Tag Archives: Dennis Olson

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

RAFAEL CARVALHO WINS VACANT MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AFTER LIVER KICK TO BRANDON HALSEY

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UNCASVILLE, Conn. (Oct. 23, 2015) – Rafael Carvalho (12-1) won the title that was vacated by Brandon Halsey (9-1) after missing weight in his last appearance, finishing the former undefeated fighter during an enthralling middleweight encounter in the main event of ”Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho.”

 

Carvalho had the belt wrapped around his waist by Bellator MMA President Scott Coker after sending Halsey to the mat in a heap, with a perfectly placed liver kick in front of a packed house at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

 

“I want to thank my team for everything,” Carvalho said after the win. “I have believed in myself from the beginning and I knew this time would come.”

 

The 29-year-old Brazilian fighter was an exorbitant underdog heading into the matchup, but as the saying goes, that’s why they fight. The next time Carvalho enters an arena, his banner will now hang from the rafters.

Ward Stops Olson to the Delight of Partisan Crowd

 

Much like the last time Brennan Ward (12-3) competed in his homestate of Connecticut, “Irish” caught Dennis Olson (14-10) with a right hand that sent“The Menace” to the mat, where Ward quickly pounced and forced the hand of referee John McCarthy. The finish came at 4:37 of the opening round.

 

Olson proved to be tough enough to withstand multiple flurries from Ward, even landing an upkick that seemed to hurt Ward when he tried to score a finish early. But Ward refused to let up, making sure he sent his friends and family home with a smile on their faces.

 

“I’m a hometown guy. Dennis and I talked a lot of stuff before the fight, but it was a battle in there. I have nothing but respect for him. He’s tough as hell. He almost knocked me out off his back with an elbow.

 

“I love this arena and my hometown fans, I was just trying to be patient, but he’s tough on the ground. My coach and dad told me that if I’m patient and land the right hand then the rest would be history.” Ward said. “[Andrey] Koreshkov is a tough dude, if I’m next in line then hopefully we can bang out.”

 

There are plenty of matchups that make sense for a striker the caliber of Ward, Bellator MMA fans will need to keep close tabs as 2016 quickly approaches.

Yamauchi Equals Featherweight Submission Record

 

The Bellator MMA debut of Isao Kobayashi (17-3) didn’t go as planned at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” as Goiti Yamauchi (19-2) finished the Japanese fighter with a rear-naked choke submission at 3:50 of the final frame.

 

With the win, Yamauchi tied former Bellator MMA Featherweight Champion Pat Curran, Daniel Straus, Alexandre Bezerra and Marlon Sandro for most submissions (15) in 145-pound history.

 

After the contest, the 22-year-old had some pointed words for current featherweight champion Patricio Freire.

 

“It feels great to get the victory, Kobayashi is a tough opponent. I feel my performance was good. We trained hard to improve my technique and I had a big performance today,” Yamauchi said. “Patricio, I know you will beat Daniel Straus. Accept my fight afterwards. I will be the next champion.”

”Venom” Showcases Ground Game in Opening Round Finish

In the opening main card bout at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” Michael Page (9-0) remained undefeated after finishing Charlie Ontiveros (6-4) with vicious elbows at 3:20 in the first round.

 

Previously, “Venom” has usually showcased his striking while standing upright, but on Friday, Page quickly took dominant position on the mat against his opponent and dropped perfectly placed elbows to the jaw of Ontiveros, forcing the Bellator MMA newcomer to verbally submit.

 

“I know I can finish anyone. I know I don’t have to prove anything. I hope he’s okay, I’m sorry I finished it like that, but you know I like to impress people,” Page said following the fight. “It’s down to Bellator and my coaches as to what happens next, but whoever they put in front of me the same thing is going to happen.”

 

With the win, Page has now finished eight of his nine wins as a professional in the opening round, a trend that the 28-year-old hopes to parlay into a title shot sooner rather than later.

