Orono, Maine (July 19, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) will debut in Orono on September 7, 2019 at the Collins Center for the Arts with the promotion's next mixed-martial-arts event, "NEF 40: School of Hard Knocks." Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur lightweight bout to the card. Zac Richard (3-2-1) will meet Brandon Sewall (0-1) at a fight weight of 155 pounds.
Zac Richard has competed twice previously in the lightweight division, winning both fights in 2018. That same year, Richard was voted "Rookie of the Year" by NEF fans. He has yet to taste victory in 2019 with all three of his fights this year thus far taking place in the 145-pound featherweight division. Richard went to a five-round draw with Fred Lear for the amateur featherweight championship last February in what has been a leading contender for "Fight of the Year" in 2019. On September 7, Richard will look to bounce back from back-to-back losses in his two most recent fights this spring. At "NEF 38," Richard dropped a five-round unanimous decision to Tom Pagliarulo (3-1) prior to losing via first-round submission to Miguel Cuevas (6-1) in June.
“I’m very excited to get back in there after coming off two losses a month apart," said Richard. "I’m extremely unhappy with my fight against Tom—I definitely can’t have another off-day on fight day again. I’ve made a lot of changes to make myself happier with my life. The grind is different now.”
“Having watched Zac compete since he was a child during his youth wrestling days, I’ve seen how he navigates challenges," noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. "He doesn’t look for the easy way out—he’s a born competitor and he always seeks out the toughest opponents. Whether it was in wrestling or now in MMA, he comes to fight. I have no doubt that he will be on the warpath on September 7th, looking to get back to his winning ways.”
Zac Richard has drawn a big one for his return to the lightweight division. Brandon Sewall stands 6'1," towering over most others in the weight class. The resident of Bath, Maine will look for his first win in the NEF cage after losing his debut to Jimmy Jackson (4-3) last month at "NEF 39."
“Brandon embodies the martial spirit," stated Peterson. "When I suggested Zac to him as an opponent, he didn’t hesitate at all. He’s eager to prove the validity of his training and disciplined diet in the NEF cage in front of a big audience. Brandon will be the much bigger man in the bout. Whatever the outcome, I know that both guys will be looking to set a furious pace and finish the fight quickly.”
New England Fights' next mixed-martial-arts event, "NEF 40: SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS," will take place Saturday, September 7, 2019 at the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine as the promotion debuts in Orono, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.collinscenterforthearts.com.