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NEF is back after a short break and they are back in a big way. This card is stacked with 27 fights in which 10 of them are professional bouts. Also 3 of them are pro title fights. Now this card was going to have the main event be Tim Sylvia and Christian Morecraft but due to injury that fight is off. We are all hoping it will happen at a later date. Please note the new time and the doors open at 5pm and the fights start at 6pm. This is so we all can get home in a timely manner and be awake for the New England Patriots opening day! Tickets are still available at the link here and they start at just $25 bux for grandstand. Warchild and I will be making the 3.5 hour trip to Maine so make sure you be on the lookout for our live play by play. In the meantime let me break down the card for you. Please keep in mind that this fight card might not be in the exact order.
135 Hillary Cooledge 0-0 (Independent) vs Tara Mitchell 1-0 (Littlefield’s)
NEF is starting their show off with a bang with the female bout between Hillary Cooledge and Tara Mitchell. This fight will be at 135lbs. Hillary is an independent fighter who will be making her amateur debut. Her opponent, Tara is from Littlefield's MMA and has a 1-0 record. Tara won her first fight in front of the NEF fans in Bangor in which she defeated Kim Russell by unanimous decision. She controlled the fight the entire time and in my eyes didn't even lose one round. She will be looking to use that momentum in her attempt to take home the victory this weekend.
135 Trevor Hebert 1-4 (First Class) vs Michael Crespo 1-0 (MMA Athletix)
Next battle is between Trevor Hebert and Michael Crespo. Trevor fights out of First Class MMA and has a 1-4 record. For his losses he lost 3 by submission and one by decision. He won his sole victory by ko/tko against a tough Stephen Desjardins. Every fight Trevor is in he looks much improved and he will be looking to plug his holes in his game and show NEF fans he isn't going away. His opponent Michael Crespo fights out of MMA Athletix and has a 1-0 record. He won his first fight at the last NEF show against Phil Exner by submission in Round 2. He was supposed to fight Trevor at the last show but this time it is happening.
137 Carl Langston 3-4 (BGMMA) vs Nick Spencer 4-4 (Choi’s)
At a catch weight of 137 lbs, Carl Langston challenges Nick Spencer. Carl fights out of Balanced Ground MMA and has a 3-4 record. For his losses he has lost 2 by decision, 1 by ko/tko and one by submission. He has wins in every which way with a win by ko/tko, submission and by decision. He is fresh off a victory at Combat Zone and is always looking to put on a show for the fight fans. His opponent Nick Spencer has a 4-4 record and fights out of Choi's MMA. He won 3 out of his four wins by ko/tko and the other win was by submission. For his losses he lost two by decision and two by submission. This is a great match up for both fighters and it is going to be real fun to watch.
135 Nate Boucher 0-0 (CMBJJ) vs James Dougherty 0-1 (Choi’s)
Next up is Nate Boucher against James Dougherty at 135lbs. Nate is from CMBJJ and will be making his amateur debut. Coming out of CMBJJ, I know he will be ready for battle. His opponent Dougherty is from Choi's MMA and has an 0-1 record. He lost his first fight to Steve Sobel by decision back at NEF 6 which was in Feb of 2013. As you can see this is a dead even match up and should make for another awesome battle courtesy of NEF.
135 Steve Desjardins 3-3 (Team Irish) vs Erik Nelson 1-1 (CMBJJ)
Steve Desjardins challenges Erik Nelson at 135lbs. Steve is from Team Irish and has a 3-3 record. He has 2 wins by decision and one by sub. For his losses, he has one by ko/tko, one by sub and one by decision. He always is ready for a battle and he will be looking to pull ahead and move to 4-3. His opponent, Erik trains out of CMBJJ and has a 1-1 record. He lost his first fight by decision and then bounced back with a submission victory over Cody Sargent. This is his first fight of 2014 and he is going to want to make it count.
145 Jeremy Tyler 4-2 (Team Irish) vs Matt Denning 3-3 (CMBJJ)
Then Jeremy Tyler takes on Matt Denning at 145lbs. Jeremy is from Team Irish and has a 4-2 record. His only two losses were by submissions. For his wins, he has all 4 wins by submission. He will be looking for a 5th submission if he can get it. His opponent Denning trains with CMBJJ and has a 3-3 record. All 3 of his victories have been by submission. For his losses he lost one by ko/tko, one by sub and one by decision. With 7 submissions wins between them, this fight should be an excellent ground battle.