Preliminary Card Results:

Kemran Lachinov (1-1) def. Ilya Kotau (1-0) via submission (Kneebar) 2:57, R2

Damien Trites (7-6) def. Keenan Raymond (2-2) via submission (Kimura) 1:17, R2

Kin Moy (8-2) def. Walter Smith-Cotito (3-4) via submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 3:53, R3

Billy Giovanella (9-4) def. Brandon Polcare (1-1) via submission (Triangle Choke) 2:19, R1

Matt Bessette (16-7) def. Kevin Roddy (15-16) via submission (heel hook) 3:47, R1

Kevin Haley (4-3) def. Mike Zichelle (7-4) via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

Matt Secor (7-2) def. Jeremie Holloway (7-1) via submission (heel hook) 4:54, R2

Marius Enache (3-3) def. Pete Rogers Jr. (3-2) via submission (Americana) 2:37, R2

Sam Watford (1-0) def. TJ Hepburn (4-2) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

EDUARDO DANTAS SUFFERS RIB INJURY, FORCING POSTPONEMENT OF BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE SHOT AGAINST MARCOS GALVAO AT ‘BELLATOR 144’

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (October 7, 2015) – A rib injury sustained by Eduardo Dantas (17-4) during training camp has forced him to withdraw from his “Bellator 144” main event matchup against Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

 

As a result, the fight has been cancelled and a middleweight contest pitting Brandon Halsey (9-0) against Rafael Carvalho (11-1) will now serve as theOctober 23 headliner. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2) versus Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) has been promoted to the televised portion of action on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

In addition to the new main event of “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” a pair of welterweight contests will also be featured on the main card, when“Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) meets Dennis “The Menace” Olson (14-9) and Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) returns to face promotional newcomerCharlie Ontiveros (6-3).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

Please see below for the updated bout order for the fights slated to take place at “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho,” which airs live and free on Spike.

 

Complete “Bellator 144: Halsey vs. Carvalho”  – October 23

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)

Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. Dennis Olson (14-9)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Isao Kobayashi (18-2-4) vs. Goiti Yamauchi (18-2)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. Charlie Ontiveros (6-3)

* CLICK ABOVE FOR PRIOR PRESS RELEASES

Preliminary Card: (Spike.com – 6:50 p.m. ET/5:50 p.m. CT

Bellator 150-Pound Feature Fight: Pete Rogers Jr. (2-2) vs. Marius Enache (2-3)

Bellator Flyweight Feature Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-4) vs. Brandon Polcare (1-0)

Bellator 165-Pound Feature Fight: Keenan Raymond (2-1) vs. Damien Trites (6-6)

Bellator Bantamweight Feature Fight: Kin Moy (7-2) vs. Walter Smith-Cotito (3-3)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Matt Bessette (15-7) vs. Kevin Roddy (15-15)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Matt Secor (6-2) vs. Jeremie Holloway (7-0)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Sam Watford (debut) vs. TJ Hepburn (4-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Ilya Kotau (1-0) vs. Kemran Lachinov (1-1)

Bellator Heavyweight Feature Fight: Kevin Haley (3-3) vs. Mike Zichelle (7-3)

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos

Bellator, mixed martial arts, Spike TV

‘IRISH’ BRENNAN WARD TO DEFEND HIS HOMETURF AGAINST DENNIS ‘THE MENACE’ OLSON AT BELLATOR 144

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SANTA MONICA, Calif. (September 8, 2015) – “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will compete for the third time in 2015 when he meets Dennis “The Menace” Olson (14-9) in a welterweight contest at “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which emanates from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on October 23.

 

The bout will take place during the main card of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which will be televised live on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts will stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.

 

The main event of “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” features an exciting rematch for the bantamweight title fight between champion Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) and his former training partner Eduardo Dantas(17-4). In the co-feature, Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-0) will look to regain the vacant Bellator MMA Middleweight Title when he takes on Rafael Carvalho (11-1).

 

Tickets for “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2,” which start at just $25, are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com and the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. Doors for the event open at 6:00 p.m. ET local time, and the first contest takes place shortly after.

 

Ward is fresh off an ESPN Top-10 first-round knockout of Roger Carroll at “Bellator 140: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” his second consecutive victory. “Irish” has competed in his home state of Connecticut on three-straight occasions, but the crowd may be torn as he faces Olson, who also calls the New England area his home.

