Tag Archives: Ryan Dibartolomeo

HARVEY PREDICTS FIGHT TO THE FINISH WITH DIBARTOLOMEO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (August 21, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Headlining the amateur portion of the fight card will be Josh Harvey (4-1) defending the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title against Ryan Dibartolomeo(4-3).  Recently, Harvey was the guest of NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson on the NEF Podcast.

 

Harvey was introduced to the mats early in life.  He started wrestling in junior high school and continued through his high school years.  He began boxing at the age of 15 and trained in the ring for the next seven years.  It was not until he attended “NEF VIII: Nations Collide” in Bangor that Harvey realized he could have a future in the sport of MMA.

 

“When NEF came to Bangor and I watched Ray Wood capture the title, and I remembered him from high school wrestling, that was my cue to get in on this,” said Harvey.  “I knew it was a true possibility to go somewhere in MMA.  After college, there’s nowhere for wrestlers to go.  MMA, that’s the outlet.  That’s why you see wrestlers dominating in MMA all the way to the top.”

 

Soon after the event, then Young’s MMA wrestling coach Mark Heathcote reached out to Harvey through Facebook to invite him to train with the team.  Harvey quickly found a home at the Bangor gym founded by Chris Young.  He joined in on the massive success the team had already found in the MMA cages of New England.

 

“I was greeted very warmly at Young’s,” Harvey recalled.  “Everyone was very kind over there.  Bruce (Boyington, current NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion) was the first person to take me, not to say under his wing, but to get together outside of the gym and we became friends.  As far as the success Young’s has had as a team, I’m not gonna say you can chalk it all up to superior coaching, but we’ve got the best around, at least in this state, possibly in New England.”

 

On his way to claiming the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship this past June, Harvey finished all three of his NEF opponents in a total of just over three minutes.  Harvey, however, sees his future in the sport in the featherweight division.

 

“I don’t train to finish them all in the first round,” said Harvey.  “That’s just how it wound up.  Maybe you’ll see me go the distance as the competition gets thicker.  That’s why I love this fight with Ryan (Dibartolomeo).  He is, I believe, ranked number-two, so this is a good way to find out where I lay in that level.  I’m not a 55er.  As far as I’m concerned, I’m a 45er that’s fighting at 55.  Best 45er?  Amateur in New England?  Yes.  The game’s gonna change when I go professional.  We’ll see where I stack up there.”

 

When Harvey began discussing potential opponents for “NEF XIX” with NEF matchmakers, he was very clear that he wanted the toughest opponent they could find for him.  If he wanted tough, he will get just that in Ryan Dibartolomeo.  Dibartolomeo is out of John Fain’s Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.  After dropping his first three, Dibartolomeo has won his last four fights in a row, an impressive streak that began at “NEF X” in September 2013.

 

“All his fights that he’s won have been by decision,” said Harvey.  “In my mind, he let the judges win those fights for him.  Fights aren’t won by judges.  Fights are won by fighters.  My prediction is it’s gonna be a finish.  I’m gonna go out there, kill or be killed.  He’s either gonna finish me or I’m gonna finish him.  That’s how it’s gonna happen.”

 

You can listen to the entire NEF Podcast interview atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/

 

You can follow Josh Harvey on his official Facebook fan page “hookonharvey.”  For more information on Young’s MMA, please visit their Facebook page “Young’s MMA.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX IN LEWISTON

Lewiston, Maine (August 14, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the fight card for the event featuring a full slate of professional and amateur MMA matchups.

 

The event is aptly titled “Homecoming” as it will feature the returns of several athletes who have either been recently inactive or competing outside the NEF umbrella.  One such return will feature Darrius Heyliger (5-2) from Ithaca, New York.  Maine and the NEF cage became a home-away-from-home for Heyliger and several of his Bombsquad teammates during the early days of the promotion.  Heyliger competed regularly for NEF in 2012 and early 2013.  His last appearance in the cage was in May 2013 against Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (22-11) in the main event of “NEF VII.”  Heyliger will make his return on September 12 against Brandon Chagnon (5-4) of Sityodtong.

 

The professional side of the card will also feature the homecoming of Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (1-0) after a 10-month extended layoff from action.  Denning made his professional debut last November with a win over Derek Shorey (2-2).   He will return in front of his hometown crowd against Zenon “Ka-bar” Herrera(0-1).

 

Speaking of hometown fighters, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (5-4), a native of neighboring Auburn, Maine, will look to extend his win-streak to three when he faces Ricky “Savage” Sylvester (2-1).  Sylvester’s previous appearance in NEF ended in controversy when many felt he held an armbar a little too long on Tollison Lewis (0-4).

 

On the amateur side of the card, Josh Harvey (4-1) is scheduled to headline in the first defense of his NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title.  Harvey will meet the stiff challenge of Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-2) from John Fain’s Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.  Harvey won the vacant title this past June with a first-round submission of Ricky Dexter (3-1).

