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Tag Archives: mma
UFC STAR’S WIFE IN DOUBLE MMA DEBUT ON NOVEMBER 3RD IN PORTLAND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (September 12, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Friday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur mixed-martial-arts bout to the card. Carol Linn Powell (0-0) is scheduled to take on Francesca Morabito (0-0) in a women’s bantamweight contest.
Carol Linn is the wife of former NEF Lightweight Champion, and current UFC fighter, Devin Powell (8-3). Devin earned a contract with the UFC after impressing the company’s president, Dana White, on his web series Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight at an event promoted by NEF in Bangor, Maine last year. Together, the Powells own and operate Nostos MMA & Conditioning Facility in Somersworth, New Hampshire. Last month, they were awarded the “Best Martial Arts Gym” at the “2017 Best of the Seacoast” awards.
“Fighting has been something I’ve fantasized about for a few years and now that it is finally happening, I couldn’t be more excited,” said Carol Linn when reached for comment. “I was supposed to have my first fight in June and it ended up falling through, and I think this fight is a much better match up and is in one of my very favorite towns. Francesca and I have trained together a few times and we were really excited to be a part of each other’s camps, but after realizing what a good matchup we are, we decided to put our friendship aside and both get in there for our first fights. We are very similar, and I’m excited to put a great show on for everyone.”
“I am very excited for my wife to make her debut,” noted Devin. “She’s been around the sport for almost half a decade, but is just recently getting into hard training and the competitive aspect of it. I never told her to fight or said I thought she should. She was very independent in this choice and when somebody chooses to do something on their own and they commit all of themselves to it, I think that is a great equation for a successful person in anything they do. She is going to find out a lot about herself on the 3rd. Happy to have a cage-side seat for it.”
Francesca Morabito trains at the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine. Her true passion lies in her work with non-profit organization Speak About It. Morabito has toured the world as a theatre artist with the Portland-based group, educating high school and college students on affirmative consent, healthy relationships, and sexual assault prevention.
“It is such an honor to make my debut just a couple blocks from where I’ve been training for the past two years,” said Morabito. “I’m elated to fight in my hometown – on the same street where I’ve trudged home on countless Maine winter nights, with my gym bag slung over my shoulder and my wet hair freezing solid underneath my Choi hoodie. My time has come. And I came to win.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.
LFA ANNOUNCES THE SIGNING OF NICK NEWELL
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HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) officials announced today that Nick Newell (13-1) has signed a multi-fight deal with LFA.
Nick Newell was born with congenital amputation of his left arm. As a result, his left arm ends just below his elbow. Newell did not let this deter him, as he went on to have a successful collegiate wrestling career, earning over 300 victories throughout high school and college.
After going 5-1 in his amateur MMA career, Newell turned pro and took the MMA world by storm with his inspiring story. Newell would go on to amass an undefeated streak of 11-0, finishing all but one of his opponents in that time. His lone professional defeat was against former World Series of Fighting Lightweight Champion and currently ranked #5 UFC Lightweight, Justin Gaethje (18-0). Newell won two more bouts after his loss to Gaethje and subsequently retired from MMA in 2015 after suffering numerous injuries.
A date and opponent for Newell’s LFA debut are still undetermined at this time.
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.
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LFA RETURNS TO LOUISIANA WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER AT LFA 23
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HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will return to Louisiana in the third week of September with a championship doubleheader.
The main event of LFA 23 will feature the first title defense of LFA welterweight champion Derrick “D-Rock” Krantz. The Texan powerhouse will defend his world title against undefeated super prospect James Nakashima. The co-main event of LFA 23 will feature the first title defense of LFA women’s flyweight champion Andrea “KGB” Lee. The charismatic cowgirl will defend her title against 82nd Airborne Army veteran Jamie “Pretty Assassin” Thorton. LFA 23 takes place Friday, September 22ndat Horseshoe Casino & Hotel in Bossier City, Louisiana. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“Derrick Krantz and Andrea Lee will defend their LFA world titles in Bossier City onSeptember 22nd,” stated Soares. “Krantz is a ruthless finisher that can end a fight with one punch. He will face the top welterweight prospect in the sport in James Nakashima. Lee is the first female champion in LFA history and will defend her title against the battle-tested U.S. Army veteran Jamie Thorton. LFA 23 will be another great night of MMA in Louisiana with a pair of fantastic world title fights.”
