[NEF PRESS RELEASE]
Portland, Maine (October 20, 2021) – New England Fights (NEF) returns with its next mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF 45: Uprising,” on Friday, November 5, 2021, at Aura in Portland, Maine. NEF has announced that Matt “Ken Doll” Denning (5-10) will meet Jon Deupree (0-0) in a professional welterweight contest.
Matt Denning is a longtime veteran of the NEF cage, having debuted with the promotion as an amateur in the spring of 2013. He will be looking for his first win in Maine since “NEF 29” when he submitted Dom Jones in the first round. Denning has competed in the past for global MMA promotions Bellator and World Series of Fighting. Since his last fight for NEF in 2018, Denning has begun training fighters at his own gym – Denning’s MMA.
“I’m excited to be back to my roots with NEF,” said Denning. “When I retired in 2018, I thought I would never be back. Now, sober, with an amazing family, career and support group, I’m ready to return. People have said that this is too much of a fighter for me and that Jon’s the best in New England. Well, where has he been? Why didn’t he go pro? I’ve been actively fighting since 2014 as a loser-drunk who didn’t have anything to show for his life. I used this sport to get me through the hardest time of my life and for a guy with a losing record, I won every time I fought. I’ve gained experience and valuable heart. Those are two things I don’t think my opponent has and it’s what I’m hoping to use to get me back in the win column. And what’s the worst thing that happens? I lose to ‘the best fighter in New England.’ Thanks again, NEF. I’m excited to be back!”
