s absolutely no secret that few New England lightweights have raised their fists to volunteer for a mixed martial arts showdown with “The” Ryan Sanders in recent years.
The competition at welterweight isn’t clamoring for a date with Sanders, either, although a newcomer to the region with ties to another hotbed of the sport is eager to embrace the challenge at “New England Fights 35: Wicked Season.”
Armando “Chino” Montoya, a veteran of 16 professional bouts, and linked closely with a pioneering figure in combat sports, will answer the call Saturday, September 8. The bout will take place on Sanders’ home turf at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Opening bell time is 7 p.m.
“(NEF co-owner and matchmaker) Matt Peterson asked me if I wanted to fight, and I was happy to take it,” Montoya said. “I like to push myself. I don’t like easy fights.”
That attitude is a product of both Montoya’s cultural and professional background.
He’s proud to be a first-generation Mexican-American and a product of the relentless, fighting culture that has made his parents’ homeland such a force in boxing and MMA.
While living, working and fighting in California, he was a student of Thomas “Wildman” Denny, a veteran with almost 50 pro fights under his belt.
“That’s a name well-known to longtime fans of the sport,” Peterson said. “Denny was known for always having exciting fights, win or lose, and I know he instilled some of that mentality in his students, such as Armando.”
Montoya (10-6) fought primarily in California, Colorado and New Mexico. He was in line to fight on a UFC card in Wyoming when a hand injury forced him to withdraw from the bout.
Although work and family commitments have slowed his pace in recent years, only five years separate him from a six-fight win streak.
“I’ve fought the top local guys wherever I’ve been my whole career. I fought against guys who wound up fighting for UFC or Strikeforce,” Montoya said. “I’m 38, which I know is pretty old in this business, but I still like to challenge myself. It’s become more like a hobby. I have to work and support my family, but when the opportunities have come up, I love to train and give it a shot.”
A union carpenter by trade, Montoya sought more lucrative opportunities in that realm. Maine wound up on his radar because it is his mother-in-law’s home.
After the move, Montoya sought a local gym where he could continue to hone his craft in the martial arts. At 6-foot-3, having spent much of his career at middleweight, Montoya said he didn’t find many sparring partners his size.
“Then I was working in Portland and the superintendent there was a friend of John Raio,” Montoya recalled. “He said, ‘You should check out First Class MMA in Brunswick,’ so I did.”
Both family-oriented men with a passion for the sport and their shared faith, Raio and Montoya became fast friends.
“Armando is a strong leader and our most experienced fighter,” Raio said. “He’s the most humble guy you will ever meet and a devout Christian. His warm presence and willingness to share his knowledge and experience at First Class MMA make him a strong asset to our gym. He has been a huge reason for the growth of our students. I’m honored to call him my fighter and a great friend. He’s like family to me.”
First Class doesn’t have many exact matchups for the newcomer’s body type, either, but Montoya likes the mix of personalities and youthful exuberance.
“It’s exciting to see other people so excited about the sport,” Montoya said. “First Class has a lot of young guys who are just starting out, that have had one or two fights.”
Montoya’s first inclination is a stand-up clash. Most of his opponents have been substantially shorter, though, and prefer ground-and-pound affairs in which his reach advantage is less of a factor. He said he enjoys the contrast of styles.
Sanders (16-9) is the clear favorite. In his prime at 31, undefeated through his past seven sojourns in the NEF hexagon, he has been more active than his unfamiliar opponent.
“Unfamiliar” is the operative word. The unknowns – namely Montoya’s vast experience against a different talent pool – make it a can’t-miss matchup.
Montoya can appreciate the challenge Sanders will face in ascending a class to face him.
“I’m used to being the one going up in weight,” he said. “Being 6-foot-3, I’m used to bumping up from 170 to 185. It’s kind of cool being on the other side this time.”
While Montoya is quick to acknowledge God for his forward motion in life, he gives MMA proper credit for its role in his salvation, as well.
