[NEF Press Release]
Lewiston, Maine (May 8, 2013) – Today New England Fights! (NEF) announced that siblings Jeremy and Jarrod Tyler of Winterport, Maine will compete alongside each other on the same fight card when each steps into the cage to make their respective amateur mixed martial arts debuts on May 18 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.
The Tyler Brothers’ shared love for the sting and clash of battle began brewing way back on the football field several years ago when they both attended Hampden Academy as high school students. After completing stellar grade school athletic careers that saw Jarrod, 30, earn All-State honors as a linebacker and Jeremy, 26, make his mark in track and field, both went on to play semi-pro football before they made the mutual decision to go to work together for the family businesses. However, the competitive itch didn’t subside for either of them and last year they found their calling.
“I have always loved combat sports and I had always wanted to give it a shot,” stated Jarrod. “About this time last year, I was looking for something to help me through a rough time. It took all of one class at Team Irish to know I had found something I truly love and an amazing group of people to train with as well.”
Soon after discovering Marcus Davis’ Team Irish, Jarrod brought his brother along.“Jarrod joined Team Irish and after about a week of listening to him talk about how amazing the sport was, he convinced me to give it a try,” Jeremy stated. “I went in for a few classes and became very interested in MMA because it was different than any other sport I had ever participated in. Then when a situation came up and my brother wasn’t going to be unable to get to training on a regular basis, I decided to train more consistently so I could drive him to the gym. Over the course of a year, I fell more and more in love with MMA.”
The fact that the brothers began training together in the toughest sport in the world wasn’t surprising to those that know them. The strength of their brotherly bond is immediately apparent to anyone they come in contact with.
“An amazing part of this MMA journey is getting to train alongside my little brother,” Jarrod stated. “We fought a lot growing up, but as we have grown older we have become best friends and now training partners. We live next to each other so we not only train together at Team Iriish, but at home as well. He drives me to be better and I'm always pushing him because we both have the same goal—to work our way toward becoming professional fighters.”
Jeremy agrees. “Training together is always enjoyable because Jarrod is not only my brother, he is one of my greatest friends,” he said. “Jarrod and I have a great back and forth. We are able to critique each other’s techniques in a positive way and motivate each other to push harder in training. Most importantly we have trust in one another. I couldn’t ask for anything better in a training partner.”
At NEF VII, Jeremy is scheduled to face Tollison Lewis (2-5) from Balanced Ground MMA, while Jarrod is set to face off with fellow newcomer Chris Ouellette (0-0) from Havoc MMA. Despite the fact that that this will be their first time entering the cage for a sanctioned bout, both brothers are supremely confident in their training and – most importantly – the wisdom and guidance of their mentor, Marcus Davis.
“Marcus Davis is a key element to my continued interest in MMA,” stated Jeremy. “I look forward to training with Marcus because I know that when I leave his class, I leave an improved version of what I walked in as. Marcus works with the fighter he is training as an individual. He teaches you the techniques and concepts while at the same time he makes sure you are doing applying those in a way that is comfortable and most effective for your particular style. Marcus also expresses the importance of family and a balanced lifestyle. Marcus has forever changed the way that I train and enhanced my lifestyle—and I can’t thank him enough for that.”
Older brother Jarrod reinforced that sentiment. “To be able to go in to the gym day in and day out getting trained by one of my favorite UFC fighters is beyond words,” he said. “Marcus is the ultimate coach and trainer. He knows how to make you better.”
“The first few days the Tyler brothers came into Team Irish, I wasn't around,” Davis recalled. “But I heard from other students that two new guys had joined the gym and were tough as nails. Both of them have huge potential in this sport. The funny thing is, like a lot of siblings, stylistically they are polar opposites. Even their stances – one is conventional and the other a south paw. One will choose to pressure you and beat you up, take you down and make a dog fight out of it. The other will use broken rhythm and attacks that are hard to time because he brings a unique style, which can be hard to find partners to train for. Which is which? Well, I’m not telling – you will just have to come and see on May 18th!”
