Tag Archives: Jesse Erickson

amateur boxing, Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF WILL TAKE FIGHT FANS TO THE PROMISED LAND THIS FATHER’S DAY WEEKEND

June 3, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (June 3, 2016) – It will be a celebration of all things Americana when New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée on Saturday, June 18, 2016. The wildly popular fight promotion will once again give fans a full night of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing action.

In the main event of the boxing portion of the fight card, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) will defend the Northeast Junior Welterweight Title against challenger James “The Motor City Bad Boy” Lester (10-9-1). The two fought to a draw on the judges’ scorecards this past April in Lewiston. They agreed to rematch with Berry’s title on the line. This time, however, there will be an odd number of rounds (seven to be exact) to make the chances of another draw very slim.

Also on the boxing portion of the card, former USA New England Middleweight Champion Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour (13-2) and Casey “The Buzzsaw” Kramlich (4-0-1) from the Portland Boxing Club in Portland, Maine will both make their respective NEF Boxing debuts.

The professional MMA portion of the card will see Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-5) return to the cage after his third unsuccessful attempt at capturing the lightweight title this past April. Erickson will have his work cut out for him in the form of the always tough Amos Collins (4-5) at a catchweight of 161-pounds.

Erickson’s teammate, Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (3-2), will also see action on the professional MMA card when he meets Brandon Bushaw (1-2) in a featherweight bout.

The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a flyweight title rematch as Ryan Burgess (2-0) defends against the former champion, and the athlete he took the title from, Dustin Veinott (4-4). Veinott’s loss to Burgess last fall via split decision put a stop to his four-fight win streak.

Also on the amateur card will be 46 year-old Dr. Steve Bang, Sr. (1-1), a bariatric surgeon from Auburn, Maine. In an unplanned homage to Father’s Day, he will be joined on the fight card by his sons Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5),Shawn Bang (1-1), Skyler Bang (0-0) and foster son Conner Murphy (1-0).

The “NEF 24” fight card (subject to change):

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

140*TITLE Brandon Berry (11-1-1)(c) vs James Lester (10-9-1)

HWT Vinnie Carita (11-1-1) vs Francisco Mireles (17-10)

190 Steve Collins, Jr. (7-0-1) vs Jose Humberto Corral (19-21)

160 Russell Lamour (13-2) vs Roberto Valenzuela (69-71-2)

154 Casey Kramlich (4-0-1) vs Zenon Herrera (0-1)

PROFESSIONAL MMA

250 Michael Hansen (4-4) vs Robert Laroski (1-1)

170 CJ Ewer (1-0) vs Phil Rowe (1-2)

161 Jesse Erickson (6-5) vs Amos Collins (4-5)

145 Matt Denning (3-2) vs Brandon Bushaw (1-2)

AMATEUR MMA

125*TITLE Ryan Burgess (2-0)(c) vs Dustin Veinott (4-4)

170 Shawn Bang (1-1) vs Mike Bezanson (1-0)

155 Steve Bang Sr. (1-1) vs Stacy Lupo (0-0)

155 Derek Daley (0-0) vs Johel Stephenson (0-0)

155 Steve Bang, Jr. (3-5) vs Dominic Cofone (6-5)

145 Skyler Bang (0-0) Eddie DeRoche (0-0)

125 Conner Murphy (1-0) vs Justin Witham (1-4)

115 Alex Walker (0-1) vs Nicole Burgess (0-0)

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND.” Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

For more information on the events 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.”

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

FAN-FAVORITE DREAM MATCH MORE THAN JUST FANTASY

May 20, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (May 19, 2016) – Since long before the dawn of the internet, sports fans have debated the outcome of fantasy meetings between beloved teams and athletes. What would happen if Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali met in their respective prime? Could the ’96 Bulls beat the ’86 Lakers? How would the bats of the ’27 Yankees fare against the starting rotation of the ’98 Braves? In mixed-martial-arts (MMA), presumably because the sport is so young, fantasy matchups are usually separated by weight classes as opposed to time.

Such is the case with the professional middleweight bout recently signed by New England Fights (NEF) for the fight promotion’s June 18 event, “NEF 24: PROMISED LAND,” in Lewiston. Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-5) will move up two weight classes to face Crowsneck Boutin (2-2) at 185-pounds. It is a fight that fans of both popular athletes never imagined they would see, and now it is happening.

