DESJARDINS AND BOUCHER BOUT WILL DECIDE NEW FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION IN PORTLAND

Steve Desjardins

[NEF PRESS RELEASE]

Portland, Maine (September 20, 2019) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland, Maine on November 9, 2019 with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 41: Collision Course.”  Earlier today, NEF announced the addition of an amateur flyweight title fight to the card.  Steve Desjardins (5-3) will take on Nate Boucher (5-3) for the vacant NEF Amateur Flyweight Championship.

 Steve Desjardins is a longtime veteran of the New England MMA scene, having debuted back in 2011.  He recently returned to the NEF cage after taking several years off from active competition.  It had been exactly five years and one day since his last MMA bout when Desjardins defeated Dillon Henry (0-3) earlier this month at “NEF 40” in Orono, Maine.  It marked Desjardins’ third straight win stretching back to February 2014.  He is currently an independent fighter based out of Brewer, Maine.

 “Nate is a very talented fighter,” noted Desjardins.  “I am blessed to have this opportunity, and I assure you that it will be nothing but a great fight.”



 The upcoming bout with Desjardins will be Nate Boucher’s third attempt at capturing the flyweight title.  He lost a controversial decision to Justin Witham (4-4) that many felt Boucher had won in his first crack at the championship at “NEF 31.”  This past summer, Boucher had another opportunity to win the vacant championship, but both he and his opponent, Robert Presley (5-5), missed weight.  The bout continued as a non-title catchweight fight, and Boucher obliterated Presley in a dominant performance.  It was his third win in a row with all three victories coming by way of first-round submission.  Boucher represents Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu of Lewiston, Maine.

Nate Boucher

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to once again contend for the NEF 125-pound title,” said Boucher. “I mismanaged my weight back in June, but I won’t repeat the same mistakes I made last time. I’ve made 125-pounds before and I’ll make it again at the weigh-in on November 8th—safely and comfortably—and close out my 2019 season by capturing the NEF flyweight championship. I look forward to going out on top before stepping away from the sport for a bit while I welcome my first born into the world.”

New England Fights' next mixed-martial-arts event, "NEF 41: Collision Course," will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at Aura in Portland, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.auramaine.com.