145 Dom Cofone 4-4 (BGMMA) vs Corey Hinkley 2-2 (CMBJJ)
At 145lbs Dom Cofone squares off against Corey Hinkley. Dom is from BJMMA and has a 4-4 record. He has one win by ko/tko, 2 by submission and one by decision. He is on a 3 fight losing strike and will be looking to end that streak this Saturday at NEF. His opponent, Corey trains with CMBJJ and has a 2-2 record. He has a win by submission and one by decision. For his losses, he lost one by ko/tko and one by submission. Both fighters have an even .500 record and one of them will be leaving the cage with a winning record.
145 Johnny Crafts 1-0 (NEU) vs Justin Witham 0-0 (Nitemare)
Then at 145lbs Johnny Crafts challenges Justin Witham. Johnny has a 1-0 record and trains with New England United. He got his first win by armbar against Ryan Daley at NEF 12. Justin trains out of team Nitemare and will be making his amateur debut. Two new fighters which should make for an exciting match up.
145 Caleb Hall 3-1 (Choi’s) vs Phil Exner 0-1 (Littlefield’s)
Caleb Hall takes on Phil Exner at 145lbs in the NEF cage. Caleb has a 3-1 record coming into this fight and trains out of Choi's MMA. For his 3 wins he finished in all of his fights, 2 by ko/tko and one by submission. His only loss was to Aaron Lacey at NEF 11. He will be looking to get back on the winning track and right now Phil is in his way. Exner trains out of Littlefield's Gym and he has an 0-1 record. In his NEF debut he lost by armbar to Mike Crespo at the last NEF. He will be hungry for his first taste of victory in the cage.
155 Jarrod Tyler 2-1 (Team Irish) vs Mike Robinson 1-3 (MMA Athletix)
At 155llbs Jarrod Tyler will fight Mike Robinson. Jarrod, the second half of the Tyler Brothers is from Team Irish and has a 2-1 record. Jarrod lost his first battle by ko/tko but since then has came back with 2 straight unanimous decision victories. One of his fights I remember seeing against Nate Charles and it was a stand and bang battle where Tyler suffered a cut and powered through for the victory. His opponent Mike Robinson trains with MMA Athletix and has a 1-3 record. I was not able to find out all of his fight information but he did fight at the last NEF show and lost by ko/tko in Rd 1 against Chad Jordan. I expect this fight to be an action packed battle so pay attention NEF fans!
155 Josh Harvey 1-0 (Young's MMA) vs Alex Johnson 0-0 (Ruthless)
Next up is Josh Harvey against Alex Johnson at 155lb weight class. Harvey trains out of Young's MMA and has a 1-0 record. Harvey made his debut for Combat Zone in which he won a decision against Michael Fagan. He looked very well poised in his debut and with Young's MMA having his back you know its gonna be a good one. His opponent is Alex Johnson from Ruthless who will be making his amateur debut. Johnson is going to have his work cut out for him against a Young's MMA guy so I hope he very well prepared. I am looking forward to seeing this battle.
170 Frank Dellasalla 0-0 (Choi's) vs Pat Kelley 0-0 (Young’s)
Then NEF has Frank Dellasalla taking on Pat Kelley at 170lbs. Frank is from Choi's MMA and will be making his amateur debut. Kelley is from Young's MMA and will also be making his amateur debut. The best things about this fight is they are two top notch schools up in Maine and that with two fighters who have never stepped into the cage, you just don't know what to expect. This gets my MMA gears going!
175 Nash Roy 2-0 (Young’s) vs Caleb Farrington 0-0 (Team NEU)
At 175lbs Nash Roy challenges Caleb Farrington in the NEF cage. Nash is from Young's MMA and has a perfect 2-0 record. Nash has one win by submission and one win by ko/tko. He will be looking to keep her perfect record intact. His opponent is Caleb Farrington and he will be making his amateur debut. He fights with team NEU. Nash has the 2 fight experience in this bout which could play a factor in this fight. We shall wait and see how this one plays out.
190 Jacob Cameron 0-3 (Nitemare) vs John Gardner 0-2 (First Class)
At a catchweight of 190lbs Jacob Cameron takes on John Gardner. Jacob has an 0-3 record and trains with team Nitemare. He has been improving in every one of his fights and is hoping to take home his first mma victory this weekend. His opponent is John Gardner and he fights out of First Class. Gardner comes into this fight with an 0-2 record. He has two losses by ko/tko and is also excited to bring home his first mma win. Only one problem, only one guy can get the W! This is an excellent match up for both fighters and I am excited to see them show off how hard they have been training.
200 Crowsneck Boutin 5-6 (Choi’s) vs Ramon Saintvil 2-1 (CMBJJ)
At a catchweight of 200 lbs Crowsneck Boutin takes on Ramon Saintvil. Crowsneck trains with Choi's MMA and has a 5-6 record. Crowsneck is no stranger to the NEF cage. FUN FACT-- this is his 11th fight for NEF out of 14 shows. That is just incredible. He is riding a 2 fight win streak and will be looking to continue that. His opponent Ramon is from CMBJJ and has a 2-1 record. He has two wins by ko/tko and his only loss came by ko/tko. This fight is going to be an awesome battle. Both of these guys like to stand and slug it out and it is going to be real fun to watch!
