Tag Archives: Bruce Boyington

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BERMUDEZ VICTORIOUS, ERICKSON PUTS ON A CLINIC AS NEF BRINGS A SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION TO THE MERRILL AUDITORIUM STAGE

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (February 10, 2020) – More than 2000 braved frigid temperatures on Saturday night as New England Fights (NEF) brought its most recent mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event to the stage of Merrill Auditorium in Portland.  22 fights took place under the shadow of the world-famous 1911 Kotzschmar Memorial Organ.  It was NEF’s debut at the century-old venue, and the event opened the venerable fight promotion’s ninth season of MMA competition.

In the main event of the evening, UFC veteran Manny “The Bermudez Triangle” Bermudez (15-2) submitted Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (19-12) with a guillotine choke in the first round.  The bout was originally scheduled to be contested for the NEF Professional Lightweight Title, but with Bermudez missing championship weight, he was not eligible to win the belt.  The title currently remains vacant.

Bermudez’s victory capped a perfect night for the South Shore Sportfighting team of Rockland, Massachusetts.  Teammates Darryl Andrews (1-0) and Tim Birkenhead (2-0) were both successful in their respective fights to lift their gym to a 3-0 record on the event.

Also going 3-0 on the evening was the team of Evolution Athletix based in Saco, Maine.  Teddy Politis (1-0), Ben Grady (1-0), and Tyler Smythe (1-0) all stopped their opponents within the first minute of the first round of their respective fights to win their respective amateur debuts.

The biggest story of the night, undoubtedly, came in the co-main event as longtime NEF veteran Jesse “The Viking” Erickson(10-8) handed Josh “Hook On” Harvey (7-1-1) the first loss of his professional career.  Erickson, who represents both Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Recon Fitness, put on a brilliant jiu-jitsu clinic that will be remembered for years to come.  Trapped against the cage by Harvey early-on in the first round, Erickson pulled guard and transitioned through a chain of submissions before finally settling in with an armbar to force the tapout, sending the Portland crowd into an absolute frenzy.

In a wild heavyweight slugfest that also took place on the professional portion of the card, Ras “Rasquatch” Hylton (5-3) downed Brad Lee (0-1) via technical knockout in the second round.  After several minutes of feeling each other out, the pair exchanged in a back-and-forth slobber-knocker in the closing moments of the first round.  A little over a minute into the second round, the referee called a halt to the action after several unanswered strikes from the 6’6” Hylton.

Hylton’s First Class MMA teammate Jacob Deppmeyer (1-0) had a successful pro debut, defeating Carl Langston (0-5) via first-round technical knockout.  Deppmeyer, trapped Langston in a reverse triangle and rained down a series of unanswered elbows, giving the referee no option but to stop the bout at that point.

On the amateur card, top prospect Mike Bezanson (5-0) of Kaze Dojo remained undefeated with a technical knockout win over Greg Ishihara (2-2) in the first round.

Also remaining undefeated in the amateur ranks were Nate “The Mule” White (5-0) and Caleb “Dr. Feelgood” Austin (4-0), both fighting out of CMBJJ, who finished their respective opponents in the first round.

Another CMBJJ product, Garry Carr (3-1), broke his own record for a second consecutive time when he became, yet again, the oldest athlete to win a fight in the NEF cage.  At 58-years-young, Carr took a unanimous decision victory over 23-year-old Austin Hamilton (0-2) in a catchweight amateur fight.

NEF also announced that its next event would see the promotion return to the campus of UMaine Orono at the Collins Center for the Arts on April 18 with “NEF 43: Rampage.”  Already confirmed for the event, Zac “Rocky” Richard (6-2-1) will defend the NEF Amateur Lightweight Title against Devin Corson (3-1), while Chelsea Tucker (3-3) is scheduled to meet Oregon’s Caree Hill (6-2) for the NEF Amateur Women’s Flyweight Championship, and Caleb Austin faces James Ploss (1-2) in a long-awaited rematch of their controversial 2017 bout.

The full “NEF 42” results from Portland, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL

Manny Bermudez def. Bruce Boyington via tap to guillotine, round 1

Jesse Erickson def. Josh Harvey via tap to armbar, round 1

Ras Hylton def. Brad Lee via technical knockout, round 2

Chris Caterino def. Nate Boucher via tap to armbar, round 1

Jacob Deppmeyer def. Carl Langston via technical knockout, round 1

AMATEUR

Tim Birkenhead def. Mike Murray via tap to kneebar, round 2

Joe Howard def. Justin Kangas via KO, round 1

Mike Bezanson def. Greg Ishihara via technical knockout, round 1

Felipe Gunter def. Hannon Sanford via unanimous decision

Nate White def. Brian Cosco via technical knockout, round 1

Darryl Andrews def. Titus Pannell via unanimous decision

Jason Landry def. Dustin Carrier via technical knockout, round 2

Tyler Smythe def. Clifford Redman via technical submission, round 1

Garry Carr def. Austin Hamilton via unanimous decision

Ryan Fogg def. Giuliano Rossi via doctor stoppage, round 2

Ben Grady def. Jon Assam via KO, round 1

Tim Bergeron def. Henry Jeffs via technical knockout, round 1

Caleb Austin def. Dillon Henry via tap to rear-naked choke, round 1

Dylan Williams def. Wyatt Sochin via split decision

Randall Hathorn def. Tim Murray via technical knockout, round 1

Henry Clark def. Taylor Bartlett via technical submission, round 1

Teddy Politis def. Kevin Lamay via tap to Kimura, round 1

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 43: Rampage,” will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2020, at the Collins Center for the Arts at UMaine Orono. Tickets will be on sale this week at www.CollinsCenterfortheArts.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

GRISPI OUT, BERMUDEZ IN TO FACE BOYINGTON FOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE AT NEF 42

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (January 19, 2020) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” on Saturday, February 8, 2020, at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.  Earlier today, NEF announced a change to one-half of the card’s main event.  Manny “The Bermudez Triangle” Bermudez(14-2) will now face Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (17-11) for the vacant NEF Professional Lightweight Championship in the night’s headline fight.

Bermudez stepped in to replace his teammate and training partner Josh Grispi (14-5) who was originally scheduled to meet Boyington.  Grispi was forced to bow out of the main event due to legal complications unforeseen at the time of the bout’s signing.  Mere hours after losing Grispi, NEF executives were notified that Bermudez would accept the fight with Boyington.

Like Grispi, Bermudez is a veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – the pinnacle of the sport.  He put together a record of 3-2 while competing in the promotion before being released this past October.  All three of Bermudez’s wins in the UFC came by way of submission.  The fight with Boyington will be Bermudez’s first since his release.

“I’m looking forward to coming up to Bruce’s home turf and showing where it is I belong on the regional circuit,” stated Bermudez.  “I have experience at various levels in the sport and Bruce does too, so it’ll be interesting to see how the matchup unfolds on fight night.”

Bruce Boyington has never been one to back down from a challenge.  The Taekwondo black belt and US Marine Corp veteran has made a career of fighting the “best of the best” whether it be in the NEF cage, at Madison Square Garden fighting for the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) on national television, or halfway across the world competing on a global event in Russia.  Boyington, a member of Titan Athletics based in Brewer, Maine, looks to capture the lightweight strap for the second time on February 8.

“There is no easy fight and this makes for the same scenario – a main event worthy of any card,” said Boyington.  “Two high caliber fighters – that’s the kind of fight I like to be in.”

Adding to the high-caliber aspect of the fight, two streaks held by Boyington and Bermudez respectively make the fight even that much more intriguing.  Boyington has never lost a title fight.  He is a perfect 7-0 when a championship strap is on the line.  In the same breadth, Bermudez has never lost a regional fight as a professional.  He was a perfect 11-0 on the regional scene prior to signing with the UFC.  On February 8, someone’s “0” will have to go.

“I first met Manny Bermudez 11-years ago one random weekend while visiting his home gym, South Short Sportfighting,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “He was a young, gangling teenager at the time that was giving fits on the floor to men two and three times his age. Manny made the gym his second home and the rest, as they say, is history—Manny went on to have a great run in the UFC. When Josh Grispi was forced to pull out of his fight with Bruce, Bruce gave me one directive for a replacement opponent—‘make sure they are good,’ he said. Bruce always wants to face the best and that’s what we were able to bring him in Bermudez. This is a main event fit for a symphony.”

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020, at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.PortTix.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

FOURTH PRO BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR FEBRUARY 8 MMA EVENT IN PORTLAND

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (December 10, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional catchweight fight to the card.  Nate “Backpack” Boucher will make his professional debut against “Sleepy” Norman Fox (0-1) at a fight weight of 130-pounds.

2019 was a banner year for Boucher.  He finished his amateur career with a stellar 6-3 record and captured NEF’s amateur flyweight title at “NEF 41” last month in what would be his final amateur fight.  Boucher has won his last four fights in a row – all by first round rear-naked choke submission.  Shortly after his title victory, Boucher engaged in a heated exchange on Facebook with Fox who challenged Boucher to enter the pro ranks to fight him.  Boucher was quick to accept the challenge.  He currently represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) of Lewiston, Maine.

“I closed out 2019 by doing exactly what I said I was going to do,” stated Boucher.  “I went 3-0 and won the New England Fights Amateur Flyweight Title. I planned on taking time off to focus on my unborn child’s arrival. However, Norman had quite a mouthful to say and asked for the fight. So, I did what fighters do and took the fight immediately. Norman is in for a long night on February 8th. I hope for his sake that he fully prepares for this. The way I see it, I was given a gift to kick off my pro career. Thank you to Cure Cannabis and the rest of my loyal sponsors and supporters for helping me get to this point in my career—I look forward to the next level with all of you.”

