Category Archives: New England Fights

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

GOOD FRIENDS, BETTER RIVALS: PAGLIARULO PUTS FRIENDSHIP ASIDE TO FACE RICHARD FOR NEF FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE

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Portland, Maine (March 18, 2019) – Tom “The Phenom” Pagliarulo might be a man of mystery to many New England Fights enthusiasts, but the newcomer and his opponent at NEF 38: “Stormborn” require no introduction to one another.

Maybe it’s a stretch to say Pagliarulo and Zac “Rocky” Richard lead parallel lives, but the similarities are striking.

Each has a substantial, successful wrestling background. Both have accelerated from the finish line of their respective mixed martial arts careers, with one minor speed bump.

And in a world where prospective combatants usually don’t have to work hard to drum up drama and animosity, Pagliarulo, 21, said that he and Richard are reasonably good, if casual, friends.

“I’ve known Zac for a long time,” Pagliarulo said. “We’ve competed together at some of the same big, regional wrestling meets and kind of become friends through that. We have very similar backgrounds.”

Pagliarulo (2-1) will be forced to put those common denominators on the back burner for one night – Saturday, April 27 – when he confronts Richard for the vacant NEF amateur featherweight title at Aura in Portland, Maine.

The location is significant. Richard is a native of nearby Waterboro, and whether it’s that short 30-minute commute or a drive two-thirds of the way across the state to Bangor, his family and friends are fiercely loyal.

A product of Haverhill, Massachusetts, who now trains across the New Hampshire state line at both Spero’s Martial Arts Academy (Plaistow) and Burgess MMA (Manchester), Pagliarulo is fully aware that he’s walking into the belly of the beast.

“I’m going into his backyard. I know he brings a lot of fans and sells a ton of tickets,” Pagliarulo said, “Hopefully I’ll have quite a few following me, as well. He’s a great opponent. There’s no question it will be a tough fight in a tough spot. I’m just looking for opportunities to build myself and advance my career over the next two to three years.”

Pagliarulo said he accepted the risk and potential reward of his NEF debut for the same reason adventurer George Leigh Mallory once rationalized his attempt to climb Mount Everest: Because it’s there.

After three relatively short fights near his home base, Pagliarulo wasn’t satisfied with the potential competition close to home and had his handlers cast a wider net.

“I was looking for a fight anywhere in New England,” Pagliarulo said. “NEF was the first to give me this opportunity, and I couldn’t be more excited about it.”

MMA was a natural progression for Pagliarulo, who made his mark in the realms of both wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

He was captain of the wrestling team as a senior at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Pagliarulo’s transition to Plymouth State University was an immediate success: He was 16-10 and earned the team’s rookie of the year honors as a freshman in 2016-17.

All the while, he began training for the combat cage when his schedule permitted.

“I’ve always had it in the back of my mind,” Pagliarulo said. “From the time I was maybe 10 years old and started watching UFC, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I always loved fighting, loved the sport, so I started training for it as soon as I turned 18.”

After only four forays onto the wrestling mat as a sophomore, Pagliarulo hung up the singlet.

“There were some personal issues, and I got away from it,” Pagliarulo said. “I decided to focus on MMA, and I’ve done that exclusively for about the past year.”

Pagliarulo also stepped up his BJJ training. He is currently a blue belt.

“That’s also been for about a year now,” Pagliarulo said. “Between that and my wrestling, my ground game is definitely the most dangerous I’d say, but my stand-up is not something to be slept on.”

In his September 2017 MMA debut, Pagliarulo exploded onto the scene with a second-round stoppage of Harry Gigliotti via rear naked choke.

Brimming with confidence, he received a wake-up call five months later when Matt Brady locked Pagliarulo in a guillotine choke and dealt his initial loss in under a minute.


“I made a simple mistake, and my opponent took advantage of it,” Pagliarulo said. “But I bounced back with a first-round TKO, and I feel like I learned a lot from it.”

That 67-second knockout of Eddie Linscott put Pagliarulo in position for the first title fight of his career.

He’ll take on a hungry opponent who encountered adversity, of sorts, in his last fight. Richard fought veteran Fred Lear for the same belt in February, with the judges declaring a rare draw.

With Lear making the decision to eschew a rematch and turn pro, Pagliarulo is the beneficiary.

