NEF 22 4/23/2016 TEASER

NEF returns with their 22nd show this Saturday April 23rd at the Androscoggin Colisee in Lewiston Maine.  This event will be a pro and amateur mixed martial arts event mixed with a couple of pro boxing fights hybrid style.  NEF is also doing what they did last time and having the main event fights moved into earlier in the night and then having a post prelim fights at the end.  As with any card there were some fights that dropped off and NEF is down to 17 fights.  The doors will be opening at 6pm and the first fight is set to start at 7:00pm.   This should be the final fight card order below so follow along as I preview each fight minus the boxing fights.

140 AM Angela Young 0-1 (Young’s) vs Hannah Sparrell 1-0 (First Class)

First fight of the night is Angela Young against Hannah Sparrell at a catch weight of 140 lbs.  Young trains out of Young’s MMA and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  Angela’s first fight was against Rachel Reinheimer in which she lost a unanimous decision.  She is ready to return and looking to get her first amateur debut of her career.  Her opponent is Hannah Sparrell and she trains with First Class MMA.  Hannah comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with a decision win over Kira Innocenti.  This is going to a great first fight as the ladies always bring the crowd on their feet.  I see this fight being a stand up battle and coming down to a decision.

155 AM Ken Dunn 0-3 (W. ME Budo Arts) vs Frank Johanson 0-1 (CMBJJ)

Next match up is between Ken Dunn and Frank Johanson at 155 lbs amateur.  Dunn trains with W. ME Budo Arts and comes into this fight with an 0-3 record with 2 losses by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  His opponent is Frank Johanson and he trains with Central Maine BJJ.  Frank comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with 1 loss by ko/tko to strikes.  As you can see both fighters are looking for their first W and fortunately for one of them, they will get it this Saturday!

265 AM Matt Glover 1-0 (Berserkers) vs Ras Hylton 1-0 (First Class)

In a heavyweight match up Matt Glover will take on Ras Hylton in an amateur battle.  Glover trains with Berserkers and he comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by ko/tko over Gravin Guillen at the last NEF show.  His opponent is Ras Hylton and he trains with First Class MMA.  He also comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by ko/tko.  As you can see both fighters won in similar fashion by ko/tko to strikes and they were all in the first round.  I am curious to see how Glover handles Ras’s big reach and I can just about guarantee that this fight will not be going to a decision with these finishers.

155 AM Cory Trial 1-2 (Ruthless) vs Angelo Rizzitello 0-0 (Shatterproof)

At 155 lbs amateur Cory Trial will take on Angelo Rizzitello.  Trial trains with Ruthless MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record with his big win being a 7 second knockout.  For his 2 losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  His opponent is Angelo Rizzitello and he trains with Team Shatterproof.  Angelo will be making his amateur debut with NEF this weekend.  This one is a really good match up as both of these teams are brawlers and explode right from the get go with lots of energy.

175 PRO BOXING Crowsneck Boutin 0-0-1 (Choi) vs Brandon Montella 3-0 (The Way)


265 AM Dave Smith 2-1 (Berserkers) vs Nick Gulliver 2-0 (First Class)

In another heavyweight battle Dave Smith takes on Nick Gulliver.  Smith trains with Team Berserkers and comes into this fight with a 2-1 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  His sole loss came by a ko/tko against Brendan Battles.  His opponent is Nick Gulliver and he trains with First Class MMA.  Nick comes into this fight with a 2-0 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  Again, another great match up as both fighters have wins the exact same way which should make for another solid fight.

145 AM TITLE Caleb Hall 6-3 (Choi) vs Erik Nelson 2-2 (CMBJJ)

Next up is the 145 amateur title fight between Caleb Hall and Erik Nelson.  Hall trains out of Choi’s Institute and and comes into this fight with a 6-3 record.  In the win column, he has 3 wins by ko/tko and 3 wins by submission.  For his losses, he has 1 by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 1 by decision.  His opponent is Erik Nelson and he trains with CMBJJ.  Erik comes into this fight with a 2-2 record with one win by submission and 1 win by decision.  For his 2 losses, he lost both of them by way of decision.  This is a solid title fight as both fighters have earned it fighting for NEF multiple times and are at the top of the division for NEF but I give the slight edge to Hall due to his extra fight experience.

145 PRO Aaron Lacey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Derek Shorey 3-5 (Shatterproof)

In the first pro fight of the night Aaron Lacey will take on Derek Shorey.  Lacey is of course from Young’s MMA and will be making his long awaited pro debut.  As an amateur he went 6-1 with 4 finishes in which 3 of them were by submission.  His opponent is Derek Shorey and he trains with Shatterproof.  Shorey comes into this fight with a 3-5 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 4 by way of submission.  Shorey in this fight has the 8 fight experience in the pro division over Lacey.  However, Lacey has 7 amateur fights under his belt to get him ready in being a pro and I feel he will adjust very smoothly.

155 PRO Zenon Herrera 0-3 (Independent) vs Tollison Lewis 0-5 (CMBJJ)

Second pro fight of the night is between Zenon Herrera against Tollison Lewis.  Zenon is an independent fighter who comes into this fight with an 0-3 record.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  His opponent is Tollison Lewis and he trains with CMBJJ.  Lewis comes into this fight with an 0-5 record with the majority of his losses by submission.  Now these guys just fought a boxing match together and Lewis won by ko/tko.  Now they are both fighting for the coveted first pro W and as the saying goes, someone’s O has got to go!