For their part, the Tyler brothers view their NEF debut as just the first step in what both hope will be a long, promising journey in the sport of mixed martial arts—a journey, like everything else in their lives, that they will take together.
“My goals in this sport are to become a common name heard amongst the great Maine fighters,” stated Jarrod. “I want to become a professional fighter and someday fight and hold a championship belt. I set my goals high because I truly love this sport and believe that I was meant to do this… In my debut you can expect to see me fight hard, leave everything in the cage and, God willing, keep the crowd entertained as I battle for a victory.”
“My intentions in starting MMA were not to become a fighter, but as my passion for the sport grew I found myself having the urge to experience it at a competitive level,” stated Jeremy. “I plan on taking my MMA journey one fight at a time because it is important to stay focused and positive. My two main goals right now are to be the one with my hand raised in the cage onMay 18th and to represent Team Irish and myself in the best way I believe I can.”
“I have a brother that is similar in age to me as the Tyler brothers are to one another—so I understand the dynamics of that brotherhood bond and how productive or corrosive such a relationship can be,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “The Tyler brothers are an incredible story of sibling solidarity; driving one another to new heights, together in tandem, in and out of the cage. It’s an honor for us as a promotion that their commitment to competing in mixed martial arts has led them both to the NEF cage simultaneously. Based on their family’s accomplished history of success in business and sport, I don’t think there’s any question that the Tyler brothers strive to carry that same impressive record of achievement into the start of their mixed martial arts careers on May 18th.”
At the time of this writing, the fight card for May 18 in Lewiston consisted of more than thirty fights. The main event will feature Maine MMA legend Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis (21-9) taking on Darrius Heyliger (4-1) in a welterweight showdown. The co-main event will see UFC veteran Henry Martinez (9-5) squaring off with Dez Green (8-1) for the Maine State Lightweight Title. In another title fight, Travis Bartlett (8-3) meets former NFL player Tyler King (6-1) for the Maine State Heavyweight Championship. 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, visit www.NewEnglandFights.com. You can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”
Lewiston, Maine (May 8, 2013) – Today New England Fights! (NEF) announced that siblings Jeremy and Jarrod Tyler of Winterport, Maine will compete alongside each other on the same fight card when each steps into the cage to make their respective amateur mixed martial arts debuts on May 18 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.
The Tyler Brothers’ shared love for the sting and clash of battle began brewing way back on the football field several years ago when they both attended Hampden Academy as high school students. After completing stellar grade school athletic careers that saw Jarrod, 30, earn All-State honors as a linebacker and Jeremy, 26, make his mark in track and field, both went on to play semi-pro football before they made the mutual decision to go to work together for the family businesses. However, the competitive itch didn’t subside for either of them and last year they found their calling.
“I have always loved combat sports and I had always wanted to give it a shot,” stated Jarrod. “About this time last year, I was looking for something to help me through a rough time. It took all of one class at Team Irish to know I had found something I truly love and an amazing group of people to train with as well.”
Soon after discovering Marcus Davis’ Team Irish, Jarrod brought his brother along.“Jarrod joined Team Irish and after about a week of listening to him talk about how amazing the sport was, he convinced me to give it a try,” Jeremy stated. “I went in for a few classes and became very interested in MMA because it was different than any other sport I had ever participated in. Then when a situation came up and my brother wasn’t going to be unable to get to training on a regular basis, I decided to train more consistently so I could drive him to the gym. Over the course of a year, I fell more and more in love with MMA.”
The fact that the brothers began training together in the toughest sport in the world wasn’t surprising to those that know them. The strength of their brotherly bond is immediately apparent to anyone they come in contact with.
“An amazing part of this MMA journey is getting to train alongside my little brother,” Jarrod stated. “We fought a lot growing up, but as we have grown older we have become best friends and now training partners. We live next to each other so we not only train together at Team Iriish, but at home as well. He drives me to be better and I'm always pushing him because we both have the same goal—to work our way toward becoming professional fighters.”
