SALEM, NH (March 24, 2017)— Brendan Marotte climbs back into the cage for his first Amateur Featherweight title defense vs. Taylor Costantino in the main event of Combat Zone 61 “Resurrection”, which is the highlight of a superb and action-packed18-fight card of pro and amateur MMA and kickboxing action on Saturday, April 15 at the Downtown Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH.
Hampstead, NH native Marotte (5-1) took the belt away from the highly-regarded Danny Abad, who fights for powerhouse Jackson Wink in New Mexico, with an upset unanimous decision victory in Combat Zone 59 in August. Costantino (3-2), representing Team Irish in Maine, is coming in off a second round KO victory in Combat Zone 60 in November, but trying to pry the belt away from the talented and tough Marotte will be the stiffest test of his career.
In the co-main event, the vacant Amateur Welterweight MMA title is on the line and the battle for the belt between a pair of 170 pound fighters with unblemished records shapes up as stellar. Martin Thompson (2-0), who hails from Springfield, MA and Hanover, MA’s Tommy Lee Davis (3-0) are making their Combat Zone debuts and are sure to get the venue rocking.
The under card is stacked with evenly-matched and highly-competitive action, and fittingly for “Resurrection”, Manchester’s Shawn Melanson (3-1) looks to get back on the winning track when he takes on John Douma (4-2) from Pawtucket, RI at 145 pounds in an amateur MMA fight. Melanson lost the Amateur Featherweight title and suffered his first career loss to Dave Brown when he last fought in Combat Zone 58 almost a year ago.
Another looking to rebound is Amherst, NH’s Vovka “KGB” Clay (4-2), who was in a war of attrition with Lewis Coarapi and was defeated by a razor-thin 29-28 unanimous decision in the main event of Combat Zone 60. Clay will battle the seasoned Taylor Trahan (6-7) from Littleton, NH at 155 pounds in the MMA pro ranks.
Another of the pro MMA fights on the night features veteran Nuri “The Shark” Shakir from North Andover, MA against undefeated comebacker Joe “The Real Deal” Cloutier (4-0). The Boston-based Cloutier, who is 4-0 as a pro and went 5-2 as an amateur after dropping his first two matches, brings his nine-fight win streak into the cage as he comes back from a layoff of almost 2 ½ years. Shakir (18-21), a New England MMA legend who owns Gate City Gym in Nashua, NH where he is also the head coach, looks to add another notch on his gun belt in his 40th professional fight.
Doors will open at 5 PM on April 15 and the first fight will be at 6:30 PM. Tickets are $120, $90, $60, $50 and $40 and are available for purchase on the web site (www.czmma.com) or by calling co-promoter Jamison Kattar at 978-361-6772. There are group rates for parties of 10 or more.
Parking is available in downtown Manchester or in the Radisson’s garage and the hotel, which is located at 700 Elm Street, offers a special room rate for Combat Zone fans who wish to stay in the city.