140 PRO BOXING Brandon Berry 11-1 (West Forks) vs James Lester 10-9 (Kronk)

150 PRO Josh Harvey 0-0 (Young’s) vs Matt Denning 2-1 (CMBJJ)

In another pro fight Josh Harvey will take on Matt Denning at a catch weight of 150 lbs.  Harvey trains with Young’s MMA and will be making his pro debut.  As an amateur Harvey went 5-1 with his only loss coming by submission.  For his wins he has 4 finishes, 2 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  Harvey will be more than ready for his pro debut.  His opponent is Matt Denning and he trains with CMBJJ.  Denning comes into this fight with a 2-1 record with 2 wins by submission and his one loss by ko/tko.  This is going to be an explosive fight as I see it being a slug fest.

205 PRO Mike Hansen 3-3 (Berserkers) vs Jesse Baughman 0-1 (Link)

At 205 lbs Mike Hansen will face off against Jesse Baughman.  Hansen trains out of Berserkers MMA and comes into this fight with a 3-3 record.  In the win column, he has 1 win by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission. For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  He suffered a loss in his last fight and is looking to turn his record around and pull above .500.  His opponent is Jesse Baughman and he trains out of Team Link.  He comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with 1 loss by ko/tko to Matt Andrikut at a previous NEF show.  I see this one being a wrestling and ground battle.  Both fighters I think are pretty even in that aspect so this should be a good battle.

155 PRO TITLE Devin Powell 5-1 (Nostos) vs Jesse Erickson 6-4 (CMBJJ)

In the main event Devin Powell will fight Jesse Erickson for the coveted 155 lb Pro Title.  Powell trains with Nostos MMA and comes into this fight with a 5-1 record.  For his wins, he has 1 win by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 2 by decision.  His sole loss came by a decision to Bruce Boyington.  His opponent is Jesse Erickson and he trains with CMBJJ.  He comes into this fight with a 6-4 record with 1 ko/tko and 5 by submission.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  Both of these fighters are very even from what I have seen in the cage so I am anxious to see how they match up.  I think this one will be a real treat for the jiu jitsu fans as I see most of the fight taking place on the ground.  Who will take home the belt??  We will find out this Saturday!

265 AM Joe Krech 0-1 (Independent) vs Bryce Bamford 1-0 (First Class)

Now to the post fights and the first one is the amateur battle between Joe Krech and Bryce Bamford.  Krech is an independent fighter that comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He lost his first fight by submission against Mike Williams at NEF 20.  He is still looking for that first W.  His opponent is Bryce Bamford and he trains with First Class.  He comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with his first win by ko/tko in just 19 seconds.  He would love another quick W this Saturday.  I think this one will be another quick battle so don’t leave after the main event folks!

125 AM Jake Denham 1-0 (Lawton BJJ) vs Ryan Daley 0-2 (Team Irish)

Next up is a 125 battle between Jake Denham and Ryan Daley.  Denham trains out of Lawton BJJ and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with his first win by submission.  His opponent is Ryan Daley and he trains with Team Irish.  He comes into this fight with an 0-2 record with both losses by submission.  In this fight Daley will have his work cut out for him going up against a BJJ guy.

170 AM Tom Burgess 1-0 (Berserkers) vs Alex Payson 1-0 (First Class)

At 170 lbs Tom Burgess will take on Alex Payson.  Burgess trains with Berserkers MMA and he comes into this fight with a 1-0 record.  He won his first bout against Caleb Swoveland with a unanimous decision.  His opponent is Alex Payson and he trains with First Class.  He comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by ko/tko.  Both fighters records are identical which should make this a battle for sure.

145 AM Glenn Kasabian 0-0 (Choi) vs Matt Marshall 2-5 (Team Last Day)

In the last fight of the night Glenn Kasabian will take on Matt Marshall at 145 lbs.  Kasabian trains with Choi’s Institute and comes into this fight making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Matt Marshall and he trains with Team Last Day.  He comes into this fight with a 2-5 record with some losses by submission.  He hasn’t fought in 2 years but he is back and ready for war.  On paper, you can see that Matt has the 7 fight experience which he will try to use in his favor.  Kasabian is from a great school up in Maine so I know he will be battle tested so this should be a solid match up.  Summer is almost here and this one is going to be a hot one!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the breakdown of New England Fight’s 22nd show.  NEF and company have put together a great card and they have been working double duty with another event in May as they look to invade Hyannis Mass.  Warchild and I will be making the trip north to cover the event for you all so stay right here as we keep you all up to date.

CES MMA 35 4/16/2016

CES is back with another show of mixed martial arts and this one is going to be a little bit different.  They are hosting the event in Massachusetts in Beverly Mass at the North Shore Music Theatre.  The venue is a gorgeous tiered seats and they plan on putting the cage on the stage to there should be no bad seats in the house.  This one will be a mixed amateur and professional fights that will be on the card with a total of 11 fights.  Of course the caliber of fighters on the card has not changed so you will get the same quality that you would expect from CES.  Another thing to note is that this show will not be televised on AXS.TV.  The doors will open at 6pm and the first fight starts at 7pm This Saturday, April 16th.  Let me break down the main card in its entirety for you all.