“To win a belt at this point in my career would be cool,” Pagliarulo said, “but I’m really just excited to take a fight of this caliber and find out where I stand.”

Pagliarulo remains in school as a back-up plan. He’s a junior academically. He would gladly put off using that degree, however, if it meant a chance to travel the world and jump with both feet into the sport he loves.

“UFC is definitely the end goal. Of course it is for everybody,” Pagliarulo said.

The guy who shares everybody’s dream … and was looking to fight anybody … hopes a win over an old wrestling buddy will help him get recognized as somebody.

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now 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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HYLTON READY TO ‘MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN’ IN 2019

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Portland, Maine (March 11, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) heavyweight ‘Rasquatch’ ‘The Jamaican Shamrock’ Ras Hylton (3-2) had a mixed bag of a mixed martial arts (MMA) run in 2018. Hylton recently joined host Jason Floyd on The MMA Report podcast to discuss the ups-and-downs of the last year and his goals for 2019.

After losing a fight in New York last May, Hylton rebounded with a beautiful knockout victory over longtime MMA veteran Eric Bedard (6-8) in Rhode Island last August. The win put Hylton in the position to fight Yorgan De Castro for the inaugural NEF Cruiserweight title, a 225-pound division that Hylton has been championing for the widespread adoption of in MMA. De Castro and Hylton shared a wild two-and-a-half minutes in the cage before De Castro ultimately knocked out Hylton to win the title.

“I was trying to change things up and, you know, it’s kind of like playing with a chemistry set for the first time,” Hylton said in describing his 2018. “You get a bunch of ingredients, and elements, and chemicals in front of you and some you’re familiar with and some you’ve got to learn and tinker with some before you can really hone down what it’s going for.”

A lifelong martial artist, Hylton credits his father for putting him on the path that lead to his eventual career choice as a professional fighter.

“Ever since I started learning how to box a little bit with my dad when I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated with fighting in general,” Hylton told Floyd. “He never really would have wanted me to be a fighter, but he put a bug in and I never really let go, so it was just the next logical evolution of my learning was getting in there and testing it out in an environment that supports growth and change. So, it’s been a great learning experience. I’ve met a lot of great people and had a lot of fun doing it.”

It’s no secret to anyone that has seen Hylton compete in the cage that he prefers the standup aspect of the sport as opposed to the ground game, but when asked why he choose to pursue mixed martial arts competition over boxing, he answered without hesitation.

“The variety and the options available,” Hylton replied. “Don’t get me wrong, I completely respect boxing as a sport, but the fact that there’s so much focus on just the upper body and punches to the head and more frequently than not. I mean, we’re all looking for the knockout shot, but MMA offered the opportunity to really open up and give us more of a realistic approach to one-on-one combat. I mean as long as you play fair, you get to use all the same tools and figure out how to play a different kind of game that still beats the other guys.”

Standing at 6’6”, Hylton has become known for his menacing height as much as he has for his memorable performances in the cage.  However, Hylton was quick to note that his height can be both a blessing and a curse when it comes to combat.

“It definitely focuses things for both myself and my opponent,” Hylton stated. “I’ve got a body type that speaks very blatantly of what the advantages are and what the disadvantages are, so it really helps to focus the training and where’s there fewer big people than there are small people, you need some sort of way to fine tune things as quick as possible. You know, there’s not much of a learning curve before you start getting hurt by it.”

Hylton’s next fight is set for April 27th when he takes on Charles Penn at “NEF 38: Stormborn” in Portland, Maine. Penn, who fights for Hyaston MMA, will be traveling from North Carolina for the bout.

“This has been probably the biggest question mark fight I’ve ever had,” Hylton stated.  “I mean, at least with everybody who’s come before there’s been some avenue of recent information, but I mean he did bring his amateur career, 6-3, but his last fight was, what? 2013? So, there’s a big question mark there, there’s a big gap there, where he could have gone in any direction. So it’s kind of simplified things for me, because now I get to just stick to my plan of using 2019 to do what I have to do to be the best fighter I can be. So, I get to keep on at him. I don’t have the distraction of trying to figure out the other guy. It’s really played towards my mental strengths to start off this year.”