Jesse Erickson was unsuccessful in his attempt to capture the vacant NEF MMA Pro Lightweight Title last month at “NEF22.” The loss to Devin Powell (6-1) put a halt to Erickson’s three-fight win streak. The upcoming bout with Boutin offers not only a chance for redemption, but a chance for Erickson to fight without going through the rigors of a strenuous weight cut.

“Crowsneck is someone who always puts on a good show,” said Erickson. “I’m excited for the challenge and look forward to the cage door being locked with us inside. I truly enjoy getting in that cage and this show I’ll be doing it without the misery of cutting weight. Don’t miss this fight!”

After losing two-in-a-row in the MMA cage and coming up with a draw in a pro boxing bout, Crowsneck Boutin scored a big victory last weekend over Ruben Redman (0-1) in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The win brought Boutin’s record back up to the .500 mark. On June 18, he will have the opportunity to add another notch to the win column.

“The fight fever is aboard me,” said Boutin. “I’ll be ready to battle. Erickson is a bad ass, so I love this fight. From my perspective, it appears that our dark towers is one in the same.”

Amateur MMA, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEW CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT NEF 22 IN LEWISTON

April 26, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (April 23, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its most recent event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. More than 3,000 fight fans were on hand for the event, making it one of the largest crowds ever to witness an NEF event.

On the boxing portion of the card, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (11-1-1) fought to a majority draw in a six-round contest with James Lester (10-9-1). Many of Berry’s supporters in attendance felt that he won the fight, but two of the judges had it even on the scorecards.

The headliner of the amateur MMA card saw Caleb Hall (7-3) captured the vacant amateur featherweight title with a second-round submission of Erik Nelson (2-3). On the professional side of the MMA card, Devin Powell (6-1) took home the lightweight championship by defeating Jesse Erickson (6-5) in the first round via technical knockout.

The full results from Lewiston, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

Brandon Berry fought James Lester to a majority draw

PROFESSIONAL MMA

Devin Powell def. Jesse Erickson via TKO, round 1 (Powell wins lightweight title)

Mike Hansen def. Jesse Baughman via arm triangle, round 1

Josh Harvey def. Matt Denning via triangle choke, round 1

Tollison Lewis def. Zenon Herrera via armbar, round 1

Aaron Lacey def. Derek Shorey via D’Arce Choke, round 1

AMATEUR MMA

Glenn Kasabian def. Matt Marshall via TKO, round 1

Tom Burgess def. Alex Payson via KO, round 2

Ryan Daley def. Jake Denham via TKO, round 2

Bryce Bamford def. Joe Krech via TKO, round 1

Caleb Hall def. Erik Nelson via D’arce Choke, round 2 (Hall wins featherweight title)

Nick Gulliver def. Dave Smith via TKO, round 1

Cory Trial def. Angelo Rizzitello via split decision

Ras Hylton def. Matt Glover via KO, round 2

Angela Young def. Hannah Sparrell via unanimous decision

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 23: CAGE THE CAPE,” takes place Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Tickets are on sale now atwww.NewEnglandFights.com.

NEF returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine on June 18, 2016 with “NEF 24: THE PROMISED LAND.” Tickets for “NEF 24” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at207.783.2009 x 525.

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, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

ALL ROADS LEAD TO MONUMENTAL FIGHT CARD IN LEWISTON

March 31, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (March 31, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE” on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card will feature a mix of mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for the event. The fight card is scheduled to feature three professional boxing matches, six professional MMA bouts, and twelve exciting amateur MMA contests.

On the professional boxing side of the card, Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion, and the pride of West Forks, Maine, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry(11-1, 7 KOs) returns to the ring for a six-rounder with Detroit, Michigan’s James Lester (10-9, 4 KOs). Berry, one of the most popular boxers to ever come out of Maine, will look for his fourth consecutive victory since returning from a shoulder injury last year.

That will prove easier said than done with Lester standing in the opposite corner. Lester is a product of the world-famous Kronk Gym in Detroit where world champions like Thomas “Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Oscar De La Hoya (39-6, 30 KOs), Lennox Lewis (41-2-1, 32 KOs) and Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) have trained under the late Emmanuel Steward. Lester was ranked number-two nationally as an amateur. He presents a dangerous threat to Berry, one that could very well play the role of “spoiler” to “The Cannon” and his legion of fans.

After a bloody war of a professional boxing debut at “NEF 21” last month, NEF MMA regular Crowsneck Boutin (0-0-1) will once again step into the boxing ring, this time facing Brandon Montella (3-0, 2 KOs). Montella, now a resident of Massachusetts, grew up in Maine and served in the United States Marine Corps.