The first half of the night is local amateurs going head to head to fight to hopefully be one of the top CES prospects in the future.  I scraped together their records online and their teams so hopefully most of the information is correct.

145 AM Aaron Reverdes (0-0) vs. Joao Ramos (0-0 Dragon’s Lair)
170 AM Maireni Hernandez (0-0) vs. Jon Ciampa (0-1 Connor’s MMA)
145 AM Yardy Kim (0-0) vs. John Douma (2-1 Triforce MMA)

135 AM Mark Bordieri (0-0 Connor’s MMA) vs. Nick O’Connell (0-0)

Now onto the main portion of the fight card which is all pro fight in which I will break down each fight.

155 PRO Devin Carrier (0-1 Lauzon MMA) vs. Wayne Ahlquist (1-2 LRVT)

In the first pro fight Devin Carrier will be taking on Wayne Ahlquist at 155 lbs.  Carrier trains with Lauzon MMA and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He los this pro debut against Sean Nichols in a grueling battle for Cage Titans by decision.  He has been training hard and is ready to lay it all out on the line for the W.  His opponent is Wayne Ahlquist and he trains with Lake Region Valley Tudo.  He comes into this fight with a 1-2 record with his 1 win by ko/tko against Tommy Venticinque at previous CES show.  For his 2 losses, he lost 1 by decision and 1 by ko/tko to strikes.  Both of these fighters are tough as nails and this one is going to be an awesome one.

155 PRO Lewis Corapi (Sityodtong 7-2) vs. Keenan Raymond (3-3)

Next up at 155 lbs Lewis Corapi will face off against Keenan Raymond.  Corapi trains with Sityodtong and comes into this fight with a 7-2 record with 3 wins by ko/tko, 1 sub, 3 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 1 by decision. His opponent is Keenan Raymond and he comes into this fight with a 3-3 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko, 1 win by sub and 1 win by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 1 loss by submission.  Keenan is a tough opponent and needs a win bad to put him back above. 500.  Corapi is as tough as they come and is no doubt looking to make quick work of Raymond.  I see this one being a stand up war.

185 PRO Mike Rodriguez (2-1 Trifecta) vs. Buck Pineau (1-2 Team Irish)

At 185 lbs Mike Rodriguez will get the much awaited rematch between Buck Pineau.  They fought as amateurs for the CFX title and Buck ended up winning in the 3rd round by submission.  Now many, many fights later they are back to go head to head again.  Rodriguez trains with Trifecta and comes into this fight with a 2-1 record with 2 wins by ko/tko.  His sole pro loss came by way of decision to Pat McCrohan.  His opponent is Buck Pineau and he trains out of Team Irish in Maine.  Buck comes into this fight with an 1-2record with 2 by ko/tko and 1 win decision.  Don’t let his record fool you because Buck is one tough SOB.  I love both of these fighters as I am huge fans of many of the fighters on this card but as a fight fan this fight is gonna be awesome.

155 PRO Josh LaBerge (9-5 Lauzon MMA) vs. Ran Weathers (18-21 Gracie Barra)

Josh LaBerge will face off against Ran Weathers at 155 lbs this Saturday.  Laberge trains with Lauzon MMA and comes into this fight with a 9-5 record.  In the win column, he has 4 wins by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 4 by decisions.  For his losses, he has 4 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  Josh has fought for Bellator and Strikeforce in his pro career.  His opponent is Ran Weathers and he trains with Gracie Barra.  He comes into this fight with a record of 18-21 with 6 ko/tko, 9 sub, and 3 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 ko/tko, 3 sub and 16 by decision.  LaBerge is never in a boring fight and I expect this one to be another war.

265 PRO Tyler King (9-4 Connor’s MMA) vs. Eric Bedard (Gillett’s MMA 6-6 )

In a big heavyweight showdown Tyler King will take on Eric Bedard for the 3rd and most likely final showdown between these two guys.  In the first fight, Tyler King won by ko/tko with a vicious knee from the clinch.  In the second battle Bedard won by knockout in just a few minutes into the first round.  Now they are ready to complete the trilogy! King trains with Connor’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 9-4 record with 3 wins by ko/tko, 4 sub and 2 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 2 by decision.  Not to mention King has one of the most nastiest beards in MMA.  His opponent is Eric Bedard and he trains Gillett’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 6-6 record.  In the win column, he has 4 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko, 3 by sub and 1 by decision.  As you can see the series is all 1-1 so we will have to see how the trilogy turns out.

135 PRO Rico DiSciullo (Sityodtong 5-0) vs. Jake Constant (6-9 Geyston’s MMA)

At 135 lbs Rico Disciullo will take on Jake Constant.  Rico trains with Sityodtong and comes into this fight with an undefeated record of 5-0.  Out of his 5 wins, he has 2 by ko/tko and 3 by decision.  Now Rico has had many opponent changes over the last several weeks and thankfully Constant has stepped up once again to fight Rico.  In the first battle Rico won by tko due to a shoulder injury in the first round and a previous CES event.  Jake comes into this fight with a 6-9 record out of Geyston’s MMA.  He has 2 wins by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he has 5 by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  Being a last minute replacement, many people will doubt Constant will win which may be true but he is out to prove us all wrong as we all will be rooting for our local favorite, Team Rico!

