Tag Archives: mma

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

WOMEN’S FIGHT AT RUMBLE IN BANGOR WILL PROVIDE THE FIREWORKS

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bangor, Maine (July 3, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday night, August 5, 2017 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a female amateur bantamweight bout to the fight card.  Angela Young (2-2) will meet Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga (5-3) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

If there is anyone who knows about putting on exciting fights, it is Angela Young.  The wife of Young’s MMA founder Chris Young, a mother, and a full-time nurse, she has brought the heat in all four of her previous contests for NEF, earning several “Fight of the Night” honors.  Young had the crowd on the edge of its seat for her thrilling encounter with Christine Brothwell earlier this year – a fight she won via unanimous decision.  She has never backed down, even when on the losing end of a slugfest like the one she had with Kylie O’Hearn on Cape Cod last year, and it has made her one of the most popular fighters with the NEF audience.  Based on their styles, Young predicts yet another strike-fest full of fireworks when she meets Borga on August 5th.

“I’m beyond excited for the match up with Borga for NEF in Bangor,” said Young. “I respect her as a fighter and even more so for traveling to Maine once again take a fight. Neither one of us are afraid to stand and bang, making this a fight people aren’t going to want to miss.”

Jessica Borga of Florida will make the trip north to compete in Maine for the third time in less than a year.  She made her NEF debut last September and quickly became a favorite of Pine Tree State fight fans.  Last November, Borga put on a dominant performance in Lewiston, winning a unanimous decision over black belt Brianne Genschel.  She has captured multiple regional titles in the southeast portion of the country.  Borga looks forward to returning to fight in front of her Maine fans once again.

“I can’t wait to be back at NEF for 2017,” exclaimed Borga when reached for comment.  “I’ve been waiting to come back and show what I’ve learned. I appreciate Angela Young stepping up to put on a show for everyone.  I’ll be ready and can’t wait to show my improvements.”

“NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor” will be held at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on Saturday, August 5, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, wrestling

NEF TO ONCE AGAIN SPONSOR YOUNG ATHLETE AT USM WRESTLING CLINIC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Gorham, Maine (June 30, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) announced earlier today that the fight promotion would once again sponsor an athlete at this year’s Brawlin’ Lobsta Wrestling Clinic & Tournament.  The camp is set to take place at the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine (USM) fromJuly 18 to July 22.  As it has done in years past, NEF will select one winner for which the fight promotion will cover tuition to the program.

“This is one of the most important things we do in the community every year,” said NEF matchmaker and co-owner Matt Peterson of Rumford, Maine.  “So many of our promotion’s competitors came from a wrestling background.  Wrestling instills in young athletes a lifelong sense of discipline and hard work, and that is exactly what we want the winner of this contest to take away from the camp this summer.”

Camp instructors Mike Morin and Jon Deupree are both veterans of the MMA cage.  Morin is the head wrestling coach at USM and a two-time All-American during his days competing for the Huskies.  Deupree is an assistant coach with USM and was a two-time NCAA national qualifier.

“Myself and my staff would like to thank NEF for once again sponsoring a local wrestler to attend the Brawlin’ Lobsta Wrestling Camp,” exclaimed Morin. “This is not only directly helping raise the level of wrestling in the state of Maine, it has also helped us at USM jump levels. We look forward to working with all of the wrestlers this year at the camp and in the future.”

Interested contestants are asked to submit a photograph of themselves wrestling to either the NEF Facebook page or via email to newenglandfights@gmail.com along with a brief statement of 100 words or less detailing why they believe the clinic will help them achieve their goals.

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial arts event, “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor,” will be held at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on Saturday, August 5, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.

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.”

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale

FNU Combat Sports Show: UFC and Bellator Recaps, PFL Preview, Boxing Schedule

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Tom, Tony and Rich recap last week’s major events, including the controversial UFC Fight Night 112 finish and the near double KO at Bellator 180 from Madison Square Garden. We also discuss Conor McGregor calling out Khabib Nurmagomedov for his next opponent in the UFC Octagon. We of course also break down Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn.

