Bangor, Maine (July 8, 2016) – It has been nearly a week since the news broke. Dana White, the president of the world’s biggest mixed-martial-arts (MMA) promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), will be coming home to scout New England Fights (NEF) talent for his web show Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight. The event will originate from the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Friday, August 5, 2016. Tickets went on sale earlier today at the box office.
White graduated from Hermon High School in nearby Hermon, Maine in 1987. He has never forgotten his roots, having generously donated $100,000 five years ago to help upgrade the school’s athletic facilities. It is well-documented that White still maintains a residence in Levant, Maine where he often vacations. In 2014, White was instrumental in the UFC bringing “Fight Night 47” to the Cross Insurance Center.
On August 5, White will scout several NEF MMA competitors during a live NEF event in Bangor, each fighter hoping to impress White and score a contract with the UFC. The fights will be recorded for a future episode of Dana White: Lookin’ for a Fight which will air on White’s Youtube page and the UFC Fight Pass subscription-based video streaming service. The premise of the reality show has White, lifelong friend Nick “The Tooth,” and retired UFC competitor Matt Serra (11-7) traveling the country looking for the next undiscovered talent to sign to the UFC. The trio attends regional MMA events while sampling local food and culture.
“Obviously everyone knows I have deep roots in Bangor, Maine,” said White when reached in Las Vegas, Nevada. “I already brought a UFC event to the Cross Center. Now, I’m very excited to bring my show Lookin’ For A Fight to scout the talent in the area and check out the local promotion New England Fights.”
Among the fighters already signed to compete will be “The” Ryan Sanders (10-8), Aaron Lacey (1-0), CJ Ewer (1-0) and Josh Harvey (1-0), all representing Bangor’s Young’s MMA. An announcement on the full, all-pro fight card is expected next week.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these fighters,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “This is the chance to showcase their skills in front of the most powerful figure in this sport. I’m expecting these fighters to light up the night with fireworks on August 5.”
“It’s such an honor to be selected to put this event on,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “NEF is always looking to move these fighters forward to the big stage. So many NEF athletes have gone off to compete at the national level in the past few years, and hopefully we’ll have more going onAugust 5. That’s the ultimate goal here for everyone.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF Presents Dana White: Looking for a Fight” takes place on Friday, August 5, 2016 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com or by calling the box office at 800.745.3000.
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 and www.flocombat.com, 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.