145 PRO Pedro Gonzalez (10-5 Redline MMA) vs. Andres Jeudi (Sityodtong 7-5)

In the main event Pedro Gonzalez will be taking on Andres Jeudi at 145 lbs.  Pedro trains with Redline MMA and comes into this fight with a 10-5 record.  Out of his 10 wins, he has 9 of them by submission and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he 3 by sub and 2 by decisions.  His opponent is Andres Jeudi and he trains with Sityodtong.  Jeudi comes into this fight with a 7-5 record with 3 wins by ko/tko, 3 decision and 1 dq win.  For his losses, he lost all 5 by decisions so you can see he has never been finished.  I think this will be a great fight and for Jeudi to win he will want to keep this fight standing and work his striking.  For Pedro to win this, he will want to get Jeudi onto his back and keep him down and work his magic.

There you have the breakdown of the fights for the show this Saturday at CES.  Warchild, The Artist and I will be coming down to cover the show for you all and the fights are also available on GFL.tv for $17 for the stream if you want to watch at home.  Well hope you all enjoyed the write up and hope to see you all at the cage.

CAGE TITANS 4/9/2016 TEASER

Cage Titans returns this Saturday April 9th with another action packed night of mixed martial arts. The show will be taking place at the Plymouth Memorial Hall and the doors will be opening up at 6pm with the first fight to start at 7PM.  There are a total of 19 fights which include 3 of them are title fights with 5 of them being professional.  As you have seen not much has changed from the fight card except a few drop offs.  Mike Polvere and company have done once again an awesome job at providing Massachusetts with what should be another exciting night of mixed martial arts action.  Let me break down the fight card in its entirety.

145 AM Dan Shapiro (0-0, Redline) vs Matt Burton (0-0, DCNU)

The first fight is between Dan Shapiro and Matt Burton at 145 lbs.  Shapiro trains with Redline and will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Matt Burton and he trains with DCNU and will also be making his amateur debut.  Both are very good mma schools in New England so this should be a great first battle.

145 AM Fabio Benoit (0-0, UFC Gym) vs Joe Smith (1-0, Lauzon MMA)

At 145 lbs Fabio Benoit will be taking on Joe Smith.  Benoit trains out of UFC Gym and will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Joe Smith and he trains out of Lauzon MMA.  Smith comes into this fight with a 1-0 record in which he won his first fight by unanimous decision at Cage Titans 26.  Smith has the 1 fight experience in which he will want to use that to his advantage in this battle.

205 AM Stephen Kimball (1-2, Nostos) vs Ron Marshall (0-0, Team Anubis)

Next battle is at 205 lbs and it is between Stephen Kimball and Ron Marshall.  Kimball trains with Nostos MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record.  For his wins he has 1 win by submission and for his losses, 1 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  His opponent is Ron Marshall and he trains with Team Anubis.  Marshall will be making his amateur debut this Saturday.  Again, Kimball has the 3 fight experience under his belt so we will have to see if that plays a factor.

185 AM Chris Marriott (0-1-1, Team Anubis) vs Kris Silck (1-0, Hard Knocks/SSSF)

At 185 lbs Chris Marriott will be squaring off against Kris Silck.  Marriott trains out of Team Anubis and comes into this fight with a 0-1-1 record.  He has one draw and his sole loss by ko/tko at the last Cage Titans show.  He is still hungry for his first taste of victory.  His opponent is Kris Silck and he trains with Hard Knocks and SSSF.  Kris comes into this fight with a record of 1-0 with 1 win by ko/tko to strikes.  As you can see another close match up and I think this one will be a good stand up battle.

155 AM Austin Schalla (1-2, Dexter MMA) vs Mike Bulger (1-0, Sityodtong)

Austin Schalla will face off against Mike Bulger at Cage Titans this Saturday.  Schalla trains with Dexter MMA and comes into this fight with an 1-2.  Schalla won one fight by submission and lost 2 by decision.  His opponent is Mike Bulger and he trains with Sityodtong.  He comes into this fight with an 1-0 record  with 1 win by decision.  Both of these fighters have proven they can go the distance but who will be victorious this Saturday ?

150 AM Quentin Alexzander (0-0, Independent) vs Chris Sniger (0-1, Team EVT/SBG)

At a catch weight of 150 lbs Quentin Alexzander will face off against Chris Sniger. Alexzander is an independent fighter and comes into this fight making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Chris Sniger and he trains with Team EVT/SBG.  Chris comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with a decision loss back in 2008.  This is another close match up for Cage Titans.

165 AM Trevor Gudde (0-0, Florian MMA) vs Donnell Ford (0-0, DCNU)

At 165 lbs Trevor Gudde will take on Donnell Ford.  Gudde trains with Florian MMA and he will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Donnell Ford and he trains out of CT with DCNU.  Ford will also be making his amateur debut.  Both fighters are from awesome schools which should make for an exciting battle.