 

 

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA

M-1 Global returns to Finland for first time in 9 years

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M-1 Challenge 82, August 5, in Helsinki

Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland
Home for M-1 Challenge 82
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (June 28, 2017) – M-1 Global, one of the largest mixed-martial-arts organizations in the world, has announced its return to Finland for the first time in nine years, August 5, as top fighters from Finland, Russia, America and across Europe will compete in M-1 Challenge 82.
M-1 Challenge 82 will be streamed live from Helsinki, Finland in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Hartwall Arena, the largest ice hockey arena in Finland, will host M-1 Challenge 82. The famous venue seats between 12,000 and 15,000 spectators, pending the event, and it has hosted the 1997, 2003 and 2012 World Ice Hockey Championships.
Past M-1 Challenge events have featured leading Finnish fighters over the years such as Marcus “Caveman” Vanttinen (pictured on left), Juha-Pekka Vainikainen, Niko Puhakka, Janne Tulirinta, Toni Valtonen and Lucio “Spartan” Linares. Some of these fighters will be competingAugust 5 at M-1 Challenge 82.
M-1 Global’s newest signed fighter, Vanttinen (24-6-0, M-1: 2-2-0), is a veteran member of the Team Finland. The 29-year-old Vanttinen faces Russian light heavyweight prospect Mikhail Ragozin (8-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) at M-1 Challenge 82 main event.
Mikael “Hulk” Silander (16-5-0, M-1:0-0-0), 31, has an appropriate nickname. Powerfully built and possessing explosive physical force, he puts pressure on his rivals from the first second of the battle, using his grappling skills to his full advantage. Having won 15 of his 20 fights, Silander is matched against M-1 Challenge title challenger Viali Branchuk (22-6-0, M-1: 2-2-0), of Ukraine,
Finnish fan-favorite Janne “Jamba” Elonen-Kulmala (15-5-0, M-1: 0-0-0) makes his M-1 Global debut versus Brazilian bantamweight Heliton dos Santos (15-6-0, M-1: 0-1-0). Elonen-Kulmala will be fighting in front of his hometown fans in Helsinki.
Valtonen (27-15-0, M-1: 6-2-0) returns to M-1 action against Ukrainian heavyweight Boris “Bora” Polezhay(16-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0. Valtonen has been an MMA fighter for 14 years and for much of that time-period he has been one of the stars of Finnish MMA-promotion, Fight Festival, which was successful at the 2009 M-1 World Championship Challenge. Valtonen fought in KSW and Shooto competitions. Another Helsinki native on the M-1 Challenge 82, Valtonen figures to have tremendous support at Hartwell Arena.
Son Le “Buddah” Binh (5-2-0, M-1: 1-1-0), 28, lives and trains in Gothenburg, representing the Finnish team, East Front. The 28-year-old first competed in MMA competition only five years ago, but he has since had a total of eight amateur and professional fights. Although relatively inexperienced, his strong performances have resulted in him being Sweden’s No. 3 ranked bantamweight.
Binh is always in great physical shape and he has very good stamina. All eight of his fights went the distance but none were boring. In a contest against another Swedish prospect, Bilal Musa, Bing fractured his leg at the beginning of the second round, yet fought through the paid to earn victory by way of a three-round decision. In his very interesting M-1 debut against Emin Guseyov, who has an excellent strike technique. Binh used his wrestling and grappling skills, which he was taught by coach Babak Nejad, who also trains UFC star Anthony Johnson, to win a three-round decision.
      
Negotiations with several other leading fighters in Finland are also being concluded and their fights against foreign fighters will be announced shortly. Fighters from the United States, Brazil, France, Portugal, Sweden, Russia, Ukraine and Poland are also expected to compete on the M-1 Challenge 82 event.
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
 
M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:
 
M-1 Challenge 81: July 22, 2017 in Ingushetia, Russia
M-1 Challenge 82: August 5, 2017 in Helsinki, Finland
mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA HEADS TO NORTH CAROLINA WITH INAUGURAL LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT

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LFA 17 – MOISÉS vs. WATLEY

MAIN EVENT:
 
RFA LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION
THIAGO MOISÉS
vs.
REGIONAL KINGPIN
ROBERT WATLEY
 
LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
“THE FUTURE”
DYLAN CALA
vs.
NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLER
TONY GRAVELY
 
FEATHERWEIGHT REMATCH
 
 
PLUS:
UNDEFEATED
NATHAN “MAYHEM” MANESS
and
WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT WAR
ALEXA CONNERS vs. TALITA DE OLIVEIRA
 
