NEF returns to the Colisee with a star studded fight card
Travis Lizotte
Just over two weeks shy of our nations independence day; New England fights once again invades the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston Maine once again, for the promotions 29th show on June 17th with a star studded card that will undoubtedly produce seasonably adequate fireworks. NEF 29 stacks up 15 fights on the docket for the evening; including four professional boxing matches, four professional MMA contests as well as seven Amateur MMA matches. NEF 29 will also include the largest contingency of “Big Names” and “Fan Favorites” on one single card in the promotions history; including but not limited to the returns of both Bruce Boyington (14-10 MMA) (Boxing) and Ray Wood (8-3) (MMA). Boyington, whose journey up the ranks of New England Lightweights was highlighted by his capturing of the NEF Lightweight title in 2014 which subsequently led to a stint in the national spotlight with World Series of Fighting that saw the Bangor, Maine native go 2-2 for the Promotion. With an MMA bout already signed for CES 45 on August 11th against Nate “The Snake” Andrews in Lincoln, Rhode Island, “Pretty Boy” Boyington will test his talents in the boxing ring Saturday night against New England Middleweight Champion Russell Lamour out of Portland Boxing Club (Portland, Maine). For Wood, a veteran of four NEF fights which saw the former Young’s MMA product go 3-1 for the organization, a return to Maine may be exactly what “All Business” Wood needs to snap a two fight losing streak, both losses came in the Bellator MMA cage and both were against undefeated foes including Adam Piccolotti and the fast rising prospect AJ McKee. The former NEF Featherweight Champion Wood will square off with Sao Paulo, Brazil native and Veteran of nine Bellator bouts in his own right; Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra, in what could be the one of the most highly anticipated fights in the history of the NEF Promotion. With two top talents squaring off in the NEF cage, the Wood vs. Bezerra fight will give NEF 29 the feel of a National promotion and the matchup has gained attention from the National MMA media outlet; Sherdog.com, who listed the fight as a Top 10 fight to watch in the month of June, Worldwide.
Heavyweight star in the marking Ras “Rasquatch” Hylton (1-0), will look to remain undefeated as Oklahoma’s Eric Ramsey (0-1) looks to try and solve the lengthy Striker in Hylton. The Rasquatch will look to add to an already impressive four fight KO streak to start his career in the sport, earning an impressive first round drubbing of Mike Hansen at NEF 27 to kick off his professional career. Hylton continues to be a tough matchup physically; his 6’6” frame and extremely lengthy limbs have allowed the Heavyweight to carve up his opponents with his Muay Thai. Ramsey will look to bounce back off a 23 second knockout loss in his Pro debut after going 4-1 over his five fight Amateur career and will face an uphill battle as he tries to avoid being on the wrong end of three straight contests. Hylton who has become a fan favorite in the NEF cage will have the strength of the Colisee crowd behind him as he attempts to send Ramsey back to the South with his second straight KO loss.
Following their impressive wins at NEF 28, Featherweights Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (4-6) and Dominic “Domination” Jones (1-0) will now square off in the NEF cage. Following his four fight loss streak that included a Debut with World Series of Fighting on New Years of this year, Denning returned to the NEF cage last time out with a first round submission of Josh Parker and finally get his record back on the right track. Denning will have his hands full when he shares the cage with Dominic Jones Saturday night on the Main Card. Jones is coming off a dominant Professional Debut in which he finished veteran Tollison Lewis with a first round stoppage due to strikes, Jones showed high output and powerful wrestling as he easily dispatched Lewis at NEF 28. Both fighters fresh off wins at NEF in April will undoubtedly put on a show here at NEF 29 as this fight offers an intriguing matchup with Denning’s BJJ and Jones’ Wrestling meet head on. Rounding out the professional MMA portion of the evening, the aforementioned Josh Parker (5-9) will look to bounce back off the submission loss he suffered to Matt Denning at NEF 28, after controlling the grappling exchange in the first portion of that fight. Parker will take on Andre Belcarris (0-1) who had his professional debut spoiled by what could have been the best version of Walter Cotito- Smith we have seen in a long while. Belcarris, who had been a veteran of 33 Amateur fights, hopes to avoid starting his Pro career with back to back losses when he throws down with Parker.
Two Amateur bouts have found themselves worthy of Main Card status Saturday night, the first coming in the Strawweight division when Alex Walker will be looking to settle some bad blood that has formed between her and Sarah Ziehm following Ziehm’s attitude towards her former competitor Nichole Burgess who she faced at NEF 27. Walker said in an interview at NEF 28 that she plans to knock Sarah out quickly, but Sarah showed that she has great grappling skills in her fight with Burgess and if Ziehm can get the fight to the ground she could turn the lights out on Walker’s hopes of fetching that knockout. In the Amateur card feature; 38 year old Rafael Velado (4-0) will finally find himself in the cage as the younger fighter, when he puts his NEF Amateur Lightweight Title on the line the first time against 52 year old Pat Kelly (3-0) of Young’s MMA. Kelly finds himself in the cage for the first time since 2015 as he touches gloves with the youthful Champion Velado, in what should be an exciting fight, right in the middle of an exciting night of action from Lewiston, Maine.
Fans are also encouraged to arrive at the venue early for a chance to meet James “Buster” Douglas who’s famed career is most noted for upsetting Mike Tyson in Tokyo, Japan in 1990 to take Tyson’s Undisputed Heavyweight Title and cement his spot in boxing lore. Doors of the Colisee will open at 6pm Saturday and a meet and greet/ autograph session with Douglas will start promptly at 6pm and take you right up to the beginning of the undercard at 7pm. Tickets can be purchased by visiting thecolisee.com or newenglandfights.com. And fights will be broadcast live on flocombat.com starting at 7pm Saturday night. Below is the entire fight card for the evening, fight order is subject to change.
PROFESSIONAL BOXING
200 Crowsneck Boutin (Independent) vs. Cristiano Pedro (Cugno)
168 Jason Quirk (PBC) vs. Borngod Washington (Meekins)
160 Russell Lamour (PBC) vs. Bruce Boyington (Boyington's TKD)
154 Casey Kramlich (PBC) vs. Bryan Goldsby (Jorge Gurgle)
PROFESSIONAL MMA
265 Ras Hylton (First Class/Dragon Fire) vs. Eric Ramsey (Trinity)
145 Alexandre Bezerra (Daddis) vs. Ray Wood (Nick's)
145 Dominic Jones (First Class) vs. Matt Denning (CMBJJ)
145 Andre Belcarris (NE Assassins) vs. Josh Parker (Ruthless)
AMATEUR MMA
155*TITLE Rafael Velado (First Class) (c) vs. Pat Kelly (Young's)
185 Mike Williams (CMBJJ) vs. John Tefft (First Class)
185 Anthony Spires (Independent) vs. Josh Jones (First Class)
150 Jacob Deppmeyer (First Class) vs. Ben Harrington(CMBJJ)
145 Derek Daley (First Class) vs. Frank Johanson (CMBJJ)
140 Glenn Kasabian (Nostos) vs. Kam Arnold (CMBJJ)
115 Alex Walker (Kaze) vs. Sarah Ziehm (CMBJJ)