 

Olson fought valiantly against Paul Daley this past July, but ultimately was defeated in his third appearance under the Bellator MMA banner. “The Menace” has finished 10 of his 14 wins as a professional and will also be competing for the third time in 2015.

 

Bellator 144: “Galvao vs. Dantas 2” Updated Card

 

Main Card: (Spike – 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT)

Bellator Bantamweight Championship Fight: Marcos Galvao (17-6-1) vs. Eduardo Dantas (17-4)

Bellator Middleweight Championship Fight: Brandon Halsey (9-0) vs. Rafael Carvalho (11-1)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (11-3) vs. Dennis Olson (14-9)

Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (8-0) vs. TBA

 

About Bellator MMA

Bellator MMA is a leading Mixed Martial Arts organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 500 million homes worldwide in over 140 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike, the MMA television leader.  Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.  Bellator is based in Santa Monica, California and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

 

About Spike:

Spike is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

 

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS OF NEF XVII

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Lewiston, Maine (April 12, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF XVII,” Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.   A crowd of more than 2,000 was on hand to take in the action.

 

The co-main event of the evening saw Dennis “The Menace” Olson (13-7) win a split decision victory over Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-2).   Jamie Harrison  (6-1) stopped NEF MMA Lightweight Champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-8) via first-round submission in a non-title bout in the card’s main event. In a women’s amateur bout earlier in the evening, Boyington’s wife Randi Beth Knowles (1-0) defeated Alex Walker (0-1) via unanimous decision in a thrilling back-and-forth contest.

 

In addition, NEF announced that the promotion’s next MMA event would take place at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on June 13, 2015.  The event is titled “NEF XVIII: Made in America” and it will feature the professional debut of Crowsneck Boutin (6-7 amateur) as he meets “The Junkyard Dog” Ryan Cowette (3-2) in a middleweight contest.  It was further announced that Ryan Glover(1-0) and Billy Leahy (2-1) will fight for the first ever NEF MMA amateur title in the heavyweight division on June 13.

 

The full results from Lewiston, Maine:

 

PROFESSIONAL

CATCH Jamie Harrison def. Bruce Boyington via rear-naked choke, round 1
170 Dennis Olson def. Jarod Lawton via split decision
CATCH Kaline Medeiros def. Calie Cutler via unanimous decision

150 Derek Shorey def. John Raio via TKO, round 1

CATCH Jesse Erickson def. Mark Deford via KO, round 1

CATCH Jay Perrin def. Elias Leland via TKO, round 2

 

AMATEUR

CATCH Norman Fox def. Dave Brown via guillotine choke submission, round 1
165 Connor Barry def. CJ Ewer via triangle choke submission, round 1
155 Matthew Hanning def. Rick Matthews via KO, round 1

S.HWT Dave Smith def. Ora Spratt IV via TKO, round 1

185 Heath Hanson def. Brandon Russell via TKO, round 1
CATCH Caleb Serra def. Clifford Redman via armbar submission, round 3
135 Sheldon Bang def. Mike Crespo via unanimous decision
115 Randi Beth Knowles def. Alex Walker via unanimous decision

155 Ricky Dexter def. Zenon Herrera via Kimura submission, round 1

185 Chris Rideout def. Ruben Redman via unanimous decision

185 Chris Smith def. Dan Meuse via TKO, round 1

135 Caleb Costello def. Wilmer Carrero via guillotine choke submission, round 1

150 Alex Johnson  def. Dustin Shorey via guillotine choke submission, round 1

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVIII: Made in America” will originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on June 13, 2015.  Tickets for “NEF XVIII” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

NEF MMA ANNOUNCES WEIGH-IN RESULTS FROM LEWISTON

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Lewiston, Maine (April 10, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held weigh-ins for its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF XVII,” earlier today at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Lewiston, Maine.   “NEF XVII” will take place at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee located at 190 Birch Street in Lewiston tomorrow, Saturday, April 11 with doors opening at 6:00 pm.  The first fight is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm.

 

The professional NEF MMA Lightweight Title bout between Bruce Boyington (10-7) and Jamie Harrison (5-1) is now a non-title catchweight fight after Harrison was unable to make the lightweight limit of 155-pounds.

