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November 25, 2014

RAY WOOD TO DEFEND FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST BELLATOR AND WEC VETERAN AT NEF XVI

[NEF Press Release]

 Lewiston, Maine (November 21, 2014) –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 championship bout to the fight card.  Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0) will defend the NEF Featherweight Title against Anthony "Cheesesteak" Morrison (16-9).

Ray Wood won the NEF Featherweight Title in July 2013 in front of his hometown crowd on the Bangor Waterfront.  During that bout, Wood suffered a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), requiring surgery and a lengthy layoff from the sport of MMA.  He would make his triumphant return this past September at "NEF XIV," successfully defending his title against the tough challenge of Brazil's Gabriel Baino (6-2).  Wood looked dominant in the performance, as if he never missed a beat during his time off, winning via second-round technical knockout.  In the days that followed the fight, Wood was on the move, leaving the comfort zone of his Young's MMA teammates for the warmer climes of South Carolina.  He now trains at South Carolina Revolution MMA with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women's Bantamweight Title contender Sara McMann (8-1).  On February 7, he will return home and reunite with his teammates at Young's MMA to defend his title in Lewiston, Maine.


"I'm definitely excited to come back and defend the title," said Wood.  "Things are going to be a little different for me this time around now that I'm training out of South Carolina Revolution mixed martial arts, home of UFC fighter Sara McMann as well as flyweight Justin Scoggins. It has taken a little time to adjust to the change seeing as how I've been training with Young's MMA since the start of my career. I can definitely put in a good solid camp here  and come back a whole new fighter.  I feel this is a huge fight for me.  Anthony Morrison has fought some big-name fighters and has held his own at the next level. I plan on going into this fight showing everyone I'm ready for the next level. Anthony is towards the tail end of his career, I'm younger faster and more hungry.  I just have more to prove!"

Anthony Morrison will be a serious step up in competition for Wood.  Morrison has been to the big stage before, having competed in the Bellator cage as well as for World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) which was later absorbed into the UFC.  Morrison has faced such top names as current UFC-signed athletes Mike Thomas Brown (22-9) and Chad "Money" Mendes (16-2).  His last cage appearance saw Morrison defeat Kenny Foster (11-8) via unanimous decision at Bellator 108.  Morrison is currently a member of Daddis MMA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He will make the trek to Lewiston, Maine this February in hopes of bringing the NEF Featherweight Title back with him to the "City of Brotherly Love."

"The champion, Ray Wood, is a good, well-rounded opponent," Morrison said.  "I look forward to facing him for the title. It will be a good victory."

NEF's next MMA event, "NEF XVI," takes place on February 7, 2015.  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.”