Norman Fox returns to the NEF cage after a four year hiatus from competition.  He was last seen at “NEF 21” in February 2016 in a losing effort in his professional debut.  Fox went 4-2 as an amateur, finishing his opponents in all four of his wins.  Fox is currently a member of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine.

“Nate is one-dimensional,” declared Fox.  “All he can do is wrestle. If he doesn’t immediately shoot for a takedown, he will as soon as my hands touch his face. I’m dangerous everywhere. If he does get the fight to the ground, he will regret it.”

The catchweight bout joins an already star-studded lineup on the professional portion of the card.  Previously announced for “NEF 42” is a five-round professional lightweight title fight between former NEF champion and World Series of Fighting veteran Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (17-11) and WEC and UFC veteran Josh “The Fluke” Grispi (14-5).  Another lightweight fight announced for “NEF 42” will feature two Maine fan-favorites as reigning NEF Professional Featherweight Champion Josh “Hook On” Harvey (7-0-1) puts his undefeated record on the line against Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-8) in a non-title encounter.  And Bellator veteran Dominic “Domnation” Jones (2-3) and Carl Langston (0-4) will square off in a professional featherweight contest.

New England Fights’ next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction,” will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.PortTix.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BOYINGTON TRIUMPHANT IN RETURN, ERICKSON SETTLES A SCORE AT NEF 32

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Lewiston, Maine (February 4, 2018) – Two years of traveling the world in pursuit of mixed martial arts glory had not even a shred of negative impact on Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington’s mystique in the New England Fights cage.

 

 

 

 

Battered, bloodied Taylor Trahan somehow made it to the end of the second round at Androscoggin Bank Colisee, but a relentless Boyington punctuated a dominant performance with a rear naked choke at 1:08 of the third in the 150-pound main event at “NEF 32: Super Saturday.”

 

 

 

 

Boyington (15-11) had fought in such diverse locales as New York City and Moscow since his most recent NEF appearance. He extended his winning streak in the promotion to four fights at the expense of Trahan (7-9).

 

 

 

 

Four other professional bouts and 10 amateur affairs highlighted the busy evening.

 

 

 

C.J. Ewer’s bid to become the first simultaneous NEF champion in two different divisions fell short against Kemran Lachinov.

 

 

 

 

Lachinov (6-2), a Bellator veteran based out of Ludlow, Massachusetts, captured the vacant welterweight crown with a tapout to a kneebar at 3:01 of the first round.

 

 

 

Ewer was undefeated in three previous pro fights, including a submission victory over Mike Hansen for the middleweight strap six months ago.

 

 

 

 

Hansen also absorbed a choke-out loss on this card. Coming off a week of controversy about their agreed-upon catch weight, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson showed that his apparent size disadvantage was no issue.

 

 

 

 

After dominating the early exchanges, Erickson (10-7) applied a guillotine. With Hansen (5-9) appearing unresponsive, the referee stepped in and stopped the contest at 2:41 of the opening round.

 

 

 

 

Aaron Lacey rebounded from the first loss of his career, thoroughly dominating veteran Josh Parker in a 145-pound tangle. Lacey (5-1) controlled the lone round of the bout, dropping Parker (6-10) with a knee to the head. He maintained control with a vicious assault to the body, then sent Parker to dreamland via rear naked choke at 4:30.

 

 

 

 

Persistence paid off for independent mainstay Zenon Herrera, who picked up his first professional victory in his seventh try. Both Herrera and opponent Nate Charles have an extensive boxing background, but it was Herrera’s domination on the ground that paved the path to an unanimous decision.

 

 

 

 

In the headline amateur event, Ryan Burgess scored a narrow victory over Nate Boucher in a grueling, ground-and-pound flyweight fracas.

 

 

 

 

The bout between former Mountain Valley High School wrestling teammates was billed as a grudge match, fueled by a war of words on social media. Not surprisingly it ended in a lengthy embrace after the bell, with both men lying spent in the center of the cage.

 

 

 

 

There was little to choose between the Rumford rivals. Burgess (3-2) pushed the attack in rounds two and three and may have gained the final 29-28 edge on two scorecards with a few well-placed knees to the midsection. Boucher (2-2) swept all three rounds in the other judge’s estimation.

 

 

 

 

With the victory, Burgess snapped a two-fight losing skid and earned a June title fight against Justin Witham. Burgess initially won the title back in 2015.

 

 

 

 

Kam Arnold (2-0) left an indelible impression on both the crowd and opponent Kyle Kenney in his first-round victory. After patiently finding a seam, Arnold slammed Kenney to the canvas early in the bout and gained the TKO with a barrage of strikes at the two-minute mark.