“Execution,” Hylton continued. “Execution of the game plan is what I’m really looking to stick to from here on out. I want to take this as far as I can go. I want to go up as high as I can. And I’ve been lucky with the support that I’ve got between my family and my gyms to be able to do something that really makes me feel whole. I want to pay back that investment in full and with as much interest as possible, as soon as possible. I’m in my 30’s now, got to make something happen, you know?”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

About New England FightsNew 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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

SMITH TO DEFEND WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST TEFFT AT NEF 38

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Portland, Maine (March 11, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur title fight to the card.  Duncan “The Highlander” Smith (4-3) will defend the NEF Amateur Welterweight Title against Jon Tefft (2-0).

Duncan Smith captured the 170-pound championship last June when he submitted Carlton Charles in the fourth round at “NEF 34.”  He has proven himself a skilled grappler with all three of his wins in 2018 coming by way of submission.  Smith will put the title on the line for the first time when he meets Tefft on April 27.  He currently represents Evolution Athletix based in Sacco, Maine.

“I don’t know anything about my opponent, but I know the gym,” said Smith. “I will be ready for anything they have for me April 27th. It’ll be my time to flow.”

Undefeated Jon Tefft made his cage debut in early 2017 with a technical knockout of Sean Worcester early in the first round at “NEF 27.”  He followed up that performance with another victory later that year over Mike Williams at “NEF 29.”  After a hard-fought first round, Williams was unable to answer the referee’s call to start the second round due to a shoulder injury.  Tefft is a member of First Class MMA located in Brunswick, Maine.

“I’m more than excited and honored for the opportunity to fight Duncan for the NEF welterweight title,” said Tefft.  “I always want to be in the conversation of ‘who’s the best’ and this my chance.  Duncan looks to be a technical fighter, we will see if he can match my grit, will and desire.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now 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.

mixed martial arts, New England Fights

PAGLIARULO ON TITLE FIGHT WITH RICHARD: ‘I REALLY WANT THAT WAR’

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Portland, Maine (March 10, 2019) – Tom ‘The Phenom’ Pagliarulo (2-1) has been chasing championships on the wrestling mat his entire life. On April 27th at “New England Fights 38: Stormborn,” he will be chasing his first title in his newly chosen sport—mixed martial arts (MMA)—when he faces Zac ‘Rocky’ Richard for the NEF Featherweight Championship. Pagliarulo recently discussed his upcoming fight, his history in combat sports, and the balance of trying to survive as a working student-athlete with Bryan Stackpole and Ryan Jarrell on the Between Rounds Radio podcast.

Pagliarulo grew-up in Haverhill, Massachusetts where he started wrestling at the age of six. As a teenager, he attended Central Catholic High School in nearby Lawrence, Massachusetts where he earned an impressive 144-36 career record and placed third at the state wrestling championships his senior year.

“I’ve been around traditional martial arts since I was three,” Pagliarulo explained to Stackpole and Jarrell. “I got my black belt in kenpo. And after wrestling in high school, after my senior season, I had known I wanted to fight, I just didn’t really know where to go or who to talk to about it.”

After completing high school, Pagliarulo enrolled at Plymouth State University (PSU) in Plymouth, New Hampshire where he started wrestling under former PSU head coach Ryan Schieding. Schieding, himself a former MMA competitor with a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), introduced Pagliarulo to Burgess MMA, a longstanding New England MMA school. Pagliarulo, who has since earned his blue belt in BJJ, now splits his training time between Burgess MMA and Spero’s Martial Arts Academy in Plaistow, New Hampshire.

“I’m not taking Zac lightly, and I’m bringing in the right people for it,” Pagliarulo stated to Stackpole and Jarrell.

After he started training in BJJ and MMA, Pagliarulo quickly decided that he wanted to test himself in the competitive side of the sport. He finally made his MMA debut in September 2017 at an event in New Hampshire after experiencing the initial frustration of having multiple opponents pull out on him.

“I know I don’t have like this crazy, undefeated, record,” Pagliarulo admitted. “I’m 2-1. Not a lot of fights, but a lot of that is due to the guys backing out. Realistically, I should have already had six, seven fights if guys actually showed up.”

Pagliarulo put his long-engineered grappling skills to work in his first fight by submitting his opponent with a rear naked choke in the second round.

