Gorham, Maine (June 22, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) announced earlier today that the fight promotion would once again sponsor an athlete at this year’s Brawlin’ Lobsta Wrestling Clinic & Tournament. The camp is set to take place at the Gorham campus of the University of Southern Maine (USM) from July 17 to July 22. For the fifth year in a row, NEF will select one winner for which the fight promotion will cover tuition to the program.
“It’s a thrill for us to once again be supporting the Brawlin’ Lobsta Wrestling Clinic,” stated NEF co-owner and Matchmaker Matt Peterson. “This year it’s all the more exciting to be partnering with Maine wrestling legend Brandon Bushaw to send not one, but two wrestlers to clinic. Mike Morin’s USM program is exploding and with the latest round of recruits that he’s brought in, I have no doubt that they will be a threat at the national level within the next two to three seasons. I encourage every Maine wrestler to apply for this scholarship to earn a chance to work with Morin’s decorated staff clinicians. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to sharpen your skills, as well as learn some new ones, during the off-season.”
Additionally, NEF MMA veteran Brandon Bushaw has also agreed to sponsor an athlete in the program this year. Now a business owner residing in South Carolina, Bushaw cut his teeth on the mats growing up in Westbrook, Maine. He won two Maine state titles wrestling for Westbrook High School. After high school, Bushaw went on to wrestle for Michigan State University where he was a teammate of current UFC competitors Rashad Evans and Gray Maynard. He is a member of the Maine Wrestling Hall of Fame.
“I attended Boston University wrestling camp between my sophomore and junior seasons in high school,” recalled Bushaw. “Not only did it change me as a wrestler, but I really feel that it changed me as a person. I have attended and coached many camps, and the life lessons you learn there are very important. I am proud to sponsor a young wrestler to attend USM’s Brawlin’ Lobsta wrestling clinic because I feel it is important to give back to a sport and community that has given me so much!”
Camp instructors Mike Morin and Jon Deupree have both competed in the MMA cage in the past. Morin is the head wrestling coach at USM and a two-time All-American. Deupree is an assistant coach with USM. He was a two-time NCAA national qualifier wrestling for the Huskies.
“I would like to thank NEF for supporting USM wrestling and sponsoring another wrestler to attend the Brawlin’ Lobsta Camp this summer,” said Morin. “This sponsorship is huge in allowing kids to have the opportunity to wrestle year-round who might not have that opportunity otherwise. It’s great for our program at USM and great for the state as a whole to get better in the sport of wrestling!”
Interested contestants are asked to submit a photograph of themselves wrestling via email to newenglandfights@gmail.comalong with a brief statement of 100 words or less detailing why they believe the clinic will help them achieve their goals. The winners will also each receive a pair of tickets to “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” as well as an NEF apparel package to wear during the clinic.
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 35: Wicked Season,” will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.