 

 

 

 

Former amateur light heavyweight champion Ryan Glover (4-2) made a triumphant return in his first appearance since losing the belt exactly one year ago. Glover ended a slugfest with newcomer Joe Berube by verbal submission to strikes in the opening seconds of the third round.

 

 

 

 

Mohammad Al-Kinani ran his amateur record to 3-0 with a first-round TKO of Isaac Therrien. It was Al-Kinani’s stand-up acumen against Therrien’s wrestling background, and Therrien gained the early advantage with three takedowns. He was unable to keep the action on the deck, however, and Al-Kinani’s fistic prowess proved too tough to overcome.

 

 

 

 

Likewise, Shawn Lunghi kept his record perfect through three fights with a first-round rear naked choke over previously unbeaten Devin Corson. The convincing, 68-second victory earned Lunghi an April shot at the amateur featherweight title against Taylor Costantino at NEF 33 in Portland.

 

 

 

 

Former University of Maine football standout Carlton Charles delivered the quickest knockout of the evening. Charles rebounded from his initial loss in November with a 12-second stoppage of Delmarkis Edwards, who was making his debut at 175 pounds.

 

 

 

 

Stacy Lupo picked up his first win in the cage over David Hart. Lupo used knees and kicks to gain the advantage before gaining the TKO via strikes at 1:10 of the opening round of the 155-pound scrap.

 

 

 

 

In a wildly entertaining women’s bout to christen the card, B.J. Garceau made a successful amateur debut with a split decision over Sarah Ziehm. All three judges offered a 29-28 verdict, but a strong start and authoritative finish gave Garceau the edge. Garceau dedicated her debut to awareness of diabetes, a disease she battles outside the cage.

 

 

 

 

 

Two other women’s bouts went the distance. Catie Denning won her debut by unanimous decision over Chelsea Elizabeth, while Amanda Gallo made her trip from Florida pay off with a clean sweep of the cards against 2017 NEF rookie of the year Jayda Bailey.

 

 

 

 

NEF returns to Portland, Maine, at Aura on Saturday, April 14. To purchase tickets for “NEF 33: Riptide,” go to www.auramaine.com and use pre-sale code “NEF.”

 

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

NEF RETURNS TO LEWISTON ON SUPER BOWL WEEKEND WITH AN MMA SUPER CARD

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Lewiston, Maine (January 19, 2018) – The night before the National Football League (NFL) delivers its 2017-2018 season finale, New England Fights (NEF) will return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston for the first time in eight months as the fight promotion presents “NEF 32: Super Saturday.”  And while New England football fans will have to wait until this Sunday’s AFC championship game to find out whether their beloved Patriots will play in the Super Bowl, area mixed-martial-arts fans learned today which of their favorites will compete at “NEF 32” as promotion executives released the full fight card for the February 3rd event.

 

 

In the main event of the evening, Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-11) takes on Taylor Trahan (7-8) at a catchweight of 150-pounds.  One of the biggest MMA stars ever to come out of Maine, Boyington will make his return to the NEF cage after a two-year absence that saw him compete on the global stage in places like Russia and New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. Trahan makes his third trip to Maine to compete.  He is coming off a win over Connor Barry (3-2) last fall.

 

 

Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (4-1) faces off with Josh Parker (6-9) in a featherweight bout.  Lacey suffered the first loss of his pro career in November when a fight he was arguably on the way to winning was stopped by a doctor due to a cut on Lacey’s head.  Parker will look to continue his recent success in the MMA cage after recent victories over Andre Belcarris (0-2) and Derek Shorey (4-9).

 

 

CJ Ewer (3-0) is out to make history by becoming the first competitor to hold NEF championships simultaneously in multiple weight divisions.  Ewer is the reigning NEF Pro Middleweight Champion.  At “NEF 32,” he has the opportunity to capture the NEF Pro Welterweight Title when he meets Kemran Lachinov (5-2) for the vacant strap.

 

 

Also in professional welterweight action will be Mike “The Mustache” Hansen (5-8) and Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-7) in a fight billed as “The Berserker vs. The Viking.”  Hansen and Erickson have developed a rivalry as coaches of local gyms Berserkers MMA and Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ), respectively.

 

 

Speaking of which, Nate Boucher (2-1), a product of CMBJJ, and Ryan Burgess (2-2) of Berserkers MMA will headline the amateur portion of the fight card.  The flyweights, former teammates on the Mountain Valley High School wrestling squad, have engaged in a recent war of words heading into the bout.  The winner will be in line for a shot at the amateur flyweight title later this spring.

 

 

2017 NEF “Rookie of the Year” Jayda “Lil Killah” Bailey (1-0) returns to the cage on February 3rd to meet Florida’s Amanda Gallo (0-1).  Bailey made history in November at “NEF 31” by becoming the youngest competitor ever to compete, (and win), in the NEF cage.  She turned 18, the legal age for competing in MMA in Maine, just a week prior to the event.