 

The weights from Lewiston, Maine:

 

PROFESSIONAL

CATCH Bruce Boyington (154.0) vs Jamie Harrison (156.3)
170 Dennis Olson (170.9) vs Jarod Lawton (169.4)
CATCH Kaline Medeiros (116.2) vs Calie Cutler (117.9)

150 John Raio (150.4) vs Derek Shorey (149.3)

CATCH Jesse Erickson (156.3) vs Mark Deford (155.4)

CATCH Jay Perrin (139.0) vs Elias Leland (134.0)

 

AMATEUR

CATCH Dave Brown (125.4) vs Norman Fox (126.2)
165 Connor Barry (165.2) vs CJ Ewer (164.7)
155 Rick Matthews (153.7) vs Matthew Hanning (154.7)

S.HWT Dave Smith (292.6) vs Ora Spratt IV (282.7)

185 Brandon Russell (186.0) vs Heath Hanson (176.6)
CATCH Caleb Serra (147.1) vs Clifford Redman (145.0)

S.HWT Ryan Glover (227.6) vs Jason Field (271.0)
135 Sheldon Bang (135.4) vs Mike Crespo (134.1)
115 Alex Walker (115.1) vs Randi Beth Knowles (115.8)

155 Ricky Dexter (154.7) vs Zenon Herrera (153.8)

185 Chris Rideout (182.7) vs Ruben Redman (181.1)

185 Chris Smith (185.6) vs Dan Meuse (181.2)

135 Caleb Costello (134.7) vs Wilmer Carrero (136.0)

150 Alex Johnson  (149.2) vs Dustin Shorey (148.9)

 

Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com, by calling the Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525, or by visiting the Colisee box office at 190 Birch Street, Lewiston, Maine 04240.  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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

NEF XVII WEIGH-INS THIS FRIDAY; JAY JACK UNCENSORED PODCAST TO PROVIDE COVERAGE

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Lewiston, Maine (April 8, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, today announced that the weigh-ins for its upcoming mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVII,” will take place this Friday, April 10 at 2 pm EDT.  The weigh-ins will originate from the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center located at 490 Pleasant Street in Lewiston, Maine.   “NEF XVII” will take place at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee located at 190 Birch Street in Lewiston this Saturday, April 11 with doors opening at 6:00 pm.  The first fight is scheduled to begin at 7:00 pm.

 

All of the stars for Saturday night’s event will be on hand at the weigh-in this Friday, including: NEF MMA Lightweight ChampionBruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7); Bellator veteran Dennis “The Menace” Olson (12-7); Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1); undefeated professional women’s fighter Calie “The Honey Badger” Cutler (3-0); and many others. The weigh-in is open to both the public and media free of charge. For those unable to make it to Lewiston on Friday, the Jay Jack Uncensored (JJU) podcast will be on hand recording their next episode and covering the festivities.  The podcast archives can be accessed at onlinebjjproject.com/podcast/.

 

The current “NEF XVII” fight card (subject to change):

 

PROFESSIONAL

155*TITLE Bruce Boyington 10-7 (Young’s MMA) vs Jamie Harrison 5-1 (First Coast Full Contact/Riot MMA)
170 Jarod Lawton 4-1 (New England United) vs Dennis Olson 12-7 (Team Triumph/Boston BJJ)
185 Ryan Cowette 2-2 (MMA Athletix) vs John Daniels 2-3 (Rock City MMA)
155 Jesse Erickson 3-4 (CMBJJ-New England United) vs Mark Deford 0-3 (F2 Arena)
150 John Raio 2-6 (First Class MMA/Choi Institute) vs Derek Shorey 1-1 (Shatterproof Combat Club)
135 Elias Leland 2-0 (The Academy of MMA) vs Jay Perrin 1-0 (Team Triumph/Boston BJJ)
115 Kaline Medeiros 3-4 (Gracie Fitness) vs Calie Cutler 3-0 (Jacked N Tan Fight Team)

 

