Lewiston, Maine (October 23, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The event will feature a first for Maine – mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side. Earlier today, the promotion announced the full fight card for the event.
The professional boxing portion of the card will be headlined by Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (9-1) in an eight-round bout against former Mexican Pacific Coast Super Featherweight Champion Roberto “El Viejo” Valenzuela (73-69-2, 56 KOs). Berry triumphantly returned to action last summer after suffering a severe shoulder injury in a November 2014 bout.
A very hungry Josh Parker (0-1) returns to the ring to face Elias “Danger Mouse” Leland (0-0) in a four-rounder. Parker and Leland are well known to NEF fans as regulars on the promotion’s MMA events. Parker is the founder and head coach of Ruthless MMA & Boxing in Benton, Maine. Leland is a member of Jay Jack and Amanda Buckner’s Academy of MMA in Portland, Maine.
In addition, Ernesto Ornelas (0-0), a professional MMA fighter from the Choi Institute in Portland, returns to his boxing roots in his pro ring debut against Brandon Ali Garvin (0-4). Ornelas was a multiple time Golden Gloves champion as an amateur boxer in his native state of California.
Middleweights Tollison Lewis (1-0) and Zenon “Ka’Bar” Herrera (0-0) will round out the boxing card. Lewis won his pro boxing debut in the first NEF boxing event in October 2014 over veteran John Webster (8-7-1), while Herrera, an experienced MMA fighter and kickboxer, is a nine-year veteran of the US military, having completed numerous tours of the Middle East where he saw combat in the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq.
On the professional MMA portion of the fight card, Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (11-8) will defend the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Title in a five-round bout against the challenge of Jimmy “Jimbo Slice” Davidson (7-1). Boyington is coming off a huge win last weekend against Rodrigo Almeida (12-3) on the undercard of a World Series of Fighting (WSOF) nationally-televised event. The challenger Davidson is no stranger to gold, having captured other MMA titles in the New England region. He represents world-renown Muay Thai team Sityodtong.
In one of the most highly anticipated MMA fights in New England history, former NEF MMA Professional Featherweight Champion Ray “All Business” Wood (6-1) takes on Vovka “KGB” Clay (3-0). Recognized as two of the most promising prospects in the area, Wood and Clay are both predicted by pundits to be future candidates for the major leagues of the sport.
Crowsneck Boutin (1-1) will look to rebound from his first professional loss last month when he meets Matt Bordonaro (2-0). The bout will be a rematch from their amateur days when Bordonaro defeated Boutin by submission at “NEF IX” in Biddeford, Maine. It will also be Boutin’s debut in the 170-pound welterweight division.
Two title bouts will headline the amateur MMA portion of the “NEF XX” fight card. Dustin Veinott (4-3) defends the NEF MMA Amateur Flyweight Title against Ryan Burgess (1-0), while Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (5-1) does battle with Caleb Horner (6-2) to crown an inaugural NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Champion. A women’s strawweight fight will feature Randi Beth Boyington (1-1) facing Erin “Fun Size” Lamonte (3-0).
“This card has something for everyone,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “You like MMA? We got it. You like boxing? We got it. You like the heavyweights? We got ’em. You like women’s fights? We got ’em. This is like the Super Bowl of NEF events. This is the one event you simply cannot afford to miss.”
Promotion executives further announced that the “NEF XX” event will be dedicated to the memory of NEF staff member Susan Isham, 47, who lost her life in a tragic car accident last weekend in Bethel, Maine. Susan had worked backstage for the promotion beginning in 2013, handling check-ins at the backdoor of the Colisée. She was a beloved mother and grandmother, known for her hard work ethic and charming, upbeat personality. Susan was involved in many causes in the Bethel community.
“We’re all still in shock at Susan’s sudden passing last Friday,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “She was a valued member of the NEF team, a good friend, and a kind, charitable person. She will be missed by all who knew her. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time. ‘NEF XX’ will be proudly dedicated to her memory.”
The “NEF XX” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
140 Brandon Berry 9-1 (West Forks) vs Roberto Valenzuela 73-69-2 (Romanza Gym)
155 Tollison Lewis 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Zenon Herrera 0-0 (Independent)
140 Josh Parker 0-1 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Elias Leland 0-0 (AMMA)
118 Ernesto Ornelas 0-0 (Choi Institute) vs Brandon Ali Garvin 0-4 (Frazier’s)
PROFESSIONAL MMA
155*TITLE Bruce Boyington 10-8 (c) (Boyington’s TKD) vs Jimmy Davidson 7-1 (Sityodtong)
205 Matt Andrikut 1-0 (Conviction MMA) vs Jesse Baughman 0-0 (Team Link)
170 Crowsneck Boutin 1-1 (Choi Institute) vs Matt Bordonaro 2-0 (Victory MMA)
150 Jon Lemke 4-3 (Team Irish) vs Matt Denning 2-0 (CMBJJ)
145 Ray Wood 5-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Vovka Clay 3-0 (Boston BJJ NH)
145 Derek Shorey 3-2 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Damon Owens 2-0 (Young’s MMA)
125 Kevin Barrett 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs James Alexander 1-10 (F2 Arena)
AMATEUR MMA
145 *TITLE Aaron Lacey 5-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Caleb Horner 6-2 (F2 Arena)
125 *TITLE Dustin Veinott 4-3 (c) (CMBJJ) vs Ryan Burgess 1-0 (Berserkers MMA)
265 Bryce Bamford 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Bryce Locke 0-0 (Independent)
200 Jacob Cameron 1-5 (Independent) vs Victor Irwin 0-0 (Young’s MMA)
225 Joe Krech 0-0 (Independent) vs Mike Williams 0-0 (CMBJJ)
185 Ruben Redman 1-3 (Mass Effect MMA) vs Caleb Farrington 2-0 (Team NEU)
185 Dominique Bailey 0-1 (Independent) vs Anthony Spires 0-0 (Independent)
175 Caleb Swoveland 0-0 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs TBD
155 Ricky Dexter 3-2 (Team Irish) vs Steve Bang 3-3 (CMBJJ)
155 Rafael Velado 1-0 (First Class MMA) vs Ken Dunn 0-2 (Maine Kyokushin Karate)
155 CJ Ewer 4-2 (Young’s MMA) vs Jason Lachance 2-2 (MMA Athletix)
155 Matt Hanning 1-1 (Independent) vs Levi Sewall 0-0 (Young’s MMA)
145 Caleb Hall 5-3 (Choi Institute) vs Matt Tamayo 0-0 (F2 Arena)
140 David Thompson 0-1 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Pierce Wiegman 0-0 (First Class MMA)
125 Justin Witham 0-3 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Brent Ouellette 0-0 (CMBJJ)
115 Erin LaMonte 3-0 (Gracie Fitness) vs Randi Beth Boyington 1-1 (Boyington’s TKD)
New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE,” takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show. Tickets for “NEF XX” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 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.