155 AM Derek Peterson (1-3, Gillett’s MMA) vs Dan Bardellini (1-5, Rivera Athletics)

Derek Peterson will step into the cage against Dan Bardellini at 155 lb weight division.  Peterson trains with Gillett’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-3 record with 1 win by by decision over Rob Moser.  In the loss column, he lost 1 by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 1 by decision.  His opponent is Dan Bardellini and he trains with Rivera Athletics.  Dan comes into this fight with a 1-5 record with his 1 win by decision.  In the loss column he has 1 by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 1 by decision.  Almost virtually identical records as both fighters have been struggling and they are looking to bring home the W with another notch in their win column.  I see this one being a good battle and going to a decision.

185 AM  Dave Sheehan (0-0, Connors MMA) vs Tommy Lee Davis (0-0, Juniko)

Next up is at 185 lbs Dave Sheehan taking on Tommy Lee Davis.  Sheehan trains out of Connor’s MMA and will be making his amateur debut.  Also making his amateur debut is Tommy Lee Davis who trains out of Juniko.  Two new fresh fighters looking to display their raw untapped energy in the cage for your eyes to feast on.

130 AM  Karoline Francis (0-0, Nostos) vs Jeannette Pomales (2-1, Sityodtong)

In the only female bout of the night Karoline Francis will face Jeanette Pomales at a catch weight of 130 lbs.  Francis trains out of Nostos MMA and she will be making her amateur debut.  Her opponent is Jeannette Pomales and she trains with Sityodtong.  Pomales comes into this fight with a 2-1 record with 1 win by knockout and 1 win by decision.  Her one loss came by submission at a Legacy event.  I have seen her two wins and she has shown some excellent striking which one would expect from Sityodtong.  This fight is going to be an awesome one as I see it being an all out stand up war.

145 AM Justin Bombardier (0-0, MAXX) vs Antoine Caparotta (1-0, SSSF)

Next up is at 145 lbs Justin Bombardier will square off against Antoine Caparotta.  Justin trains with Team Maxx and he will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Antoine Caparotta and he trains out of SSSF.  Antoine steps into the cage with a record of 1-0 with a submission victory over Stephen Langlais.  I give the edge to Caparotta in this one with his 1 fight experience over Justin but as we all know its mma and anything can happen!  Now onto the main card.

125 AM TITLE Rich Santiago (RAC 4-4) vs. Nate Russell (4-0 FAA)

At 125 lbs Rich Santiago defends his title against Nate Russell in the first title fight of the night.  Rich trains with Rivera Athletics Center and he comes into this fight with a 4-4 record.  For his wins, he has 1 ko/tko, 2 by submission and 1 by way of decision.  His last fight was a big win against Ryan Kane in which he won the title and now this will be his first defense.  For his losses, he lost 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  With 3 straight wins and the title on the line he is going to fight hard to not lose it.  His opponent is Nate Russell and he trains with Fighting Arts Academy and comes into this fight with an undefeated record of 4-0.  For his wins he has 2 wins by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission.  I see this fight being a ground battle and ending by submission.  Both fighters are very good on the ground and impress me more and more each fight and I for one can’t wait to see how this one pans out.

155 AM TITLE Ryan DiBartolomeo (Team Link NH 4-4) vs. Alex Ortiz (3-1 Speed School)

At 155 lbs Ryan DiBartolomeo will face off against Alex Ortiz for the 155 Amateur title.  Ryan trains with Team Link now and comes into this fight with a 4-4 record.  In the win column he has 1 win by submission and 3 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 3 by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  In his last fight he lost a title fight fight to Josh Harvey and he is now with a different school and looking for another notch in the win column.
His opponent is Alex Ortiz and he trains with Speed School MMA.  He comes into this fight with a 3-1 record with 1 wins by submission and 2 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko to strikes against Don Shainis.  I see this one being an awesome stand up battle and it is one you definitely don’t want to miss.

145 AM TITLE Arslan Octiyev (Speed School 3-2-1) vs. Bryan Rossi (Sityodtong 3-2)

In the last title fight of the night Arslan Octiyev takes on Bryan Rossi for the 145 lb title.  Octiyev trains with Speed School and comes into this fight with 3-2-1.  All of his wins came by way of submission.  He has never been finished as his 2 losses came by decision and one draw.  His opponent is Bryan Rossi who trains with Sityodtong.  He also comes into this fight with a 3-2 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  His only two losses came by way of decision.  In this fight, I see Bryan wanted to keep it standing and work his striking and his power.  Arslan will look to clinch and get this fight to the ground and try to work a submission.

195 PRO Joe Levasseur (1-1 Triforce) vs. Roger Brackett (6-4 Lakeville)

At a catch weight of 195 lbs Joe Levasseur will be taking on Roger Brackett.  Joe trains with Triforce and comes into this fight with a 1-1 record.  Joe has one loss by decision back in 2009 and 1 win by submission in 2014.  His opponent is Roger Brackett and he trains with Lakeville MMA.  Roger comes into this fight with a 6-4 record with 2 wins by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 1 by dq.  For his losses, he lost 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  This is a good match up as both fighters are seasoned veterans which should make for an exciting pro fight.

170 PRO Alex Dolan (0-0 UFC Gym) vs. Carlos Correia (DCNU 0-0)

At 170 lbs Alex Dolan will face Carlos Correia.  Dolan trains with UFC Gym and will be making his pro debut with an amateur record of 0-4.  His opponent is Carlos Correia who trains out of DCNU.  He will also be making his pro debut.  Carlos as an amateur went 3-1 with 1 submission and 2 decision victories.  Carlos is a dog whisperer by day and professional smasher by night.  I have never seen Dolan fight before but I see Carlos winning this one fairly easy in the first or second round by submission.

