[NEF PRESS RELEASE]
Portland, Maine (February 2, 2022) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 46: Decade of Dominance,” on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Aura in Portland, Maine. The event will commemorate NEF’s ten-year anniversary. The leading regional promotion launched on February 11, 2012. Earlier today, NEF announced the full fight card for the event.
In the main event of the evening, Aaron Lacey (6-2) takes on New York’s Jerome Mickle (4-11) in a professional lightweight contest. Lacey will return to the NEF cage after an absence of more than three years. Mickle was originally supposed to face Caleb Hall (4-0) in the main event, but Lacey stepped in after Hall was sidelined with a medical issue.
The co-main event of the evening will see Zac Richard (1-0) face Urias Osorio (0-0) at a catchweight of 140 pounds. Richard won his professional debut at “NEF 45” last November after a successful amateur career that saw him capture the NEF Amateur Lightweight Title. Florida’s Osorio makes his MMA debut with an extensive background as an amateur and professional boxer.
Glory Watson (1-1) will look for her first professional victory in her home state when she meets Michigan’s Alibeth Milliron (2-0). Watson earned her first win as a professional last fall on a fight card in New York. She held the NEF Women’s Flyweight Title as an amateur. Milliron puts her undefeated pro record on the line. She finished both of her previous professional fights, but has not competed since 2018.
Nathaniel Grimard (0-0) and Anthony Vasta (0-0) are set to square off in a double professional debut at 145-pounds. Grimard is a former NEF Amateur Featherweight Champion who put together a record of 4-1 in the amateur ranks. Vasta, a Massachusetts resident, will be making his first NEF appearance.
Mohammad Al Kinani (0-0) will also make his professional debut against Vermont’s Chris Rooney (0-1) in a lightweight bout. Al Kinani had a stellar amateur career that saw him go 9-1 and gain the top amateur ranking for New England lightweights. Rooney is a tough veteran who has competed on the regional circuit since 2011.
The amateur card will be headlined by a pair of title fights.
In the first, Mike Murray (3-2) goes to battle with Zach Faulkner (4-1) for the vacant NEF Amateur Welterweight Title. After back-to-back losses in the NEF cage, Murray rebounded with a split decision win on a fight card in Florida in his most recent outing. Faulkner is a perfect 2-0 in the NEF cage and is coming off a unanimous decision win last summer at “NEF 44” in New Hampshire.
The second amateur title fight will see Tyler Smythe (3-1) put his NEF Amateur Flyweight Title up for grabs against former champion Ryan Burgess (3-2). Burgess held the title in 2015 after defeating Dustin Veinott (5-4) via split decision at “NEF 20.” He has not competed since February 2018. Smythe won the then-vacant strap with a fourth-round technical knockout of Caleb Austin (5-1) at “NEF 45” last fall. The upcoming bout between Smythe and Burgess has garnered a lot of online attention thanks to some serious trash talking by both sides on various social media platforms.
The full “NEF 46” fight card (subject to change):
PROFESSIONAL MMA
155 LBS: Jerome Mickle (Yonkyu Judo) vs. Aaron Lacey (Nostos)
140 LBS: Zac Richard (Evolution Athletix) vs. Urias Osorio (RPA MMA)
115 LBS: Glory Watson (Young’s MMA) vs. Alibeth Milliron (Ludus MMA)
145 LBS: Athony Vasta (Defensive Edge) vs. Nathaniel Grimard (Nostos)
155 LBS: Mohammad Al Kinani (Evolution Athletix) vs. Chris Rooney (Sargent BJJ)
155 LBS: Carl Langston (Independent) vs. Shaun Ray (Team Nitemare)
AMATEUR MMA
125 *TITLE*: Tyler Smythe (Evolution Athletix) (c) vs. Ryan Burgess (Famoso BJJ)
170 *TITLE*: Mike Murray (DCBJJ) vs. Zach Faulkner (Recon)
185 LBS: Brett Martin (First Class MMA) vs. Jordan Jones (Independent)
145 LBS: Mike Jolicoeur (Karasu Tengu) vs. Will Smith (Gorilla Fitness)
125 LBS: Quinn Poirier (First Class MMA) vs. Key Baltazar (Nostos)
265 LBS: Nick Legrande (Young’s MMA) vs. Jack Burke (Seacoast Boxing Club)
145 LBS: Ryan Savage (First Class MMA) vs. William Lagasse (Team Nitemare)
185 LBS: Jeff Reynolds (Karasu Tengu) vs. David McCarty (Titan Athletics)
155 LBS: Ben Grady (Evolution Athletix) vs. Brandon Maillet-Fevens (CMBJJ)
155 LBS: Cody Kilton (First Class MMA) vs. Kaleb Kenney (Team Nitemare)
170 LBS: Justin Kangas (First Class MMA) vs. Jon Assam (CMBJJ)
175 LBS: Curtis Ouellette (CMBJJ) vs. Christopher Smith (Team Nitemare)
“NEF 46: Decade of Dominance” takes place on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at Aura in Portland, Maine. The event will commemorate NEF’s ten-year anniversary. Doors open at 6 pm with first fight at 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.Ticketmaster.com. The event will also stream at www.CombatSportsNow.com for $29.99.
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