New England Fights returns to Lewiston Maine this Saturday on April 11th, 2015 to the Colisee. Matt Peterson and Nick DiSalvo have put together a 20 fight card which includes 6 professional fights. Also on this card is the first ever professional female women's mma fight in Maine and that is between Kaline Medeiros and Calie Cutler. One other really cool feature is that the main event is between Bruce Boyington and Jamie Harrison in a title fight and Bruce's soon to be wife is also fighting on the card. NEF will have also have a new ring girl to feast your eyes on. The doors will be opening at 6pm and the first fight will be starting at 7pm. Let me break down the card for you all...
115 AM Randibeth Knowles 0-0 (Boyington’s TKD) vs Alex Walker 0-0 (Kaze)
The first fight is between Randibeth Knowles and Alex Walker at 115 lbs. Randibeth will be making her amateur debut and trains out of Boyington's Tae Kwon Do Academy. If you haven't please check out the NEF Access video Episode 1 which features this fight in it because in it you will get to know the fighters and see that these two ladies are ready for a war. Her opponent is Alex Walker who is fighting out of Team Kaze. From the video we can see she is in shape and can punch/kick hard. She will also be making her amateur debut. Both of these ladies will be leaving it all in the cage for NEF fans and you don't want to miss seeing it live!
135 AM Caleb Costello 1-3 (Team Irish) vs Wilmer Carrero 0-0 (MMA Athletix)
Next fight is between Caleb Costello and Wilmer Carrero at 135lbs amateur. Caleb trains out of Team Irish and comes into this fight with a 1-3 record. He has his only win against Jimmy Jackson in which he won by ko/tko to strikes. For his losses, he has lost 2 by decision and one by submission. His opponent is Wilmer Carrero and he will be making his amateur debut. He trains with MMA Athletix so we know he will be battle ready. Costello in this fight has the 4 fight experience while Carrero has none and this could make the difference in this fight.
135 AM Mike Crespo 2-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Sheldon Bang 1-2 (CMBJJ)
Then at 135lbs Mike Crespo returns to the NEF Cage against Sheldon Bang. Crespo comes into this fight with a 2-1 record and trains with MMA Athletix. He has 1 win by submission and 1 win by decision so far in his amateur career. He lost his last fight against Johnny Crafts by submission in Rd 1 and is looking to bounce back into the winning column with this fight. Not if Sheldon Bang has anything to say about it. He trains out of CMBJJ and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record. Sheldon has his sole victory by decision against Carl Langston. In his last two fights he suffered losses with one by submission against Henry Clark and a decision loss to Carl Langston. He is hungry for the W and will be looking to do what it takes to get the W. Both of these fighters are no stranger to the NEF cage and are going to put on a show. I see this one going to a decision.
150 AM Alex Johnson 1-1 (Ruthless) vs Dustin Shorey 0-0 (Shatterproof)
At a catch weight of 150lbs Alex Johnson challenges Dustin Shorey. Johnson trains out of Team Ruthless and has a record of 1-1. Alex lost his first fight by submission and then won his second fight by split decision against Rick Matthews. He was originally supposed to fight Jeremy Tyler but that got scratched and thankfully Dustin Shorey stepped in. Shorey trains out of Team Shatterproof and will be making his amateur debut. He is the brother of Derek Shorey and is looking to make a name for himself this Saturday in the NEF cage.
145 AM Clifford Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Caleb Serra 0-1 (Team Kaze)At a catch weight of 150lbs Alex Johnson challenges Dustin Shorey. Johnson trains out of Team Ruthless and has a record of 1-1. Alex lost his first fight by submission and then won his second fight by split decision against Rick Matthews. He was originally supposed to fight Jeremy Tyler but that got scratched and thankfully Dustin Shorey stepped in. Shorey trains out of Team Shatterproof and will be making his amateur debut. He is the brother of Derek Shorey and is looking to make a name for himself this Saturday in the NEF cage.
At 145lbs Clifford Redman takes on Caleb Serra in the NEF cage. Redman is an independent fighter and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record. He fought at the last NEF against Rob Kiah and lost by decision in Rd 1. His opponent is Caleb Serra and he trains out of Team Kaze. Serra comes into this fight with an 0-1 record. He lost his only fight against Nick Spencer by ko/tko to strikes. Both fighters are looking for their first victory and one of them will be going home on Saturday night satisfied with their first victory!
155 AM Rick Matthews 1-1 (Team Irish) vs Matthew Hanning 0-1 (Independent)
Next up is at 155lbs Rick Matthews takes on Matthew Hanning. Matthews trains with Team Irish and has a record of 1-1. Matthews lost his first fight by a split decision and then won his second fight by split decision. He is looking to continue his winning ways this Saturday against Hanning. Matthew Hanning is an independent fighter and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record. He lost his only fight at NEF 17 against Steve Bang by ko/tko to strikes. He is still hungry for his first taste of victory and will be looking to get it done this weekend. I see this fight being a stand up battle.