Headlining the professional MMA portion of the fight card will be Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-4) and Devin Powell (5-1) in a lightweight contest. Both fighters are currently on a three-fight win streak.

“I try to focus on what is right in front of me,” said Erickson during a recent interview on The MMA Report Podcast. “I never looked past my opponents but I like to think what the reward is going to be when I beat this guy.”

Neither athlete can afford to overlook the other, but a win for either could very well mean a call from one of the national promotions. Erickson has been there before with Bellator. Powell is an all-around talent with some slick finishes to his credit.

“This is the type of MMA fight we absolutely love,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “You have two guys who match up so well. They’ve both been racking up the wins. They’ve faced some of the same opponents. They’re both solid on the mat and on their feet. I expect this to be yet another crazy, wild NEF MMA main event!”

“Crazy” and “wild” do not even begin to describe the grudge that has developed between Josh “Hook On” Harvey (0-0) and Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (2-1). The bitter rivals will meet at a fight weight of 150-pounds at “NEF 22” in an MMA bout. The bout will be Harvey’s professional debut after a stellar 5-1 amateur career that saw him capture the NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title, as well as the northeast regions number-one ranking. The well-publicized personal issues between Harvey and Denning will be settled in the cage on April 23rd.

The professional portion of the MMA card will also feature the pro debut of Harvey’s Young’s MMA teammate Aaron “Relentless” Lacey (0-0) as he takes on veteran “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (3-5) in a featherweight bout. Lacey vacated the NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Title in order to turn professional.

That title will not stay vacant very long as Caleb Hall (6-3) and Erik Nelson (2-2) face off to determine a new champion at the top of the amateur MMA card. Hall is coming off a first-round submission win at “NEF XX” last fall, while Nelson recently picked up a unanimous decision victory at “NEF 21.”

The amateur MMA card will also feature a women’s fight between Angela Young(0-1) and “Hollywood” Hannah Sparrell (1-0). Young and Sparrell made their respective debuts last year at “NEF XIX.”

The full “NEF 22” fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

175 Crowsneck Boutin 0-0-1 (Choi) vs Brandon Montella 3-0 (The Way)

140 Brandon Berry 11-1 (West Forks) vs James Lester 10-9 (Kronk)

140 Josh Parker 0-2-1 (Ruthless) vs Evincii Dixon 7-13-1 (Lancaster)

PROFESSIONAL MMA

205 Mike Hansen 3-3 (Berserkers) vs Jesse Baughman 0-1 (Link)

170 Jarod Lawton 4-2 (Lawton/NEU) vs Aaron Aschendorf 2-2 (ABCC)

155 Devin Powell 5-1 (Nostos) vs Jesse Erickson 6-4 (CMBJJ)

150 Josh Harvey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Matt Denning 2-1 (CMBJJ)

155 Zenon Herrera 0-3 (Independent) vs Tollison Lewis 0-5 (CMBJJ)

145 Aaron Lacey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Derek Shorey 3-5 (Shatterproof)

AMATEUR MMA

145 *TITLE Caleb Hall 6-3 (Choi) vs Erik Nelson 2-2 (CMBJJ)

265 Dave Smith 2-1 (Berserkers) vs Nick Gulliver 2-0 (First Class)

265 Matt Glover 1-0 (Berserkers) vs Ras Hylton 1-0 (First Class)

265 Joe Krech 0-1 (Berserkers) vs Bryce Bamford 1-0 (First Class)

185 Anthony Spires 0-1 (Independent) vs Mike Williams 1-1 (CMBJJ)

170 John Hansen 0-0 (Berserkers) vs Alex Payson 1-0 (First Class)

155 Ken Dunn 0-3 (W. ME Budo Arts) vs Frank Johanson 0-1 (CMBJJ)

150 Cory Trial 1-2 (Ruthless) vs Jeremy Tyler 4-3 (Team Irish)

145 Johnny Crafts 4-0 (NEU) vs Taylor Costantino 2-1 (Team Irish PTC)

145 Glenn Kasabian 0-0 (Choi) vs Matt Marshall 2-5 (MMA Athletix)

140 Angela Young 0-1 (Young’s) vs Hannah Sparrell 1-0 (First Class)

125 Jake Denham 1-0 (Lawton BJJ) vs Ryan Daley 0-2 (Team Irish)

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 22: ALL ROADS LEAD HERE,” takes place Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 22” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 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.”

amateur boxing, amateur mixed martial arts, Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEF TO OPEN 2016 WITH SPECTACULAR FIGHT CARD

January 7, 2016 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (January 6, 2016) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. The fight card is scheduled to feature both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for the event which will be the fight promotion’s first of 2016.