Before entering the amateur ranks at age 25, ‘Mando’ spent five years in federal prison and walked out mad at the world.
“I had a lot of anger issues,” he said. “This sport showed me how to take out that anger in a constructive way. I didn’t need to fight in the bars and the clubs anymore.”
Many have gained from Montoya’s personal triumphs. Now, add NEF’s devoted fan base to that list.
“We’re lucky to have someone of Armando’s caliber stepping up to face Ryan,” Peterson said. “As if this card weren’t already exciting enough, now we have this added fight to thrill the Bangor fans. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
LFA CELEBRATES ITS 50th EVENT IN MINNESOTA WITH A MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT
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LFA 50 – ALLEN vs. HILEY
MAIN EVENT:
“ALL IN”
BRENDAN ALLEN
vs.
“THE AMAZING”
TIM HILEY
MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st LIVE on AXS TV
LIVE at the NEW
MYSTIC LAKE CENTER
PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
Tickets are on sale NOW through MysticLake.com
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada – LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will celebrate its historic 50th televised event in Minnesota by crowning a new middleweight champion at LFA 50. This event will also kick off an action-packed fall fight season, which starts on the third week of September.
The main event of LFA 50 will feature a middleweight title fight when two-time LFA title challenger Brendan “All In” Allen faces top undefeated prospect “The Amazing” Tim Hiley for the vacant strap. LFA 50 – Allen vs. Hiley takes place Friday, September 21st at the new Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to celebrate our 50th televised event at the state of the art Mystic Lake Center in Minnesota”, stated Soares. “LFA has produced fifty nationally televised MMA events faster than any promotion in history. LFA 50 will be the third of four live nationally televised MMA events to take place inside Mystic Lake’s new world-class facility in 2018. Mystic Lake has been a fantastic partner and it will now host our LFA middleweight world title fight between Brendan Allen and Tim Hiley on September 21st.”
Tickets for LFA 50 – Allen vs. Hiley are available for purchase NOW at MysticLake.com.
Allen (9-3) returns to the LFA Octagon fresh off the most emphatic win of his career. The 22-year-old Louisianian and two-time LFA middleweight title challenger knocked out two-time Legacy FC middleweight title challenger Larry Crowe with a check hook KO that went viral in June after their headlining encounter at LFA 43. The man known as “All In” is now looking to do just that in his sixth appearance for the promotion. He also competed twice for Legacy FC before the promotion merged with RFA to create LFA and is fully aware of the stakes when he steps foot inside the LFA Octagon. His only setbacks have come to men currently competing in the UFC. The young Roufusport product has built a loyal fan base for being one of the most clinical finishers in the division. All nine of his victories have come via KO, TKO, or submission. He now hopes a third time’s a charm as he vies for LFA gold at LFA 50.
Hiley (7-0) will get his first LFA title shot after dominating in his first two fights for the promotion earlier this year. The 29-year-old has the same plan as Allen. He is looking to continue a proud LFA history of top middleweight prospects that win LFA titles and sign with the UFC. All four previous LFA middleweight champions have done just that. That illustrious list includes Eryk Anders, Markus Perez, Anthony Hernandez, and Ian Heinisch. “The Amazing” one looks to continue amazing LFA fight fans with his exciting skill set. Another layer of intrigue to his title fight with Allen is that both men train just a few miles from each other in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hiley represents Pura Vida, home of UFC star Zak Ottow. Meanwhile, Allen fights out of Roufusport, home to UFC star Sergio Pettis. Both Ottow and Pettis became stars in the RFA before signing with the UFC. Hiley looks to start his own legacy at LFA 50.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Middleweight Title Bout (185 lb)
– Brendan Allen (9-3) vs. Tim Hiley (7-0)
Co-Main Event | Heayweight Bout (265 lb)
– Brian Heden (31-16) vs. Raphael “Bebezão” Pessoa (8-0)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Ben Neumann (13-5) vs. Bobby Lee (8-2)
Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Ashkan Morvari (15-7) vs. Jason Witt (13-5)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Josh Marsh (4-1) vs. Dmitry Gerasimov (9-6)
In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA have launched the careers of over 140 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In May 2018, the promotion joined the London Trust Media Holdings group of companies.