 

 

The full “NEF 32” fight card (subject to change):

 

 

PROFESSIONAL

 

 

150 Bruce Boyington 14-11 (Young’s MMA) vs Taylor Trahan 7-8 (Team Link)

 

 

170*TITLE Kemran Lachinov 5-2 (Team Link) vs CJ Ewer 3-0 (Young’s MMA)

 

170 Jesse Erickson 9-7 (CMBJJ) vs Mike Hansen 5-8 (Beserkers MMA)

 

 

155 Zenon Herrera 0-6 (Independent) vs Nate Charles 0-0 (Charles Fighting Family)

 

 

145 Josh Parker 6-9 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Aaron Lacey 4-1 (Young’s MMA)

 

 

AMATEUR

 

 

205 Ryan Glover 3-2 (Fire & Iron Athletics) vs Joe Berube 0-0 (3Ronin Athletics)

 

 

175 Carlton Charles 1-1 (Charles Fighting Family) vs Delmarkis Edwards 0-0 (Independent)

 

 

155 Stacy Lupo 0-1 (The Outlet) vs David Hart 0-2 (Kenney’s MMA)

 

 

145 Devin Corson 1-0 (The Outlet) vs Shawn Lunghi 2-0 (RMNU)

 

 

135 Chelsea Elizabeth 0-1 (First Class MMA) vs Catie Denning 0-0 (Young’s MMA)

 

 

135 Kam Arnold 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Kyle Kenney 0-0 (Kenney’s MMA)

 

 

135 Jayda Bailey 1-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Amanda Gallo 0-1 (RMNU)

 

 

125 Nate Boucher 2-1 (CMBJJ) vs Ryan Burgess 2-2 (Beserkers MMA)

 

 

115 BJ Garceau 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Jepha Mooi 0-0 (Gracie Brandon)

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online atwww.TheColisee.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

BOYINGTON RETURNING TO NEF CAGE AFTER TWO-YEAR ABSENCE

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Lewiston, Maine (December 29, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Lewiston on Saturday, February 3, 2018 with the fight promotion’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional catchweight bout to the card.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-11) has signed to face Taylor Trahan (7-8) at a fight weight of 150-pounds.

The fight will be the first for Boyington in the NEF cage since February 2016 when he successfully defended the NEF Lightweight Title against Jon Lemke (7-8).  It was Boyington’s third defense of the belt since winning it in the late summer of 2014.  After the Lemke defense, Boyington relinquished the championship in order to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF).

While he has fought on many of the largest stages in the world over the past two years, including Madison Square Garden in New York City and halfway across the globe in Russia, Boyington is looking forward to his homecoming and the opportunity to once again fight before his many Maine fans.

“Man, I couldn’t possibly be more excited to get inside the NEF cage, where I have molded my career, built my fan base and learned so much about myself over the years,” said Boyington.  “I am so hungry to entertain people that I can guarantee everyone will want to see what’s going down! I live for this, and on February 3rd, there will be some of the best MMA that has ever been on display from the State of Maine, and I’m grateful and humbled by the opportunity.  My opponent is a respectable guy that I believe loves to fight and I want that in there.  I wish him the very best in preparation, and I thank (NEF owners) Matt (Peterson) and Nick (DiSalvo) once again for providing me a platform.”

Boyington currently owns and operates Boyington’s Taekwondo of Bangor, Maine.  He also trains with Young’s MMA in the same city.

Taylor Trahan is a familiar face to NEF fans.  He has competed twice for the promotion in the past.  Trahan submitted Matt Denning (5-7) in the first round of their meeting at “NEF 25.”  He returned to Maine just weeks later at “NEF 26” in a losing effort to Aaron Lacey (4-1).  Trahan is coming off a win over Conor Barry (3-2) last month in New Hampshire.  He represents Team Link of Hooksett.

“I’m looking forward to returning to NEF,” said Trahan.  “They always put on a good show and treat the fighters right. I’m really looking forward to fighting Bruce.  He definitely is the most experienced fighter I’ll be going up against so far.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 32: Super Saturday,” will see the company make its return to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.TheColisee.com.

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

DREAM MATCHES, BELLATOR VETERANS & TITLE FIGHTS TOP NEF 29 FIGHT CARD

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Lewiston, Maine (June 1, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on June 17 with a fight card featuring both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the full fight card for the event.  The fight card is subject to approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine (CSAM).  The boxing portion of the card will begin at 7 pm EDT with the MMA card to immediately follow.

 

In a highly-anticipated “Superfight,” Maine MMA star Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-9 MMA, 1-0 boxing) will take on Maine’s premier boxer Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (15-2, 7 KOs) in a six-round boxing bout.  The fight will be a dream match for fans who never expected to see each sports’ top in-state athletes face one another.  Boyington and Lamour have both been featured in nationally-televised bouts on NBC and ESPN in recent years.  Lamour is the former New England Middleweight Champion, while Boyington held the NEF MMA Lightweight Title until relinquishing it last year to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) global promotion.

