Voor onmiddellijke publicatie: Portland, Maine (November 3, 2017) - New England Fights (NEF) made its long-awaited debut in Portland, Maine op zaterdag night before a sold-out crowd at Aura.

In het main event van de avond, hometown favorite Paul Gorman (11-9) took on James Blair (5-2) in a 130-pound catchweight contest. The crowd was on the edge of its collective seat for a thrilling three-round war that will be a definite “gevecht van het jaar” candidate for 2017. Gorman pulled off the unanimous decision on the judges’ scorecards.

The ever-popular John “Eerste Klas” Straal (3-8) returned to the NEF cage after a three-year retirement. Raio faced a game Zenon Herrera (0-6) and came out with the win in the third round when Herrera tapped out to a guillotine choke.

Op de amateur-kant van de kaart, three new champions were crowned. Terrance Jean-Jacques (3-0) became the new NEF Amateur Heavyweight Champion with a unanimous decision victory over defending champion Nick Gulliver (4-1). Justin Witham (4-4) is the new flyweight titleholder after defeating Nate Boucher (2-1) door split decision. Hilarie Rose (5-3) made history as the first women’s champion in promotion history by capturing the strawweight title against Alex Walker (4-2).

Two milestones were set early in the night as Jayda Bailey (1-0) became the youngest fighter to ever emerge victorious in the NEF cage, while Garry Carr (1-0) took the honor of the oldest fighter to ever win in the NEF cage. Bailey turned 18 just eight days prior to the event. Carr is 56 years young.

In addition to an evening of fights, fans were able to meet special guest Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (24-5). Souza is currently the number-four ranked middleweight in the UFC.

The results from Portland, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL

Paul Gorman def. James Blair via unanimous decision

John Raio def. Zenon Herrera via guillotine, ronde 3

AMATEUR

Hilarie Rose def. Alex Walker via TKO, ronde 1

Justin Witham def. Nate Boucher via split decision

Terrance Jean-Jacques def. Nick Gulliver via unanimous decision

Carl Langston def. Henry Clark via unanimous decision

Mohammed al Kinani def. Phil Pearson via KO, ronde 1

Isaac Therrien def. Chad Weymouth via TKO, ronde 1

Francesca Morabito def. Carol Linn Powell via unanimous decision

Emmett Huber def. Will McCall via guillotine, ronde 1

Bill Cole def. Nathan Pete via rear-naked choke, ronde 2

Garry Carr def. David Hart via rear-naked choke, ronde 1

Mark Gardner def. Carlton Charles via TKO, ronde 2

Sarah Matulis def. Chelsea Elizabeth via TKO, ronde 1

Jayda Bailey def. Danae Dostie via TKO, ronde 1

NEF's volgende mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Zaterdag,” ziet het bedrijf te maken de terugkeer naar de Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Februari 3, 2018. Tickets zijn nu online te koop opwww.TheColisee.com.

Portland, Maine (Oktober 6, 2017) - New England Fights (NEF) will make its long-awaited debut in Portland on Vrijdag, November 3, 2017 at Aura with “NEF 31: The Old Port.” Eerder vandaag, the fight promotion announced the full fight card for the event featuring a full slate of professional and amateur mixed-martial-arts bouts.

Maine fan-favorite Paul Gorman (10-9) is scheduled to take on James “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Blair (5-1) in the main event of the evening. Gorman, the former NEF bantamweight titleholder and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt out of the Academy in Portland, makes his return to the NEF cage after a three-year absence. Blair is a hot prospect from the world-renowned American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida where he trains alongside a veritable murderers’ row of current and former world champions like Mike Brown (26-9), Tyron Woodley (18-3-1), and Joanna Jędrzejczyk (14-0) om er maar een paar te noemen.

Reigning NEF Professional Middleweight Champion CJ Ewer (3-0) zullen in actie wanneer hij op Crowsneck Boutin (2-3) in a non-title affair. Ewer captured the 185-pound title over the summer when he submitted Mike Hansen (5-6) bij “NEF 30: Rumble in Bangor.” Boutin will be coming off a year-long layoff from competition.

