Bangor, Maine (August 24, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts event, "NEF 35: Wicked Season," on September 8 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. The event will mark the fourth time since 2013 that NEF has visited the Queen City. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the full fight card planned for the evening.
The exciting main event will feature two popular Bangor-area athletes doing battle as Jon Lemke (7-8) meets Aaron "Relentless" Lacey (5-2) in a lightweight contest. Lemke, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, trains with Titan Athletics in neighboring Brewer, Maine, while Lacey represents Young's MMA of Bangor.
The co-main event will see Lacey's teammate, and reigning NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, "The" Ryan Sanders (16-9) taking on Armando "Big Chino" Montoya (10-6) in a non-title welterweight scrap. Sanders is coming off a huge submission win earlier this summer in Portland, Maine. Montoya, who represents First Class MMA of Brunswick, Maine, will debut in the Pine Tree State after a decade-long career on the southwest MMA circuit.
In another highly-anticipated professional fight, Caleb Hall (1-0) of the Choi Institute in Portland will face another Young's MMA team member in the form of CJ Ewer (3-1). After a successful amateur career that saw him capture the NEF Amateur Featherweight Title, Hall impressed with a first-round submission of veteran John Ortolani (8-12) earlier this year in his pro debut. Ewer, a member of the United States Air Force security forces, closed out "NEF 30" last August in Bangor winning the promotion's pro middleweight strap over Mike Hansen (5-9).
The amateur portion of the fight card will be headlined by a title fight as Pat "PK" Kelly (4-0) puts both his lightweight belt and undefeated record on the line against the challenge of Ed Forlenza (2-2). Kelly, who turned 54 last week, is a legend of Maine wrestling mats as both a competitor and coach and a member of the Maine Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame. He vows that this will be the final fight of his MMA career. Forlenza took the fight on short notice after Kelly's previous challenger dropped out due to injury. He is a member of team Juniko based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Forlenza is no stranger to the NEF cage. He won his amateur debut at "NEF 23" in the summer of 2016 on Cape Cod.
Speaking of wrestling coaches, "NEF 35" will also feature the amateur debut of Shawn Costigan (0-0). Costigan is a member of the Bucksport High School wrestling coaching staff. He will represent Young's MMA in his cage debut when he takes on the fellow-debuting David Hills (0-0).
Also on the amateur card will be the brother of CJ Ewer, Roger Ewer (1-0). A pharmacist by day, Roger made his amateur debut last year at "NEF 30" in Bangor with a second round technical knockout of Dustin Freeman (0-1). At "NEF 35," he will take on Jason Hanley (0-0) of Orchard Park Martial Arts in western New York state.
The full "NEF 35" fight card (subject to change):
PROFESSIONAL MMA
155 Aaron Lacey 5-2 (Young’s MMA) vs Jon Lemke 7-8 (Titan Athletics)
170 Ryan Sanders 16-9 (Young’s MMA) vs Armando Montoya 10-6 (First Class MMA)
185 Crowsneck Boutin 2-3 (Bad Little Falls Dojo) vs Mark Gardner 0-0 (The Academy)
155 CJ Ewer 3-1 (Young’s MMA) vs Caleb Hall 1-0 (Choi Insistute)
155 Josh Harvey 4-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Jay Ellis 15-77 (Team Knockout)
145 Zenon Herrera 1-6 (Team SMOG) vs Ernesto Ornelas 3-7 (Choi Institute)
AMATEUR MMA
155*Title Pat Kelly 4-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Ed Forlenza 2-2 (Juniko)
170 David Hart 0-3 (Kenney’s MMA) vs Christian Barrett 1-0 (First Class MMA)
155 Zac Richard 1-0 (Nostos) vs Clifford Redman 0-5 (Independent)
150 Taylor Bartlett 1-1 (CMBJJ) vs Jacob Deppmeyer 1-1 (First Class MMA)
265 Roger Ewer 1-0 (Young’s MMA) vs Jason Hanley 0-0 (Orchard Park Martial Arts)
180 Jordan Norman 0-1 (Bad Little Falls Dojo) vs Brandon Schwinck 0-2 (Independent)
145 Joe Howard 1-0 (CMBJJ) vs Jordan Young 0-1 (Independent)
155 Jesse Fitzsimmons 0-0 (Nostos) vs AJ Morales 0-0 (Orchard Park Martial Arts)
145 Shawn Costigan 0-0 (Young’s MMA) vs David Hills 0-0 (Independent)
135 Nate Boucher 2-3 (CMBJJ) vs Joshua Greenlaw 0-2 (Independent)
160 Andrew Brown 0-0 (Nostos) vs Chris Lachcik 0-0 (Independent)
NEF's next mixed-martial-arts event, "NEF 35: Wicked Season," will see the company make its return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, September 8, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.CrossInsuranceCenter.com.