Lewiston, Maine (Februarie 10, 2015) - Die nag was Junie 16, 2012. Over 3,000 aanhangers het die Androscoggin Bank Colisee gevul vir New England Fights’ (NEF) “NEF III” gemengde martial arts- (Plaasmoorde) gebeurtenis. In the main event of the evening was former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Swaargewig Kampioen van die Wêreld Tim “Die Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10). Sylvia was competing for the first time ever in his home state of Maine. Media outlets, beide plaaslike en nasionale, descended on Lewiston that night for the big event. National cable station HDNet (nou “AXS TV”) het 'n volle film bemanning en produsent die pro gedeelte van die stryd kaart vir hul weeklikse program te dek Binne MMA.
Sylvia se 12-sekonde uitklophou van Randy Smith (13-15-1), egter, was not the story that night. The real story coming out of the event was the emergence of not one, maar twee, new stars before a national audience. Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7), wat reeds die eerste-ooit uitklophou in Maine MMA geskiedenis, added to his legend with a Taekwondo spinning-hook kick that left his opponent unconscious and earned Boyington the quickest knockout in NEF at the time at 10-seconds. Oomblikke later, Jamie Harrison (5-1) klaar sy teenstander met 'n onortodokse grond-en-pond tegniek genoem “Die Lobster Punch” deur Binne MMA mede-gasheer Bas Rutten (28-4-1). Both finishes were caught on camera by AXS TV, and both were seen by fight fans the world over on television and the internet. The road to April 11, 2015, “NEF Sewentien,” en 'n konfrontasie tussen Boyington en Harrison, was gebaan.
In die maande en jare om te kom, Boyington would become the face of NEF MMA. Leaving a trail of broken opponents in his wake, Boyington sal gaan oor die vakante NEF MMA Liggewig Championship te vang in September 2014 deur die verslaan van Isai “Die Viking” Erickson (3-4). Weeks later, Boyington and Erickson would rematch with Boyington once again emerging victorious. Harrison had, homself, sny deur Tollison Lewis (0-3) met roekelose laat vaar net oomblikke vroeër, leading many to speculate that the time for the Boyington-Harrison showdown had finally arrived. In the hours that followed, beide kante van die stryd het ingestem en die stadium is ingestel vir April 11, 2015 in Lewiston by “NEF XVII.” Both athletes squared off in the cage last Saturday at “NEF XVI” amptelik bekend gemaak dat die bout wat 'n vyf-rounder vir Boyington is liggewig Championship wees.
“Ek voel op die top van die wêreld,” gesê Boyington wanneer vir kommentaar bereik. “Die onderbreking het sy doel gedien en hoewel ek voel ek het sterk soos 'n goed-afgeronde MMA spel, meer professionele gevegte, meer ondervinding met top vlak teenstanders en troos in hierdie arena – Ek weet dat dit al irrelevant omdat die hoë dat ek op die oomblik reg nou en die gretigheid om te kry in die hok en het baie pret , saam met 'n streng oortuiging met myself NOT om te verloor, en die skare te vermaak maak my meer oortuig as ooit om die werk gedoen te kry. I respect Jamie very much. Hy is taai en bied uitdagings en ek het my visier op hom vir 'n lang tyd, studying him and knowing we would cross paths eventually. Lucky for me, Ek is 'n hel van 'n stoeier. I see what’s coming. Fans, this fight is unlike anything else you will ever see. Make sure you’re in attendance to witness what I’m about to do. I have no problem proving the critics wrong. Just be there and don’t blink. This is a big stage fight, Ek sal dit bewys.”
“Ek is baie opgewonde om terug te kry in die NEF hok vir hierdie groot geleentheid,” opgemerk Harrison. “Bruce is on a hot streak and so am I. The title belt around my waist has been a long time coming and it will be bittersweet to do it in front of all my family, vriende, and fans. This fight will have a lot of fireworks and you will not want to look away for a second.”
“Dit is die twee alfa mans van die NEF rooster,” gesê NEF mede-eienaar en promotor Nick DiSalvo. “Wanneer hulle in 'n kamer loop, everyone knows it. But we all know that there can only be one alpha male in the pride. Op April 11 in Lewiston, ons sal bepaal wat die ware alfa mannetjie wanneer hierdie twee leeus bots.”
NEF se volgende MMA geval, “NEF Sewentien,” is geskeduleer om plaas te vindApril 11, 2015 by die Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) sal die NEF MMA liggewigtitel teen nommer een aanspraakmaker verdedig Jamie Harrison (5-1). Daarbenewens, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) voldoen aan Dennis Olson (12-7) in 'n weltergewig wedstryd. Kaartjies vir “NEF Sewentien” begin by net $25 en is nou te koop by www.TheColisee.com of deur die Colisee loket by 207.783.2009 x 525. Vir meer inligting oor die geleentheid en stryd kaart updates, Besoek gerus die bevordering se webwerf by www.NewEnglandFights.com. Daarbenewens, jy NEF videos kan kyk op www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, volg hulle op Twitternefights en sluit aan by die amptelike Facebook-groep "New England gevegte."