There are a limited amount of tickets still available, and can be reserved by calling318-453-3730
The main event of LFA 23 will feature one of the most intriguing and high-stakes title fights of the year. The LFA welterweight title will be contested between a proud no-nonsense champion and a can’t miss blue-chip title challenger.
Krantz (20-9) captured the inaugural LFA welterweight championship in May with a tour de force that left MMA purists in a state of exhilaration and his opponent Ben Neumann in a complete daze. The Texan powerhouse unleashed his loaded fistolas early in the second round of their title fight and left Minnesota with a second world championship. Two years earlier, Krantz accomplished a nearly identical feat in the same state against UFC vet Brock Larson to win the Legacy FC welterweight title. Now that Krantz once again has gold firmly wrapped around his waist, he plans on adding some shine to that strap with his first title defense at LFA 23. The LFA kingpin now has his sights set on a blue-chip super prospect in one of MMA’s most pivotal title fights of the year.
Nakashima (7-0) is a special talent. His wrestling pedigree, fearless striking ability, and willingness to engulf himself in every aspect of martial arts has made him the surefire welterweight prospect that MMA pundits have eagerly been waiting for. Some experts argue, that no one in the division has started their career by dominating the level of competition that Nakashima has faced since Georges St-Pierre and Ben Askren. While the Illinois native and University of Nebraska wrestling standout has a long way to go before having his MMA accolades compared to “GSP” and “Funky”, he has undoubtedly taken his division by storm. The John Crouch protégé is not one to rest on his laurels. He has now signed on the dotted line to challenge the feared LFA world champion Derrick Krantz at LFA 23.
Lee (7-2) is one of the most talented female fighters in the world and a popular pick among fight fans to be the face of the newly announced UFC women’s flyweight division once the division takes hold later this year. “KGB” possesses a dynamic skill set, undeniable southern charm, and signature cowgirl accoutrements that has made her one of the most recognizable and adored fighters in the sport. The 28-year-old champion is now ready to defend her title on her adopted home turf of northern Louisiana. Lee is a dead shot on the feet and a submission savvy opportunist on the ground. She now looks to add a successful title defense to her résumé after a lengthy list of potential challengers pulled out, were denied travel visas, got injured, or decided against facing the fierce champion.
“I am more than ready to defend my LFA world title and put on a show for the fans,” Lee exclaimed. “This will be my fourth fight this year. I will show everyone why I am the best flyweight in the world on September 22nd!”
Thorton (4-3) is only one of a few women who was up to the task of challenging the champion Andrea Lee. The 33-year-old 82nd Airborne Army veteran has seen it all when it comes to combat. According to Special-Ops.org, the 82nd Airborne Division is an elite airborne infantry division of the U.S. Army, specializing in parachute assault operations into denied areas. That expertise will come in handy as she prepares to enter hostile territory to dethrone Lee at LFA 23. Everything about Thorton’s career points to the fact that she is an all-or-nothing kind of fighter. “Pretty Assassin” won four of her first five fights, including three straight finishes in under one minute. The most telling sign of Thorton’s go for broke style is the fact she has never seen a fight go out of the first round in seven pro bouts.
Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Welterweight Title Bout (170 lb)
– Derrick Krantz (20-9) vs. James Nakashima (7-0)
Co-Main Event | Women’s Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)
– Andrea Lee (7-2) vs. Jamie Thorton (4-3)
Light-Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)
– Ryan Spann (10-5) vs. LeMarcus Tucker (5-2)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Brandon Shavers (4-0) vs. Bryan Billiot (4-0)
Women’s Flyweight Bout (125 lb)
– Sabina Mazo (3-0) vs. Linsey Williams (1-1)
Featherweight Bout (145 lb)
– Kendrik Williams (4-0) vs. Peter Stanonik (4-2)
Catchweight Bout (177 lb)
– Nick Jackson (5-4) vs. Brandon Martin (4-3)
In September 2016, Legacy FC and RFA officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. Legacy FC and RFA have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 23 will be the second LFA event to take place in the Shreveport-Bossier City metro area of northern Louisiana. LFA 23 will also mark the promotion’s third visit to the “The Pelican State”. Further information about LFA 23 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 23 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.
