Lewiston, Maine (February 1, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” this Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card is scheduled to feature both mixed martial arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of an amateur light heavyweight championship bout to the card. Ryan Glover (2-1) will face Mike Williams (1-0) for the inaugural NEF amateur 205-pound title.
Prior to competing in MMA, Ryan Glover was a standout dual sport athlete at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Maine. A state champion wrestler, Glover made his biggest mark on the football field where he was named the “Football Player of the Year” by the Lewiston Sun Journal in 2010.
Last year, Glover faced Billy “Bigfoot” Leahy (3-1) for the NEF amateur heavyweight championship. Glover lost a close decision in an exciting, hard-hitting physical contest. Now, faster and more agile at a lower weight, Glover has his sights set on finally achieving NEF gold.
“The weight cut has not been fun, but has gone easier than expected,” stated Glover, when asked about his cut down to 205-pounds. “I feel a lot better as I approach 205 and I think I’ll like fighting at this weight. It’s going to be bittersweet to hold the belt at 205. I lost a close slugfest last June simply because I didn’t stick to our game plan. I dropped the ball that night and you can rest assured that’s not going to happen again. I hope Williams has been training as hard as I have, because, if so, it’s going to be a fight that no one wants to miss. I’ll see you February 6th and don’t be late—this is a show worth traveling 1000 miles for.”
Mike Williams took a collective gasp out of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee when he came out guns blazing in his debut at “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” last November. Williams, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) blue belt and member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (CMBJJ) in Auburn, blasted fellow newcomer Joe Krech (0-1) out of the gate before securing a fight-ending armbar in a spectacular 26-seconds into the first round. The dizzying debut was enough to earn the impressive young Williams a shot at NEF gold.
“This fight is just another step and he’s in the way,” stated Williams flatly when asked for comment.
“This is another Easter egg of a fight on a star-studded card that is destined to deliver for the whole night,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “When I look at this fight and the skill sets that both Ryan and Mike bring to the cage, I get goose bumps. Both are athletic, aggressive, young and hungry guys that want to turn heads when they compete—and will stop at nothing to win. Based on what I’ve witnessed in their fights so far, I don’t see an ounce of quit in either fighter. I can’t wait to watch the way this one goes down on Saturday.”
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS,” takes place Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 21” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée 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.”
Buchinger (30-4-0, M-1: 5-0-0), the 29-year-old from Slovakia, captured the vacant M-1 Challenge featherweight title in 2014, via a fourth-round knockout of Tural Raginov at M-1 Challenge 52. In his last fight this past October, Buchinger successfully defended his title with a unanimous decision over current M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui at M-1 Challenge 62.
Puetz (13-2-0, M-1: 4-1-0), fighting out of Germany, is an electrifying fighter who won the M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion in 2014, taking a decision fromViktor Nemkov at M-1 Challenge 46. Puetz successfully defended his title twice in 2014 against Luis Fernando Miranda (SUB2 – choke) and Valery Mykasnikov(KO/TKO2 – punches). In 2015, Puetz took on previously undefeated M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin Tybura, who lost in three rounds due to a severely broken nose at M-1 Challenge 57. In his most recent fight this past December at M-1 Challenge 63, Puetz lost his title belt in a rematch with Nemkov by way of a decision.