 
FRIDAY, JULY 21tst LIVE on AXS TV
GRADY COLE CENTER in CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA
Tickets are on sale NOW through CrownTickets.com 
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will crown its inaugural lightweight champion in July when the promotion makes its first visit to North Carolina.
The main event of LFA 17 will feature the inaugural LFA lightweight world title fight between the final RFA lightweight champion Thiago Moisés and regional kingpin Robert Watley . LFA 17 – Moisés vs. Watley takes place Friday, July 21st at the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA will crown its first lightweight champion at LFA 17 in North Carolina,” stated Soares. “Thiago Moisés is one of the most dominant champions in RFA history and Robert Watley has won multiple regional titles on the east coast. I am excited to see these two proud champions face off for the inaugural LFA lightweight title on July 21st.”
Tickets for LFA 17 – Moisés vs. Watley are available for purchase NOW. You can support your favorite fighter by purchasing your tickets through CrownTickets.com and selecting their name at checkout.
Moisés (9-1) is one of the most dominant champions in RFA history. This is a promotion that has sent champions such as Sergio Pettis, Pedro Munhoz, and Brian Ortega to the UFC. The 22-year-old Brazilian dominated in all four of his RFA fights, but his title winning performance at RFA 35 is perhaps the most memorable. Moisés utilized an ultra-rare Helicopter Armbar to submit David Castillo to capture the vacant title. Highlights of the submission went viral and he was subsequently nominated for “Submission of the Year” at the annual World MMA Awards in Las Vegas. Moisés then defended his title twice and was featured on Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight during his first title defense. He is now looking to add the inaugural LFA lightweight title to his ever-growing list of accomplishments.
Watley (7-1) is widely considered the top lightweight prospect on the east coast. The Maryland native is currently riding a seven-fight win streak that has wreaked havoc along the eastern seaboard to the point that movie buffs are now looking to amend the famous quote from Wedding Crashers: “Crabcakes, Football, and MMA. That’s what Maryland does!” Watley is looking to win a third MMA title in four consecutive title fights. However, this will be the most prestigious title that he has vied for and he sees the LFA title as his proof that he his the undisputed top lightweight prospect in the sport. The surging Baltimore battering ram put the “harm” in Charm City and now looks to do the same further south as he heads to North Carolina to fight for the inaugural LFA lightweight tile.
The co-main event of LFA 17 will feature a heated border war and long-awaited rematch between top bantamweight prospects from North Carolina and Virginia, when Dylan Cala (5-1) looks to avenge the lone loss on his record against longtime rival Tony Gravely (9-4).  Cala is a highly-touted prospect from “The Tar Heel State”. He is looking to defend his home turf and even the score against the only man to defeat him. That man would be Gravely, who is an NCAA Division I wrestler who grew up just north of the border in Virginia.
In the women’s bantamweight division, Alexa Conners (4-1) returns to the LFA Octagon after an exciting and triumphant performance at LFA 8. That bout served as the first televised MMA fight to take place in her home state of South Carolina. The 26-year-old now heads north of the border where she will welcome one of Brazil’s top female prospects to the Carolinas.
Talita de Oliveira (5-1) has competed five times in her native Brazil and once in Europe. Her most recent bout was a first round win in Poland, which took place one day after Conners’ most recent bout at LFA 8. The 30-year-old Brazilian submission expert is now set to make her North American debut against one of the division’s top American prospects as she faces Conners at LFA 17.
LFA 17 will also feature the promotional debut of Nathan “Mayhem” Maness (8-0), who is one of the top bantamweight prospects in the country. The 25-year-old regional champion is widely considered one of the south’s most promising talents. After the first two opponents he signed on to face withdrew due to various reasons, the third scheduled opponent is expected to be named soon.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Lightweight Title Bout (155 lb)
– Thiago Moisés (9-1) vs. Robert Watley (7-1)
Co-Main Event | Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Dylan Cala (5-1) vs. Tony Gravely (9-4)
Women’s Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Alexa Conners (4-1) vs. Talita de Oliveira (5-1)
Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)
– Nathan Maness (8-0) vs. TBD
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 100 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 17 will serve as the second LFA event to take place on the east coast. It will also be the first time that the LFA has traveled to “The Tar Heel State” of North Carolina before or after the merger. Further information about LFA 17 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 17 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.
About LFA:
LFA is a professional Mixed Martial Arts promotion that gives rising stars and top contenders the opportunity to prove their talent to fans and leaders in the industry. LFA was formed by the powerhouse merger between RFA and Legacy FC. LFA presents live Mixed Martial Arts events on a monthly basis around the United States including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, and Houston. LFA can be seen live in over 48 million homes nationally through its television deal with AXS TV. Based in Houston, TX,  LFA is one of the most active and respected MMA organizations in the fastest growing sport in the world. (The Octagon, Ultimate Fighting Championship®, UFC®, and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC. All rights reserved).
About AXS TV FIGHTS:
AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 45 scheduled LIVE world-class fight cards in 2017 Friday nights at 9pE/6pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