 

The amateur portion of the card will also feature not one, but two women’s contests.  Young’s MMA of Bangor, Maine will be represented in both bouts with Angela Young (0-0) and Kira Innocenti (0-0) making their respective debuts.  Angela is the wife of Young’s MMA founder and head coach Chris Young.  She will meet Rachel Reinheimer (1-0) from Sityodtong while Innocenti will square off against Hannah Sparrell of First Class MMA.

 

The full fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):

 

PROFESSIONAL

265 Matt Andrikut 0-0 (Conviction Martial Arts) vs Artie Mullen 1-14 (Southern Maine MMA)

205 Michael Hansen 2-2 (Berserkers MMA) vs Crowsneck Boutin 1-0 (Choi Institute)

 

170 Darrius Heyliger 5-2 (Bombsquad) vs Brandon Chagnon 5-4 (Sityodtong)

 

155 Jesse Erickson 5-4 (CMBJJ) vs Ricky Sylvester 2-1 (Team Flo)

 

155 Matt Denning 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Zenon Herrera 0-1 (Independent)

 

150 Derek Shorey 2-2 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Tollison Lewis 0-4 (CMBJJ)

 

135 Zech Lange 2-1 (Bombsquad) vs Jay Perrin 2-0 (Boston BJJ NH)

 

 

AMATEUR

205 Ryan Glover 1-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Zak Bergeron 0-0 (CMBJJ)

 

200 Chaz Gray 0-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Dominique Bailey 0-0 (Independent)

 

200 Ian Milligan 0-0 (Team Kaze) vs Anthony Spires 0-0 (Independent)

185 Ruben Redman 1-2 (Independent) vs Nick Shea 1-0 (First Class MMA)

 

185 Caleb Farrington 2-0 (Team NEU) vs Jon McNeil 1-0 (Boston BJJ NH)

170 Ricky Dexter 3-1 (Team Irish) vs C.J. Ewer 3-2 (Young’s MMA)

 

170 Scott Godbois 0-0 (Berserkers MMA) vs Phil Pearson 0-0 (MMA Athletix)

 

155*Title Josh Harvey 4-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Ryan Dibartolomeo 4-3 (Boston BJJ NH)

 

155 Cory Trial 1-1 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Rafael Velado 0-0 (First Class MMA)

 

150 David Thompson (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Jason Lachance 1-2 (MMA Athletix)

 

150 Kira Innocenti 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Hannah Sparrell 0-0 (First Class MMA)

145 Mike Pietersen 2-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Alex Johnson 2-2 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing)

140 Fred Lear 3-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Henry Clark 2-1 (Choi Institute)

135 Clifford Redman 0-2 (Independent) vs Wil Carrero 0-1 (MMA Athletix)

 

130 Angela Young 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Rachel Reinheimer 1-0 (Sityodtong)

 

125 Ryan Burgess 1-0 (Independent) vs Michael Crespo 3-2 (MMA Athletix)

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

FIRST TITLE FIGHT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX

Lewiston, Maine (July 3, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the first amateur title bout on the fight card.  Josh Harvey (4-1) will defend the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Championship against Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-3).  The fight will take place at the lightweight limit of 155-pounds.

 

Harvey won the title at “NEF XVIII” last month by defeating Ricky Dexter (3-1) via first-round submission.  He is a perfect 3-0 in the NEF cage since debuting with the promotion in the fall of 2014.  All of Harvey’s victories in Lewiston have been first-round stoppages. He is a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine.

 

“Any time you can get two title-holding, top-ranked fighters, it’s bound to peak interests and get attention,” said Harvey.  “Since that is exactly what this title defense is, I believe we have all the necessary ingredients for the fight-of-the-night.  This will be yet another step in the right direction.  Ryan, get ready to hook on, Bub.”

 

Ryan Dibartolomeo is no stranger to the NEF cage.  He fought for the promotion at “NEF X” in September 2013, defeating Nermin Zilic (0-2) via unanimous decision.  It was the start of a four-fight win streak that Dibartolomeo will look to continue on September 12 in Lewiston.  He recently captured his first amateur MMA championship on a fight card in New Hampshire.  Dibartolomeo represents Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire.

 

“Fighting for the NEF belt is a huge step forward in the positive direction in my career,” stated Dibartolomeo.  “It’s always an honor to fight for one of the top regional promotions, and now throwing a chance at the belt in on top of that – I couldn’t be more excited to go out and put on a show for the fans.  Josh Michael Harvey is arguably the best ammy 155 fighter coming out of Maine right now. I’m going to have to be ready in all aspects of the game and look to eliminate as many mistakes as possible.  I am going to show up ready to fight.  I’m looking to bite down on my mouthpiece and press forward until he has had enough of me up in his face and looks for a way out.  There is no room for error, but I am extremely confident in the fact that I have Coach Fain and Coach Olsen standing behind me in my corner.”

 

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Tickets for “NEF XIX” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”