A pair of professional boxing bouts will be featured on the main card of the evening. Joel “Baby Bull” Bishop (0-0-1) returns to action after more than a year’s absence to face MMA regular Crowsneck Boutin (0-0) in a light-heavyweight four-round bout. Northeast Junior Welterweight Champion Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (10-1) will attempt to make it three wins in a row when he steps in the ring to face undefeated Tollison Lewis (2-0) in a six-round, non-title, super-welterweight contest. Both Berry and Lewis are coming off wins in the boxing ring at “NEF XX” this past November.

The professional portion of the MMA card will be headlined by the long-awaited meeting between Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (12-8) and Jon Lemke (5-3). Dubbed “The Battle for Bangor,” with both men living and training in the Bangor, Maine area, Boyington’s NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Title will be on the line. Number-one contender Lemke will be looking to capture the first championship of his MMA career.

The co-main event of the evening on the professional MMA card will see local Lewiston-Auburn favorite Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-4) taking on Devin Powell (4-1) in a lightweight matchup. Powell returns to the NEF cage for the first time since May 2014, while Erickson will be looking for his fourth consecutive win in Lewiston.

A total of three title fights will headline the amateur MMA side of the card. Young’s MMA standout Josh Harvey (5-1) defends his lightweight title against Florida’s Andrew “Ling-Ling” Tamayo (8-1). Caleb Farrington (3-0) andRicky Dexter (4-2) will decide the first-ever NEF MMA Amateur Welterweight Champion, while Henry Clark (3-1) and Johnny Crafts (3-0) meet to determine the inaugural amateur bantamweight titleholder.

In addition, Erin Lamonte (5-0) and Randi Beth Boyington (1-2) are scheduled to face off in a women’s MMA bout. It will be a rematch of a contest won by Lamonte at “NEF XX.” Boyington’s supporters in the audience felt that the referee stopped the bout prematurely as Boyington was about to break out of, or had already broken out of, Lamonte’s armbar submission. After much back and forth among their respective supporters on social media, the rematch is expected to settle the issue once and for all.

The full “NEF 21” fight card (subject to change):

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

148 Brandon Berry 10-1 (West Forks) vs Tollison Lewis 2-0 (CMBJJ)

175 Joel Bishop 0-0-1 vs Crowsneck Boutin 0-0 (Choi Institute)

PROFESSIONAL MMA

155*TITLE Bruce Boyington (c) 12-8 (Young’s MMA/Boyington’s TKD) vs Jon Lemke 5-3 (Team Irish)

185 Mike Hansen 3-2 (Berserkers MMA) vs Zach Elkins 0-1 (First Coast Full Contact)

155 Zenon Herrera 0-2 (Independent) vs CJ Ewer 0-0 (Young’s MMA)

155 Jesse Erickson 6-4 (CMBJJ) vs Devin Powell 4-1 (Nostos)

145 Derek Shorey 3-3 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Josh Lange 3-2 (Bombsquad)

125 Brandon Warne 0-1 (Bombsquad) vs Norman Fox 0-0 (MMA Athletix)

AMATEUR MMA

170*TITLE Caleb Farrington 3-0 (Lawton’s/NEU) vs Ricky Dexter 4-2 (Team Irish)

155*TITLE Josh Harvey (c) 5-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Andrew Tamayo 8-1 (F2 Arena)

135*TITLE Henry Clark 3-1 (Choi Institute) vs John Crafts 3-0 (Team NEU)

