Portland, Maine (May 1, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland, Maine with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” on Saturday night, June 16, 2018. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur bantamweight championship bout to the card. Kam Arnold (3-0) will meet Michael Crespo (3-3) for the vacant NEF amateur 135-pound title. The championship was previously held by Fred Lear (6-2) who vacated when he turned professional. The bout between Arnold and Crespo will make history as the first five-round amateur title fight in both NEF and Maine history. All previous amateur championship fights had been scheduled for three rounds.
Undefeated Kam Arnold has been on a hot streak since his debut in the summer of 2017. The product of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Lewiston, Maine has cut through all three of his previous opponents with little resistance. None have made it past the two-minute mark of the first round with Arnold. It took him a mere 11-seconds to knock out David Thompson with a single punch at “NEF 33” last month in Portland. Arnold considers the opportunity to fight for the bantamweight title the highlight of his fight career thus far.
“I’m ecstatic for the opportunity to bring Lewiston back a title,” said Arnold. “Everything I’ve gone through in my life has led me to this exact moment. I’ve always said, even way back when I was a young lad, that I’m going to be champion one day. To be living the vision that I’ve had since being a small boy is just absolutely mind blowing. I’m great at what I do, and I will continue to prove everyone wrong – all the naysayers and doubters. To all the people who have bullied me and talked s**t about my passion over the years, here’s a big ‘f**k you.’ I’m taking this one fight at a time, and I will continue this streak that I’m on. Every fight, I want to go in there and just pulverize my opponent to the point that they never want to fight again. I’m the king of 135 and Crespo is going to feel the devastating power and strength I have on June 16th. If you even dream about beating me, you better wake up and apologize!”
Michael Crespo, “Crispy” to his fans and teammates, is a six-fight veteran of the NEF cage. A perpetual contender for the bantamweight title over the years, Crespo’s biggest win came at “NEF 18” when he upset Caleb Costello (3-4) via unanimous decision. He is currently a member of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine.
“Fighting for the 135 title is a great opportunity and a chance to showcase my style and skill against a formidable fighter,” said Crespo when reached for comment. “It’s a great opportunity to not only showcase my weapons, but to also solidify myself within the NEF talent pool as someone to be reckoned with. Let’s make it a show, Kam!”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.
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 fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.