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October 12, 2015

THE BARBARIAN ARRIVES IN NEF TO FACE THE BEAST FROM THE NORTH


[NEF Press Release]

Lewiston, Maine (October 9, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America's number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its next event, "NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE" on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will feature a first for Maine - mixed-martial-arts (MMA) bouts and professional boxing bouts on the same event with an MMA cage and a boxing ring set up side-by-side.  Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of a professional light-heavyweight bout to the MMA portion of the fight card.  Matt "The Beast From the North" Andrikut (1-0) will return to Maine to take on Jesse "The Barbarian" Baughman (0-0) at a fight weight of 205-pounds.

Andrikut, an accomplished wrestler at the University of Southern Maine (USM) and a former finalist in the Northern New England Golden Gloves, made his NEF debut last month at "NEF XIX," winning via technical knockout (TKO) in a mere 32-seconds of round one.  Andrikut is best known on the New England MMA scene for finishing Pat Walsh (6-2) in under a minute during their amateur meeting in 2011.  (Walsh would go on to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship [UFC] as a professional.)  Andrikut now lives in Reno, Nevada where he trains out of Conviction MMA.


"I am excited to come back to Maine to fight Jesse," said Andrikut.  "He's got a great record and trains for a great team. I love the people and the atmosphere in Maine - it's a great place! On November 21, we will see who's a greater fighter as we put our unblemished records on the line. I am sure we will both be ready and it will certainly be a crowd pleaser!"

The Lewiston bout will be the professional debut for Baughman, as well as his first fight with NEF in the state of Maine.  Baughman leaves the amateur division having amassed a perfect 5-0 record.  He has claimed regional championships while attaining the number-one ranking for New England amateur light-heavyweights.  A resident of Littleton, New Hampshire, Baughman trains at Team Link North in nearby Whitefield.

"Making my pro debut with NEF is nothing less than exciting," said Baughman. "Being a New England native, I recognize the passion and support our fans have for the sport of MMA. As the top ranked light heavyweight amateur in New England, I expect to be put up against the toughest guys around in my division. Huge thanks to Matt Peterson for the opportunity and my manager Taylor Trahan. Barbarian is ready for war!"

New England Fights' next event, "NEF XX: A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE," takes place on November 21, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée in Lewiston, Maine.  The event will mark the first time in Maine history a mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event and a professional boxing event have taken place together on the same show.  Tickets for "NEF XX" start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisée box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”