“The Blackpool Ripper” Matt Probin (0-0) makes his pro MMA debut against rugged veteranJosh Parker (6-9). Both Probin and Parker have extensive backgrounds as professional boxers. Probin has trained and competed in Muay Thai in Thailand. Parker is the founder of Ruthless MMA & Boxing of Waterville, Maine.

John “Eerste Klas” Straal (2-8) will come out of retirement to face Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera (0-5). Raio last fought in the summer of 2015. He is the head coach of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine. Herrera, a veteran of both the United States Army and Marine Corps, is looking for his first win since joining the professional ranks two years ago.

The amateur side of the card will feature a total of three title fights. NEF Amateur Heavyweight Champion Nick “The Guardian” Gulliver (4-0) will defend his strap against WWE signeeTerrance Jean-Jacques (2-0), terwijl Nate Boucher (2-0) en Justin Witham (3-4) square off for the vacant flyweight title. Alex Walker (4-1) en Hilarie Rose (4-3) will make history when they battle for the first-ever NEF women’s championship in the strawweight division.

The Walker-Rose fight will be one of four female bouts featured on the “NEF 31” amateur card. Carol Linn Powell (0-0), wife of former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion and current UFC competitor Devin Powell (8-3), is scheduled to make her cage debut against Francesca Morabito (0-0). Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey (0-0) makes her debut just eight days after her 18th birthday, the legal minimum age for competing in MMA in Maine, in a bantamweight bout with Danae Dostie (0-0) terwijl Sarah Matulis (0-0) en Chelsea Elizabeth(0-0) face off in yet another double amateur debut.

De volledige “NEF 31” strijd kaart (onder voorbehoud en goedkeuring van de Combat Sports Authority van Maine):

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

180 CJ Ewer 3-0 (Young's MMA) vs Crowsneck Boutin 2-3 (Onafhankelijk)

 

150 John Ray 2-8 (First Class MMA) Zenon vs Herrera 0-5 (Onafhankelijk)

 

145 Josh Parker 6-9 (Ruthless MMA & Boksen) vs Matt Probin 0-0 (CMBJJ/Young’s MMA)

 

135 Paul Gorman 10-9 (De Academy) vs James Blair 5-1 (American Top Team)

 

AMATEUR MMA

 

265*TITEL Nick Guilliver 4-0 (c) (First Class /Foundry) vs Terrance Jean-Jacques 2-0 (Team Link)

 

125*TITEL Nate Boucher 2-0 (CMBJJ) vs Justin Witham 3-4 (Onbreekbaar Combat Club)

 

115 *TITEL Alex Walker 4-1 (Kaze) vs Hilarie Rose 4-3 (USMMA)

265 Matt Glover 1-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Jason Field 0-2 (Kenney OK)

 

175 Carlton Charles 1-0 (Charles Family Fighting / Fire&Iron Atletiek) vs Nate Evans 0-0

 

170 Mohammed al Kinani 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Phil Pearson 0-1 (First Class MMA)

 

170 David Grant 0-0 (Evolution Athletix) vs Tom Rials 0-0 (Nostos)

 

155 Will McCall 1-2 (Evolution Athletix) vs Chad Pierce 1-0 (De Academy)

 

155 Nick Banks 0-0 (Choi Instituut) vs Emmett Huber 0-1 (De Academy)

 

155 Garry Carr 0-0 (CMBJJ) vs David Hart 0-1 (Kenney OK)

135 Sarah Matulis 0-0 (Onbreekbaar Combat Club) vs Chelsea Elizabeth 0-0 (First Class MMA)

 

135 Danae Dostie 0-0 (Kenney OK) vs Jayda Bailey 0-0 (Young's MMA)

 

135 Carl Langston 6-9 (Young's MMA) vs Henry Clark 3-3 (Choi Instituut)

 

135 Kwam Arnold 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Caleb Costello 3-4 (Young's MMA)

 

135 Carol Linn Hawkins 0-0 (Nostos) vs Francesca Morabito 0-0 (Choi Instituut)

 

NEF's volgende mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 31: De Oude Haven,” will see the company debut in Portland, Maine in de gloednieuwe, state-of-the-art locatie Aura. Het evenement zal plaatsvinden op Vrijdag, November 3, 2017. Tickets zijn nu te koop bij www.auramaine.com.