‘SMOOTH’ BENSON HENDERSON RETURNS TO FACE PATRICKY ‘PITBULL’ AT BELLATOR 183 ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 IN SAN JOSE

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PLUS, THE DEBUT OF ROY ‘BIG COUNTRY’ NELSON VS. JAVY AYALA IN HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT

 

ALSO, BELLATOR KICKBOXING 7 HEADLINED BY WELTERWEIGHT TITLE BOUT BETWEEN CHAMP KARIM GHAJJI AND

RAYMOND DANIELS

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns home to SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday, September 23 for Bellator 183 and Bellator Kickboxing 7, which features the return of former world champ “Smooth” Benson Henderson (24-7) taking on the always-dangerous Patricky “Pitbull” (17-8), while current Bellator welterweight kickboxing champ Karim Ghajji (97-13-1) defends his title against the flashy Raymond Daniels (11-3).

In addition, Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull will also feature the promotional debut of Roy “Big Country” Nelson (23-14) who meets California’s own Javy “Eye Candy” Ayala (10-5) in an explosive heavyweight showdown. Additional contests will be announced in the coming weeks.

Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for the event go on sale Thursday, June 29 at 10:00 a.m. PST and are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Following what many considered to be 2016’s “Fight of the Year” against Michael Chandler, Henderson took time off to deal with nagging injuries. Now, the 33-year-old is back to 100-percent and ready to take on the other “Pitbull” brother, following a victory against Bellator’s current featherweight champion Patricio “Pitbull”at Bellator 160 in August of last year. With wins against Nate Diaz, Donald Cerrone, Frankie Edgar, Gilbert Melendez and Jorge Masvidal already in his nearly 11 years as a professional, “Smooth” is healthy again and looking for another championship run in his already-impressive career.

Patricky “Pitbull” comes into this bout seeking revenge against Henderson following his TKO win over younger brother, Patricio. The Rio Grande Do Norte, Brazil product steps inside the Bellator cage for the18th time in his professional career and will be looking to build on an impressive start to his 2017 campaign. Having won seven of his last 10 bouts, including a second-round finish of Josh Thomson at Bellator 172 in February, the 31-year-old has seen 11 of his 12 career finishes come by way of knockout.

The inaugural Bellator welterweight kickboxing champion, Ghajji, traded victories with Zoltan Laszak on his road to meeting Daniels on September 23. The 36-year-old, known to many by the nickname “Gadjetboy,” will be making his fifth appearance under the Bellator Kickboxing umbrella, and will look to successfully defend his title for the first time since reclaiming the belt in April at Bellator Kickboxing 6 in Hungary.

Hailing from Los Angeles, Daniels will bring his aggressive, one-of-a-kind karate style to Northern California for the first time since debuting with Bellator last year. Undefeated with the promotion — earning three stoppages in four outings — “The Real Deal” will look to punish the body of Ghajji when Daniels competes to claim his first world kickboxing title.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Nelson makes his Bellator debut following an eight-year, 19-fight run with UFC that saw him earn wins over Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, “Bigfoot” Silva and Cheick Kongo. With 19 of his 22 career wins coming by way of knockout or submission, “Big Country” is ready to make his return to Spike, where he memorably defeated the late Kimbo Slice and later went on to win season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter.

Ayala will enter the Bellator cage against Nelson looking for another shocking upset following his last outing against Sergei Kharitonov at Bellator 163, where Ayala stole the show against Kharitonov by stopping the Russian heavyweight with a powerful punch a mere 16-seconds into the first round. Now, given the opportunity to formally welcome Nelson to the Bellator fray, “Eye Candy” is looking to stun the crowd once again and firmly establish himself as a threat to the entire heavyweight division. With all five of Ayala’s wins in Bellator coming by way of stoppage, the matchup with Nelson is sure to produce fireworks.