Within a year of making his debut, Pagliarulo went 2-1, including a recent first-round drubbing of Eddie Linscott that lasted barely over a minute. Now, Pagliarulo finds himself set to fight for his first MMA championship when he makes his NEF debut against the wildly popular state wrestling champion from Waterboro, Maine, Zac ‘Rocky’ Richard (3-0-1), who enters the bout fresh off of his early contender for ‘Fight of the Year’ against Fred Lear (6-2-1) back at “NEF 37: Subzero” in February.

Pagliarulo and Richard are no strangers to one another. The two rolled together regularly throughout the years at New England’s elite wrestling school, Smitty’s Wrestling Barn.

“I respect Zac a lot,” Pagliarulo stated. “I know him on a personal level. We’ve wrestled together growing up. He’s a great person, great kid, grateful to be competing against him. You’ve got to be confident, man. It’s not the sport to not have confidence in. If you go in there, and you’re not confident in your abilities, you’re going to get yourself hurt. I’m very confident in my skillset and confident I’m going to get the win.”

“He’s [Zac] definitely tough,” Pagliarulo continued. “I don’t really see anything out of the ordinary that I haven’t seen before that I wouldn’t say he presents any problems. I just think he’s tough, man. I’ve got to be on my game. I’m going to have to go in there … I can’t let him dictate the pace and be that. I can’t let him be the fight he wants this to be. So, I’m going to go in there, I’m going to push the pace, and I’m going to do my thing. I’m not preparing specifically for one thing in particular he’s going to do. I’m just doing what I always do, staying well rounded. I don’t think there’s going to be any surprises when I step in there.”

When asked if he was intimidated by the prospect of potentially going five-rounds for the first time in his career, Pagliarulo revealed little concern.

“I mean I have great cardio,” Pagliarulo stated. “I’m prepared to go the five rounds if need be… I’m very well rounded. I think I’m very good at reading a fighter when I’m in there, for an amateur. I think I could make it a long five rounds for him if need be to go the distance. I’m looking forward to it, man. I really want that war, that hard fight, and I think Zac’s going to bring it.”

At six-feet tall, Pagliarulo possesses a reach of over 74”, which is unusually long for a featherweight. “I have the reach, and I have the height,” he said.

“I’m very competition-driven person, and I always kind-of fell short in my wrestling with my goals,” he continued. “I wanted to be a state champ; I took third. I placed at state for three years but didn’t reach that end goal. So I guess I’m chasing that goal in fighting to accomplish my goals that I’ve set for myself.”

“I think a lot of people could say I don’t deserve the opportunity [to fight for a title], and I acknowledge that,” Pagliarulo admitted. “My record is 2-1. Maybe I shouldn’t be fighting for a belt ’cause of my record. But I think the experience—people are going to be pretty blown away with where I’m at… I know my opponent’s not taking me lightly, but it would be a mistake just to take someone lightly because they’re 2-1. I’m a blue belt in jujitsu. Like I said, I’m 15 years of wrestling in my life. So, I’m grateful for the opportunity that [NEF] gave to me, and I’m going to make the most of it.”

In addition to his evergreen training schedule— “I don’t really have fight camps; I’m always training”—Pagliarulo also continues to attend school at PSU and works nights as a bouncer at a bar, a position where his wrestling and MMA background have paid dividends on the job.

“I have had to use my training once,” Pagliarulo recalled. “We had a fight break out, and one accidentally hit a girl in the face, one thing led to another, but I ended up taking this kid’s back, mat returned him, and took his back on the ground, had him in a little seatbelt position, just restrained him until he chilled out, and then walked him out of the bar.”

“I’m not the most intimidating looking guy. I’m not this big, jacked bouncer, you know. I’m a featherweight fighter, but most of the time they see the ear, the cauliflower ear, and they get the point.”

When asked how he manages to fit sleep in within his busy schedule, Pagliarulo pulled-no-punches on his secret formula.

“It’s just a lot of discipline,” he revealed. “I like it, ’cause it keeps me on a tight schedule. There’s no time for me to slack or to miss training or miss school. It’s definitely difficult, but I love what I do, and it keeps me on-track.”

Pagliarulo’s title opponent has become a fan-favorite for his exciting performances inside the NEF cage. Pagliarulo noted that he’s aware of Richard’s popularity, but has no problem traveling into enemy territory on April 27th.

