Tag Archives: Zac Richard

LEAR AND RICHARD TO VIE FOR FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AT NEF 37 IN BANGOR

Bangor, Maine (December 6, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 37: Sub Zero,” on Friday, February 1, 2019 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of an amateur featherweight title fight to the card.  Fred Lear (6-2) is scheduled to meet Zac Richard (3-0) for the vacant 145-pound championship.

Fred Lear will look to replicate the success he had the last time he fought in Bangor.  In August 2017, Lear captured the amateur bantamweight strap with a second-round technical knockout of Walt Shea (3-1) at the Cross Insurance Center.

Lear has had a stellar amateur career fighting out of Young’s MMA in Bangor.  Prior to competing in mixed-martial-arts, Lear wrestled for John Bapst High School also based in the Queen City.  He has won his last three in a row in the MMA cage.  Should Lear win the featherweight title, he will become the first competitor in NEF history to hold championships in multiple weight divisions.

“This title fight is an opportunity to develop and grow,” said Lear. “An undefeated opponent with nothing but finishes, I like it—it’s polarizing. I want to turn professional. This is how I get better, that’s all I’m focused on.”

Like Lear, Zac Richard brought a wrestling background with him to the MMA cage.  He won a state championship in 2015 competing for Massabesic High School in Waterboro, Maine.  Richard now trains with Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire under head coach, current UFC competitor, and former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, Devin Powell (9-4).  Richard has finished all three of his previous opponents in the first round.

“I’m very excited for this fight,” said Richard. “The belt is great and all, but it’s just a stepping stone to my goals. I think this is a great opportunity for me to really show the hard work I put in. This fight camp is going to be extremely different for me and I cannot wait to have that cage locked. This fight will be just past the year mark of when I started training in MMA. It’s just the beginning.”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 37: SUB ZERO,” will take place on Friday, February 1, 2019 at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine with a bell time of 8 pm.  Tickets are on-sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.

ZAC RICHARD FIGHTING IN MEMORY OF HIS SISTER 

Portland, Maine (November 6, 2018) – Two things have provided a compass for Zac Richard through his admittedly challenging journey into young adulthood: Combat sports, and the fighting spirit of his older sister, Lacy.

 

 

Richard will combine those influences in a powerful way when he enters the New England Fights mixed martial arts cage Saturday, November 17 for “NEF 36: Battle For the Gold” at Aura in Portland. Opening bell time is 7 p.m.

 

 

The former high school state champion wrestler from Waterboro, Maine, undefeated in two short MMA forays, will take on Chris Lachcik. It’s a weekend with unforgettable significance for Richard and his family: That weekend will mark the six-year anniversary that Zac’s sister, Lacy, 23, passed away after a battle with cancer.

 

 

“It’s a weird thing losing your sister. It’s certainly going to help motivate me,” Richard said. “A lot of the fans that are going to be there will be wearing T-shirts that we made with my sister’s picture on it. I think it will be an emotional night.”

 

 

Lacy’s death came early in Zac’s sophomore year at Massabesic High School.

 

 

It fueled his development as one of the top schoolboy wrestlers in the state. After losing an overtime decision at the Class A state meet as a junior, Richard finally grabbed 145-pound gold in his senior campaign of 2015.

 

 

“That was always my thing,” Richard said, “I remember a wrestling match my senior year. I was getting my ass kicked by this kid and had no energy to get up. That’s all I could think about was if Lacy could get up, so can I. I ended up winning that match, too, so it’s kind of crazy.”

 

All-state and New England competitions were in play that year, as well, but Richard said his postseason was cut short for disciplinary reasons.

 

 

It began a cycle of a year or two in which Richard – the only remaining child of Glen and Shelly – struggled to find his way in life.

 

 

His relationship with his parents suffered. Memories of their inseparable bond during his wrestling career ultimately provided Zac’s wake-up call.

 

 

“Starting in middle school, my parents drove me to New Hampshire every single day to practice. They drove me all around the country. They bought me a sauna to cut weight in. They always loved the sport,” Richard said, “Once wrestling ended, I was just kind of being a (jerk). They stopped talking to me as much and we weren’t as close.

 

 

“I always missed (wrestling). I had nothing to keep me out of trouble. Wrestling was what always did that for me. It sounds corny, but once 2018 came it was like, “All right, let’s get your (stuff) together.’ It was time to do something with my free time.”

