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| CES Photo by Will Paul |
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 31st, 2015) -- They've waited patiently for this moment, for a chance to settle the score for what we can only assume is the second, and final, time.
They've chosen their words carefully, each predicting a win without fanning the flames in advance of what might be this year's most highly anticipated rematch.
Two weeks from today, Luis Felix and Julian Lane face off again in the five-round main event of "CES MMA XXX," live on AXS TV, as Lane attempts to defend the promotion's lightweight title for the second time since he won the belt by beating Felix on national television in August of 2014.
CES MMA is celebrating its 30th show in style with a stacked card featuring 11 bouts, among them the return of regional standouts Chip Pollard, Matthew Bessette and Dinis Paiva, plus the professional debut of Gary Balletto Jr., the son of famed boxer Gary "Tiger" Balletto.
Tickets are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Lane (9-3, 1 KO) enters his second title defense brimming with confidence, convinced he's already faced the best of what Felix (13-8, 5 KOs) has to offer, whether standing up or on the canvas. Felix, the hometown favorite who appeared to be in control the first time until an overhand right changed the course of the fight, has taken the high road, focusing instead on reaffirming his place among the elite in the 155-pound division.
"My goal this fight is to go out there and prove [Julian and I] are on two different levels," Felix said. "I'm out there to prove I'm the best lightweight in the northeast."
"All I have to do is tap him on the chin and it's over," countered Lane, who clubbed Felix with a hard right in their first fight before choking him out in the third round. "I'm going to go in there and knock him out."
Felix, coincidentally, is the only fighter on the card who also appeared on CES MMA's first show in September of 2010. Twenty-nine events later, he's back at Twin River as the headliner of a dynamic card featuring many old favorites mixed with a handful of new faces.
Among the returning stars is Bessette (15-6, 4 KOs), the Hartford, Conn., featherweight and Bellator vet who made his CES MMA debut in June with a knockout win over Khama Worthy. Two weeks from now, he faces Canadian Lenny Wheeler (8-3-1, 5 KOs) on the main card.
Also on the main card, red-hot East Providence, R.I., bantamweight Dinis Paiva Jr. (7-5, 4 KOs) faces Chino Duran (8-8, 4 KOs) of Homestead, Fla. The resurgent Paiva, now ranked No. 1 in his weight class in the northeast, has won four consecutive bouts - all in the opening round - including three by knockout.
Rounding out the televised portion of the card, light heavyweight Pat Walsh (5-2, 2 KOs) of East Bridgewater, Mass., faces Jesse McElligot (5-2, 2 KOs) of West Roxbury, Mass.; Plymouth, Mass., welterweight Chip Pollard (9-8, 4 KOs) battles Dan Lauzon (17-5, 9 KOs) of Bridgewater, Mass.; lightweight Leon Davis (6-3, 1 KO) of Ludlow, Mass., faces Boston's Andres Jeudi (7-4, 3 KOs); and The Ultimate Fighter alum Peggy Morgan (3-3) of Manchester, N.H., makes her CES MMA debut in a bantamweight bout against Jessica Miele (4-1) of Waterbury, Conn.
The preliminary card is headlined by Balletto Jr., the Cranston, R.I., welterweight who debuts against fellow newcomer Anthony Giacchina of Selden, N.Y. Bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (4-0-1, 1 KO) of Peabody, Mass., faces Jake Constant (6-7-1, 2 KOs) of Springfield, Ill.; Manny Bermudez (1-0, 1 KO) of Abington, Mass., battles featherweight Mak Kelleher (0-1) of Centereach, N.Y.; and bantamweights Jacob Smith of Russell, Mass., and Chris Caterino of Nashua, N.H., face one another in their pro debuts.
For more information on "CES MMA XXX" visit www.cesmma.com, follow @CESMMA on Twitter and Instagram and "like" the official CES MMA Facebook fan page.
-- CES --