AMATEUR

S.HWT Dave Smith 0-0 (Berzerkers MMA) vs Ora Spratt IV 0-0 (Shatterproof Combat Club)
125 Norman Fox 3-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Dave Brown 1-2 (Plymouth Fight Club)
265 Ryan Glover 1-0 (Berzerkers MMA) vs Jason Field 0-0 (Independent)
185 Ruben Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Chris Rideout 0-0 (Independent)
185 Chris Smith 0-0 (Berzerkers MMA) vs Dan Meuse 2-0 (The Academy of MMA)
185 Heath Hanson 0-2 (3Ronin Athletics) vs Brandon Russell 0-1 (Team Nitemare)
165 CJ Ewer 3-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Connor Barry 4-1 (Independent)
155 Ricky Dexter 2-0 (Team Irish) vs Zenon Herrera 3-6 (Independent)
155 Rick Matthews 1-1 (Team Irish) vs Matthew Hanning 0-1 (Independent)
145 Clifford Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Caleb Serra 0-1 (Kaze Dojo)
150 Alex Johnson 1-1 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Dustin Shorey 0-0 (Shatterproof Combat Club)
135 Mike Crespo 2-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Sheldon Bang 1-2 (CMBJJ-New England United)
135 Caleb Costello 1-3 (Team Irish) vs Wilmer Carrero 0-0 (MMA Athletix)
115 Randi Beth Knowles 0-0 (Boyington’s TKD/Young’s MMA) vs Alex Walker 0-0 (Kaze Dojo)

 

Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FIGHT ADDED TO NEF XVII CARD WILL FEATURE LONG-AWAITED RETURN

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Lewiston, Maine (March 24, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  NEF released the full fight card for the event last week.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of an amateur catchweight bout to the fight card.  CJ Ewer (3-1) will face Connor “Bare Knuckle” Barry (4-1) at a fight weight of 165-pounds.

 

Ewer, a member of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine, took the NEF MMA amateur ranks by storm in the summer of 2013.  In the matter of just ten weeks, Ewer chalked up three victories, the last of which was over veteran Crowsneck Boutin (6-7).  His streak was brought to a halt by the tough Wayne Ahlquist (1-1) later that fall. Ewer would take more than a year off to serve his country in the United States Air Force security forces.  Now back home and training with his teammates at Young’s, Ewer looks forward to testing himself once again in the NEF MMA cage.

 

“I’m very anxious to get back to competing within NEF after being away for almost a year and a half,” said Ewer.  “And I’m thankful Young’s welcomed me back and took the time to train me. Connor looks like a very tough opponent, and it’ll be a great test for me.”

 

Connor Barry is an independent fighter currently based out of Lowell, Massachusetts.  Barry has become known as a “finisher” in the region, having defeated three of his opponents via technical knockout (TKO) and one via submission.  His only loss to date came by judge’s decision.  Already having put in two fight camps for a planned pro-debut that never happened, Barry is confident that he is in the best shape of his career and will have a successful NEF debut at Ewer’s expense.

 

“I took this fight because I have had my pro debut fall through twice,” said Barry.  “I have been training for a pro fight for five months now, so in terms of conditioning, he’s gonna be in for a surprise.  In terms of fighting, I think I outclass him in every single aspect.  From watching his fights, he looks scared to bang, and if he’s scared to bang against me, he’ll get knocked out quick.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights, women's MMA

FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR APRIL 11 NEF MMA EVENT IN LEWISTON

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Lewiston, Maine (March 18, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the full fight card for the event.  The card is scheduled to feature a full slate of both professional and amateur bouts.  NEF executives report that fan reaction to the matchups already announced has been overwhelmingly positive.

 

“I can’t remember having this kind of response to a fight card before,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo.  “There has been so much excitement over every fight we’ve announced.  We sold out of all cage-side tickets four weeks prior to the event, and the general admission are very close to being gone.  We’ve never seen that happen so early before.  It really says something about the quality of the product we’re putting on here in Lewiston. There’s no doubt NEF is the hottest ticket in town.”

 

In the main event of the evening, Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington(10-7) defends the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  The bout was made in the hours following “NEF XV” last November when Boyington successfully defended the title against Jesse Erickson (3-4) and Harrison manhandled Tollison Lewis (0-4) on his way to a quick submission victory.  The fight will be Boyington’s second defense of the title since winning it last September.