265 Dave Smith 2-0 (Berserkers MMA) vs Brendon Battles 1-0 (Gracie Fitness)

265 Gravin Guillen 2-4 (Independent) vs Matt Glover 0-0 (Berserkers MMA)

210 Ryan Glover 2-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Mike Williams 1-0 (CMBJJ)

205 Matt McFarland 0-1 (First Class MMA) vs Zak Bergeron 0-0 (CMBJJ)

170 Adam Nielsen 3-0 (Team Irish) vs Ruben Redman 1-4 (Team Mass Effect)

155 Ken Dunn 0-3 (Maine Kyokushin Karate) vs Frank Johanson 0-0 (CMBJJ)

155 Chad Murillo 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Tony Agust 0-0

145 Rafael Velado 2-0 (First Class MMA) vs Mike Pietersen 3-0 (Young’s MMA)

140 Erik Nelson 1-2 (CMBJJ) vs Julio Martinez 0-1 (Gracie Fitness)

135 David Thompson 1-1 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Caleb Costello 2-4 (Team Irish)

135 Richmond Pierce Wiegman 0-1 (First Class MMA) vs Clifford Redman 0-3 (Mass Effect)

125 Brent Ouellette 0-1 (CMBJJ) vs John Parker 0-2 (Team Nitemare)

125 Justin Witham 1-3 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Jake Denham 0-0 (Team Lawton/NEU)

120 Erin LaMonte 5-0 (Gracie Fitness) vs Randi Beth Boyington 1-2 (Boyington’s TKD/Young’s MMA)

265 Ras Hylton 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs TBD

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS,” takes placeSaturday, February 6, 2016 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF 21” start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 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

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS OF NEF XX

November 25, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (November 22, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its latest event, “NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE” on Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Some 2,500 packed the Colisée for the historic first-ever hybrid mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing card in Maine.

In the boxing main event of the evening, Brandon “The Cannon” Berry (10-1) went eight-rounds for the first time in his career, defeating gritty Mexican veteran Roberto Valenzuela (72-70-1) via unanimous decision.

On the professional MMA portion of the card, Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington(12-8) was victorious in defending the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Championship against Jimmy “Jimbo Slice” Davidson (7-2).

In addition, NEF announced its next event, “NEF 21: THE IMMORTALS” will take place on February 6, 2016 in Lewiston. Another hybrid MMA-pro boxing event, “NEF 21” will feature Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (6-4) taking on Devin Powell (4-1) in a lightweight contest. Already announced to be competing the boxing card are Brandon Berry and Joel “The Baby Bull” Bishop (0-0-1). Erin “Fun Size” Lamonte, who improved to 5-0 tonight, will return on the amateur MMA portion of the February 6 card.

The results from Lewiston, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

150 Brandon Berry def. Roberto Valenzuela via unanimous decision

155 Tollison Lewis def. Zenon Herrera via TKO, round 3

135 Josh Parker drew Elias Leland

CATCH Ernesto Ornelas def. Brandon Ali Garvin via TKO, round 2

PROFESSIONAL MMA

155*TITLE Bruce Boyington (c) def. Jimmy Davidson via TKO, round 3

CATCH Jon Lemke def. Matt Denning via TKO, round 1

170 Matt Bordonaro def. Crowsneck Boutin via knee bar, round 1

CATCH Matt Andrikut def. Jesse Baughman via TKO, round 1

145 Damon Owens def. Derek Shorey via Gogoplata, round 1

AMATEUR MMA

125*TITLE Ryan Burgess def. Dustin Veinott (c) via unanimious decision

145*TITLE Aaron Lacey def. Caleb Horner via unanimous decision

125 Justin Witham def. Brent Ouellette via TKO, round 2

155 Rafael Velado def. Ken Dunn via Kimura, round 1

155 CJ Ewer def. Jason Lachance via unanimous decision

S.HWT Nick Gulliver def. Jason Field via TKO, round 1

145 Caleb Hall def. Matt Tamayo via armbar, round 1

265 Mike Williams def. Joe Krech via armbar, round 1

200 Victor Irwin def. Anthony Spires via TKO, round 1

CATCH Ricky Dexter def. Steve Bang via KO, round 1

140 David Thompson def. Richmond Pierce Wiegman via TKO, round 1

121 Erin Lamonte def. Randi Beth Boyington via armbar, round 1

185 Caleb Farrington def. Ruben Redman via guillotine, round 2

265 Bryce Bamford def. Bryce Locke via TKO, round 1

170 Caleb Swoveland def. Taylor Carey via arm triangle, round 2

155 Levi Sewall def. Matt Hanning via TKO, round 2

About New England Fights

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

FULL FIGHT CARD ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX IN LEWISTON

August 15, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (August 14, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced the fight card for the event featuring a full slate of professional and amateur MMA matchups.