“I’ve traveled the country to wrestle,” Pagliarulo stated. “I’m used to the traveling, staying in the hotels, and then competing. So it’s nothing really new to me. That’s the great thing about the sport of wrestling is you kind-of get exposed to a lot of the similar competition aspects that come with MMA. So, nothing too out of the ordinary.”

“[NEF] does a great job promoting themselves,” he said. “The venue seems like a pretty great place to have a fight. So, I’m really excited to get out of my comfort zone and be the outsider going into the enemy’s territory and really looking forward to that experience.”

“I want to be a world champ, man,” Pagliarulo continued. “That’s what keeps me going every day. I’m not just doing this to have fun. It’s not a fun thing to go in a cage and get punched in the face. I could find other things I want to do for hobbies and for fun.”

“In this sport, I think everyone has an equal playing field. It’s about how much time and work you’re going to put into it. And I’m willing to do what it takes to reach my goal and have a fight in the UFC someday and be a world champ.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF WILL CROWN ITS SECOND WOMEN’S CHAMPION ON APRIL 27 IN PORTLAND

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Portland, Maine (March 8, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur women’s bout to the card.  Taylor “T-Storm” Thompson (3-0) will take on Andrea “Renegade” Howland (2-0) to crown the first-ever NEF Women’s Bantamweight Champion.  It will be the first women’s title fight for the promotion since Hilarie Rose captured the vacant strawweight title at “NEF 31” in November 2017.

“We hear it from fans constantly–they can’t get enough of the female fighters,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “April 27th we’ve stacked the card with top-tier talent to give the fans exactly what they’ve been asking for. Howland and Thompson are two undefeated competitors with their sights set squarely on turning pro and eventually breaking into the UFC. On April 27th, one of them will leave the cage with their perfect record broken and one will leave with the first ever NEF Women’s Bantamweight Championship. Special thanks to Tommy Vickers from Queen MMA Media for his assistance in making this bout happen.”

Taylor Thompson made her NEF debut last November at “NEF 36” in a winning effort against Catie Denning.  Prior to that time, Thompson had won two fights in Massachusetts, both by finish.  She represents BST MMA & Fitness based in Mendon, Massachusetts.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to fight for NEF’s first ever women’s amateur bantamweight title,” said Thompson, “especially when I will be sharing the cage with a very talented opponent, Andrea Howland. I know I am going to love this fight, and I think the fans will too.”

Andrea Howland will bring her undefeated record to the East Coast for the first time in her amateur career.  She made her cage debut in the spring of 2018 and has won both of her previous bouts by decision.  Howland is currently a member of Michigan Top Team based in Southfield, Michigan.

“I am beyond excited at the opportunity to pursue a bantamweight title in my third MMA appearance,” exclaimed Howland. “Myself and my team are being flown out to the beautiful state of Maine at an incredible time of the year to get ourselves into a dog fight for a championship strap! What more could you ask for? I am making memories with my team and pursuing my dream of being a competitive athlete. I respect my opponent, Taylor Thompson, for her aggressiveness and her dedication to her career. I expect us to have a brawl of epic proportions, and it’s an honor to share the cage with her as a fellow amateur bantamweight prospect. April 27th can’t come soon enough! This is what I signed up for!”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com. �������T[�0�

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

HORNSTRA AND HERRERA SPOILIN’ FOR A FIGHT AT NEF 38

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Portland, Maine (February 27, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional lightweight bout to the card.  Keegan “The Flu” Hornstra will take on Zenon “K-Bar” Herrera at a fight weight of 155-pounds.

Hornstra, who fought on the first three NEF cards in 2012, has not competed in the promotion’s cage in nearly seven years.  A veteran of more than 20 MMA bouts over the course of his amateur and professional careers, Hornstra is 3-3 over the course of his last six with all three wins being finishes.  He last competed on a card in Massachusetts in November 2016.  Hornstra currently represents Evolution Athletix based in Saco, Maine.

“I’m excited to be back in the NEF cage,” said Hornstra, “it’s been about seven years since my last outing in Maine. I’m fighting one of the NEF regulars in Zenon, the guy is super tough and I don’t think he’s ever said no to anyone. He’s coming off a dominant win and has found areas of success against some of NEF’s bigger names. I’m going to get in and put him out quickly and move on to the next.”