 

“Bruce and Russell are at the top of their respective games,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson.  “Russell is a great boxer, and he’s going to face a superb striker in the form of Taekwondo black belt Bruce Boyington.  This is a true dream match for Maine fight fans.”

 

The professional MMA portion of the fight card will feature the long-awaited return of former NEF MMA Featherweight Champion Ray “All Business” Wood (8-3) as he faces Brazilian prospect Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra (19-5).  Wood left Maine more than two years ago to re-settle in South Carolina and then Texas.  Both Wood and Bezerra are veterans of the Bellator cage with a dozen fights between them for the national promotion.

 

“When you consider both sides, this is probably the highest-level fight to ever take place in NEF,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “This fight could easily be slid into any UFC card on FS1 or Fox and steal the show.  Either one of these athletes could get the call up after this fight.  Our fans are about to see something special.”

 

The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a title fight with Rafael “Deez Nuts” Velado (4-0) defending the amateur lightweight championship against Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Famer Pat Kelly(3-0).  At age 52, Kelly will be the oldest fighter to ever challenge for an NEF title.

 

In addition to the fights, legendary boxer James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 KOs) will make an appearance at “NEF 29” as the guest of honor.  Douglas will hold an hour-long meet-and-greet with fans at the Colisee from 6 pm to 7 pm prior to the opening bell.  Longtime fans will remember Douglas as the architect of the greatest upset in professional sports history with his knockout of “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) in 1990 to claim the world heavyweight title.  Douglas halted the 37-fight undefeated streak that opened Tyson’s pro career.

 

The full “NEF 29” fight card (subject to change and approval of CSAM):

 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

200 Crowsneck Boutin (Independent) vs. Cristiano Pedro (Cugno)

168 Jason Quirk (PBC) vs. Borngod Washington (Meekins)

160 Russell Lamour (PBC) vs. Bruce Boyington (Boyington’s TKD)

154 Casey Kramlich (PBC) vs. Bryan Goldsby (Jorge Gurgle)

 

PROFESSIONAL MMA

265 Ras Hylton (First Class/Dragon Fire) vs. Eric Ramsey (Trinity)

145 Alexandre Bezerra (Daddis) vs. Ray Wood (Nick’s)

145 Dominic Jones (First Class) vs. Matt Denning (CMBJJ)

145 Andre Belcarris (NE Assassins) vs. Josh Parker (Ruthless)

 

AMATEUR MMA

155*TITLE Rafael Velado (First Class) (c) vs. Pat Kelly (Young’s)

185  Mike Williams (CMBJJ) vs. John Tefft (First Class)

185 Anthony Spires (Independent) vs. Josh Jones (First Class)

150 Jacob Deppmeyer (First Class) vs. Ben Harrington(CMBJJ)

145 Derek Daley (First Class) vs. Frank Johanson (CMBJJ)

140 Glenn Kasabian (Nostos) vs. Kam Arnold (CMBJJ)

115 Alex Walker (Kaze) vs. Sarah Ziehm (CMBJJ)

 

 

New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next event, “NEF 29: STARS & STRIPES,” on Saturday, June 17, 2017.  Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 and online at www.TheColisee.com.  The event will be broadcast live on the FloCombat app on Roku and Apple TV and streamed live at www.FloCombat.com.

 

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.

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

MAINE GETS ITS OWN VERSION OF MCGREGOR-MAYWEATHER WITH JUNE 17 SUPERFIGHT

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (May 19, 2017) – It was once rare for two athletes from different combat sports disciplines to compete against one another.  In 1963, legendary catch wrestler and judo practitioner Gene Lebell took on journeyman boxer Milo Savage in a match credited as the grandfather of modern mixed-martial-arts (MMA).  Later, in 1976, boxing world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali faced Japanese wrestler and martial artist Antonio Inoki in an exhibition bout in Tokyo broadcast globally on closed-circuit television, a precursor to pay-per-view.

 

Recent years have seen more and more MMA fighters and boxers transition between the two sports.  For some time now, rumors have swirled over a potential meeting of boxing mega-star Floyd Mayweather and reigning UFC lightweight kingpin Conor McGregor.  Should the bout happen, it will undoubtedly be one of the highest-ever grossing matchups financially.  And while both sides work out the details for that contest, Maine fight fans will get their own superfight on Saturday, June 17 in Lewiston when Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (15-2, 7 KOs – boxing record) meets Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-9 – MMA record) in a six-round middleweight boxing match.  It will be the boxing headliner of a hybrid MMA and boxing event presented by New England Fights (NEF) at the venerable Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

 

It is not that boxers and MMA fighters have never met each other in Maine in the past.  They do often in NEF, which promotes both sports.  What makes this a “superfight” is the status of each athlete in the state.  Indeed, Lamour and Boyington are to the current local fight scene what Mayweather and McGregor are to the global scene.  They are both mega-stars in-state, each with his own army of loyal fans.