185 Buck Pineau 7-3 (Team Irish) vs Mike Vangelist 2-0 (The Academy)
At 185lbs Buck Pineau challenges Mike Vangelist. Buck trains with Team Irish and has a 7-3 record. Buck has never suffered back to back losses and always fights beasts his entire ammy career. Once again he finds himself face to face with another tough opponent. Buck has wins every way possible and has in my opinion the fight of the year of 2013 against Isiah Queen. His opponent Mike Vangelist trains with the Academy and has a perfect 2-0 record. He is quickly making a name for himself with two submission wins and with a win over Buck will move him quickly into the top 10 ranks of the 185 division. Both fighters know what is at stake and this is going to be a ground battle I feel.
265 Gravin Guillen 0-0 (Independent) vs Bill Leahy 0-1 (Young’s)
In the final amateur fight on the card Gravin Guillen takes on Bill Leahy at 265lbs. Gravis is an independent fighter who will be making his amateur debut. His opponent Bill Leahy is from Young's MMA and has an 0-1 record. He lost in his first fight for CFX against Rob Brown by decision. As we all know the bigger the fighters are the harder they fall. We will all be on the edge of our seats as these heavies go head to head! Now onto the professional fights!
135 Brandon Bushaw 0-0 (Serra BJJ) vs Elias Leland 0-0 (AMMA)
In the first professional fight of the night Brandon Bushaw takes on Elias Leland at 135lbs in a double pro debut! Brandon trains with Serra BJJ and had an outstanding 7-4 record as an amateur. He has won the majority of his fights by submission or a decision and he is very good at controlling his opponents and giving them no space to get back up. His opponent, Elias had a 3-1 record as an amateur with his only loss to Ray Wood. He trains with AMMA and Elias had two out of three wins by submission so he was also very well versed on the ground. This is going to be an awesome ground battle and this is a crucial fight for both fighters as they don't want to start out their professional careers with a loss right off the bat.
145 John Raio 2-5 (First Class/Choi) vs Derek Shorey 0-0 (Independent)
At 145lbs John Raio challenges Derek Shorey. Now this is an interesting fight because it is a rematch from their amateur days. In the first fight Raio won by submission in Rd 2 at NEF 3. Since then Raio has been training hard with First Class and Choi MMA. He has a 2-5 professional record and this is going to be his last fight before he retires. He is going to want to retire with a win so he will be fighting hard for the W. Shorey is now an independent fighter and has revitalized himself. He has been training hard and quit smoking as well. He is more focused now and wants to show NEF fans just how hard he has been training. This is going to be a very exciting fight for the fans.
145 Jon Lemke 3-2 (Team Irish) vs Amos Collins 4-3 (Serra BJJ)
Next up is at 145lbs Jon Lemke takes on Amos Collins. Jon fights out of Team Irish and has a 3-2 record. Jon won his first 3 fights but since then has lost his last two. He has fought tough opponents his whole career and this is no exception. He won two out of his 3 wins by ko/tko and the other one was a decision. His opponent, Amos Collins trains with Serra BJJ and has a 4-3 record. He has won the majority of his fights by decision. For his 3 losses 2 by submission and one by ko/tko. I think this will be a great stand up battle.
155 Ricky Sylvester 1-0 (ACC) vs Tollison Lewis 0-1 (BGMMA)
At 155lbs Ricky Sylvester takes on Tollison Lewis. Ricky trains out of ACC and has a 1-0 record. He won his first pro fight by a big knockout over Andrew Hughes in just a mere 13 seconds. He will be looking to use his fast hands to get the quick knockout once again so pay attention folks! Tollison trains with BGMMA and has an 0-1 record. He is always up for the challenge and has a ton of amateur fights so he will be well prepared for this battle. He lost his pro debut to Jesse Erickson by submission at the end of Rd 1. Tollison will want to take this fight to the ground and tire out Ricky to win this fight. Ricky's keys to victory will be to keep this fight standing and work his striking.
165 Ryan Cowette 2-2 (MMA Athletix) vs John Healey 0-1 (Iron Jaw)
At a catchweight of 165lbs Ryan Cowette will fight John Healey. Ryan is the head of MMA Athletix and has a 2-2 record. He lost his first two fights and then won his last two fights. He is looking to pull above .500 with a win over Healey. I have seen Ryan's fights and he is real good from the clinch. He is also very slick on the ground which makes him very dangerous. Healey trains with Iron Jaw and has an 0-1 record. He has fought many tough fights in his amateur career so he will be ready for the challenge. In his pro debut he lost to Mike Burke by ko/tko at a previous Combat Zone show. One thing that should be noted is that Healey hasn't fought since 2013 so we will have to see if cage rust plays a factor in this fight.