After several attempts in the NEF cage, Zenon Herrera finally picked up his first win as a professional at “NEF 32” last year with a unanimous decision victory over Nate Charles.  He returned to the cage later in the year in a losing effort to Ernesto Ornelas.  Herrera will look to bounce back from that loss on April 27 against Hornstra.  He is a member of Team Smog.

“Everything I’ve seen thus far leads me to believe that this is going to be a great and tough match,” said Herrera.  “I’ve had that moment of the glory that comes with getting my hand raised in victory and will strive to get it back.  As for Keegan, he’s one of those guys who brings his best every time he comes out, and I know this match will be no different.  I guess all I can really say is don’t look away once it starts, I have a feeling this one’s gonna end with a bang.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

RASQUATCH RETURNS TO THE CAGE TO AVENGE HOMETOWN LOSS

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Portland, Maine (February 26, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional heavyweight fight to the card.  “The Jamaican Shamrock” Ras “Rasquatch” Hylton is scheduled to face Charles Penn.

At 6’6,” Ras Hylton is one of the largest competitors ever to step foot in the NEF cage.  He started his amateur MMA career three years ago this month and went 3-0 prior to making his professional debut at “NEF 27” in February 2017.  Hylton has put together a record of 3-2 as a pro.  He will be looking to bounce back from a loss to Yorgan De Castro (4-0) in an unsuccessful bid to capture the inaugural NEF Cruiserweight Championship at “NEF 36” last November.

Hylton trains with First Class MMA in Brunswick, Maine as well as Dragon Fire Martial Arts in Portland.  He is a longtime practitioner of Taekwondo, a discipline in which he holds a black belt.

“I’m really grateful to be fighting in my home again,” said Hylton. “After my humbling return late last year, it’s been a time of reflection on what is necessary for my success. Lucky for me, I have family in every part of my life. From home, to the gym, to the dojo, to my job, I’m constantly getting my motivation to do things better. Thank you for keeping me going, and helping me find excellence. It’s going to be a great year!”

Hylton’s opponent at “NEF 38,” Charles Penn, will be making his professional debut.  Penn put together an impressive 6-3 record as an amateur competing throughout the Midwest.  He now represents Hayastan MMA based in North Carolina.

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com. ��

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CHAMPION ‘KILLA’ KAM ARNOLD – ‘I WANT A BLOODBATH’

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New England Fights (NEF) bantamweight champion “Killa” Kam Arnold has been perfect so far in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career, carving out a flawless 4-0 record with four knockouts since he debuted in the promotion just over a year and a half ago

On April 27th, the 135-pound “King in the North” makes his highly anticipated return to the cage when he is scheduled to defend his title against longtime bantamweight mainstay, Henry Clark (5-4).

Arnold recently joined Jason Floyd on The MMA Report podcast to discuss his origins in the sport, his reign at the top of the New England 135-pound division, and his goals for the future.

“I fell in love with combat sports at a very young age, mostly boxing,” Arnold explained to Floyd. “I was the youngest of all boys. I grew up in a pretty rough family, and I had to be tough growing up, and my love for combat sports came into the fold. I also played hockey as a kid, so I had a physical upbringing. And I also wrestled when I was in school and it transformed into this. I never thought I was going to be doing MMA as a kid, although I loved it.

“I hit rock bottom when I was a young teen,” Arnold continued. “I hit rock bottom, and my mother came from out-of-state and picked me up, and we moved to Lewiston [Maine]. And I always swore to myself as a kid I’d never move there because I thought it was the worst place in the world. But it was actually the best move I ever made in my entire life.”

When Arnold’s parents—whom he credits for “making me the man I am today”–brought him to his adopted hometown of Lewiston, Maine, he also found a gym family at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (CMBJJ) where he has started training under longtime NEF veterans Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) and former NEF flyweight champion Dustin Veinott (5-4).

“I’m trying to become a whole complete martial artist,” Arnold stated. “I’m not trying to be known as just this brawler that’s going to go out there and bang with anybody.”

“Bang,” however, is exactly what Arnold did in April 2018 when he knocked out David Thompson at “NEF 33: Riptide” in a lighting fast 11-seconds.