 

“With all the talk of McGregor versus Mayweather, it’s an interesting match,” said Lamour’s coach and head of the Portland Boxing Club Bob Russo.  “One of the best middleweights in New England in boxing versus one of the best lightweights in New England in MMA . I was pleasantly  surprised when we were called out by Boyington. We had been offered a few different opponents that we agreed to and I guess they had second thoughts. Then we got the call that this challenge was on the table.  This is something that will create a real buzz among boxing and MMA fans.”

 

Lamour is the face of present-day professional boxing in Maine.  He won more than 100 amateur bouts and is an eight-time regional Golden Gloves champion, a five-time New England regional champion and a Bronze Medalist in the 2009 USA Boxing championships among numerous other accomplishments.  Lamour competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing where he was ranked number-one in the North American middleweight conference.  As a professional, Lamour has been outstanding.  He captured the New England Middleweight Title in 2014.  Lamour has competed on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights boxing series before a national audience.

 

“I will fight anyone that ends up in front of me,” said Lamour.  “I respect the MMA fighters, they are all tough guys, but to challenge in the boxing ring is a major mistake.  I’ll be in great shape and ready.  He better be too!”

 

Bruce Boyington, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps (USMC), is no stranger to the boxing ring.  He won his professional boxing debut in 2014 on an NEF card.  Boyington is a world-class striker.  He is a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, an eight-time Maine state champion and a two-time national champion with countless tournament championships and medals to his credit in the traditional martial art.

 

It is Boyington’s success in the MMA cage, however, for which he is most well known.  His flashy striking and knockout prowess earned him a reputation as the “human highlight-reel” of NEF.  He captured the NEF MMA Pro Lightweight Title in 2014 and defended it successfully three times before relinquishing the belt to sign with the global World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promotion in 2016.

 

Since signing with WSOF, Boyington has fought on some of the largest stages the world has to offer, including Madison Square Garden in New York City on the undercard of an event broadcast nationally on NBC.  He has traveled as far as Russia to fight for major international promotion Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB).  With WSOF taking some time to regroup under new ownership as the “Professional Fighters League,” Boyington was looking to stay active while awaiting his next national bout.  The opportunity to fight in front of his many hometown fans one more time was irresistible.

 

“Boxing is his game, but I’ve had 25 professional fights and over 100 Taekwondo fights in my time,” said Boyington.  “I’m excited and honored to share the ring with the best boxing has to offer.  The only thing I’m ever after is a challenge, and I have one in Russell. It’s exciting to compete back home where it all essentially began for me with NEF, so I thank Matt (Peterson, NEF co-owner) and Nick (DiSalvo, NEF co-owner) for the opportunity and to Russell – let’s dance baby!”

 

New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next event, “NEF 29: STARS & STRIPES,” on Saturday, June 17, 2017.  Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 and online atwww.TheColisee.com.

 

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.

mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

MIKE ARRANT REPLACES INJURED THIAGO MELLER AGAINST JOHN HOWARD AT WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND LIVE ON NBCSN FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN. ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17

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HOWARD VS. ARRANT TO BE CONTESTED AT MIDDLEWEIGHT

PLUS UNDEFEATED MARCUS SURIN TO BATTLE
CHRISTIAN TORRES IN WSOF31 PRELIMINARY BOUT
LIVE ON WSOF.COM

LAS VEGAS (June 15, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) announced today that Thiago Meller has withdrawn from his scheduled welterweight (170 pounds) contest against John “Doomsday” Howard (23-12), who will now face“Mad” Mike Arrant (15-10) in a middleweight (185 pounds) bout at the much-anticipated WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland world championship doubleheader Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, live on NBCSN (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. on Friday, June 17.

In addition, undefeated Marcus Surin (3-0) of Stamford, Conn. has been tabbed to step in for Sam Watford in the scheduled lightweight (155 pounds) preliminary card contest against Christian “The Terminator” Torres (0-0) of Endicott, N.Y.

Originally hailing from Orlando, Fla., the 5-foot-9, 28-year-old Arrant, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt, resides in Las Vegas, where he is a member of legendary champion Randy “The Natural” Couture’s Xtreme Couture fight squad.

Arrant is looking to return to the win column following a unanimous decision defeat in his last start on August 7, 2015, at the hands of two-time UFC veteran Brock Jardine.

Prior to the loss, Arrant had reeled off six consecutive victories, five of which he produced in the first round, by way of (T)KO or submission.  To date, 12 of his 15 professional wins have been finishes.

During the six-fight win streak, Arrant seized his first championship – regional promotion SteelFist Fight Night’s welterweight title – with a first round (5:00) TKO (retirement) of Carl Dieckmann on July 12, 2013.