 

 

Richard joined forces with Nostos MMA in Somersworth, New Hampshire, home of former NEF Lightweight Champion and current Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) fighter Devin Powell.

 

 

It didn’t take long for Richard to find a home and follow his mentor into competition. His docket to date includes first-round technical knockouts of Gabriel Diaz and Clifford Redman.

 

 

“Devin is definitely cool. He took me under his wing when I first went in there,” Richard said. “I went to the NEF fights in February when I first started, and he brought me in the cage to get a feel for it and stuff. He’s always given me good advice and told me which fights I should take and which ones I shouldn’t.”

 

 

Coincidentally, both Richard and Powell are preparing for bouts that will take place the same day. Powell’s is on the first-ever UFC card in Argentina.

 

 

“We’re both training right now, so it’s not as one-to-one as much this time, but I love having him as a coach,” Richard said. “I drive 45 minutes every single day because it’s Devin, you know?”

 

 

Richard’s transition to the multi-dimensional MMA arena has been so quick that his repertoire remains a work in progress. He relies heavily on his wrestling acumen and the relentless personality that made him a champion on the mat.

 

 

“I love it because I can actually slam people now,” he said with a laugh. “I was a real scrappy wrestler. I had the most takedowns for my high school, which I crushed the record before me. So those two things help out a lot in MMA, the takedowns and the scrambling, because I don’t practice as much jiu-jitsu as I should. But my wrestling can usually get me out of most situations.

 

 

“I’ve always thought about doing MMA. Growing up as a kid I followed the sport. And I’ve always gotten into fights, so it was like, why not? I kind of hit it off pretty quick, and now I’ve fallen in love and I’m obsessed with it.”

 

 

That focus isn’t lost on Richard’s parents, who are heavily involved in his life – and budding career – once again.

 

 

Together, the family helped raise $33,000 for cancer awareness and research at an annual motorcycle ride in Lacy’s honor this past June.

 

 

Ticket and T-shirt sales also are part of their contribution, but they’re not afraid to get a little dirty, either. When Zac’s boxing coach was unable to attend the last fight, Glen took his place in the corner.

 

 

“My parents are very big supporters,” Richard said, “I love them. I love seeing them be happy with me again.”

 

 

He noted that they drove all the way to Bangor, between two and three hours, for a one-minute fight earlier this year.

 

 

True to his own tradition, Richard hasn’t spent much time watching film of his upcoming opponent.

 

 

“I don’t like to game plan. I just want to go in there and do it. If you fought a guy on the street, you couldn’t watch videos of him. That’s the way I look at it,” Richard said. “All through wrestling, I watched film of one kid because it was my state final and I’d wrested him like 12 times. We went back and forth so it was like, ‘What am I doing wrong?’ But that was different.”

 

 

Richard expects this fight to be a jumping-off point as he tests himself against the top competition NEF has to offer in the year ahead.

 

 

“I’m just going to take any fight I can get against the best guys,” Richard said. “You can sit here and say, ‘I could have been one of the best fighters’ and stuff, but you’ll never know until you try. Every fight I’m going to put my hardest into it.”

 

 

And through all the blood, sweat and tears, one guiding force will remain constant.

 

 

“I’m usually pretty irritated that time of year,” Richard said of Lacy’s anniversary. “Every fight and wrestling match, I’ve just thought to myself if your little sister – well, big sister, but she was tiny – can fight cancer and deal with all this (crap), there’s no way I’m going to back down.”

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” will see the company make its return to Aura in Portland, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

DEPPMEYER AND RICHARD TO COLLIDE AT NEF 36 IN PORTLAND, MAINE

 

 

Portland, Maine (September 18, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its final mixed-martial-arts event of 2018, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” on Saturday, November 17 at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur catchweight bout to the card.  Jacob Deppmeyer (1-1-1) will face Zac Richard (2-0) at a fight weight of 140-pounds.

 

 

 

Jacob Deppmeyer is coming off a “fight of the night” performance earlier this month at “NEF 35” in Bangor, Maine.  Deppmeyer went the distance with Taylor Bartlett (1-1-1) in a back-and-forth war that was ultimately ruled a draw on the judges’ scorecards.  That bout marked Deppmeyer’s return to the cage after more than a year off from competition.  He defeated Glenn Kasabian (2-3) via first-round technical knockout at “NEF 28” in the spring of 2017.  Deppmeyer trains with First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine.