“I mean yeah, it was a hell of a knockout highlight reel,” Arnold confessed. “But I’ve been doing that my whole life, man.”

“We were working that overhand right, we knew that was going to be there right from the beginning,” Arnold continued. “I spoke it into existence and that’s exactly what happened. I cracked him with a jab, I saw his head snap back, and then as he’s coming in, he’s coming in very aggressive, he dropped his hand, he’s coming in for an upper cut and he left his chin right on a shelf for me.”

Arnold solidified his position at the top of the New England bantamweight division in June 2018 at “NEF 34: Home of the Brave” when he defeated Killian Murphy (1-2) via fourth-round knockout to become the NEF bantamweight champion. Despite a back and forth battle that brought the crowd to its feet that night, and the culminating moment he landed the knockout punch that iced the win for him, Arnold looks back and still sees room for improvement.

“I just haven’t been able to find that perfect fight, I guess,” Arnold pondered. “A lot of people would point to Killian Murphy maybe being that fight for me, but in my eyes that was a very poor performance for myself. I kept my hands very low for a reason, and a lot of people said, ‘Oh, you looked tired.’ If I was so tired, I wouldn’t have knocked him out in the fourth round. I kept my hands low for a reason because of his wrestling ability. And people seem to forget that I used to wrestle too, and I outwrestled him that whole fight. But I was still upset that I shouldn’t have been able to take that many shots as I did with Killian. I should have put him out earlier in the fight.

“It’s hard to get the perfect fight,” Arnold continued. “I talk to other people about it and they’re like, “Dude, it’s so hard.” Even guys that have been fighting for 10, 15 years they’re like, “It’s so hard to find that perfect fight.” Because I was like, “Man, is there something wrong with me? I feel disappointed in myself after a win.”

So what does Arnold want out of one of his fights in order to walk away satisfied?

“I want to have a bloodbath,” he admitted. “I want to split somebody wide open, have a doctor stoppage, because I’m beating somebody so badly. I love seeing people’s eyes roll in the back of their heads, I like making people stiff as a board.”

Currently still competing as an amateur, Arnold is already being discussed as a future threat in the professional bantamweight division. Before he turns pro, however, he has plans set to defend his title on April 27th against a very experienced and crafty veteran in Henry Clark, who comes into the bout riding a two-fight win streak.

“Henry’s tough, man,” Arnold warned. “He has a chin on him, he’s a gamer, he’s not going to back down and he’s solid all the way around.”

With his two-year anniversary since his debut still four months away, Kam isn’t anxious and is confident that he has a lot left to contribute to the sport.

“I still have some amateur goals that I want to accomplish and we’re only scratching the surface of my career, really,” Arnold stated. “I don’t want to make too much of a premature jump into the next group of talent. But I’m not afraid either, I’ve got to make the decision here coming up shortly, I’d like to get at least a couple more fights in. Depending on how those fights go—I’m one fight at a time—but if I keep on remaining successful, then I can’t see why I wouldn’t go pro after a sixth or a seventh fight.

“I’m very excited for the next chapter,” Arnold concluded.

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now 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. == z5�PZ

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CALEB HALL LOOKS TO CONTINUE WIN STREAK AT NEF 38

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (February 18, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will present its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” on April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland.  The fight promotion just announced the addition of a professional lightweight fight to the card.  Caleb Hall will take on Jay Ellis at a fight weight of 155-pounds.

Hall is on a five-fight win streak in the NEF cage going back to his amateur days.  His last loss for the promotion was more than four years ago at “NEF 16” against current professional featherweight champion Josh Harvey.  Hall closed out his amateur career with three straight wins, including capturing the amateur 145-pound strap.

He continued that success into the professional ranks in 2018.  In his pro debut last spring, Hall submitted veteran John Ortolani in the first round with a Von Flu Choke.  He followed up that performance with another first round submission, this time over CJ Ewer via D’Arce Choke this past September at “NEF 35.”

Hall cut his teeth on the wrestling mats of Dirigo High School in Dixfield, Maine where he was a two-time state champion.  He now represents the Choi Institute based out of Recon Fitness in Portland.

