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Category Archives: mixed martial arts
AMATEUR FEATHERWEIGHT MMA TITLE UP FOR GRABS ON JUNE 13 IN LEWISTON
Lewiston, Maine (April 22, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America,” on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced that the first-ever NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Champion will be crowned that evening when Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-1) takes on Alex Johnson (2-1). The fight will take place at the featherweight limit of 145-pounds.
A member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine, Aaron Lacey had a phenomenal start to his amateur career, finishing his first three opponents before dropping a decision to Matt Tullos (7-0) on a card in New Hampshire. Lacey fired back, winning his next two in a row over Dom Cofone (5-5) and Nick Spencer (5-4) respectively. Lacey is a perfect 4-0 in the NEF cage and he will look to continue that streak and take home the featherweight title on June 13.
“It’s an honor to be fighting for the first ever NEF amateur featherweight belt,” stated Lacey when reached for comment. “Alex is a game opponent who likes to be in your face. He presents a very interesting challenge he is aggressive and powerful. It just so happens I fight the same way. Be sure not to miss it this fight has fireworks written all over it.”
Alex Johnson will look to avenge his first, and only, loss to Lacey’s teammate Josh Harvey (3-1). That fight was Johnson’s amateur debut back at “NEF XIV” last September. Johnson has been on a tear since, winning his next two in a row including a memorable, hard-fought decision over Team Irish’s Rick Matthews (1-2). Johnson is a member of Josh Parker’s (4-8) Ruthless MMA & Boxing gym in Benton, Maine, one of the newest and most promising teams to appear on the New England scene in recent years.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity, but it’s just a small step on the path to my big goals,” said Johnson. “It’s just another fight, and when they close the cage door in June it doesn’t matter who’s in front of me. I’m ruthless in every aspect and that’s what I’ll be bringing in June. I train with the best around and nothing will surprise me. I’ll be ready for wherever the fight goes. Ruthless all the way baby!”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015. Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525. 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, 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.
International knockout artists Cheick Kongo and Alexander Volkov clash on June 26 in headlining bout of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”
Easy Tweet: “.@kongo4real and @AlexDragoVolkov set to headline #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx”
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.
The two sluggers clash in the five-round main event of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which takes place at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.
The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) on the event’s featured portion.
The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.
Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-2 record under the Bellator MMA banner. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport’s 2011 “Knockout of the Year.”
The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion’s highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. In his 24 career victories, Volkov has scored 17 by knockout.
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas
Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)
Easy Tweet: “.@kongo4real and @AlexDragoVolkov set to headline #Bellator139 at the @KansasStarArena on June 26. http://bit.ly/1GfVzbx”
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – French striking specialist Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5) will stand toe-to-toe in the Bellator MMA cage on June 26.
The two sluggers clash in the five-round main event of “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which takes place at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.
The heavyweight slugfest joins previously announced matchups of lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs. John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and former Bellator MMA featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) on the event’s featured portion.
The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com.
Additional bouts will be announced shortly.
Tickets for “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov,” which start at just $17 and include cageside seats for just $97, are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.
Kongo, a 6-foot-4 Frenchman, is a striking ace who boasts black belts in both Karate and Kendo. A multiple-time world champion in kickboxing, Kongo now focuses solely on MMA and has built a 4-2 record under the Bellator MMA banner. One of the most imposing figures in all of MMA, Kongo boasts 12 career knockout victories, including the sport’s 2011 “Knockout of the Year.”
The 26-year-old Volkov is an eight-time Bellator MMA veteran who rose to the promotion’s highest rank in 2012 as the Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion. Though he would eventually cede the belt to current title holder Vitaly Minakov, Volkov bounced right back with three-consecutive stoppage wins. In his 24 career victories, Volkov has scored 17 by knockout.
“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” – Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas
Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)
Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)
Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)
UNFINISHED BUSINESS LEADS TO LONG-AWAITED REMATCH
Lewiston, Maine (April 21, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America,” on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced that NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-8) will meet John “First Class” Raio (2-7) on the card in a non-title bout at a weight of 150-pounds.
Boyington and Raio first met in February 2014 at “NEF XII” in Lewiston. Boyington dominated the early moments with his striking. Coming towards the end of the first round, Raio would take Boyington’s back and apply a rear-naked choke on the mat. The future lightweight champion waved his hand in the air, a signal which referee Jimmy Bickford took to indicate Boyington’s submission. Bickford stopped the bout and awarded the fight to Raio, drawing an immediate protest from Boyington who stated he was waving to his fans in the crowd as a sign that he was not in danger.
In the days that followed, a heated debate would rage on social media over the controversial finish to the fight. Both fighters, boasting arguably the two largest fan bases in all of New England, were at the center of an epic war of words between their respective supporters. It seemed as though everyone had an opinion, and the entire state of Maine was split.
“Things were crazy that week after the bout,” recalled NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “Our Facebook page was flooded with comments and private messages. Everybody and their mother was weighing in. It’s probably the most controversial moment in NEF history. Fans have been asking us for over a year when the rematch would happen. The time has finally come, June 13 in Lewiston!”
Boyington would go on to have a highly successful finish to 2014, winning not one but two regional MMA titles, including the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Championship. He would also win his professional boxing debut at NEF’s inaugural boxing event in October 2014. Boyington has, in fact, won four of his last five since the Raio loss.