155 AM Ricky Dexter 2-0 (Team Irish) vs Zenon Herrera 3-6 (Independent)
At 155lbs Ricky Dexter takes on Zenon Herrera in the NEF cage. Dexter comes into this fight with a perfect 2-0 record and trains out of Team Irish. He won both of his fights by ko/kto to strikes and would love to add another to his resume. His fights have always been exciting and he will be looking to make this one electrifying as well. His opponent is Zenon Herrera and he is an independent fighter. He comes into this fight with a 3-6 record. I was able to find his complete stats but he has 1 win by submission and 1 win by decision. For his losses he has 1 by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 2 by decision. I give the slight edge to Dexter in this fight and I hope to see this one being a stand and bang fight!
165 AM CJ Ewer 3-1 (Young's) vs Connor Barry 4-1 (Independent)
CJ Ewer returns to the NEF cage against Connor Barry at a catch weight of 165 lbs. Ewer comes into this fight with a 3-1 record and trains out of Young's MMA. He has 1 win by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 1 win by decision. In his last fight he lost by submission to Wayne Ahlquist and since then has taken a bit of a layoff. After 1.5 years he is going to be getting back in the cage and looking for the W. His opponent is Connor Barry and he comes into this fight with a 4-1 record. Barry is an independent fighter with 2 wins by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission. His one loss came by decision to Carlos Correia at a previous Warrior Nation event. Ewer will want to get this fight to the ground and try to work a submission as Barry will want to keep this fight standing and work his strikes.
185 AM Heath Hanson 0-2 (3Ronin) vs Brandon Russell 0-1 (Nitemare)
At 185lbs Heath Hanson challenges Brandon Russell in the cage. Hanson comes into this fight with an 0-2 record and trains with 3Ronin. He lost one fight by submission and one by ko/tko. He is still hungry for the first taste of victory in the cage. His opponent is Brandon Russell who trains out of Nitemare MMA. He comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with one loss by ko/tko against Caleb Farrington. As you can see both of these fighters will be looking to get their first win but unfortunately only one fighter will be able to walk home with their head high and that is what makes this fight exciting.
185 AM Chris Smith 0-0 (Berzerkers) vs Dan Meuse 2-0 (Academy)
At 185 lbs Chris Smith takes on Dan Meuse. Smith trains out of Berzerkers MMA and will be making his amateur debut. His opponent is Dan Meuse and he trains out of the Academy in Maine. He comes into this fight with a perfect 2-0 record. He has 1 win by submission and I wasn't able to dig up any info on the other win. His last fight was in 2011 so it has been a 3.5 years layoff but being from the Academy I know he will be ready. Smith is giving up 2 fight experience in this fight so he is going to have to stay relaxed and try to test Meuse's conditioning.
185 AM Ruben Redman 0-1 (Independent) vs Chris Rideout 0-0 (Independent)
Ruben Redman squares off against Chris Rideout at 185lbs. Redman is an independent fighter who comes into this fight with an 0-1 record. He lost his last fight against Chris Perry by unanimous decision. In the fight both fighters were very exhausted so we will have to see if this is a factor in this fight as well. His opponent is Chris Rideout who is also an independent fighter. He will be making his amateur debut. Both of these fighters are just starting out so it is tough to predict this one so we will have to see how it plays out.
265 AM Ryan Glover 1-0 (Berzerkers) vs Jason Field 0-0 (Independent)
Ryan Glover will face off against Jason Field in the heavyweight division. Glover trains out of Berzerkers MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record. He won his first bout against Michael Freeman with ko/tko strikes in just 12 seconds of Rd 1. He would love to make quick work out of his opponent once again. Jason Field is an independent fighter who will be making his amateur debut. As you can see Glover has the 12 second cage fight experience where Field will be looking to make a name for himself.
125 AM Norman Fox 3-1 (MMA Athletix) vs Dave Brown 1-2 (Plymouth)
Norman Fox is back in the NEF cage against Dave Brown at 125 lbs. Fox trains out of MMA Athletix and comes into this fight with a 3-1 record. He has 2 wins by submission and 1 win by ko/tko. In his last fight he lost against Kris Moutinho by ko/tko to strikes. He is looking to bounce back from this fight in front of his home crowd in Maine. His opponent is David Brown who trains out of Plymouth and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record. He lost 2 fights by submission and won one by ko/tko. This is a good match up which should make for a good fight.
S.HWT AM Dave Smith 0-0 (Berzerkers) vs Ora Spratt IV 0-0 (Shatterproof)
Dave Smith takes on Ora Spratt in a superheavy weight fight. Yes that is not a type, a super heavyweight fight. Smith trains out of Berzerkers MMA and will be making his amateur debut. Ora Spratt is also making his amateur debut and trains out of Shatterproof. With these two behemoths in the cage I highly doubt this one will be going the distance. I for one, can't wait for this fight.