Like Arrant, the 5-foot-7, 33-year-old Howard boasts a phenomenal finish rate with 15 of his 23 professional victories having come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Howard will make his promotional debut with World Series of Fighting following a second stint with the UFC that spanned seven fights and included wins over Uriah Hall, Siyar Bahadurzada and Cathal Pendred.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland are on sale at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.

Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open at 5 p.m. ET, and the first of seven preliminary card bouts will begin at 5:45 p.m.

The entire preliminary fight card will stream live on an embeddable video player on WSOF.com.

In the main event of the five-bout, live NBCSN telecast, reigning World Series of Fighting heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will put his title on the line against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (12-3).

In the lightweight co-main event, superstars Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Mike “The Martian” Ricci (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND

MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Heavyweight Championship Main Event:
Blagoy Ivanov (Champion) vs. Josh Copeland (Challenger)

Lightweight Co-Main Event:
Jason High vs. Mike Ricci

Middleweight:  John Howard vs. Mike Arrant
Featherweight:  Luis Palomino vs. Sheymon Moraes
Middleweight: Phil Hawes vs. Josh Key

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Lightweight: Tom Marcellino vs. Devin Powell
Heavyweight: Juliano Coutinho vs. Justin Willis
Heavyweight: Tyler King vs. Lorenzo Hood
Welterweight: Robert Fonseca vs. Sean Lally
Lightweight:  Bruce Boyington vs. Saul Almeida
Bantamweight:  Rodrigo Almeida vs. Ben Pierre-Saint
Lightweight: Marcus Surin vs. Christian Torres
mixed martial arts, MMA, World Series of Fighting

UNDEFEATED SENSATION PHIL HAWES SIGNS WITH WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING

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FORMER JUNIOR COLLEGE NATIONAL WRESTLING CHAMP
WILL DEBUT AGAINST JOSHUA KEY AT WSOF31
LIVE ON NBCSN AT 9 P.M. ET ON FRIDAY, JUNE 17
FROM MASHANTUCKET, CONN.

 

LAS VEGAS (May 20, 2016) –World Series of Fighting (WSOF.com) has signed undefeated middleweight (185 pounds) prospect Phil Hawes (3-0) to an exclusive, multi-year promotional agreement.

A product of the famed Jackson-Winklejohn camp in Albuquerque, N.M., the 6-foot, 27-year-old Hawes who hails from Little Ferry, N.J., will make his promotional debut against Joshua “The Prince of MMA” Key (6-11, 2 NC) on the live, five-bout NBCSN telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) of WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland, at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. onFriday, June 17.

“Phil is one of the most exciting, young prospects in the sport of MMA, so we are excited to welcome him to the World Series of Fighting family, and we look forward to seeing how his career develops under our promotion,” said World Series of Fighting President Ray Sefo.

The matchup with Key will be Hawes’ first start since 2014, his professional debut year when he ran to three straight victories, the first two by way of TKO and the third – a first round victory over Brandon Collins on October 18 – by way of armbar submission.

A 2009 junior college national wrestling champion for Iowa Central Community College, the alma mater of UFC champion and Jackson-Winklejohn teammate Jon “Bones” Jones, Hawes has been described by Jones as having“limitless” potential.

Priced from $39.99, tickets for WSOF31: Ivanov vs. Copeland are on sale at WSOF.com and Foxwoods.com.

Doors at The Grand Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino will open at 5 p.m. ET, and the first preliminary card bout will begin at 6 p.m.

In the main event of the live NBCSN telecast, reigning world heavyweight champion Blagoy Ivanov (13-1) will risk his title against Josh “Cuddly Bear” Copeland (13-1).

In the lightweight (155 pounds) co-main event, superstars Jason “The Kansas City Bandit” High (19-5) and Mike “The Martian” Ricci (11-4) will square off with their division’s number one contender ranking at stake.

WSOF31: IVANOV VS. COPELAND
MAIN CARD (Live on NBCSN)

World Series of Fighting Heavyweight Championship Main Event:
Blagoy Ivanov (Champion) vs. Josh Copeland (Challenger)

Lightweight: Jason High vs. Mike Ricci
Welterweight:  John Howard vs. Thiago Meller
Featherweight: Luis Palomino vs. Sheymon Moraes
Middleweight:  Phil Hawes vs. Joshua Key

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on WSOF.com)

Lightweight: Tom Marcellino vs. Devin Powell
Heavyweight: Juliano Coutinho vs. Justin Willis
Heavyweight: Tyler King vs. Lorenzo Hood
Welterweight: Robert Fonseca vs. Sean Lally
Lightweight: Bruce Boyington vs. Saul Almeida
Bantamweight: Rodrigo Almeida vs. Ben Pierre-Saint
Lightweight:  Sam Watford vs. Christian Torres