 

Updated Bellator 183: Henderson vs. Pitbull Fight Card

Lightweight Main Event: Benson Henderson (24-7) vs. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire (17-8)

Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Roy Nelson (23-14) vs. Javy Ayala (10-5)

 

Updated Bellator Kickboxing 7: Ghajji vs. Daniels Fight Card

Welterweight Kickboxing World Title Main Event: Karim Ghajji (97-13-1) vs. Raymond Daniels (11-3)

****

 

About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator 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 Hollywood, Calif. 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:

Spike  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’s Internet address is  www.spike.com  and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

MAINE’S NEW KO KING BACK IN THE CAGE AT RUMBLE IN BANGOR

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bangor, Maine (June 28, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday night, August 5, 2017 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur middleweight contest to the fight card.  Josh Jones (2-0) will take on the debuting Carlton Charles (0-0) at a fight weight of 185-pounds.

It has taken Jones a mere 24-seconds combined to polish off his first two opponents.  His four-second victory over Anthony Spires (0-3) earlier this month set an all-time NEF record for fastest knockout. Video of the punch went viral almost immediately, giving Jones worldwide notoriety with exposure on major sports websites like Bleacher Report.

Prior to joining First Class MMA of Brunswick, Maine, Jones was known for his exploits on the basketball court.  He led Erskine Academy to a class B Maine state championship in 2004.  Later, as a senior at Husson University in Bangor, Jones averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per game and was named “player of the year” by the Maine Basketball Writers and Coaches Association.  He was drafted by the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA Developmental League (NBDL).

For all his accomplishments on the hardwood and the MMA cage, Jones is not resting on his laurels.  His focus now is on the future and his upcoming fight on August 5 with Carlton Charles.

“Carlton Charles is another opponent that I have to respect and I know my teammates and coaches at First Class will have me prepared for everything,” said Jones. “I am trying to be well-rounded so that I can win anywhere in the cage. I look forward to another opportunity to showcase my talents.”

Where Jones excelled on the basketball court, his opponent Carlton Charles was a star on the football field.  Charles played for Windham High School and was later an assistant coach of the team when they won a class A Maine state championship in 2009.  He would go on to play for the University of Maine Black Bears Division I NCAA team.  Charles had a career season in 2011, playing in all 13 games for the Black Bears that year with a series of receptions and special teams tackles to his credit.

The Charles family name will be familiar to longtime NEF fans as Carlton is the younger brother of MMA and boxing veteran Nate Charles.  Carlton has been training with  Nate for his MMA debut as a member of team Charles Family Fighting.

“I’m just really excited, thankful and extremely blessed for the opportunity to fight,” said Carlton Charles when reached for comment. “It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do, but with football it was hard to be able to find the time to train. I’ve seen the videos of Josh’s first two fights and it is impressive what he has been able to do in the short amount of time that he has been training. I feel it should be a fun matchup with both of our athletic backgrounds and hopefully we can put on a great fight.”

“NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor” will be held at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on Saturday, August 5, 2017. Tickets are on sale now atwww.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.

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

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Sensational heavyweight showdown announced for “M-1 Challenge 81: Battle in the Mountains 6” Sergei Kharitonov vs. Geronimo Dos Santos

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22 in Ingushetia
SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (June 28, 2017 – M-1 Global has announced a sensational heavyweight shodeown between two International stars, Sergei “The Paratrooper” Kharitonov and Geronimo “Mondragon” Dos Santos, at the July 22nd M-1 Challenge 81: Battle in the Mountains 6, to be held in the Republic of Ingushetia.
The international MMA event will coincide with the 25th anniversary celebration of the Republic of Ingushetia.
The M-1 Challenge bantamweight championship fight between defending champion Pavel Vitruk (14-2-0), and interim titlist Movsar Evloev (7-0, M-1: 7-0) had been previously announced for M-1 Challenge 81.

