Portland, Maine (January 24, 2020) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, "NEF 42: Symphony of Destruction," on Saturday, February 8, 2020, at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for the event. Two dozen fights in total were scheduled as of press time.
“NEF has put on some great events in the past eight years, but this card is truly our magnum opus,” stated NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “What better place to hold this event than a music hall that has hosted the works of artists like Tchaikovsky, Mozart, and Beethoven over the last century? This fight card is a real work of art.”
At the top of the card will be what many are calling the biggest fight in NEF history, and one of the biggest fights to ever take place regionally in New England, as Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (17-11) faces Manny “The Bermudez Triangle” Bermudez (14-2) for the vacant NEF Professional Lightweight Title. Boyington held the championship previously, choosing to vacate it in order to sign with national promotion World Series of Fighting in 2016. Bermudez is a veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), having gone 3-2 in the Octagon before being released by the promotion last fall.
In the co-main event, Jesse “The Viking” Erickson (9-8) takes on Josh “Hook On” Harvey (7-0-1) in a lightweight contest that features two of Maine’s biggest fan-favorites. The fight will be Erickson’s twenty-second with the promotion – the most of any fighter to compete for NEF. Harvey is one of the region’s top prospects, and he currently holds the NEF Professional Featherweight Title.
“The Jamaican Shamrock” Ras “Rasquatch” Hylton (4-3) will look to bounce back from a knockout loss last September in Orono, Maine when he takes on Brad Lee (0-0) in a heavyweight contest. Hylton, who typically towers over opponents with his height of 6’6”, will only have two inches on the 6’4” Lee. Lee is the lead vocalist for hardcore band Instigate. The band will hold their CD release party at Geno’s Rock Club in Portland the night before “NEF 42.”
Carl Langston (0-4) seeks his first win as a professional fighter when he meets Jacob Deppmeyer (0-0) in a featherweight bout. Langston was originally scheduled to fight Dom Jones (2-3), but Jones had to pull out due to a medical suspension in another state. Deppmeyer had an amateur record of 1-2-1 prior to turning pro.
On the amateur portion of the card, undefeated Nate “The Mule” White (4-0) is set to face Brian Cosco (5-8) in a catchweight contest. White was voted “Rookie of the Year” for 2019 by NEF fans. Cosco will look for his third straight win in the NEF cage since debuting with the promotion last spring.
“Boogaloo” Mike Bezanson (4-0) will also put his undefeated record on the line against Greg Ishihara (2-1). Bezanson, hailing from the White Mountains of New Hampshire, has made a name for himself as one of the most exciting strikers to ever step foot in the NEF cage. Ishihara has won two in a row since losing his debut last April.
The full “NEF 42” fight card (subject to change):
PROFESSIONAL
155*TITLE: Bruce Boyington (Titan Athletics) vs Manny Bermudez (SSSF)
155: Josh Harvey (Vision Quest Muay Thai) vs Jesse Erickson (CMBJJ)
160: Ryan Cushing (Independent) vs Keegan Hornstra (Evolution Athletix)
265: Ras Hylton (First Class MMA) vs Brad Lee (Paladin Combat Sports)
205: Buck Pineau (Independent) vs Justin Burrill (SSSF)
145: Jacob Deppmeyer (First Class MMA) vs Carl Langston (Young’s MMA)
AMATEUR
165: Mike Murray (Camden Combat/Foundry) vs Tim Birkenhead (SSSF)
155: Justin Kangas (First Class MMA) vs Joe Howard (CMBJJ)
170: Mike Bezanson (Kaze) vs Greg Ishihara (Recon)
135: Felipe Gunter (First Class MMA) vs Hannon Sanford (CMBJJ)
155: Mohammad Al Kinani (Evolution Athletix) vs Andy Rivera (Vickery)
158: Brian Cosco (Redline) vs Nate White (CMBJJ)
265: Titus Pannell (T4 Survival) vs Darryl Andrews (SSSF)
170: Jason Landry (Team Landry) vs Dustin Carrier (CMBJJ)
125: Tyler Smythe (Evolution Athletix) vs Nik Porter (Rock City MMA)
165: Austin Hamilton (Independent) vs Garry Carr (CMBJJ)
125: Giuliano Rossi (Kaze) vs Ryan Fogg (Maine Kyokushin Karate)
166: Ben Grady (Evolution Athletix) vs Jon Assam (CMBJJ)
185: Tim Bergeron (Team Landry) vs Henry Jeffs (Independent)
125: Dillon Henry (First Class MMA) vs Caleb Austin (CMBJJ)
170: Wyatt Sochin (Acadia BJJ) vs Dylan Williams (Independent)
145: Randall Hathorn (Independent) vs Tim Murray (CMBJJ)
145: Henry Clark (Recon) vs Taylor Bartlett (CMBJJ)
135: Teddy Politis (Evolution Athletix) vs Kevin Lemay (First Class MMA)