 

 

 

“Zac looks like a tough guy, fast with good pressure,” said Deppmeyer.  “I don’t know much more about him, but I know I will train hard with my team, as I’m sure he will, and we will have some good fun in the cage come November 17!”

 

 

 

Undefeated Zac Richard has been one of the emerging stories of the 2018 NEF season.  Richard has won both of his previous bouts this year by first-round technical knockout.  A win over Deppmeyer would put Richard in serious contention for “Rookie of the Year” honors at the close of 2018.  Richard is a native of Waterboro, Maine where he wrestled for Massabesic High School.  He won a Class-A state championship in wrestling in 2015.  He currently trains at Nostos MMA in Somersworth, New Hampshire under former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, and current UFC competitor, Devin Powell (9-3).

 

 

 

“I can’t wait to get back in the NEF cage in Portland, close to home for my family and friends,” said Richard.  “Fighting in NEF has helped me find new purpose in my life – it’s taken me back to my wrestling roots and given me a competitive outlet to continue testing my skills. This fight is the day after the anniversary of my sister’s passing, so it’s a very meaningful date for me. I’m excited to get out there and notch my third win on November 17th in honor of her memory.”

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” will see the company make its return to Aura in Portland, Maine.  The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm.  Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.

NEF DROWNS PORTLAND WITH RIPTIDE BEFORE CAPACITY CROWD; CHOI INSTITUTE SHINES IN PRO FIGHTS

Portland, Maine (April 15, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) made its return to Portland on Saturday night with the fight promotion’s latest mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 33: Riptide.”  For the second time in as many events at the venue, NEF packed Aura with a sold-out crowd.

On the amateur portion of the card, Kam Arnold (3-0) continued his winning ways with a highlight-reel, one-punch knockout of David Thompson (1-3).  Arnold, a hot prospect out of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in nearby Lewiston, Maine, dropped Thompson with a right hand in the first round to remain undefeated.

Walt Shea (3-1) and Nate Boucher (2-3) met in the amateur headliner at a catchweight of 130-pounds.  Both athletes were looking to bounce back from losses in their last respective NEF appearances, but it was Shea who took the victory late in the third round when referee Kevin MacDonald stopped the fight due to strikes.  Earlier in the evening, Shea’s First Class MMA teammate, Ben Murtiff (1-0) won his amateur debut, making for a perfect 2-0 night for the Topsham, Maine-based team.

On the professional side of the card, Ernesto Ornelas (3-7) picked up the win over Carl Langston (0-1) via unanimous decision. Moments later, Ornelas’s teammate at the Choi Institute Caleb Hall (1-0) was successful in his pro debut with a first-round submission of veteran John Ortolani (8-13).

The main event of the evening saw longtime Maine MMA veteran Bill Jones (13-11) defeat Matt Denning (5-8) via technical knockout in the second round.  Denning announced his retirement from cage competition immediately following the bout.  Jones’ win capped a successful night for Nostos MMA of Somersworth, New Hampshire.  The team went 3-0 on the night with Zac Richard (1-0) and Killian Murphy (1-0) taking home wins on the amateur card.

NEF announced that its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave” would take place back at Aura in Portland onJune 16, 2018.  Already announced for that card, Ross Dannar (1-1) and Devin Corson (1-1) will square off in an amateur lightweight contest, while Aaron Lacey (5-1) returns to the NEF cage to take on Da’mon Blackshear (4-1) in a professional featherweight bout.

The results from Portland, Maine:

PROFESSIONAL

Bill Jones def. Matt Denning via TKO, round 2

Caleb Hall def. John Ortolani via Von Flue Choke, round 1

Ernesto Ornelas def. Carl Langston via unanimous decision

 

AMATEUR

 

Walt Shea def. Nate Boucher via TKO, round 3

Killian Murphy def. Krishna Scott via TKO, round 1

Ben Murtiff def. James Lewis via TKO, round 1

Kam Arnold def. David Thompson via KO, round 1

Mark Gardner def. Brandon Schwinck via rear-naked choke, round 1

Duncan Smith def. Taylor Bartlett via standing guillotine, round 1

Zac Richard def. Gabriel Diaz via TKO, round 1

Liam Fagan def. Curtis Ouellette via unanimous decision

Carol Linn Powell drew Chelsea Tucker (Grappling Match)

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.