170 Steve Erland 2-1 (Team Irish) vs CJ Weller (Youngs MMA)
They clinch up in the corner and then break. Steve catches him with a right hand that drops him and takes his back. CJ quickly recovers and ends up on top in guard. Steve gets a triangle and is trying to get the tap. CJ hangs on until the end of the round.
Steve 10-9
Rd 2: Steve tries for a guillotine and pulls him down. They scramble and Steve ends up on top in guard once again. Not much action and Jimmy Bickford stands them up. Steve catches him with a right hand again and drops him. He tries to finish him off with ground and pound but Steve takes him down and ends up on top in half guard as the round ends.
Steve 10-9
Rd 3: CJ goes for a takedown and gets it. He is working the side then passes to half guard. He is getting in some occasional punches to the head. Not much action and ref stands them up. They scramble and CJ ends up on top in half guard as the round ends.
CJ 10-9
CJ Wells defeats Steve Erland via unanimous decision 29-28. Not the way I had it but the rounds were close.
180 Scott Lavoie 1-0 (Team Irish) vs Rob Higgins 0-0 (CMBJJ)
They are going at it. Each fighter is getting in their jabs. Scott is getting in some clean jabs. Rob fires with an inside leg kick. Rob hits Scott with a right hand that spins him but he is fine. Scott gets in a front kick. They stand and work their jabs the rest of the round.
Real close round but I give the slight edge to Scott 10-9 for initiating the action more.
Rd 2: Scott goes for a takedown but is stuffed. Scott is attempting a takedown again but gives up and they are back to the center of the cage. Rob rocks him with a shot that drops him. Rob then covers and finishes him off.
Rob Higgins defeats Scott Lavoie via tko stoppage to strikes at 1:17 in Rd 2.
135 Kim Russell 0-0 (Balanced Ground MMA) vs Tara Mitchell 0-0 (Wes Littlefield’s)
Kim hits Tara with a shot and Tara takes her down. Kim gets back to her feet and goes for a clinch. Tara gets a guillotine and Kim takes her down. She pulls her head out and is working the half guard. Not much action so the ref stands them up. Tara is clinching Kim up against the cage as the round ends.
Real close round Tara 10-9
Rd 2: They go at it and Kim is bleeding from her nose a little.. They are continuing to stand and bang. Kim is eating many shots and bleeding more. Tara takes her down and is on top in full mount. Kim rolls her over and Tara is working an armbar but can't quite get it. She is however able to get in some strikes to the head.
Tara 10-9
Rd 3: They are working their strikes. Tara is getting the better shots in. Tara gets two jabs clean and goes for the takedown and gets it. Tara is working the side but not much action so ref stands them up. Tara gets in some more jabs. They clinch and Kim is pushing her up against the cage as the round ends.
Tara 10-9
Tara Mitchell defeats Kim Russell via majority decision.
130 Stephen Desjardins 2-2 (Team Irish) vs Trevor Hebert 0-1 (Frosty's First Class)
Stephen gets caught in the cup with a knee from the clinch. He takes his time and then the fight resumes. Trevor gets in some jabs and they clinch again. Stephen gets the takedown and goes right to full mount. He gets in a punch and Trevor bucks and twists. Stephen tries for an armbar and can't get it. They get back to their feet. Stephen gets caught in the cup again. Ref deducts a point. Stephen gets the takedown and Trevor gets back to his feet rather quickly. Stephen gets hit with an inside leg kick and grazed the cup as the round ends.
Stephen 10-8 due to point deduction.
Rd 2: Trevor throws an outside kick and gets taken down. He bounces right back up. Trevor gets in an right hand. Stephen gets the takedown and takes the back. Trevor moves and Stephen slips off. Stephen is on the ground and Trevor stands over him and gets some outside leg kicks. They get back to their feet and Trevor gets him with a good right hand that drops him. He covers and finishes him off with a few more shots and the ref stops it.
Trevor Hebert defeats Stephen Desjardins via tko stoppage to strikes at 2:50 in Rd 2.
185 Ramon Saintvil 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Jacob Cameron 0-2 (Independent)
They are swinging for the fences. Ramon clinches him up against the cage and gets the takedown. No action so ref stands them up. Ramon gets in some clean shots. Jacob gets in a front kick. They clinch up against the cage. Ramon breaks and gets in some body and head shots. Jacob gets out of the corner and Ramon gets in some more shots.
Ramon 10-9
Rd 2: They clinch up against the corner and Ramon rocks him with a body shot that drops him. Ref stops the fight.
Ramon Saintvil defeats Jacob Cameron via tko stoppage to strikes in Rd 2.
145 Charlie Stambach 0-0 (Team Irish) vs Derek Shorey 2-6 (The Shop/Team Kaos)
Derek gets in a combo and they clinch briefly. Charlie slams him down and takes his back. Charlie is working a rear naked choke and gets the tap.
Charlie Stambach defeats Derek Shorey via tapout to rear naked choke at 29 seconds in Rd 1.
145 Caleb Hall 2-0 (Moontide MMA) vs Zackary Adams 0-1 (Young’s MMA)
Zack gets the takedown and Caleb bounces back up. Caleb gets a takedown and they get right back up. They are over in the corner and Caleb gets the takedown. He is on top in guard. He gets bucked off and they are back to their feet. Caleb is working for a single leg but can't get it. They break and swing away. Caleb eats a front kick but tries for a single leg. He doesn't get it as the round ends.
Caleb 10-9
Rd 2: Zackary gets a head kick that drops Caleb. He is trying to take his back and work a rear naked choke but he is giving Caleb too much time to recover. He is working a rear naked choke but can't get it. He slips out and is now on top in guard but is caught in a triangle but it isn't deep enough. Caleb gets out and finishes off on top.