 

The co-main event of the evening will feature a highly-anticipated welterweight bout between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) and Bellator veteran Dennis “The Menace” Olson (12-7).  In recent weeks, Lawton and Olson have engaged in a war of words on social media which saw both athletes’ respective supporters jump in the fray.

 

“Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (1-1), fresh off signing a new multi-fight contract with NEF, will meet John “First Class” Raio (2-6) in a “rubber match.”  The rivalry has seen each fighter win one bout against the other.  The April 11 fight, scheduled to take place at a catchweight of 150-pounds, will determine a definitive victor in the rivalry.

 

Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (3-4) and undefeated Calie “The Honey Badger” Cutler (3-0) will make history when they contest the first professional women’s MMA fight on a regional card in Maine.  It will not be the first time Medeiros has been a part of history.  She competed in the first women’s fight in Rhode Island two years ago.

 

Also in action on the professional side of the card will be popular NEF MMA regulars Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (3-4), “The Junkyard Dog” Ryan Cowette (2-2), Elias “Danger Mouse” Leland (2-0) and Mike “the Mustache” Hansen (2-1), among others.

 

The amateur portion of the card will be headlined by “Sleepy” Norman Fox (3-1) and “Downtown” Dave Brown (1-2) in a flyweight contest.  Fox is undefeated on Maine soil and is currently the number-three ranked amateur flyweight in the Northeast. Brown wrestled for Plymouth State University where he was a four-time All-New England winner.

 

The amateur card will also feature a lightweight bout betweenRicky Dexter (2-0) from Marcus Davis’ Team Irish and Steven Bang (3-3) from Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ) – Team New England United (NEU).  Dexter’s teammate Jeremy Tyler (4-3) squares off with Alex Johnson (1-1) of Ruthless MMA & Boxing in a featherweight bout.  And Bruce Boyington’s wife, Randi Beth Knowles (0-0), will meet Alex Walker (0-0) in a double-debut strawweight fight.

 

The full fight card for “NEF XVII” (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):

 

PROFESSIONAL

 

155*TITLE Bruce Boyington 10-7 (Young’s MMA) vs Jamie Harrison 5-1 (First Coast Full Contact)

170 Jarod Lawton 4-1 (Team NEU) vs Dennis Olson 12-7 (Boston BJJ/Team Triumph)

265 Brent Dillingham 1-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Mike Hansen 2-1 (BerzerkersMMA)

185 Ryan Cowette 2-2 (MMA Athletix) vs John Daniels 2-3 (Rock City MMA)

155 Jesse Erickson 3-4 (Team NEU – CMBJJ) vs Mark Deford 0-3 (F2 Arena)

150 John Raio 2-6 (First Class MMA) vs Derek Shorey 1-1 (Shatterproof Combat Club)

135 Elias Leland 2-0 (The Academy) vs Jay Perrin 1-0 (Boston BJJ/Team Triumph)

115 Kaline Medeiros 3-4 (Gracie Fitness) vs Calie Cutler 3-0 (Jacked N Tan Fight Team)

 

AMATEUR

 

125 Norman Fox 3-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Dave Brown 1-2 (Plymouth Fight Club)

265 Ryan Glover 1-0 (BerzerkersMMA) vs Jason Field 0-0 (Independent)

265 Dave Smith 0-0 (BerzerkersMMA) vs Dan Marley 0-0 (Independent)

185 Ruben Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Chris Rideout 0-0 (Independent)

185 Chris Smith 0-0 (BerzerkersMMA) vs Nash Roy 2-1 (Young’s MMA)

185 Heath Hanson 0-2 (3Ronin Athletics) vs Brandon Russell 0-1 (Team Nitemare)

155 Ricky Dexter 2-0 (Team Irish) vs Steve Bang Jr. 3-3 (Team NEU – CMBJJ)

155 Rick Matthews 1-1 (Team Irish) vs Matthew Hanning 0-1 (Independent)

155 Jason Lachance 1-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Jesse Herrick 1-0 (The Academy)

145 Clifford Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Caleb Serra 0-1 (Team Kaze)

145 Jeremy Tyler 4-3 (Team Irish) vs Alex Johnson 1-1 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing)

135 Mike Crespo 2-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Sheldon Bang 1-2 (Team NEU – CMBJJ)

115 Randibeth Knowles 0-0 (Boyington’s TKD/Young’s MMA) vs Alex Walker 0-0 (Team Kaze)

 