The event is aptly titled “Homecoming” as it will feature the returns of several athletes who have either been recently inactive or competing outside the NEF umbrella. One such return will feature Darrius Heyliger (5-2) from Ithaca, New York. Maine and the NEF cage became a home-away-from-home for Heyliger and several of his Bombsquad teammates during the early days of the promotion. Heyliger competed regularly for NEF in 2012 and early 2013. His last appearance in the cage was in May 2013 against Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (22-11) in the main event of “NEF VII.” Heyliger will make his return on September 12 against Brandon Chagnon (5-4) of Sityodtong.

The professional side of the card will also feature the homecoming of Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (1-0) after a 10-month extended layoff from action. Denning made his professional debut last November with a win over Derek Shorey (2-2). He will return in front of his hometown crowd against Zenon “Ka-bar” Herrera(0-1).

Speaking of hometown fighters, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (5-4), a native of neighboring Auburn, Maine, will look to extend his win-streak to three when he faces Ricky “Savage” Sylvester (2-1). Sylvester’s previous appearance in NEF ended in controversy when many felt he held an armbar a little too long on Tollison Lewis (0-4).

On the amateur side of the card, Josh Harvey (4-1) is scheduled to headline in the first defense of his NEF MMA Amateur Lightweight Title. Harvey will meet the stiff challenge of Ryan Dibartolomeo (4-2) from John Fain’s Team Triumph/Boston BJJ of Nashua, New Hampshire. Harvey won the vacant title this past June with a first-round submission of Ricky Dexter (3-1).

The amateur portion of the card will also feature not one, but two women’s contests. Young’s MMA of Bangor, Maine will be represented in both bouts with Angela Young (0-0) and Kira Innocenti (0-0) making their respective debuts. Angela is the wife of Young’s MMA founder and head coach Chris Young. She will meet Rachel Reinheimer (1-0) from Sityodtong while Innocenti will square off against Hannah Sparrell of First Class MMA.

The full fight card (subject to change and approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine):

PROFESSIONAL

265 Matt Andrikut 0-0 (Conviction Martial Arts) vs Artie Mullen 1-14 (Southern Maine MMA)

205 Michael Hansen 2-2 (Berserkers MMA) vs Crowsneck Boutin 1-0 (Choi Institute)

170 Darrius Heyliger 5-2 (Bombsquad) vs Brandon Chagnon 5-4 (Sityodtong)

155 Jesse Erickson 5-4 (CMBJJ) vs Ricky Sylvester 2-1 (Team Flo)

155 Matt Denning 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Zenon Herrera 0-1 (Independent)

150 Derek Shorey 2-2 (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Tollison Lewis 0-4 (CMBJJ)

135 Zech Lange 2-1 (Bombsquad) vs Jay Perrin 2-0 (Boston BJJ NH)

AMATEUR

205 Ryan Glover 1-1 (Berserkers MMA) vs Zak Bergeron 0-0 (CMBJJ)

200 Chaz Gray 0-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Dominique Bailey 0-0 (Independent)

200 Ian Milligan 0-0 (Team Kaze) vs Anthony Spires 0-0 (Independent)

185 Ruben Redman 1-2 (Independent) vs Nick Shea 1-0 (First Class MMA)

185 Caleb Farrington 2-0 (Team NEU) vs Jon McNeil 1-0 (Boston BJJ NH)

170 Ricky Dexter 3-1 (Team Irish) vs C.J. Ewer 3-2 (Young’s MMA)

170 Scott Godbois 0-0 (Berserkers MMA) vs Phil Pearson 0-0 (MMA Athletix)

155*Title Josh Harvey 4-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Ryan Dibartolomeo 4-3 (Boston BJJ NH)

155 Cory Trial 1-1 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing) vs Rafael Velado 0-0 (First Class MMA)

150 David Thompson (Shatterproof Combat Club) vs Jason Lachance 1-2 (MMA Athletix)

150 Kira Innocenti 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Hannah Sparrell 0-0 (First Class MMA)

145 Mike Pietersen 2-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Alex Johnson 2-2 (Ruthless MMA & Boxing)

140 Fred Lear 3-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Henry Clark 2-1 (Choi Institute)

135 Clifford Redman 0-2 (Independent) vs Wil Carrero 0-1 (MMA Athletix)

130 Angela Young 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Rachel Reinheimer 1-0 (Sityodtong)

125 Ryan Burgess 1-0 (Independent) vs Michael Crespo 3-2 (MMA Athletix)

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING,” takes place onSaturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX: HOMECOMING” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 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.”