115 PRO Kaline Medeiros 3-4 (Gracie) vs Calie Cutler 3-0 (Jacked N Tan)
In the first ever women's professional mma fight in Maine Kaline Medeiros is taking on Calie Cutler at 115lbs. Kaline comes into this fight training out of Gracie with a 3-4 record. She has one win by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission. For her losses she has 2 by decision and 2 by submission. It is real tough for her to find fights semi locally and I am pumped for this one! Her opponent is Calie Cutler and she trains out of Jacked N Tan and comes into this fight with a 3-0 record. She has 2 wins by submission and 1 win by ko/tko. As you can see both of these ladies have the experience and know how to finish and no doubt this fight is going to be a memorable for the Maine fans.
135 PRO Elias Leland 2-0 (Academy) vs Jay Perrin 1-0 (Triumph)
At 135lbs Elias Leland takes on Jay Perrin in the NEF cage. Leland trains out of the Academy and comes into this fight with a 2-0 record. Leland has quickly become 2-0 with 2 wins by submission over some very game opponents. He is looking to continue the streak and is once again facing a tough opponent in Perrin. Perrin trains out of Team Triumph in NH and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record. Perrin won his first fight against Quincy Humpfry by decision. Perrin has never been finished in the cage and never backs down in battle. I see this fight being a good stand up fight and is definitely a fight of the night contender.
150 PRO John Raio 2-6 (First Class/Choi) vs Derek Shorey 1-1 (Shatterproof)
At a catch weight of 150 lbs John Raio takes on Derek Shorey to end the trilogy! Raio has a 2-6 record as a professional and defeated Shorey as an amateur. In his last fight against Shorey as a pro, Shorey won by submission. After the fight Raio announced he was retiring but he still trains hard to this day. He is now coming back to fight Shorey for the 3rd time for the rubber match. Shorey is looking to show that it was no fluke and that he is the better fighter. He comes into this fight with a 1-1 record out of team Shatterproof. In his last fight he lost by submission to Matt Denning and is looking for the W this Saturday to pull over .500. This is going to be another awesome battle of the night as both of these fighters know what is at stake. Shorey is looking to send Raio back into retirement and Raio is looking to prove he is the better fighter!
155 PRO Jesse Erickson 3-4 (CMBJJ) vs Mark Deford 0-3 (F2 Arena)
Jesse Erickson is back against Mark Deford at 155lbs. Erickson trains out of CMBJJ and comes into this fight with a 3-4 record. Jesse has all 3 wins by submission and has a solid ground game. For his losses, he lost he lost 2 by submission and 2 by ko/tko to strikes. He has fought for NEF in all of his fights except for the one for Bellator and NEF fans will remember the awesome battles against Bruce Boyington for the belt. He is on a 2 fight losing streak and will be looking to end that streak. His opponent is Mark Deford who trains out of Florida with F2 Arena. He comes into this fight with an 0-3 record and NEF fans will remember his last fight against Ryan Sanders in which he lost by submission in Rd 1 back at NEF 15. This is going to be a ground battle and I see Erickson winning this one.
170 PRO Jarod Lawton 4-1 (Team NEU) vs Dennis Olson 12-7 (Triumph)
Jarod Lawton takes on Dennis Olson at 170 lbs in a huge showdown. There has been much talk on facebook and they sure hyped it all up in the NEF Access video. Lawton comes into this fight with a 4-1 record out of Team NEU. He has one knockout and 3 wins by submission. He also put together an awesome boxing fight in which many fans thought he won including myself. He has been improving in every aspect in his mma game and is looking to show off some more of his talent this Saturday. His opponent is Dennis Olson who comes into this fight with a 12-7 record. Fighting out of Team Triumph, The Menace is being reborn and looking to start his comeback. He has been fighting professionally since 2006 with wins over Nuri Shakir, Todd Chattelle and Jon Manley. Many of his wins have come by submission and that is why I feel this fight is going to be a ground battle. Both fighters are determined to show who has the better jiu jitsu and this one is going to be a real treat for the fans.
155 PRO TITLE Bruce Boyington 10-7 (Young’s) vs Jamie Harrison 5-1 (FCFC)
In the main event Bruce Boyington defends his title against Jamie Harrison in the 155lb division. Boyington trains out of Young's MMA and comes into this fight with a 10-7 record. Bruce has been on a tear winning 5 out of his last 6 fights and is looking to tally on another in the win column this Saturday. Whatever holes Boyington used to have in his mma game appear to have been plugged. Harrison is another tough opponent out of FCFC and comes into this fight with a 5-1 record. With 3 wins by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission he has quickly moved to 5-1 in dominating fashion. He is also the inventor of the lobster claw as NEF fans have known and loved. I feel in this fight this is Harrison's toughest opponent to date and it is going to be a battle! Bruce is going to use his strength and try to slow down Jamie with his striking and Jamie is going to try to show he can take Bruce down and keep him down. Will Bruce retain his title or will there be a new title holder?? Find out this Saturday at NEF.
There you have the complete breakdown of the New England Fights card for this Saturday. Warchild and I will be making the trip north to cover the show for you all and get you closer to the cage. The Artist will be up there filming the fights for NEF. Special thanks to NEF for their continued support and for always keeping us in the loop of all the NEF happenings. This is a busy month of mma in April and I am looking forward to this one for sure. What fight are you tall most excited about and why?? Let us know by commenting below!