Portland, Maine (September 13, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its final mixed-martial-arts event of 2018, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” on Saturday, November 17 at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional featherweight title fight to the card. Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (6-2) is scheduled to meet Bill Jones (13-10) for the vacant NEF Professional Featherweight Championship.
Lacey is coming off one of the biggest wins of his professional career to date. Last weekend at “NEF 35” before his hometown fans in Bangor, Maine, Lacey submitted Jon Lemke (7-9) just under two minutes into the first round. It was a rebound win for Lacey who lost a decision to a very tough Da’Mon Blackshear (5-2) earlier this summer in Portland. At “NEF 36,” Lacey will look to capture gold in the promotion for the second time – he won the NEF Amateur Featherweight Title at “NEF 20” in November 2015 in what would be his final amateur fight. Lacey is a member of Young’s MMA based in Bangor.
“I’m excited to be fighting for this strap,” exclaimed Lacey. “I was NEF’s first amateur 145-pound champion and I look forward to being one of the first people to hold amateur and professional belts for New England Fights! I have a very formidable and experienced opponent, but this belt has been calling my name for a long time and I am going to take what I have worked for all along!”
Bill Jones is one of the pioneers of the New England MMA scene, having competed in the region since 2007. He holds wins over some of the top fighters ever to come out of the area such as UFC veteran Tateki Matsuda (13-9) and current UFC competitor Matt Bessette (22-9). Jones has competed at the national level for the World Series of Fighting (WSOF). Like Lacey, he also holds a first-round submission of Jon Lemke to his credit. At “NEF 33″ in Portland last spring, Jones was victorious over Matt Denning (5-8) via technical knockout in the second round. He is currently a member of Nostos MMA in Somersworth, New Hampshire.
“I’m at my most dangerous when I’m focused—and you best believe that I’ll be bringing a whole new level of commitment to my camp with the NEF Featherweight title on the line, a belt that I’ve had my eyes on for a long, long time,” stated Jones. “I have a lot left in the tank and I’m out to prove in this fight that I’m no journeyman—I’m hard work for anyone that wants some. I can’t wait to be back in the NEF cage and put on a show for everyone!”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” will see the company make its return to Aura in Portland, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.