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Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

PRO LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF XIX

June 30, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (June 29, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its nineteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XIX,” on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional lightweight bout to the fight card. Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (5-4) is scheduled to meet Ricky “Savage” Sylvester (2-1) at a fight weight of 155-pounds.

Erickson, after challenging unsuccessfully twice for the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Championship last fall, is undefeated in 2015. Erickson downed Mark DeFord (0-4) in April in under two minutes with an impressive knockout. He followed up that performance with yet another first-round victory over Zenon Herrera (0-1). Erickson will look to make it three victories in a row on September 12 in Lewiston. He is a coach at Lewiston’s Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (CMBJJ).

“I’m looking forward to the challenges Ricky presents,” said Erickson of his opponent Ricky Sylvester. “He is a talented athlete with power behind his strikes. I have worked hard to develop my striking game and look forward to putting it on display against him in September. Bring your A-game Ricky because I’ll be ready for a war!”

Ricky Sylvester last appeared in the NEF cage in September 2014. That night, he shocked the NEF universe with an arm bar submission win over promotion regular Tollison Lewis (0-4). A native of Lowell, Massachusetts, Sylvester relocated to Orlando, Florida where he put in time training with the world renown American Top Team (ATT). Back home in New England, Sylvester seeks to bounce back after a loss last November in New Hampshire in his previous bout.

“I’m with Team Flo now and training in the same facility as the Doughboy Wrestling Club,” Sylvester stated. “They’re taking good care of my ground game. Not to say I’m ignoring my striking, I just know that’s what I’m known for, but I want to mix it up and put some emphasis on what others might think I’m lacking and really show the double threat. Jesse Erickson is a great grappler—I would be shocked to see him just trying to stand up with me and battle hands. That being said, I know what to expect. As always, expect a great show and a hard fought fight from a savage. Live fast, die young, take chances and live reckless.”

New England Fights’ next event, “NEF XIX,” takes place on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets for “NEF XIX” 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

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, New England Fights

NEW ENGLAND FIGHTS ANNOUNCES THE RESULTS OF NEF XVIII

June 14, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (June 14, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, held its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA,” on Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. A crowd of 2,000 was on hand to see Crowsneck Boutin (1-0) win his professional debut over Ryan “The Junkyard Dog” Cowette (2-3) and Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (11-8) gain a measure of revenge by defeating John “First Class” Raio (2-8) in their long-awaited rematch.

NEF crowned its first three amateur champions in the fight promotion’s history with Billy “Bigfoot” Leahy (3-1) taking the heavyweight title in a wild back-and-forth brawl with Ryan Glover(1-1), Dustin Veinott (4-3) won a close split decision over“Sleepy” Norman Fox (4-2) to capture the flyweight strap, andJosh Harvey (4-1) submitted Ricky Dexter (3-1) to claim the lightweight championship.

It was further announced that former NEF MMA Professional Bantamweight Champion Paul Gorman (10-9) would return at “NEF XIX” on September 12, 2015 at the Colisee after a year’s absence from the cage.

The results from Lewiston, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL

150 Bruce Boyington def. John Raio via TKO, round 2
185 Crowsneck Boutin def. Ryan Cowette via unanimous decision

135 Jeremy DiChiara def. Derek Shorey via Americana, round 1
155 Jesse Erickson def. Zenon Herrera via tap to strikes, round 1
205 Cody Anderson def. Michael Hansen via TKO, round 1

AMATEUR
155*TITLE Josh Harvey def. Ricky Dexter via armbar, round 1 (Harvey wins title)
125*TITLE Dustin Veinott def. Norman Fox via split decision (Veinott wins title)
S.HWT Dave Smith def. Gravin Guillen via armbar, round 1
CATCH Mike Crespo def. Caleb Costello via unanimous decision

155 Cory Trial def. Corey Hinkley via KO, round 1
125 Ryan Burgess def. Justin Witham via unanimous decision

170 Mike Bazanson def. Jeff Dustin via TKO, round 2

155 Dom Cofone def. Jason Lachance via armbar, round 2

265*TITLE Billy Leahy def. Ryan Glover via unanimous decision (Leahy wins title)

145 Rob Robinson def. Dustin Shorey via rear-naked choke, round 2

170 Alex Payson def. Alex Bronish via TKO, round 2

160 Pat Kelly def. Dr. Steve Bang via TKO, round 1

185 Ruben Redman def. Heath Hanson via tap to strikes, round 1

265 Nick Gulliver def. Sonny Spratt via rear-naked choke, round 1

CATCH Carl Langston def. Alex Johnson via TKO, round 2

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BOYINGTON GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH RAIO DAYS BEFORE FIGHT: “I’M GONNA GO IN THERE AND DESTROY HIM”

June 11, 2015 FNU47 Leave a comment

Lewiston, Maine (June 10, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA,” this Saturday night, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine. Recently, headliners Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-8), the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion, and John “First Class” Raio(2-7) joined NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson on a special “Head-to-Head” edition of the NEF Podcast. Boyington and Raio discussed the upcoming rematch and the controversy surrounding their first meeting in February 2014, among other topics.