170 PRO Sean Lally ( 3-2 Juniko ) vs. Keegan Hornstra (Nostos 2-8)

At 170 lbs Sean Lally will be squaring off against Keegan Hornstra.  Lally trains with Juniko and comes into this fight with a 3-2 record.  In the win column, Sean has 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  His two losses have come by way of submission.  His opponent is Keegan Hornstra and he trains with Nostos MMA.  Keegan comes into this fight with a record of 2-8 with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  For his losses, he lost 3 by ko/tko and 5 by way of submission.  Both fighters have been very vocal about this fight which as a fan I love.  Keegan is right, at 170lbs he has fought much better than with the weight cut and he has been training hard.  Lally is a force that comes out like a bull and earns his takedowns overpowering his opponents.  This one is going to be an awesome one!

155 PRO Jeff Anderson (11-10 BK Boxing) vs. Peter Barrett (Sityodtong 5-0)

At 155 lbs Jeff Anderson steps back into the cage against Peter Barrett.  Anderson trains with BK Boxing and comes into this fight with an 11-10 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 9 wins by decision.  For his losses, he lost 3 by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 4 by decision.  He has 6 straight losses and is looking to turn that around.  His opponent is Peter Barrett and he trains out of Sityodtong and comes into this fight with a perfect 5-0 record with 4 wins by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  While Anderson is a tough opponent I don’t think Barrett will have much of a problem with him and I see him winning this one by ko/tko to strikes in Rd 2.

125 PRO Remo Cardarelli (RAC 5-3) vs.  Andy Aiello (Lauzon 3-1)

The main event is the much awaited rematch between Remo Cardarelli and Andy Aiello at 125 lbs.  Remo trains out of RAC and comes into this fight with a 5-3 record with 4 wins by submission and 1 win by decision.  His 3 losses all came by way of ko/tko to strikes.  His opponent is Andy Aiello and he trains out of Lauzon MMA.  Andy comes into this fight with a 3-1 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  His only loss came against Kody Nordby in which he lost by submission back at a previous AFO.  The first time around was a stand up battle and Andy connected with a liver shot that hurt Remo and the fight ended at 3 minutes into the first round.  This time around I think the fight will be much like the first fight with an exciting stand up battle but the question is who will be victorious and have their hand raised at the end?  Stop by Cage Titans this Saturday to find out!

Thanks for reading along with this and special thanks to Cage Titans for providing us with the up to date fight card.  I hope to see you all there!

CES MMA 33 3/11/2016 TEASER

CES is back with their first of 3 shows in a very short span.  This one is their 33rd show and it will take place on March 11th at Twin River Casino in Rhode Island.  It contains 10 pro fights that of course is packed with New England’s biggest stars!  This will be a show you won’t want to miss so make sure you get your tickets.  On a very sad note, Dorian, the little 8 year old boy who has touched everyone who meets him has passed away from cancer.  We all may differ in politics and religion in our daily lives but one thing we can all agree on is that cancer sucks!  I am sure CES will be doing a tribute and a moment of silence for Dorian and his parents so please keep them all in your prayers.  With that said, let me break down the fight card for you.

125 PRO SHANE DECRISTOFORO (1-1 Triforce) vs. NOEL ARCIBAL (1-1 Elite Tactical)

At 125 lbs Shane Decristoforo will face Noel Arcibal.  Shane trains with Triforce MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-1 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 loss by submission so far in his pro career.  His opponent is Noel Arcibal and he trains with Elite Tactical Martial Arts.  He also comes into this fight with a 1-1 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 loss by submission.  As you can see they are virtually identical in all aspects and this should be a great first fight.

145 PRO MATT TULLOS (0-0 Connor’s MMA) vs. MAK KELLEHER (1-2 Maxum BJJ)

Matt Tullos will be taking on Mak Kelleher at 145 lbs.  Tullos as an amateur went 7-0 and was also the Cage Titans 145 lbs champ.  Out of his 7-0 record he has 3 finishes and 4 by decisions.  He is looking to continue his win streak into the pro division with a victory this Friday night.  His opponent is Mak Kelleher and he trains with Maxum BJJ.  He comes into this fight with a 1-2 record with 1 win by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by submission and 1 by decision.  I see this one going to be a ground battle.

170 PRO GARY BALLETTO JR. (0-1) vs. CRUZ JOHNSON (0-0)

Also on the card is Gary Balletto who will be taking on Cruz Johnson.  Balletto comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He lost his first fight for CES by unanimous decision against Anthony Giacchina.  His opponent is Cruz Johnson and he comes into this fight making his pro debut.  As an amateur he went 2-2 with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by a decision.  For his losses, he lost both of them by way of decision.  He will be travelling up from New York for this fight.  Both fighters are very close in record which should make for a good battle.