LFA 50 will be the eighth LFA event to take place in the state of Minnesota. RFA and Legacy FC hosted a combined nine events in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” before the merger. Six of those events took place under the RFA banner inside the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel. The entire main card of LFA 50 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
In 2017 RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 130 athletes to reach the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In May of 2018 the promotion joined the London Trust Media Holdings group of companies.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
“Road to M-1: USA” OFFICIAL RESULTS
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Yoislandy Izquierdo landed the kick of the nightNASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 14, 2018) – Georgia middleweight Doug “Yamato” Usher and Yoislandy “Cuba” Izquierdo were knockout-winners this past Saturday night in the “Road to M-1: USA” main event and co-feature, respectively, at Global Mall in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Road to M-1: USA” was presented by M-1 Global USA and Angel Fight Promotions and aired live on worldwide pay per view.
“The Rage,” a hybrid ring/cage, made its American debut in Music City.
“What a great first event for M-1 Global USA,” M-1 Global USA CEO Mike Merriman said. “There were so many obstacles to overcome and lessons to be learned, but the show still went well. The fighters worked hard and the staff worked diligently. I couldn’t have asked for more. We are working on our next show and some possible partnerships that should make a lot of fans smile.”
Usher (10-3-0) overcame a relatively slow opening round to knockout his late replacement opponent, David “Redneck” Mundell (9-4-0), with a powerful right-left combination for his sixth consecutive victory, which snapped Mundell’s three-fight win streak.
Izquierdo (12-4-0), fighting out of Charlotte (NC) by way of Cuba, took care of business early, knocking out Damond Pickney (15-11-0), of Hot Springs, Arkansas, less than a minute into the opening round by way of a vicious head-kick.
Virginia bantamweight Tony Gravely (14-5-0) ruined the courageous comeback of previously undefeated Brazilian fighter Bruno Ferreira (8-1-0), who was making a comeback after successfully battling cancer the past three years. Gravely’s aggressive ground-and-pound attack resulted in a quick first-round technical knockout win.
Georgia flyweight Cee Jay “The Autobot” Hamilton (13-6-0) and California heavyweight Cody “The Moose” Goodale won three-round decisions, respectively, against Puerto Rican Abdiel “The Nightmare” Velazquez (8-6-0) and Nkemdirim “Kim” Oti (2-4-0)
Kentucky welterweight Brandon “The Juggernaut” Bell (9-7-0) registered a first-round, ground-and-pound TKO win over Jacob “Tick-Tock” McClintock (9-3-0), of Arizona, while Chicago welterweight P.J. Cajigas used the same method to defeat previously unbeaten Tennessean James Conway (3-1-0) in round two.
On the preliminary card, Chicago bantamweight Chris “The Jungle” Johnson (5-8-0) knocked out Jerrod “The Hillbilly Hammer” Jennings (2-2-0) in the first round. Kentucky lightweight Kegan Agnew (1-0-0) made an impressive pro debut, locking in a rear naked choke to submit hometown favorite Dwayne Herrelle (0-2-0) in the opening round.
Complete results and photo gallery below:
OFFICIAL RESULTS
MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Doug Usher (10-3-0), College Park, Maryland
WKO2
David Mundell (9-4-0), Orlando, Florida
CO-FEATURE – LIGHTWEIGHTS
Yoislandyu Izquierdo (12-4-0), Charlotte, North Carolina
WKO1
Dawond Pickney (15-11-0), Hot Springs, Arkansas
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Tony Gravely (14-5-0) Radford, Virginia
WTKO1
Bruno Ferreira (8-1-0) Sao Paulo, Brazil
FLYWEIGHTS
Cee Jay Hamilton (13-6-0), Hartwell, Georgia.