Jeremy agrees. “Training together is always enjoyable because Jarrod is not only my brother, he is one of my greatest friends,” he said. “Jarrod and I have a great back and forth. We are able to critique each other’s techniques in a positive way and motivate each other to push harder in training. Most importantly we have trust in one another. I couldn’t ask for anything better in a training partner.”
At NEF VII, Jeremy is scheduled to face Tollison Lewis (2-5) from Balanced Ground MMA, while Jarrod is set to face off with fellow newcomer Chris Ouellette (0-0) from Havoc MMA. Despite the fact that that this will be their first time entering the cage for a sanctioned bout, both brothers are supremely confident in their training and – most importantly – the wisdom and guidance of their mentor, Marcus Davis.
“Marcus Davis is a key element to my continued interest in MMA,” stated Jeremy. “I look forward to training with Marcus because I know that when I leave his class, I leave an improved version of what I walked in as. Marcus works with the fighter he is training as an individual. He teaches you the techniques and concepts while at the same time he makes sure you are doing applying those in a way that is comfortable and most effective for your particular style. Marcus also expresses the importance of family and a balanced lifestyle. Marcus has forever changed the way that I train and enhanced my lifestyle—and I can’t thank him enough for that.”
Older brother Jarrod reinforced that sentiment. “To be able to go in to the gym day in and day out getting trained by one of my favorite UFC fighters is beyond words,” he said. “Marcus is the ultimate coach and trainer. He knows how to make you better.”
“The first few days the Tyler brothers came into Team Irish, I wasn't around,” Davis recalled. “But I heard from other students that two new guys had joined the gym and were tough as nails. Both of them have huge potential in this sport. The funny thing is, like a lot of siblings, stylistically they are polar opposites. Even their stances – one is conventional and the other a south paw. One will choose to pressure you and beat you up, take you down and make a dog fight out of it. The other will use broken rhythm and attacks that are hard to time because he brings a unique style, which can be hard to find partners to train for. Which is which? Well, I’m not telling – you will just have to come and see on May 18th!”
For their part, the Tyler brothers view their NEF debut as just the first step in what both hope will be a long, promising journey in the sport of mixed martial arts—a journey, like everything else in their lives, that they will take together.
“My goals in this sport are to become a common name heard amongst the great Maine fighters,” stated Jarrod. “I want to become a professional fighter and someday fight and hold a championship belt. I set my goals high because I truly love this sport and believe that I was meant to do this… In my debut you can expect to see me fight hard, leave everything in the cage and, God willing, keep the crowd entertained as I battle for a victory.”
“My intentions in starting MMA were not to become a fighter, but as my passion for the sport grew I found myself having the urge to experience it at a competitive level,” stated Jeremy. “I plan on taking my MMA journey one fight at a time because it is important to stay focused and positive. My two main goals right now are to be the one with my hand raised in the cage onMay 18th and to represent Team Irish and myself in the best way I believe I can.”
“I have a brother that is similar in age to me as the Tyler brothers are to one another—so I understand the dynamics of that brotherhood bond and how productive or corrosive such a relationship can be,” stated NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “The Tyler brothers are an incredible story of sibling solidarity; driving one another to new heights, together in tandem, in and out of the cage. It’s an honor for us as a promotion that their commitment to competing in mixed martial arts has led them both to the NEF cage simultaneously. Based on their family’s accomplished history of success in business and sport, I don’t think there’s any question that the Tyler brothers strive to carry that same impressive record of achievement into the start of their mixed martial arts careers on May 18th.”
At the time of this writing, the fight card for May 18 in Lewiston consisted of more than thirty fights. The main event will feature Maine MMA legend Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis (21-9) taking on Darrius Heyliger (4-1) in a welterweight showdown. The co-main event will see UFC veteran Henry Martinez (9-5) squaring off with Dez Green (8-1) for the Maine State Lightweight Title. In another title fight, Travis Bartlett (8-3) meets former NFL player Tyler King (6-1) for the Maine State Heavyweight Championship. 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, visit www.NewEnglandFights.com. You can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”