[CES PRESS RELEASE]
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Jan. 23rd, 2018) -- With a spot up for grabs in the main event of CES MMA's 2018 season-opener, veteran heavyweight Greg Rebello is stepping into the proverbial batter's box to take one more shot at an elusive world title.
Rebello headlines "CES MMA 48," scheduled for Friday, Feb. 2nd, 2018 live on AXS TV Fights from Twin River Casino, in a five-round bout against 96-fight vet Travis Wiuff of Rochester, Minn., for the vacant CES MMA World Heavyweight Title.
Wiuff boasts an impressive resume that includes 75 wins -- 24 by knockout and an additional 25 by submission -- with an appearance on nearly every major promotion over the past 17 years, among them the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC), Bellator, PRIDE Fighting Championships and World Victory Road in Japan, plus the short-lived International Fight League, which featured team competition.
Rebello (23-8, 14 KOs), the Providence, R.I., native and longtime standout on the regional circuit, fights for the CES MMA strap for the second time. In August of 2016, he faced Ashley Gooch for the then-vacant crown at "CES MMA 37," but lost by third-round knockout despite a valiant effort in which he hit Gooch with everything he had over the first two rounds. Gooch lost the belt in his first title defense at "CES MMA 45" against Juliano Coutinho, who promptly retired to vacate the title for a second time.
Feb. 2nd will be Rebello's 16th appearance with CES MMA. He rebounded from his loss to Gooch with back-to-back wins over Danyelle Williams and Kevin Sears, earning him a spot on the inaugural episode of Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series in Nevada this past summer against Azunna Anyanwu. Rebello, 35, fought four times last year for the first time since 2013 and just the third time in his career.
The Rebello-Wiuff title bout replaces the originally-scheduled main event between CES MMA World Featherweight Champion Matt Bessette and Californian Jamall Emmers, which was scratched when Bessette earned a spot on the preliminary card of UFC 220 this past weekend in Boston, one of four CES MMA alumni to compete at the event. The list also included Calvin Kattar, former CES MMA title-holder Rob Font and Kyle Bochniak, continuing the longstanding tradition of CES MMA carving a path to the UFC for the region's top fighters.
Tickets for "CES MMA 48" are priced at $47.00, $57.00, $102.00 and $127.00 (VIP) and can be purchased online at www.cesboxing.com, www.twinriver.com, www.cagetix.com or www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Casino Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
The preliminary card begins at 7 p.m. ET with the televised main card following at 9. Veteran MMA journalist Ron Kruck and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich handle the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively, for AXS TV Fights. This year's season-opener also doubles as a Super Bowl kickoff party in New England with fans encouraged to wear either New England Patriots or Philadelphia Eagles apparel to the event to enter to win door prizes. Super Bowl LII is scheduled 48 hours later on Feb. 4th.
In addition to the Rebello-Wiuff headliner, the "CES MMA 48" main card features the return of top prospects Dinis Paiva Jr. (10-6, 6 KOs) of East Providence, R.I., and Peabody, Mass., bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (8-1, 3 KOs).
Paiva Jr. faces Minneapolis veteran Kevin Barberena (5-3) in a featherweight bout. The two boast matching three-fight win streaks; Paiva's recent run includes back-to-back wins on AXS TV, while Barberena has won three in a row -- all by submission -- dating back to April of 2016.
DiSciullo steps up to face three-time CES MMA vet Brandon Seyler (7-6, 1 KO) of Erie, Pa., in a bout originally scheduled for 2016 on the "CES MMA 35" undercard. Seyler earned his first win with the promotion at "CES MMA 45," defeating Kris Moutinho by submission before facing Paiva on AXS TV at "CES MMA 46" in October. DiSciullo makes his eighth appearance with CES MMA and enters his bout against Seyler on a two-fight win streak.
The "CES MMA 48" main card also features the promotional and Twin River debut of three-time Bellator vet Tim Caron (8-1, 4 KOs) of Manchester, N.H., in a middleweight bout against Maryland's Timothy Woods (7-5, 4 KOs), plus a featherweight showdown between unbeaten Dylan Lockard (3-0, 1 KO) of Hollis, N.H., and Cortland, N.Y., vet Shane Manley (3-3).
Woods also boasts an appearance with Bellator in 2014 on the preliminary card of Bellator 118, defeating Eugene Fadiora by unanimous decision, his most noteworthy win to date. Lockard returns to CES MMA for the first time since November of 2016 when he defeated Russell Campbell by first-round submission. Manley won his only bout with the promotion at "CES MMA 31" in 2015 before facing veteran former CES MMA title-challenger Chris Foster at Bellator 178.
The return of North Attleboro, Mass., native Brian Marino (5-1, 3 KOs), a former U.S. Army Sergeant, highlights the preliminary card. Marino hasn't fought since 2010 due to his military service, but ends his layoff at "CES MMA 48" in a three-round welterweight bout against Jerome Mickle (2-3, 1 KO) of the Bronx. Marino currently boasts a three-fight win streak dating back to June of 2010.
Also on the preliminary card, light heavyweight Yorgan De Castro (1-0, 1 KO) faces JD Tyrrell of Cortland, who makes his professional debut. De Castro earned his first career win in his pro debut at "CES MMA 47" in November with a 39-second knockout against James Dysard.
Female strawweight Hilarie Rose of Norfolk, Mass., is one of five additional fighters debuting on the preliminary card. Rose faces Linsey Williams (0-2) of Coon Rapids, Mich. Middleweights Tommy Davis of Marblehead, Mass., and Armus Guyton of Ithaca, N.Y., debut against one another while light heavyweight Fabio Cherant of Wrentham, Mass., makes his pro debut against the Plattsburgh, N.Y., native Dysard (0-3). Brandon Morrotte of Hampstead, N.H., debuts in a three-round featherweight bout against Elmira, N.Y., native Quentin Gaskins (1-4).
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-- CES --