135 PRO  JOE PINGITORE (5-2 Triforce MMA) vs. TAYLOR TRAHAN (5-5 Team Link)

Next up is the rematch at 135 lbs Joe Pingitore takes on Taylor Trahan.  Ping trains with Triforce MMA and comes into this fight with a 5-2 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by sub and 3 wins by decision.  For his 2 losses, he lost 2 by submission including one to Taylor Trahan.  Trahan trains out of Team Link and comes into this fight with a 5-5 record.  Out of his 5 wins he has 2 by submission and 3 by way of decision.  For his losses, he lost 3 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  Trahan is on a 4 fight losing streak and he is desperate to get the win and to stay above .500.  Pingitore is focused and looking to show that he is back and the better fighter in the second battle between these two.  I see this one being a stand up war but if Trahan gets into trouble he is going to try take it to the mat again.

155 PRO NATE “THE SNAKE” ANDREWS (7-1 NE Combat) vs. JULIAN LANE (9-5 Elite Sports Academy)

At 155 lbs Nate Andrews faces off against Julian Lane.  Andrews trains with NE Combat and comes into this fight with a record of 7-1.  He has 4 wins by ko/tko and 3 wins by submission.  His only loss came as a unanimous decision to Gemiyale Adkins.  His opponent is Julian Lane and he trains with Elite Sports Academy.  He comes into this fight with a 9-5 record with 1 win by ko/tko, 5 wins by sub and 3 wins by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 3 by decision.  This is going to be a battle as both fighters love to finish fights so anything can happen in this one.

145 PRO MATT BESSETTE (16-7 Underdog BJJ) vs. Tory Bogguess (14-10 Team Conquest)

Then at 145 lbs Matt Bessette will square off against Tory Bogguess.  Bessette is a household name in New England and comes into this fight with a 16-7 record.  He trains out of Underdog BJJ  with 4 ko/tko, 5 submission and 7 wins by decisions so far in his pro career.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko, 1 by submissions, 4 decisions and 1 DQ.  His opponent is Tory Bogguess who trains with Team Conquest.  He comes into this fight with a 14-10 record with 1 win by ko/tko, 11 wins by sub, 1 win by decision and 1 win unrecorded.  For his 10 losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko, 6 subs, 2 decisions and 1 unrecorded.  Tory took this fight on 1 week notice and it should be a good battle as both are Bellator veterans.

HVY PRO GREG “RIBZ” REBELLO (Sityodtong 19-6) vs. KEITH BELL (6-6 Rapid Fitness)

In a heavyweight showdown Greg Rebello will meet Keith Bell.  Rebello trains with Sityodtong and comes into this fight with a 19-6 record.  For his wins, he has 11 by ko/tko, 1 sub and 7 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 2 by decision.  He is focused and has put together 3 big wins in New England and is looking to continue his winning ways.  His opponent is Keith Bell and he trains with Rapid Fitness.  He comes into this fight with a 6-6 record with 4 wins by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  For his losses, 3 by ko/tko and 3 by submission.  Bell is no slouch but I see Ribz winning this one by tko in Rd 1.

HVY PRO JULIANO “BANANA” COUTINHO (Juniko 6-2) vs. CHAZ MORGAN (9-1 ATT)

In the second heavy weight battle Juliano Coutinho will face off against Chaz Morgan.  Coutinho trains with Juniko and comes into this fight with a 6-2 record.  For his wins, he has 3 wins by ko/tko to strikes, 2 by sub and 1 by decision.  His only 2 losses came by ko/tko to strikes which includes his last fight at WSOF.  His opponent is Chaz Morgan and he trains with American Top Team.  He comes into this fight with a 9-1 record with 7 wins by ko/tko and 2 by decision.  For his one loss, he lost by ko/tko in his last fight.  Both fighters are coming off a loss and are looking for the big W.  Who will it be?? We will find out this Friday night.

185 PRO CHUCK O’ NEIL (Mass BJJ 15-8) vs. DENNIS OLSON (Triumph BJJ 14-10)

At 185 lbs Chuck O’Neil will take on Dennis Olson.  Now it is worth noting that each of these fighters have fought at 170 in the past but they are looking to show how much more strength they have at 185.  Both of these fighters are very friendly with one another but as we all know a fight is a fight and that is what they are going to be doing!  Chuck trains with Mass BJJ an comes into this fight with a 15-8 record.  In the win column he has 5 ko/tko, 6 sub and 4 decisions.  In the loss column he has 1 ko/tko, 3 submission and 4 by decision.  Chuck is on a 2 fight losing streak and is looking to break that this Saturday.  His opponent is Dennis Olson and he trains with Triumph BJJ.  Olson comes into this fight with a 14-10 record with 1 ko/tko, 9 submissions and 4 wins by decision.  For his losses, he lost 5 by ko/tko, 3 sub and 2 by decision.  This has fight of the night written all over as both fighters are very agile and well rounded.  This fight could go anywhere and most likely will!

135 PRO TITLE ANDRE SOUKHAMTHATH (Blackzillians 9-3) vs. KODY NORDBY (6-3 Allaire)

At the 135 lb title fight Andre Soukhamthath takes on Kody Nordby for the strap.  Andre trains with Blackzillians and comes into this fight with a 9-3 record.  For his wins, he has 5 wins by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  In the loss column, he has 3 losses by decision and never been finished.  His opponent is Kody Nordby and he trains with Allaire.  He comes into this fight with a 6-3 record with all 6 wins by submission.  He has 2 losses by submission and 1 by decision so far in his career.  Nordby’s confidence is high with 3 straight wins with all first round submissions.  Both fighters know what is at stake, the title and they are live on AXS for the main event.  No doubt they are going to be putting on a show.