WDEC3
Abdiel Velazquez (8-6-0), New Port Richey, Florida
WELTERWEIGHTS
Brandon Bell (9-6-0), Harlan, Kentucky
WTKO1
Jacob McClintock (9-3-0), Tempe, Arizona
P.J. Cajigas (7-7-0), Chicago, Illinois
WTKO2
James Conway (3-1-0), Dickson, Tennessee
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Cody Goodale (6-4-0), Riverside, California.
WDEC3
Nkemdirim Oti (2-4-0), Decatur, Alabama
PRELIMINARY CARD
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Chris Johnson (5-8-0), Chicago, Illinois
WKO1
Jerrod Jennings (2-2-0), Mayfield, Kentucky
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Kegan Agnew (1-0-0), Fredonia, Kentucky
WSUB1 (rear naked choke)
Dwayne Herrelle (0-2-0) Nashville, Tennessee
Doug Usher used a powerful combination to KO David Mundell
Tony Gravely (on top) destroyed Bruno Ferreira’s comeback party
Heavyweight Cody Goodale (R) punched his way past Nkemdirm Oti
Brandon Bell (on top) finished off Jacob McClintock
P.J. Cajigas lines up Jacob Conway
Andiel Velazquez (L) & Cee Jay Hamilton put on a show for Nashville MMA fansINFORMATION:
M1GlobalUSA.com
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@M1Global
Facebook:
LFA MAKES FIRST TRIP TO THE NORTHEAST WITH A WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
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MAIN EVENT:
UNDEFEATED PROSPECT
SEAN BRADY
vs.
UNDEFEATED PROSPECT
GILBERT URBINA
WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN
CO-MAIN EVENT:
UFC VETERAN
JONAVIN “THE SPIDER” WEBB
vs.
WWE TOUGH ENOUGH COMPETITOR
TANNER “THE HAMMER” SARACENO
WELTERWEIGHT WAR
PLUS THE MMA DEBUT OF
3-TIME USA NATIONAL BOXING CHAMPION
AND
ESPN “THE BODY ISSUE” ATHLETE
DANYELLE WOLF
vs.
LFA UPSET QUEEN
COURTNEY KING
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th LIVE on AXS TV
Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina in Atlantic City.
in ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY
Tickets on sale NOW through Ticketmaster.com
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LAS VEGAS, Nevada – LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will head to “The World’s Famous Playground” with a pair of welterweight duels at the top of LFA 49, when the promotion visits Atlantic City, New Jersey in September. This will be the LFA’s first trip to the northeast.
The main event of LFA 49 will feature a welterweight showdown when two of the sport’s most highly-touted prospects collide. The high-stakes headliner pairs Sean Brady and Gilbert Urbina in a battle of undefeated prospects. LFA 49 – Brady vs. Urbina takes place Friday, September 14th at the Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“I am excited to bring LFA to the northeast,” stated Soares. “Atlantic City is a great fight town with a long, storied history in prize fighting. On September 14th, LFA will add another chapter to the city’s combat sports history. LFA 49 will feature a top-tier main event between undefeated prospects Sean Brady and Gilbert Urbina, which takes place at the world-famous Golden Nugget Casino, Hotel & Marina in Atlantic City.”
Tickets for LFA 49 – Brady vs. Urbina are available for purchase NOW at Ticketmaster.com.
Brady (8-0) is the top prospect on the east coast and widely-considered one the best welterweight prospects in the world. He comes to LFA after winning all eight of his professional fights, which includes regional title fights in his last three contests. The Renzo Gracie Philly standout won his first title in May of last year by submission. He then defended it by submitting LFA vet Mike Jones this past October. The biggest win of his career, however, came this past March in his second title defense. This came against UFC vet and The Ultimate Fighter 16 winner Colton Smith. Brady defeated the four-time UFC vet via Unanimous Decision. Now the 25-year-old Philadelphian has upped the ante by signing with LFA to face a fellow unbeaten prospect at LFA 49.