 

Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FLYWEIGHT AMATEUR BOUT ADDED TO LEWISTON FIGHT CARD

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Lewiston, Maine (March 13, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of an amateur flyweight bout to the fight card.  “Sleepy” Norman Fox (3-1) is scheduled to do battle with “Downtown” Dave Brown(1-2) at a fight weight of 125-pounds.

 

Fox is a product of Ryan Cowette’s MMA Athletix gym in Bath, Maine.  He is also a devoted member of Cowette’s Victory Church. Fox made his debut with NEF MMA in August of 2013, dropping Dustin Veinott (3-3) in the first round of a bout in Biddeford, Maine.  He would go on to finish his next opponent, Mike Brown (2-3), not once but twice in the months that followed.  In the summer of 2014, Fox would suffer his first loss in the cage to Kris Moutinho (3-2) on a fight card in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  He will look to get back on the winning track on April 11 when he meets Dave Brown in Lewiston.

 

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” said Fox quoting Philippians 4:13, King James Version.

 

“Downtown” Dave Brown will also look to get back in the win column against Fox.  Brown lost by submission to Dustin Veinott last month at “NEF XVI.”  His previous appearance for the fight promotion saw Brown defeat Doug Bailey (0-1) at “NEF XV” last fall.  Brown is a native of North Andover, Massachusetts.  An accomplished wrestler, Brown competed for Plymouth State University where he was a four-time All-New England winner and is currently a member of the Plymouth Fight Club.

 

“I love fighting in front of the NEF fans,” said Brown.  “It’s such a rush stepping out into that packed arena.  As for my opponent, I’ve watched him fight and I have a lot of respect for his abilities.  But on April 11, I’m going to come in and take him down… take himdowntown!”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

TOP BANTAMWEIGHT PROSPECTS TO MEET AT NEF XVII

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Lewiston, Maine (March 12, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on April 11, 2015 with its seventeenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event.  Earlier today, the company announced the addition of a professional bantamweight bout to the fight card.  Elias “Dangerous Mouse” Leland (2-0) will take on Jay Perrin (1-0) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

 

A favorite of Maine fight fans, Eli Leland trains out of Jay Jack and Amanda Buckner’s Academy of MMA in Portland, Maine.  He made his professional debut in the NEF MMA cage last fall, defeating Brandon Bushaw (1-1) via submission in the third round.  He would follow up that victory with another submission win just a few weeks later, making short work of Jimmy Alexander (1-7) in Lewiston, Maine.  After taking the first quarter of 2015 off from competition, Leland looks forward to getting back in the NEF MMA cage.

 

“I’m pleased to be fighting for NEF for my third pro fight,” said Leland.  “I train every aspect of the fight and make a lot of tough sacrifices to stay focused and ready. With that being said, I will be ready for my next opponent and look forward to meeting him in the cage.”

 

Perrin is a product of John Fain’s Boston BJJ/Team Triumph.  As an amateur, Perrin put together an impressive 5-1 record.  He was the number-one ranked amateur bantamweight in the Northeast less than a year ago.  Perrin’s sole previous NEF MMA appearance was a winning effort against Nick Spencer (5-4) in February 2013.  The fight was part of an amazing six-fight win streak that Perrin has rode into the professional ranks.  He will look to add another notch in his win column on April 11 when he meets Leland.

 

“I’m really excited to be getting back in the cage,” said Perrin.  “Eli is a game opponent.  I know he’s going to come prepared  and ready to go.  But I’ve only become a more dangerous animal with my time off, he is just an obstacle in my path.  I’m coming to punish everyone that stands across from me.”

 

NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVII,” is scheduled to take place onApril 11, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) will defend the NEF MMA Lightweight Title against number-one contender Jamie Harrison (5-1).  In addition, Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) meets Dennis Olson (12-7) in a welterweight contest.  Tickets for “NEF XVII” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 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.