“I am happy to be fighting in Portland at Aura again,” said Hall of the upcoming April 27 bout against Jay Ellis.  “I am looking to pick up where I left off in 2018 and continuing my winning streak.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

JAKE BAGLEY AFTER DAZZLING MMA DEBUT: “I PLAN ON DOING BIG THINGS”

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Portland, Maine (February 16, 2019)—Jake “The Bull” Bagley has had a mythical reputation within the Maine wrestling community for well over a decade, but when he made his mixed martial arts (MMA) debut at “NEF 37: Sub Zero” on February 1st in Bangor, a whole new legion of fans learned his name—fight fans. That’s because Bagley, a multiple-time state champion wrestler, brought the house down in his back-and-forth, fist-tastic battle with Canada’s Brady Macdonald. Bagley discussed his NEF MMA debut recently with Bryan Stackpole and Ryan Jarrell on the Between Rounds Radio podcast.

Bagley, now 25-years-old, grew-up wrestling for perennial powerhouse Noble High School in North Berwick, Maine, where he won two state championships. During his time on the mat, Bagley earned a reputation as a relentless competitor that never hesitated to bump up in weight to face the toughest challengers he could find at both the state and national levels. Blessed with a relentless desire to constantly test his abilities, Bagley’s interests naturally progressed to MMA at a young age.

“When I was 15, I believe I was a sophomore, I heard there was cage fighting going on in Berwick, Maine,” Bagley told Stackpole and Jarrell. “I went down and checked it out and that’s the first day I met Bill Jones. I was 15-years-old and I walked into Hall Brother’s Roofing and they’re out there behind a storage unit place, in a garage bay training. Ever since that day, Bill’s been kicking my ass and pushing me to it. In the last couple of months, I finally got serious about it and decided to do it.”

Bagley’s NEF debut earlier this month came against a fighter that had proven himself to be a wrestler’s kryptonite. Canada’s Brady Macdonald needed only 15-seconds to force multiple-time New Hampshire state champion Greg Waterbury to tap when he debuted with the promotion in June 2018. Early into his bout with Bagley, it looked like history might repeat itself when Macdonald was able to secure Bagley’s back during the first round. Bagley, however, would have none of it.

“He caught me with that first overhand right right at the beginning of the fight and then it clicked—I realized I was in a fight,” Bagley recounted. “My adrenaline went up. I couldn’t have been happier. It was everything that I was looking for.”

Bagley fought off the choke and then, the fight was on. A frenetic, high-paced free-for-all followed that had all 1200 fans in the building on their feet.

“As soon as I realized how hard he could hit, I had no fear—I was going forward,” Bagley stated.

“I didn’t realize how many times he actually hit me until I saw the video,” Bagley continued. “That’s a big thing—I need to keep my hands up.”

One of the most dangerous moments of the fight for Bagley came when he found himself caught in a deep heel hook.

“I look at the video now and I see my foot facing down and my knee facing up and it definitely hurt,” Bagley explained. “He had it in there tight and I’m glad I got through it.”

“I didn’t notice anybody but Brady that night. When I was in there I couldn’t hear coaches yelling, I couldn’t hear fans yelling. It was awesome. It was pure focus because I knew if I wasn’t focusing he was going to catch me like I was catching him.”

Now, a couple of weeks removed from his head-turning debut, the bumps and bruises have healed, but for Bagley—and the fans that were fortunate enough to witness it—the magic of the moment has not been forgotten.

“I’ve wrestled on a couple of national stages, but the emotion and the stuff after that fight… I still feel it today,” Bagley said.

“It feels amazing,” he continued. “I’ve always been a competitor and I’ve always trained my entire life. I didn’t do much the last five years—I had a couple of kids and started a family. When I just got back into the gym it was like riding a bike. Once I get going, there’s not going to be anybody to stop me.”

Once again fully committed to a competition lifestyle, Bagley is ready to start racking up the wins the same way he did on the wrestling mat.

“I feel that now that I’m in it, I have that drive and motivation that I don’t think many people are going to be able to compete with,” he said. “I’ve got unnatural athletic ability and my determination is going to be hard to match—I don’t care who you are.”

“I will fight anybody that wants to accept a fight with me,” he continued. “That’s how I feel. If I want to be the best, I’m going to go against the best. I’ll take on anybody right now.”

“I plan on doing big things.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 38: STORMBORN,” will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com. ��F�>s�O