The interview quickly turned to the top of the first fight. Raio appeared to apply a rear-naked choke to Boyington on the mat late in the first round. Boyington began waving his hand in the air and referee Jimmy Bickford quickly stepped in to stop the fight. Much has been made of the infamous “hand wave.” While Bickford saw it as a sign of Boyington’s submission, Boyington has contended that he was merely signaling to his fans in the crowd that the hold was not doing any damage.

“I can tell you how that night ended,” recalled Raio of the first bout. “Basically, Bruce had given me his back. When I took his back, I had the hooks in and I had the rear-naked choke across his jaw line. I was trying to pressure it under his throat, and as I grabbed my left bicep and my left hand was going behind his head, the ref stopped the fight… I was amazed that he had tapped because, honestly, I knew that I had a lot of pressure on his jaw… If in fact he was waving, that sucks for him.”

“In that situation, I specifically remember Bickford looking at me, I’m face up, he’s going for my neck and I’m waving,” said Boyington. “Everybody starts roaring real loud and I remember Bickford saying, ‘No Bruce, you can’t say that’… If you think that I’m submitting or I’m in trouble or can’t breathe, you don’t tell the fighter, “You can’t say that,” you just jump in and you stop the fight. I feel like he made a mistake. I feel like he realizes that… I see a lot of different things that John has said online, and a lot of things other people have said, and that’s when I really started to get bothered by what had happened. I felt like he could’ve handled it better.”

Prior to Boyington giving up his back, many felt he had been winning that first round. Indeed, Boyington’s striking seemed to be on point that evening. Peterson asked both competitors to speculate on what would have happened had the referee not stopped the bout at that point.

“Inevitably, I think John would’ve been knocked out,” stated Boyington emphatically. “I don’t think I’m gonna submit him, because that would be his best chance with me. He’s strong enough to defend a submission.”

“I think if the ref didn’t stop at the time, when I was on his jaw with my forearm and I was reaching behind his neck,” Raio speculated, “I believe my arm would’ve slid under his throat and it would’ve ended sometime soon before the round. So, I don’t think it would’ve gone to a second round.”

In the days, weeks and months following the fight, both Boyington’s and Raio’s massive fan-followings have been very vocal on social media regarding the outcome of the bout. The heated debate has raged between both sides for well over a year now. With so much at stake for each side at “NEF XVIII,” both athletes touched on what the rematch means to them, and what they need to prove this coming weekend.

“I just can’t go in there and beat John,” said Boyington. “Even his own fans are expecting that… I can’t just go in there on June 13thand beat John Raio. I gotta go in there and destroy him. Or I still lose out on this fight. I know that, and I’m gonna go in there and make that statement. And I’m gonna do it with one arm, because the other arm isn’t even working right now… I haven’t worried about this date from day one. It’s nothing to do with John Raio. I don’t disrespect the guy. I don’t not like the guy. He’s a good man. I’m just at another level. I need to show up and prove that. That’s what it is to me. It’s not about me beating John. It’s about me showing everybody where I belong.”

“In regard to Bruce finishing me quickly, and making it easy, and not really worrying about the fight too much, I just find it disrespectful like a lot of things he’s said to me, my family and my friends,” replied Raio. “There were times after the last fight when people were congratulating me (on Facebook) and he’d go on like a one or two paragraph rant on every single comment everyone had put on my page for like three days straight. So, after that I said ‘Bruce and I aren’t really friends anymore,’ so I deleted him. I liked him before that fight… but when people disrespect me like he has it’s hard to like the guy.”

To listen to the NEF Podcast in its entirety, please visitwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/.

To learn more about John Raio’s gym, please visit “First Class Fitness and MMA” on Facebook. Likewise, to learn more about Boyington’s Taekwondo Academy, please visit their websitewww.BoyingtonsTKDA.com.

Tickets for “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 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

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