Milford, New Hampshire (June 29, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next event, “NEF 44: Back in Black,” on August 21, 2021, at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire. The show will feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and kickboxing fights. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the fight card. Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (6-2) will meet “Super” Shane Manley (5-5) at a fight weight of 145 pounds.
Aaron Lacey will return to the NEF cage for the first time since September 2018 when he submitted Jon Lemke (7-9) in the main event of “NEF 35” in Bangor, Maine. Lacey has been a longtime member of the NEF roster, debuting with the promotion as an amateur in the fall of 2013. He went on to win the promotion’s amateur featherweight title before turning pro in 2016. Lacey opened his professional career with four straight wins in the NEF cage. He represents Young’s MMA in Bangor.
“It’s been far too long since I have felt the NEF canvas beneath my feet,” exclaimed Lacey. “I’m going to show everyone why this is the fight to watch! I’m super grateful to Matt Peterson and New England Fights for making this happen, fighting during the pandemic at the local level has been next to impossible. One thing that definitely excites me is sharing this card with some awesome teammates! A fun scrap is about to happen!”
Shane Manley is making his return to the NEF cage after nearly a decade’s absence. Manley competed on the NEF 1 and NEF 2 cards, downing Jesse Erickson (10-8) and Ray Wood (8-5) in respective amateur bouts back in early 2012. Manley turned pro in 2013 and has faced some of the country’s toughest competitors, including current UFC fighter Cody Garbrandt (12-4). In 2017, he fought for national promotion Bellator. Manley’s most recent outing saw him hand Jeff Perez (5-2) the first loss of his career on a fight card in Massachusetts. That bout took place in 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Manley currently represents Team Andrello of Liverpool, New York.
“I’ve been a part of NEF since the beginning, competing as an amateur on the NEF 1 and NEF 2 cards,” stated Manley when reached for comment. “It feels like the right fit to have me back after such a long layoff since their last show. I’m beyond excited to be a part of NEF’s debut in New Hampshire! I’m ready to come back to the promotion right where I left off… with another win! 3-0.”
Tickets for “NEF 44: Back in Black” are on sale now at www.NewEnglandFights.com/Tickets/. The MMA and kickboxing event will take place at the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire on Saturday, August 21, 2021, with a bell-time of 7 pm.
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.