170 Jarod Lawton 4-1 (IABJJ) vs John Daniels 2-3 (Rock City)
Next battle is between Jarod Lawton and John Daniels at 170lbs. Jarod trains with IABJJ and has a 4-1 record. He has 3 submission wins and one ko/tko win. He has fought in tough fights his entire pro career and is one of the best submission fighters I have seen on the ground. In his last fight he won by knockout over John Ortalani which showed fight fans that he can be dangerous on his feet as well. His opponent John Daniels trains with Rock City MMA and has a 2-3 record. He has one win by decision and one by submission so far in his pro career. His 3 losses were lost by submission. I think this is a real tough fight for Daniels and I gotta give the edge to Lawton in this one. Then again as I always say, this is MMA and anything can happen!
165 Ryan Sanders 6-5 (Young’s) vs Ryan Quinn 10-4-1 (ATT)
In a huge showdown at 165lbs Ryan Sanders challenges Ryan Quinn. Sanders is out of Young's MMA and has a 6-5 record. 5 out of his 6 wins were by submission. The other win was a ko/tko victory over UFC veteran Marcus Davis. For his losses he lost 3 by decision, 1 by sub and 1 by ko/tko. He never backs down from a good match up and is ready for another tough one. Quinn trains with ATT and has a 10-4 record. Quinn is notorious for controlling his opponents with his ground game and he either wins by submission or by decision. He always fights in tough fights and is looking to show Maine fans there is another Ryan in town!
155*TITLE Bruce Boyington 6-7 (Young’s) vs Jesse Erickson 3-2 (CMBJJ)
At 155lbs Bruce Boyington will fight Jesse Erickson for the title! Bruce is from Young's MMA and has a 6-7 record. Bruce is fresh off a huge win over Ruso Khubejashvili by decision at CFX. He is looking to take that momentum into this fight and get another W. His opponent Erickson trains with CMBJJ and has a 3-2 record. He has all 3 of his wins by submission and has great takedown transitions. For Boyington to win he needs to keep this fight standing and work his leg kicks to keep the distance. Erickson needs to wait for his opening and get the takedown and work his jiu jitsu. If Bruce takes him down, Erickson is very comfortable on his back. Both fighters WANT this belt so they are gonna have a war.
135*TITLE Paul Gorman 10-8 (AMMA) vs Tim Goodwin 8-4 (Columbia)
The second title fight of the evening is at 135lbs and between Paul Gorman and Tim Goodwin. Paul is from AMMA and has a 10-8 record. He has two straight wins including an epic war against Tateki Matsuda in which he won the striking battle and kept his belt. Now he is defending his belt once again. This time it is against Tim Goodwin who trains with Columbia MMA and has an 8-4 record. He has 4 wins by ko/tko, 1 submission and 3 decision victories so far in his pro career. For his losses, he lost one by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 1 by decision. He is definitely a worthy opponent for the title but because he is from South Carolina we just don't know what to expect against Gorman.
145*TITLE Ray Wood 4-0 (Young’s) vs Gabriel Baino 6-1 (Link)
In the main event of the evening Ray Wood defends his title against Gabriel Baino at 145lbs. Wood fights out of Young's MMA and has a 4-0 record. He has two wins by ko/tko and 2 wins by submissions. He has been improving each and every fight and is one of the most talked about fighter out of Maine. He is just coming off an injury but is anxious to show fight fans that he is ready to take care of business! His opponent Gabriel Baino is from Team Link and has a 6-1 record. He has 3 wins by ko/tko, 2 wins by submission and 1 by decision. Fight fans might remember his battle against Calvin Kattar at Combat Zone 44 in which he lost by unanimous decision. In fact, that was his only loss of his pro career. Since then he bounced back with a ko/tko victory in 2014 and is looking to continue that win streak. This is going to be a ground battle and it is anyone's fight to win.
Phew, that was a lot of fights to write about but that is how we roll. We always like to mention and break down each an every fight that is on the cards no matter how big they are. I apologize for it taking so long but I would like to think it was worth the wait. Warchild and I will be making the trip north to cover the show for you all so make sure you follow along with a live play by play. Thanks to NEF for their continued support and for always keeping us up to date with the latest happenings. This is going to be an awesome show so come on and make the trip. Spend the weekend up in Maine! If that isn't enough incentive, how about they are having two gorgeous NEF ring girls in attendance.