Urbina (5-0) is perhaps the only welterweight prospect that can match the intrigue surrounding Brady. This is due in large part to the fact that Gilbert Urbina, age 22, comes from a famous Texan fighting family. His older brother Hector Urbina, age 30, is a three-time UFC vet that was also a cast member on two seasons of the UFC’s hit reality television show The Ultimate Fighter (TUF 19 and TUF 25). Meanwhile, his other brother Elias Urbina, age 24, has competed on UFC President Dana White’s television series Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series as well as The Ultimate Fighter as he was a cast member on TUF 23. Now Gilbert Urbina, after a quick submission victory at LFA 7, is looking to build his own legacy by securing a marquee win at LFA 49.
The co-main event of LFA 49 will also feature a welterweight clash when two of the division’s most exciting fighters look to make a statement during the LFA’s first trip to AC. They happen to be men used to bright lights and media attention. The first is Jonavin “The Spider” Webb (10-2), who is a teammate of Brady at Renzo Gracie Philly. Webb made a name for himself on the east coast before signing with the UFC in 2015. Webb is currently riding a two-fight win streak and will meet one of the flashiest fighters in the division. That would be Tanner “The Hammer” Saraceno (7-2). When Webb was fighting in the UFC, Saraceno was busy making a name for himself by competing on the sixth season of the WWE’s professional wrestling television series Tough Enough. Saraceno, who now lives in South Carolina, is eager to continue his rise in MMA by capturing the biggest win of his career at LFA 49.
The main card of LFA 49 will also feature one of the year’s most anticipated debuts in women’s MMA. That would be the debut of three-time USA national boxing champion Danyelle Wolf. In 2014, Wolf appeared in ESPN’s world-renowned “The Body Issue” alongside boxing legend and fellow southeastern Pennsylvania native Bernard Hopkins. Wolf was a three-sport athlete at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, where she competed in basketball, track (heptathlon), and field hockeybefore winning her three USA national boxing titles, Golden Gloves title (boxing), and IBJJF title (jiu-jitsu). Wolf competed at 152-pounds in boxing, but will be competing at 145-pounds in MMA. That next chapter in her career begins against LFA vet Courtney King at LFA 49. King is a well-known Upset Queen in LFA, who made a name for herself last summer by derailing the highly-anticipated debut of Colbey Northcutt, who is the older sister of UFC star Sage Northcutt. King stopped Northcutt via TKO at LFA 14 and will look to spring another upset at LFA 49.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Sean Brady (8-0) vs. Gilbert Urbina (5-0)
Co-Main Event | Welterweight Bout (170 lb)
– Jonavin Webb (10-2) vs. Tanner Saraceno (7-2)
Women’s Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Danyelle Wolf (0-0) vs. Courtney King (1-1)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Andrew Salas (5-1) vs. Ahmet Kayretli (8-2)
LFA 49 will serve as the fourth LFA event to take place on the east coast. It will also be the first time that LFA has traveled to “The Garden State” of New Jersey before or after the merger. Further information about LFA 49 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 49 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
In 2017 RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 130 athletes to reach the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC. In May of 2018 the promotion joined the London Trust Media Holdings group of companies.
MONTOYA STEPS UP TO FACE SANDERS ON SEPTEMBER 8 IN BANGOR
Bangor, Maine (August 8, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” on September 8 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional welterweight bout to the card. “The” Ryan Sanders (16-9) will face Armando “Big Chino” Montoya (10-6) at a fight weight of 170-pounds.
The bout will be the third for Sanders in front of his hometown friends, family and fans. He is undefeated in the Queen City, where Sanders trains at Young’s MMA. He scored a decision over Derrick Kennington (13-11) two years ago at “NEF Presents Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight” and a submission of Jay Ellis (15-78) last year at the Cross. Overall, Sanders is on a roll, having won six of his last seven. During that stretch, he captured the NEF Professional Lightweight Title, knocked out veteran John Ortolani (8-13) in a mere 15-seconds, and literally tore Vince McGuiness’ (5-8) arm out of its socket earlier this summer at “NEF 34” in Portland, Maine.
