Bangor, Maine (July 12, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” on September 8 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional lightweight bout to the fight card. Jon Lemke (7-8) will meet Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-2) at a fight weight of 155-pounds.
Lemke is an eleven-fight veteran of the NEF cage and a perennial top contender in the promotion’s lightweight division. A member of Titan Athletics based in neighboring Brewer, Maine, Lemke has developed a massive following out of the Bangor area. He is a four-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps. One of the highlights of Lemke’s career was scoring a victory over Jesse Erickson (9-7) before a nationally televised audience on the NEF co-promoted Bellator 93 event in Lewiston, Maine. He is coming off a unanimous decision win against Josh LaBerge (11-7) in Rhode Island last fall.
“It is with great excitement and anticipation that I step back into the NEF cage to fight in front of my hometown friends and fans,” said Lemke. “It is with equal enthusiasm that I fight Aaron Lacey, who is one of the best fighters in New England. This is going to be an absolute battle that fans will not want to miss.”
For Lacey, the bout with Lemke will be the first time he has fought in the lightweight division since his amateur career. Lacey was victorious over Dom Cofone (6-6) in a 150-pound catchweight contest in the spring of 2014. Since that fight, Lacey has competed nine times – all in the 145-pound featherweight division. The fight with Lemke presents an opportunity for Lacey to once again compete before his hometown fans and friends in the Queen City. A member of Bangor’s Young’s MMA, Lacey was scheduled to appear on NEF’s previous event at the Cross Insurance Center in the summer of 2017, but his opponent was forced out of the bout just hours prior to bell time when it was discovered that he was serving a medical suspension for a boxing loss in another jurisdiction. Lacey will look to bounce back from a loss to top prospect Da’Mon Blackshear (5-1) last month at “NEF 34” in Portland, Maine.
“I’m so excited to be fighting in Bangor,” exclaimed Lacey. “Last time I was slated to fight in Bangor it did not work out. My last fight (Blackshear) didn’t go my way, and I’m looking to fix some mistakes this fight. It won’t be easy for him. He will suffer, and I will test and then break his will! Bangor is my home, and I will defend it.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.