Caleb 10-9
Rd 3: Caleb comes out swinging and backs Zackary up in into a corner. He swings looping lefts and rights and gets the stoppage.
Caleb Hall defeats Zackary Adams via tko stoppage to strikes early in Rd 3. What a fight!!
170lbs Joel Adams (Team Irish) vs. Sean Worcester (Independent)
Joel gets a guillotine and takes him down. He moves to full mount and gets the tap.
Joel Adams defeats Sean Worcester via tapout to guillotine at 36 seconds in Rd 1.
155 Jeremy Tyler 0-1 (Team Irish) vs Tollison Lewis 3-7 (Balanced Ground MMA)
They are going at it! Tollison gets the takedown but is on the bottom. Tollison is trying to get the sweep but Jeremy pulls his head out of the guillotine and is trying to lay down some ground and pound. Tollison gets the sweep as the round ends.
Jeremy 10-9
Rd 2: Jeremy gets a guillotine and takes Tollison down. Tollison pulls out and Jeremy is on top in full mount. Tollison sweeps and Jeremy takes his back and works the rear naked choke for the tap.
Jeremy Tyler defeats Tollison Lewis via tapout to rear naked choke at 1:25 in Rd 2.
145 John Raio 0-3 (Frosty's First Class/Choi's) vs Damon Owens 0-0 (Young's MMA)
John starts us off with a leg kick. Damon gets a high kick that connects and knocks John out cold.
Damon Owens defeats John Raio via head kick knockout at 35 seconds in Rd 1. John eventually stands up and is ok. Wow what a knockout!!
175 Andrew Hughes 0-0 (Team Irish) vs Joe Palazio 1-0 (Team Rukus)
Joe catches the leg and takes him down. Andrew works his way up using the cage and Joe takes him down again. Andrew gets back up again. Joe hip tosses him down and is in half guard. He then moves to the side and then moves to north south. Joe has him in the north south choke but Andrew is fine. He eventually moves to the side. Joe fires an elbow and Andrew spins. Joe pulls guard with a guillotine and Andrew pulls his head out. He is on top as the round ends. Blood is all over Andrews face.
Joe 10-9
Rd 2: They come out swinging. Andrew hits Joe with a clean shot. Joe takes him down and is in guard. Andrew gets back to his feet and Joe takes him right back down. Not much action and ref stands them up. Andrew hits Joe with a right jab. Joe is fighting for a takedown again but can't get it. Joe throws a punch and takes Andrew down. Andrew has done a great job on the bottom from not taking too much damage. Andrew is sitting down firing elbows to Joe's head as the round ends.
Joe 10-9
Rd 3: Andrew misses with a right. They clinch and Joe gets the double leg takedown. He is working the guard. Andrew is trying to get back to his feet but Joe keeps the pressure on. The ref stands them up. Andrew gets a takedown but then lets him up. He knows he needs to finish. Joe takes him down and is working the side. He moves to north south and tries the north south choke. Andrew moves in and now Joe is working the side as the round ends.
Joe 10-9
Joe Palazio defeats Andrew Hughes via unanimous decision 30-27. Joe came up from Rhode Island and got the hard fought W.
145 Bruce Boyington 2-5 (Young's MMA) vs Asa Zorn 0-2 (Hard Knocks MMA)
Asa comes out and goes for a takedown. Bruce stuffs it and tries to take the arm. He turns and fires down some ground and pound on Asa for the ref stoppage.
Bruce Boyington defeats Asa Zorn via tko stoppage to strikes at 28 seconds in Rd 1.
160 Jon Lemke 3-0 (Team Irish) vs Matt DesRoches 4-0 (Wulfrun MMA)
Jon gets in an inside leg kick. Jon gets in a combo. Jon goes for a takedown and gets it. Matt gets back to his feet. Jon is working for a single leg but is getting hit with lots of shots to the head. Matt takes the arm and gets the tap.
Matt DesRoches defeats Jon Lemke via tapout to armbar at 1:49 in Rd 1.
145*TITLE Ray Wood 3-0 (Young's MMA) vs Lenny Wheeler 6-2 (Wulfrun MMA)
Ray Wood tries for a takedown but is stuffed. He gets in a kick to the body. Ray gets the takedown this time but Lenny gets right back up. Ray sinks in the guillotine and takes him down. He gets the tap.
Ray Wood defeats Lenny Wheeler via tapout to guillotine at 1:01 in Rd 1. Ray Wood remains undefeated and is now the 145lb NEF champion.
Awards:
Fight of the Night: Caleb Hall and Zackary Adams
Submission of the Night: Ray Wood guillotine over Lenny Wheeler for the title!
KO of the Night: Damon Owens head kick KO over John Raio
Blunder of the Night: Everything went smooth
The event was a great success. The fights were great and the weather was even better. This turned out to be the biggest attendance for NEF ever. Way to go NEF and Bangor to pack the Waterfront with around 4000 NEF fans. The bugs weren't too bad and the wet lawn dried up before the event so it all worked out. I liked the canvas look for the cage. NEF went with the canvas due to being an outside show and they didn't want it too wet and slippery for the fighters. Young's MMA and Team Irish fighters all did an excellent job and won the majority of their fights for the evening. Joe Palazio came up from Rhode Island and used his wrestling and takedowns to win the bloody battle against tough as nails Andrew Hughes. I spoke with NEF promoters and they were very happy with the event and this could perhaps be an annual thing. What do you think NEF fans?? NEF will be back on August 3rd in Biddeford Maine. Thanks to NEF and the crew for allowing us to cover the event. It was totally worth the 5 hour drive!