Unfortunately for Sanders, his meteoric rise to the top of New England’s 155-pound division over the course of the last two years has come with consequences. He has called out virtually every other top lightweight prospect in the region in recent months with the sound of crickets as the only response. It is a testament to both Sanders’ skill and the respect, (or fear for that matter), that his peers hold for him. Hence Sanders’ move to the heavier welterweight division to find opponents willing to step in the cage across from him.
“I am excited that I get another chance to fight in my backyard,” said Sanders. “I appreciate Montoya for taking this fight because not many men are willing to fight me regionally. I look forward to displaying my ever evolving tool set come September 8 and getting another step closer to being the best in the world. It’ll be a great night for Young’s MMA and myself.”
Armando Montoya is a longtime veteran of the MMA cage. He started his professional career back in 2009 on the West Coast and has competed extensively throughout the Southwest over the years. Montoya has fought for national promotions like King of the Cage and the Resurrection Fighting Alliance. Recently, Montoya relocated to Maine where he trains with First Class MMA in Brunswick. The bout with Sanders will be his first fight back from a layoff that began in early 2017.
“I’m excited to be fighting again after a year and a half off,” said Montoya. “Thanks to NEF and Maine for the opportunity to be able to fight for an awesome promotion. Thanks to Sanders. It’s exciting to fight a worthy opponent in September. God is good, God bless us all!”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.
MMA PRO LEAGUE ANNOUNCES BROADCAST TEAM & RING ANNOUNCER
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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (August 7, 2018) – The newest entity in MMA, MMA Pro League, will feature a top-flight broadcast and in-arena experience led by UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich on color commentary along with play-by-play veteran T.J. De Santis, while ring announcer Jazz Securo will call the fighters into the ring for MMA Pro League’s inaugural event Saturday, September 15 streaming live on FloCombat.com from the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City.
The show will pit fighters from Team New Jersey, which is led by head coach Dan Miller of the Miller Brothers, against Team Pennsylvania and their head coach, Daniel Gracie of the renowned Gracie family.
MMA Pro League CEO Hani Darwish said, “I can’t think of a better way to kick off MMA Pro League’s new era and team concept than with a team of broadcast professionals like Pat Miletich, T.J. De Santis and Jazz Securo. MMA Pro League viewers on FloCombat are in for a real treat.”
“I am thrilled with the depth and breadth of experience and the great passion which Pat Miletich, T.J. De Santis and Jazz Securo will bring to MMA Pro League’s inaugural telecast on September 15 from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City,” said MMA Pro League president Mark Taffet. “Our viewers will be informed, engaged and entertained at the highest level by this great group of broadcasters.”
Tickets for the inaugural installment of “MMA Pro League At The Hard Rock”are available at Ticketmaster.com.
An Iowa-native trained in disciplines ranging from Muay-Thai and boxing, to wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Miletich broke through on the big stage by becoming the first UFC welterweight champion back in 1999. After his storied MMA career that saw him inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2014, Miletich opened an MMA academy that would produce 11 MMA world champions. In 2009, he began his broadcasting career providing color commentary for Strikeforce throughout its run on SHOWTIME. He has also done commentary for fights on AXS TV and ESPN’s MMA Live.
“I am excited that MMA Pro League is celebrating team MMA,” said Miletich. “The team aspect is far more exciting, and the strategy of coaching a group of fighters to face another team will bring out the best in the athletes. I’m honored to be calling the inaugural MMA Pro League event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on September 15.”
