Lewiston, Maine (January 15, 2015) –New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, presents its sixteenth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVI,” on February 7, 2015 in Lewiston, Maine. The event is scheduled to originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of a professional featherweight bout to the fight card. “Shatterproof 2.0” Derek Shorey (1-1) has signed to meet Jon Lemke (4-3) at a fight weight of 145-pounds.
“We’re so very proud to have two military heroes like Derek Shorey and Jon Lemke representing our promotion in the cage,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Our featherweight division is one of our deepest, and this fight will have major implications for the rankings.”
Derek Shorey debuted in NEF MMA in April 2012 at “NEF II.” He competed for NEF four times as an amateur going 1-3 for the promotion. At “NEF XIV” last September, Shorey made his professional debut against John “First Class” Raio (2-6), who had defeated Shorey when the two competed as amateurs. Shorey gained a measure of revenge by submitting Raio in the first round. He went on to face Matt Denning (1-0) at “NEF XV” this past November. Although he controlled most of the first round, Shorey suffered his first loss as a pro fighter that night. He is currently the head of the recently-formed Shatterproof Combat Club. Shorey also served in the United States Navy. As a fellow veteran, Shorey holds his opponent Lemke in high regard.
“Jon is a tough draw for any fighter in New England at 145,” said Shorey. “He is probably the most well-rounded fighter I’ve faced to date and I’m excited to see what that brings out in me. It’s going to be a military bar fight between the squid and the devil dog taking place in a controlled environment, and the outcome is sure to be nothing short of an exciting show for the NEF fans. I hold nothing but the highest level of respect for Jon and the guys at Team Irish, and look forward to an exciting bout.”
Jon Lemke, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps (USMC), last appeared in the NEF MMA cage at “NEF XIV” in September 2014 defeating Amos Collins (3-5) via first-round technical knockout (TKO). He is a member of Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis’ (22-11) Team Irish based in Brewer, Maine. Lemke previously fought on the national stage, defeating Jesse Erickson (3-4) on NEF’s co-promotion with Bellator in March 2013. Lemke is clear that the respect is mutual between himself and Shorey.
“I am once again very excited and grateful to step into the NEF cage and do battle against a true warrior,” said Lemke. “I look forward to meeting the challenges that such a highly-skilled athlete such as Derek provides. To be able to meet and exceed those challenges will be a testament to the hard work that myself and teammates have done and will continue to keep improving and live my dreams.”
NEF’s next MMA event, “NEF XVI,” takes place on February 7, 2015with an all-star lineup of fights scheduled. NFL and UFC The Ultimate Fighter veteran Tyler King (7-2) puts the NEF MMA Heavyweight Title on the line against Terry “The Polar Bear” Blackburn (5-2). In the feature bout of the evening, UFC, Bellator and Strikeforce veteran Nah-Shon Burrell (10-5) makes his NEF MMA debut against Ryan Hodge (6-9). Tickets 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
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.