“This fight is solely about redemption and giving the fans what they have been wanting to see,” stated Boyington when reached for comment. “Sometimes you have to step outside of what is best for you in this sport and entertain and that’s what I’m doing. I like a challenge—the biggest challenge—and that time will come, but for now, its about showing people what was about to happen last time and I can still show I’m three-levels above him by making the statement I’m about to embark on. I’m done with mishaps in that cage. I’m seizing every opportunity and will not let something slip again. Mark my words, its about to get real in my fight.”
Raio is coming off two losses in a row to his archrival, Derek Shorey (2-1), including one defeat earlier this month at “NEF XVII.” In need of a win, the founder of First Class MMA may now be more determined than ever to return to the NEF cage.
“I know this is a fight that I want, Bruce wants, and a lot of MMA fans have asked for,” stated Raio when reached for comment. “I look forward to fighting Bruce. Hopefully when the fight is over, there will be no controversy.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015. Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525. 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, 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.
CZ53 This Friday – CZ52 Highlight Video
FIGHT NETWORK MMA & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (Apr. 20-26, 2015)
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Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas Lima meets Russian knockout artist Andrey Koreshkov on July 17 at Mohegan Sun Arena
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (April 20, 2015) – Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (26-5), one of the most talented and well-rounded 170-pound fighters on the planet today, puts his title on the line against Russian knockout artist Andrey “Spartan” Koreshkov (17-1) on Friday, July 16, at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
“Douglas Lima is an incredible champion who is in for one of the toughest fights of his life against Koreshkov,” said Bellator President Scott Coker. “When the rest of this card is announced, we’ll have put together one of the greatest showcases of welterweight talent ever assembled on one night.”
The two elite combatants headline the newly announced “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” event, which airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, April 24th at 10 a.m. ET, and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com. Bellator Nation presale begins this Tuesday. Join the Bellator Newsletter list or follow us on social media (Twitter / Facebook) to gain access to the presale code and details.
Additional information, including ticketing details and the night’s full lineup of world-class MMA action, will be announced shortly.
The 27-year-old Lima is a Brazilian-born athlete who now makes his home in Atlanta. Fighting under the Bellator MMA banner since 2011, Lima is an impressive 8-1 in the promotion and an incredible 14-1 in his past 15 overall appearances. Lima earned his way to the Bellator MMA Welterweight World Title with an eight-man tournament victory that included knockout wins over Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker and Michail Tsarev. Lima then claimed the title with an April 2014 knockout win over Rick Hawn. Overall, Lima boasts five consecutive knockout victories and now looks to defend his belt for the first time.
Koreshkov is also fresh off an eight-man tournament win, claiming a decision victory over Adam McDonough after previously registering knockouts of Justin Baesman and Nah-Shon Burrell. The 24-year-old Koreshkov is a Russian national medalist in both pankration and hand-to-hand combat and has lost just once in 18 professional MMA appearances. He owns 10 wins by knockouts and three by submission and also owns a 2012 victory over former Bellator MMA Welterweight World Champion Lyman Good.
Expect fireworks when Lima and Koreshkov collide.
Additional contests for “Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov” will be announced shortly.
MIDDLEWEIGHT FIGHT SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 13 HAS A HISTORY
Lewiston, Maine (April 20, 2015) – When Crowsneck Boutin (0-0) makes his professional debut on June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, it will be just days shy of the three-year anniversary of his amateur debut in the very same building. On that warm, late-spring evening in 2012, a crowd of more than 3,000 had assembled to witness the Maine debut of former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia (31-10) at New England Fights’ (NEF) third mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event. Earlier that night, on the amateur portion card, Boutin was in action against Brent “Frosty” Dillingham (1-1). Dillingham won via technical knockout (TKO) in the first round. That was not the end of the action, however, as Boutin and Dillingham exchanged in a heated post-fight confrontation, having to be separated by officials.
The bad blood has continued over the course of the past three years, with occasional barbs being hurled by both sides on social media. Boutin’s opponent on June 13 will be none other than Dillingham’s coach at MMA Athletix, “The Junkyard Dog” Ryan Cowette (2-2). When he met Dillingham, Boutin was an independent fighter with no formal training in the martial arts. In the months that followed, Boutin would join the Choi Institute of Portland, Maine and transform himself into a prolific striker. Boutin is clear that the fighter who will step in the cage on June 13 opposite Cowette is not the same undisciplined street fighter who lost to Dillingham three years ago.
“As an amateur with zero days in a gym, I debuted against MMA Athletix,” recalled Boutin of his amateur debut. “Fast forward three years later, three years straight at the Choi Institute. Here is your throat back, thanks for the loan.”
Not only is Cowette the head of MMA Athletix, but he is also the founder and pastor of Victory Church in Bath, Maine. Having suffered a major disappointment when his opponent backed out of their scheduled bout during fight week of “NEF XVII” earlier this month, Cowette is optimistic in regards to the June 13 fight with Boutin.
“This should be a great fight for the fans,” said Cowette. “We both show up to fight and put on a show. I’m looking to push forward in the 185-pound division. Crowsneck will be a good test. I’m thankful for the opportunities NEF gives me.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015. Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525. 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, 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.
Mendon Twin Drive-In to show UFC 186 this Saturday night
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Behind the scenes and highlights of M-1 Challenge 56
UPCOMING EVENT: M-1 Challenge 57, May 2, 2015 in Orenburg, Russia.
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