A broadcast veteran of over two decades, De Santis broke into the businessas a junior in high school when he earned a spot on the KXXR-FM station lineup in Minneapolis. He has provided play-by-play for numerous organizations, including Invicta Fighting Championships, The Eddie Bravo Invitational and Roy Jones Jr.’s Island Fights. De Santis currently works with the likes of Tyron Woodley and Bruce Buffer on a litany of MMA podcasts and has produced shows for ESPN.com, SI.com, Ring Magazine and FOX Sports throughout his career.
“I’m thrilled to bring my extensive MMA broadcasting experience to MMA Pro League and their team concept,” said De Santis. “It will be an honor to be joined cageside by Hall of Famer Pat Miletich to call the action live on September 15 from the new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. I can’t wait for this new era in MMA to begin!”
After more than 20 years of announcing, Securo has introduced countless fighters, recording artists, athletes and teams at prominent venues around the world. He has announced events on PPV, cable and satellite TV on NBC, NBC Sports Network, AXS TV and FOX Sports, in addition to being featured in the Oscar Nominated film “Foxcatcher”. The New Orleans-native has been awarded “Best Ring Announcer” at the 2013 Florida MMA Awards and was nominated for “Ring Announcer of the Year” at the 2016 Bluegrass MMA Awards.
“I’m very excited to be a part of the inaugural MMA Pro League event in Atlantic City on September 15th,” said Securo. “I’m honored to work with legendary combat sports executives Mark Taffet and Hani Darwish, and I look forward to contributing to their innovative vision of a new era of MMA. It’s about to go down!”
To access live and on-demand coverage of all MMA Pro League action, visit FloCombat.com and become a monthly or annual PRO subscriber. Either subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the games on all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4.
For more information visit www.MMAProLeague.com, follow the conversation on Twitter @MMAPro_League, @DanMiller185, @DanielGracie, @Hani_Darwish1 and @MarkTaffetMedia, on Instagram at Instagram.com/mmaproleague,Instagram.com/DanMiller185, Instagram.com/DanielGracie,Instagram.com/Hani_Darwish1 and Instagram.com/MarkTaffetMedia, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/MMAProLeague,
“The Rage” hits Music City “Road to M-1: USA” in Nashville
 This Saturday LIVE on worldwide Pay Per View
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (August 18, 2018) – “The Rage,” a hybrid ring/cage, will make its American debut this Saturday night in the Music City, when the “Road to M-1: USA” professional mixed-martial-arts event is held at Global Mall in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Road to M-1″ USA”, presented by M-1 Global USA and Angel Fight Promotions, will air live on worldwide pay-per-view.starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Road to M-1: USA” in North America on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH in the United States, in addition to Rogers, SaskTel, and Shaw PPV in Canada, and live-streamed worldwide on the FITE.TV app and website (www.fite.tv), each way for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
“The Rage, used by M-1 Global throughout Europe and Asia, measures 23-feet across and 24” inches from the floor to first rope, and then there are three additional ropes above that. Fans in attendance and watching on PPV will have optimum viewing of a ring and fighters the safety associated with a cage.
“Road to M-1: USA” is headlined by a middleweight fight between Florida veteran fighter David “Redneck” Mundell (9-3-0), who replaced injured Reggie “The Regulator” Pena, and against Georgia middleweight Doug “Yamato” Usher (9-3-0). Both fighters are hot, Usher riding a five-fight win streak, dating back 2 ½ years, and Mundell has won his last three fights.
In the co-featured event, veteran Arkansas fighter Dawond Pickney (15-10-0) faces his Cuban opponent, Yoislandy “Cuba” Izquierdo (11-4-0), who is fighting out of Charlotte, North Carolina.
The feelgood story of the show is undefeated Brazilian MMA fighter Bruno Ferreira (8-0-0), who has successfully beaten testicular cancer, returning to fight after three long years, versus always tough Tony Gravely (12-5-0), of Virginia.