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FNU Combat Sports Show: Post-Fight Reaction to May/Mac, UFC Fight Night Preview, Sign Tony’s Petition to Throw out First Pitch at a Phillies Game
This week’s combat sports show covers a wide range of topics. Tom, Tony and Rich discuss the dud of a boxing match that proved McGregor needed about six more months of “proper fookin” training to be more competitive in. Mayweather cruises to 50-0, but Rich questions if that really eclipses the true 50-0 circumstances that would have made Rocky’s unbeaten streak more impressive. After all, Mayweather did not possess an active title belt at the time of the win and the “Money Belt” shouldn’t count as a true championship he was defending. Rocky retired undefeated, owning the belt at 49-0. To eclipse Rocky’s record Floyd would need to have a world title belt or multiple belts at the time of his 50th win being recorded. We also discuss everything else going on in the combat sports world, except Ronda Rousey and Travis Browne getting married.
PART TWO
CHARLES LOOKS TO MAKE IT TWO IN A ROW TO START MMA CAREER
Portland, Maine (August 31, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland onFriday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur mixed-martial-arts bout to the card. Carlton Charles (1-0) will take on Nate Evans (0-0) at a catchweight of 175-pounds.
Carlton Charles shocked the Maine MMA community earlier this month with his stunning first-round technical knockout of Josh Jones (2-1) at “NEF 30” in Bangor. Jones had looked indestructible to that point, only needing 24-seconds to finish his first two opponents combined. In turn, it took Charles only 23-seconds to polish off Jones in his amateur debut. It was, indeed, one of the most impressive debuts in NEF history.
Charles’ athleticism comes as no surprise, however, to those who know him. He excelled in football for Windham High School. As an assistant coach, Charles later lead Windham to a Class A state championship. He went on to play for the NCAA Division I University of Maine Black Bears. Currently, Charles trains MMA with Charles Family Fighting alongside his older brother, and seven-fight NEF veteran, Nate Charles.
“I’m real excited about the opportunity to fight in Portland,” said Charles. “Not often have we seen MMA in Portland, so it’s definitely going to get a lot of attention. It’s a bit closer to home than Bangor was, so I feel like I’ll have a lot of support there. I hope to put on a good show and look to build on the success of my first fight. I know my opponent will be tough so I am training hard to be prepared.”
Nate Evans will be making his debut on November 3rd. Like Charles, Evans’ background is in football. He was a star quarterback for Sumter Central High School in Livingston, Alabama. Also like Charles, Evans has begun training and combat sports and is hoping to make a successful transition from the gridiron to the MMA cage.
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.
PARKER AND PROBIN TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD AT NEF 31 IN PORTLAND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (August 29, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland onFriday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional mixed-martial-arts bout to the card. Josh Parker (6-9) will meet “The Blackpool Ripper” Matt Probin (0-0) in a featherweight matchup.
Josh Parker is the founder and head coach of Ruthless MMA & Boxing. A two-sport athlete, Parker has split his professional career between the MMA cage and the boxing ring. He has won two of his last three fights for NEF, most recently dominating Andre Belcarris (0-2) for three rounds on his way to a unanimous decision victory in June. Parker will look to continue his winning ways when he meets Probin on November 3rd.
“I want to thank NEF for making this fight,” said Parker when reached for comment. “I’m excited to get back in there. We recently expanded Ruthless and moved to a new location. Our team keeps growing and they are pushing me every day. I look forward to putting on a show on November 3rd.”
Originally from Blackpool, England and now a Maine resident, Matt Probin divides his training between Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Young’s MMA. Probin went 6-2 over the course of his amateur MMA career. While Probin has not competed in MMA in more than three years, he has been active as a professional boxer and kickboxer in recent years. In 2016, Probin had a stint training Muay Thai in Thailand where he competed at the world famous Bangla Boxing Stadium – one of Thailand’s most venerated fight venues.
“I’m pumped for this fight,” declared Probin. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited about fighting someone before. Thanks to NEF for making it happen. I guarantee this fight will not go the distance. I respect his game and experience, but that’s it. I’m coming out with bad intentions. Don’t blink!”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.
COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR, LIVE TELEVISION EVENT PARTNERSHIP WITH FAST-GROWING LEISURE OPERATOR HYBRID ONE IN REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA
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BELLATOR 182 RESULTS & PHOTOS FROM TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO IN VERONA, NEW YORK
Andrey Koreshkov (20-2) defeated Chidi Njokuani (17-5) via TKO (punches) at 4:08 of round one
Fernando Gonzalez (27-14) defeated Brennan Ward (14-6) via submission (guillotine) at 1:02 of round three
Bruna Ellen (4-1) defeated Veta Arteaga (3-1) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
A.J. McKee (9-0) defeated Blair Tugman (10-7) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
Joey Davis (2-0) defeated Justin Roswell (1-2) via TKO (strikes) at 1:35 of round one
Arlene Blencoe (10-6) defeated Sinead Kavanagh (4-2) via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
Chris Honeycutt (10-1) defeated Kevin Casey (9-6-2) via TKO (punches) at 2:06 of round two
Kate Jackson (9-2) defeated Colleen Schneider (11-8) via TKO (leg injury) at 5:00 of round one
Georgi Karakhanyan (27-7-1) defeated Daniel Pineda (22-13) via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 4:05 of round two
Henry Corrales (14-3) defeated Noad Lahat (11-3) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Vadim Nemkov (7-2) defeated Philipe Lins (10-2) via KO (punches) at 3:03 of round one
Talita Nogueira (7-0) defeated Amanda Bell (5-5) via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:44 of round one
Ricky Rainey (13-4) defeated Marc Stevens (21-11) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Kristi Lopez (1-1-1) fought Jessica Sotack (1-1-1) to a split draw (29-28, 28-29, 28-28)
Matt Secor (9-4) defeated T.J. Sumler (5-6) via submission (Americana) at 4:00 of round one
Tom Regal (2-0) defeated Kastroit Xhema (1-1) via KO (punches) at 3:21 of round one
Alex Potts (1-0) defeated Brandon Polcare (1-1) via submission (kimura) at 3:10 of round one
Joshua Ricci (4-0) defeated Brandon Warne (1-3) via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 29-28)
VETERAN FIGHTERS RETURN TO THE NEF CAGE ON NOVEMBER 3RD IN PORTLAND
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (August 25, 2017) –New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland onFriday, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional mixed-martial-arts bout to the card. John “First Class” Raio (2-8) will meet Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera (0-5) at a catchweight of 150-pounds.
For John Raio, the bout will mark his return to the cage after more than two years. Raio retired following his rematch with Bruce Boyington (13-11) in June 2015. He has decided to make one more run at competing. Competition has been in Raio’s blood since his youth. He won a Maine state championship wrestling for Gardiner Area High School in 1995, and he went on to wrestle for Plymouth State University and the University of Southern Maine. While working for the United States Postal Service, Raio began competing in MMA in 2012. Since his retirement, Raio has concentrated on training fighters at his gym First Class MMA in Brunswick, Maine. He has led several to championship gold in the NEF cage while working full-time at his current position with Bath Iron Works (BIW).
“I’m excited to get back into the cage,” said Raio. “Two years is a long time after fighting 14 times in three years. I’ve learned a lot about the sport in that time. Our team’s success has motivated me a lot. We have amazing fighters and instructors at our gym. The opportunity to fight in Portland, where I delivered mail for eight years, was too hard to pass up.”
Zenon Herrera last competed in the NEF cage in August 2016. He has split his professional career between boxing and MMA. Herrera is a military veteran, having served four years in the United States Army and five years in the United States Marine Corps. On November 3rd, Herrera will look to score his first win since his amateur days on the Florida MMA circuit.
“It’s been a long time since last in the NEF cage for both myself and John Raio,” said Herrera. “This will be a great way for both of us to make a return, and I’m very much looking forward to going in with such a well classed person. John and I are both the type who will come forward and never back down. I really think this is going to be a great match that will be enjoyed by all involved.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: The Old Port,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine at the brand new, state-of-the-art venue Aura. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 3, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.
About New England Fights