Lewiston, Maine (September 3, 2015) - New England ayalwa (NEF), America isibalo-one zesifunda fight ukukhuthazwa, izobamba exubile-karate-arts yayo nesishiyagalolunye (MMA) umcimbi, “NEF XIX,” ngomgqibelo, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée e Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature three members of First Class MMA in action that night. Hannah Sparrell (0-0), Rafael Velado (0-0) futhi Nick Shea (1-0) kusukela Brunswick, Maine-based gym. Muva, First Class MMA Umsunguli umqeqeshi John “Class First” Ray wajoyina NEF co-umnikazi futhi wabantu Math Peterson njengoba guest on the NEF Podcast.
Lokhu June esidlule, 38-year-old Raio retired after competing in the NEF cage for some three-and-a-half years. Raio now concentrates on training the members of his First Class MMA gym, ezihlanganisa nokulungiselela izinkulumo Sparrell, Velado futhi Shea for iziqubu yabo oluzayo.
“I nakanjani abeke okuningi isikhathi more zibe fighters yami kanye nomndeni wami,” Said Ray. “The fighters, I can put a lot more time into them because it’s not all about me. When you’re fighting, lapho ubhekene ukuqeqesha for a fight, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungakanani zama ukugxila Nick Shea noma Nick Gully noma uHana Sparrell noma Rafael noma yimiphi fighters yethu, awukwazi ukubeka ngempela 100% effort into a fighter when you really focus on your own fight. It’s tough splitting between their fight and your fight and your job, umndeni wakho futhi izingane zakho.”
Kusukela ukuzalwa NEF ekuqaleni kuka 2012, kanye nokuqhuma alandelayo ukuthandwa mdlalo esifundazweni, gyms eziningi ezintsha kwamiswa eminyakeni yamuva, including First Class MMA. Raio enjoys, ngaphezu kwanoma yini enye, Friend-ukuluka, Umndeni-like emkhathini eliye lakhula kuleso sikhungo kusukela wavula ejimini.
“Into enkulu Ngithanda mayelana gym yethu, Ngiyakujabulela uya nokuba ingxenye, kuyinto kukhona iqembu othobekile kakhulu labafundi kanye abafundisi,” noted Raio. “Everyone who teaches in there is about the fighters. It’s about the students. They’re not about themselves. They’re more about trying to help people get better. Whether they’re a fighter or a teacher, we have a few teachers who go there and we have several women students and several children and adults. It’s a real good mix and very much a family atmosphere. We rarely lose a student.”
The “Class First” moniker is not merely a nickname given to Raio because of his past job with the postal service. Early on in his MMA career, Raio nedumela enenhlonipho, classy, professional, ngamunye likeable, hence the pun in his nickname. Those same qualities have carried over to the students of First Class MMA.
“Ngizama ukwelapha wonke umuntu ngokulinganayo,” Said Ray. “I try to treat everyone respectfully. I think a lot of those guys (ejimini), esikhundleni salokho, treat each other respectfully. If I ever have an issue with a student, uma engekho ibambela enenhlonipho ukuba abafundisi noma abanye abafundi, I’ll pull them aside and if they have to leave then they have to leave. That’s part of life… Gym yethu edonsela, ngasizathu simbe, ntu abantu nje nice kukhona.”
With more and more abafundi omusha ozayo ngokusebenzisa emnyango gym yakhe, Raio has definitely kept busy since his retirement from active competition. Like a proud father, Raio has a real passion for the success of his students. The ultimate reward for him is seeing his protégées do well in the cage.
“Emva show last (NEF XVIII), lapho ngibona Nick (Gulliver, 1-0) ziye ingalo yakhe wazibuza yona futhi Rob (Robinson, 1-0), Ngajabula kakhulu kulabo guys,” recalled Raio. “I’m so happy to see these two guys win. As much as I didn’t come away with a win against Bruce (Boyington, 10-8), Ngathi: 'Uma siya 2-1, I’d rather be the one that didn’t pull off the victory.’ I’ve never been as happy for my own win than I was for Nick and Rob that night.”
Ukuze ufunde kabanzi mayelana First Class MMA, ungavakashela page qembu Facebook “First Class Fitness & MMA.”
Ungalalela le NEF Podcast yaphelela atwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/.
New England ayalwa’ umcimbi olandelayo, “NEF XIX,” ithatha indawo Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée e Lewiston, Maine. Amathikithi for “NEF XIX” ukuqalisa nje $25 futhi ukudayiswa manje www.TheColisee.com noma ngokuthi Colisee ibhokisi ehhovisi ngesikhathi 207.783.2009 x 525. Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe mcimbi fight updates ikhadi, sicela uvakashele iwebhusayithi ukukhuthazwa sika at www.NewEnglandFights.com. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ungakwazi watch NEF imiqophi at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, landela them on Twitternefights futhi ukuhamba neqembu Facebook esemthethweni "New England Ilwisana."
About New England ayalwa
New England ayalwa ("NEF") Yimpi izenzakalo ukukhushulwa inkampani. Mission NEF ukwakha esezingeni izenzakalo for fighters Maine kanye fans ngokufanayo. Executive team NEF has olutheni management combat ezemidlalo, izenzakalo production, ubudlelwane media, marketing, kwezomthetho kanye nokukhangisa.