Other main-card fights include Georgia flyweight C.J. “The Autobot” Hamilton (12-6-0) vs. Floridian fighter Abdiel “The Nightmare” Velazquez (8-5-0), Kentucky welterweight Brandon “The Juggernaut” Bell (5-6-0) vs. Jacob “Tick-Tock” McLintock (9-2-0), of Arizona; and Tennessee welterweight James Conway (3-0-0) vs. P.J. Cajigas (5-7-0), of Chicago.
Undercard bouts include California heavyweight Cody “The Moose” Goodale (5-4-0) vs. Nkemdirim “Kim” Oti (2-3-0), of Alabama, New Brunswick, Canada bantamweight Chris Johnson (5-6-0) vs. Jerrod “The Hillbilly Hammer” Jennings (2-1-0), of Kentucky, and Nashville favorite Dwayne Herrelle (0-1-0) vs. pro-debuting Kentucky lightweight Kegan Agnew.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
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PAT KELLY TO COMPETE IN FINAL MMA FIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 8 IN BANGOR
Maine (August 7, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” on September 8 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur lightweight title fight to the card. Pat Kelly (4-0) is scheduled to defend his strap against the challenge of fellow undefeated MMA competitor Tim Manning (2-0).
The fight will be the final contest for the 53-year-old Kelly who began competing in MMA four years ago in his late 40s. He brought to the cage unmatched wrestling credentials earned through a lifetime on the mats. Kelly is nothing short of a legend in Maine wrestling circles. He won a state championship as a senior competing for the former Camden-Rockport High School. Kelly went on to wrestle for the University of Maine where he claimed a New England title and competed in the national NCAA championships. Later, as a coach Kelly would lead Camden-Rockport and Camden Hills Regional High School to multiple state championships. Among the students he coached is current UFC star Tim Boetsch (21-11). Kelly was inducted into the Maine Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.
“I started this journey five years ago in Bangor with Young’s MMA,” said Kelly. “It is only fitting I have my farewell fight in the same great city. I am very grateful to NEF for the opportunity to fight in their cage and ultimately win an ammy title. To me, age is simply a number. I have searched for tough and competitive challenges my entire career, and this fight is certainly another big challenge.”
For all his accomplishments in wrestling, Kelly’s time in the MMA cage has been impressive as well. He was able to finish his first three bouts on his way to earning a crack at the NEF Amateur Lightweight Championship. Last summer at “NEF 29,” Kelly handed then-undefeated Rafael Velado (4-1), an athlete fourteen years Kelly’s junior, the first loss of his career to claim the belt. Over a year later, Kelly promises to bring his trademark intensity to both his training camp at Young’s MMA and his final fight on September 8.
“I train hard, period,” exclaimed Kelly. “And I am sure my opponent does the same thing, and that’s what it is all about – the willingness to prepare to win. Additionally, it is important for me to let coach Chris Young and Ernie Fitch know that I truly have appreciated them letting me become a part of the Young’s MMA family. To my teammates at Young’s and to all my fans – thanks for the ride… I have enjoyed you all.”
Kelly’s challenger on September 8, Tim Manning, is also undefeated. Fighting out of F2 Arena in Gainesville, Florida, Manning is nicknamed “Murder” for good reason. It took Manning a mere 37-seconds to submit his opponent with an armbar in his amateur debut last fall. He followed up that performance with another impressive first round submission earlier this year in his sophomore cage appearance.
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
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This week on Fight Talk Unlimited we discuss a wide range of topics, beginning with the death of three pro wrestlers in one day. We go on to chat about Cody Garbrandt’s biting comments about fighter pay. We touch on bareknuckle fighting’s resurgence (adding Shawne Merriman to the roster of fighters for one organization), and we recap a wild fight between Eddie Alvarez and Dustin Poirier on last weekends UFC on Fox card. We also preview Garbrandt’s second bite at the TJ Dillashaw apple this weekend at UFC 227. Tony also helps preview one of the biggest fights of the week in Kovalev vs. Alvarez, which he will be attending in Atantic City. We do a boxing roundup of results and previews, and then we end the show with an off-topic talk about nature 🙂
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