The two giant heavyweights fighting on the card are each world ranked by Fightmatrix, both preferring early endings as they have 40 combined knockouts. This exciting duel is a fitting addition for such a grand tournament like M-1 Challenge 81: The Battle of the Mountains 6.
Russian strongman Kharitonov (24-6-0, M-1: 4-0-0) is coming off a devastating, one-punch knockout of American Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the opening round of their main event fight, June 15 in China, at M-1 Challenge 80. Kharitonov (pictured below on right vs. Kenny Garner) has stopped 15 of his 24 victims to date.
The fifth-highest rated Brazilian heavyweight in world ranking, Santos (39-18-0, M-1: 0-0-0) looks like a frightening bodybuilder, displaying 290-pounds of cut muscle on his 6′ 3″ frame. In his 57 pro MMA fights around the world, he has 39 victories, 25 coming by knockout. Although this will be his M-1 debut, Santos has fought several times in Russia, reaching the final of the Ahmat Grand Prix, where he lost to Zelimkhan Umievu. Last December, he dropped a unanimous decision to Evgeny Erokhin atMFP: Cup of the Eastern Borders 2. Santos is returning once again to Russia on July 22 to take on an MMA monster in Kharitonov, hoping to defy the legendary Russian mixed martial artist.
Additional fights will soon be announced
INFORMATION:

www.M1Global.tv

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
Bellator, boxing, Las Vegas, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show With Special Guest Richard Barrientes, Pound For Pound Boxing Gym Coach

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Tom, Tony and Rich interview an up-and-coming Vegas boxing coach who is starting to make some real waves with his amateur and pro pupils. Richard Barrientes is obviously doing a great job with his students, and we had to know what his secret was. He points to “consistency” and “fundamentals” as the foundation for a great fighter, and he also puts a lot of work in every day to put his Las Vegas Pound 4 Pound gym on the world stage in a huge way. This was a fantastic interview with a man who obviously cares deeply about the sport and wants to make a positive impact on society. His hard work paid off in giving him a group of kids who could become future world champions in their respective divisions. He is indeed, doing something right in Las Vegas, and he explains everything about his program in this interview.

Tom, Tony and Rich also discussed Mayweather vs. McGregor, Tim Hague’s recent death after a brutal defeat in boxing, Female Boxer Heather Hardy’s pro MMA debut for Bellator, and Matt Hughes’ tragic accident in the first part of the broadcast. We also chat about Tony Penecale’s Boxing 101 video with his trainees and Hank Cisco:

We wrap up the show with a recap of last week’s UFC Fight Night and all the boxing action, plus we look ahead to this weekend’s boxing matches and the stacked MMA lineups for Bellator and the UFC.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

A NEW NEF BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION WILL BE CROWNED IN BANGOR

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Bangor, Maine (June 21, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday night, August 5, 2017 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur championship bantamweight contest to the fight card.  Fred Lear (5-2) is scheduled to meet Walt Shea (2-0) for the vacant NEF MMA Amateur 135-pound championship.

A member of Young’s MMA based in Bangor, Lear is riding a two-fight win streak into the first hometown fight of his career.  In February of this year, Lear defeated Shea’s First Class MMA teammate Michael Crespo (3-3) with a second-round technical knockout.  He is a finisher, with all but one of Lear’s five victories coming by way of technical knockout or submission.  He is promising local fans a crowd-pleasing fight against Shea on August 5th.

“Walt Shea has shown tremendous poise and fortitude in his back-to-back wins,” proclaimed Lear.  “My job over the next eight weeks is to work hard, stay humble, and listen to my teammates and coaches who have carried me to this point in my career. This is an extraordinary opportunity and it is my responsibility to seize it. This isn’t about myself or an ammy title. This is about Bangor and delivering on the fight this town deserves.”

Walt Shea has been to the judges’ scorecards twice in his time with NEF, and twice Shea has emerged victorious.  He made his debut last September with a split decision win over Joel Downing (0-1).  Shea followed up that appearance with a unanimous decision over Alan Bustamante (0-1) earlier this year at “NEF 27.”  He is a member of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine, as well as The Foundry in Farmington, Maine.

“It’s an honor to be fighting for the amateur 135-pound title at “NEF 30,'” said Shea. “Honestly, it’s hard to believe considering almost two years ago I was just an overweight fan watching my cousin Nick Shea compete in the cage. My opponent, Fred Lear, is a tough kid who comes from another tough gym in Young’s MMA and always brings a ton of energy into the cage, so be ready for a war of cardio and willpower from each of us. I’d like to thank my family for standing behind me in this adventure, along with my head coach at First Class MMA, John Raio, and all my other outstanding coaches and my talented teammates.”

“NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor” will be held at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine on Saturday, August 5, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.

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.