Perhaps Last CES Press Release Before Show

 

Winner-takes-all
Almeida-Stevens showdown Friday could help determine UFC’s next superstar
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (June 6, 2011) – Even after catching a first-hand glimpse of his opponent three months ago, Cody Stevens remains unimpressed with Saul Almeida.
“A lot of people say he thinks that he’s the best 145-pounder in New England,” Stevens said. “I’ve seen and heard a million guys like him who say they’re the best. We’ll find out.”
Stevens (8-1, 2 KOs) will face Almeida (8-1) Friday, June 10^th, 2011 on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports “Nowhere To Hide” professional cage fighting show at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I., in a battle that could determine the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) next rising star. Both fighters are on the cusp of reaching the next level in mixed martial arts and will put their potential futures on the line in a bout that could steal the show on an already-packed card June 10^th.
“This will be a really tough fight,” said Almeida, a highly-touted grappler from Brazil who now lives and trains in Framingham, Mass. “He’s a great fighter himself. We’re in there competing as you would expect from two professionals. We’ll see what happens. I respect everyone I fight. It’s not easy doing what we do.”

Stevens, a resident of Mansfield, Ohio, first saw Almeida this past March at tryouts for Season 13 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality television series in Newark, N.J. Neither fighter made the final cut, but Stevens left unimpressed with Almeida’s stand-up game.
“I just remember he missed the whole mitt in the pad session,” Stevens said.
Asked to verify, Almeida said, “Probably. I didn’t hit them all. I probably missed some here and there. It won’t make a difference in the fight. I’ll tell you that.”
After suffering a major setback in September of 2010, losing the first fight of his career to upset-minded Pete Jeffrey, Almeida has taken a much more humble approach to each upcoming fight, which means less talking and more action. Following the loss to Jeffrey, he returned to the cage in February and scored a convincing, unanimous-decision win over Bobby Reardanz at Twin River.
“That was extremely important. A second loss would’ve been terrible for me,” Almeida said. “I would’ve had to win five, maybe six, fights in a row after that. It was a must-win for me. My approach was the complete opposite from the fight I lost. I had come in way too comfortable in that last fight – way too confident. I was thinking, ‘I’ll never lose.’ I walked out joking around … it just wasn’t me.
“I was a completely different person in that fight. Second time around, I came in real focused. I was focused on what I had to do. I went straight in and did what I had to do. I wasn’t playing around this time – none of the [nonsense] from the previous fight. I guess if I hadn’t lost that first fight, I would’ve never learned what I ended up learning. It was definitely a humbling experience; it’ll never happen again.”
To ensure he doesn’t suffer another setback, Almeida is preparing for what could be his toughest test Friday against an opponent with a long history of fighting both in and outside of the cage. Born in Texas, Stevens lived in several different states, including New Jersey and California, before his parents settled back in their hometown of Mansfield when Stevens was five years old.
Growing up in a town known throughout the country for its heroine epidemic – Mansfield was featured in segments on ABC’s “Nightline” and “The Oprah Winfrey Show” – and its rising crime rate, Stevens faced overwhelming influences as a teenager and, at times, succumbed to the peer pressure.
“I made some bad decisions and got in some trouble,” Stevens said. “I was just hanging around with the wrong people running around doing my thing.”
Stevens, who worked as a well-driller in his mid-20s, ultimately found himself in the cage, agreeing in 2006 to participate in a local amateur fight on short notice.
“I was already angry to begin win, going around drinking and getting into fights,” Stevens said. “I just knew there was more for me than drilling wells.”
A former high school wrestler, Stevens won convincingly, sparking a newfound interest in mixed martial arts.
“I took the kid down 12 times,” he said. “After that, I felt alive again. I knew this was what I should be doing. This sport saved my life. MMA is my savior.”
Five years later, Stevens has established himself as a rising star in mixed martial arts, and could be in line for a much more lucrative fight down the road if he can pull off the upset against Almeida – a fighter who, despite the difference in style, is similar to Stevens based on where he’s ranked among his peers.
“I think this is a good stepping stone fight for me,” Stevens said. “I can’t wait to show everybody what’s going on. I guarantee this kid’s conditioning is nowhere near mine.”
Stevens is also fighting for a much bigger cause than advancing his own career. Through trainer Tim Gillett of Fall River, Mass., and manager Bill Murphy, Stevens has linked up with The Douglas Bolanes Jr. Organization and will fight in honor of the late Doug Bolanes Jr. of Framingham, who died in March in an automobile accident.
“This is a big honor to represent the foundation,” he said. “Fighting is the most important thing in my life and I fight to win at all costs. I’ll fight to the death.
“A lot of people say that, but I’d rather die than lose. [Almeida] has never fought anyone remotely close to my level of intensity and heart. I guarantee that. He’ll get exposed Friday.”
Former UFC contender Alex “T-Rex” Karalexis (10-5, 5 KOs) of Boston will face Tiawan Howard (8-7, 3 KOs) of Cleveland in the welterweight main event. Damien Trites (5-4, 1 KO) of Allston, Mass., will face Jeff “Candyman” Anderson (8-4, 2 KOs) of Lincoln/B+F Boxing, in the welterweight co-feature, while former “The Ultimate Fighter: Season 12” competitor and Strikeforce veteran Marc Stevens (13-6, 6 KOs) of Lorraine, N.Y., will battle Abe “Thumper” Pitrowski (5-0, 1 KO) of Pawtucket, R.I./Tim Burrill Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in a lightweight bout.
Also on the card, light heavyweight Dan McGuane (2-0) of Lincoln will fight Fall River, Mass., native Kenny Hazzard (2-3, 2 KOs); Ralph Johnson (4-3, 3 KOs) of Worcester, Mass., will face welterweight Tim O’Connell (3-3, 3 KOs); middleweight Josh Labossiere (0-1) of Narragansett will battle Chris Robinson (0-1) of Buffalo, N.Y.; and Dinis Paiva Jr. of East Providence, R.I., will make his professional debut against Springfield, Mass., lightweight Jon Marcheterre (0-1). Barrington “Rude Boy” Douse (7-9, 2 KOs) of Springfield/American Fight Team will step into the cage against Middletown, Conn., and American Martial Arts veteran Jason Bennett (4-4, 2 KOs) in a featherweight bout. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets for “Nowhere To Hide” are $40.00, $60.00, $100.00 and $200.00 (VIP) and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Nowhere To Hide.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance.)
– CES –