I hope you all enjoyed the complete breakdown of the CES MMA 33 fight card.  Again the show is taking place this Friday on March 11th.  The Artist and I will be making the trip to cover the show for you all.  Thanks for reading this preview and if you enjoyed it please share with your friends!

PREMIER FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP 19 TEASER 2/20/2016

Premier FC is ready to kick off the year with their first show of the year and this will be their 19th event to date.  The show will take place this Saturday on February 20th at Chez Josef in Agawam Mass.  The doors will be opening at 5:45 and the fights start around 7pm.  In case you can’t make it the show will also be streaming at GFL.tv at the link here.  Premier FC has put together another solid card of amateur and pro mixed martial arts fights.  There are a total of 10 fights with 4 of them being pro and 1 is also an amateur titel fight! As usual, there were some fights that dropped off but it will still be a great night of fights.  Let me break down the fight card for you and keep in mind this might not be the final order.

HVY AM William Knight (Thornton BJJ 0-0) vs. Shawn Bettencourt (Victory 3-1)

First fight of the night will be a heavy weight fight between William Knight and Shawn Bettencourt.  Knight trains with Thornton BJJ and comes into this fight making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Shawn Bettencourt and he trains with Victory Combat.  Shawn comes into this fight with a 3-1 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and one split decision.   His one loss was by submission at a previous Toe 2 Toe event.  This is a great fight as both fighters are from good schools and I see this one being a ground battle.

145 AM Steve Romano (Thunder 0-1) vs. Marcil Romano (Team Link Ludlow 0-0)

Next up is Steve Romano against Marcil Romano at 145 lbs.  Steve trains out of Thunder MMA and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He fought at the last PFC and lost by submission against Mike Maldonado in Rd 2.  He is still hungry for his first taste of victory.  His opponent is Marcil Romano and he trains with Team Link out of Ludlow MA.  Marcil will be making his amateur debut and as you all know being from Team Link he will be more than ready.  I give the slight edge to Romano in this one!  (Marcil) 😀

160 AM Elias Morales (Team Plus One 0-0) vs. Alex Ortiz (Speed School 2-1)

At a catch weight of 160 lbs Elias Morales will be stepping into the cage against Alex Ortiz.  Morales trains with Team Plus One and will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Alex Ortiz and he trains with Speed School with a 2-1 record.  He has 2 wins with 1 by submission and 1 by decision.  In his last fight he fought for Cage Titans against Don Shainis and lost by ko/tko to strikes in Rd 4.  It was a grueling, frustrating fight for him and he is looking to get back on track in this fight.  This will be another good fight and I give the edge to Ortiz on this one.

170 AM Pat Casey ( Team Link 3-0) vs. Andres Padraza (React/John Ryan 1-0)

Then at 170 lbs Pat Casey will take on Andres Padraza.  Casey trains out of Team Link and comes into this fight with a 3-0 record.  Casey is an absolute monster and has all 3 wins by ko/tko to strikes in Rd 1.  He comes out with such ferocity and just overpowers his opponents to the mat and ground and pounds his way to victory.  His opponent is Andres Padraza and he trains with React and John Ryan.  He has a record of 1-0 and he won against Ray Johns at a previous PFC last September.  Padraza showed a good ground game and some good striking.  He finished the fight by submission in Rd 3 so we know he can go the distance.  The question in this fight is Padraza strong and good enough to stop Pat Casey??  We will fight out this Saturday and this is one fight you don’t want to miss.

145 AM Bryan Rossi (Sityodtong 2-2) vs. Kenny Peralta (Ultimate MMA 2-2 )

At 145 lbs Bryan Rossi will face off against Kenny Peralta.  Rossi trains with Sityodtong and comes into this fight with a 2-2 record.    He started off his mma career losing the first two fights by decision and then bounced back with 2 straight wins, 1 by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  His opponent is Kenny Peralta and he trains with Ultimate MMA.  He comes into this fight with a 2-2 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  For his losses, he lost 1 by decision and 1 by submission.  He is no stranger to the PFC cage as this is his 4th time fighting for them.  As you can see this is an awesome match up with both fighters being dead even on their records which should make for another good one.

125 AM Title Nate Russell (FAA 3-0) vs. Jovany Alvarez (Modern Martial Arts 4-4)

Next up is the 125 amateur title fight between Nate Russell and Jovany Alvarez.  Russell trains with Fighting Arts Academy and comes into this fight with a 3-0 record with 2 wins by way of fist and 1 by submission.  He is definitely worthy of an amateur title and is going to put it all on the line.  His opponet is Jovany Alvarez and he trains with Modern Martial Arts out of New Jersey.  He comes into this fight with a 4-4 record with 2 wins by submission and 2 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by sub and 2 by decision.  As you can see both fighters are very experienced and are looking to fight their hearts out for the coveted Premier FC amateur title so get ready fight fans!

165 PRO Jarrid Heon (Strikezone 1-0) vs. Montoyia Swilling (Champions In Christ 0-2)

In the first pro fight of the night Jarrid Heon takes on Montoyia Swillings.  Heon trains with Strikezone in Ct and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record.  He won his first pro fight for Reality Fighting against Mike Mangan by ko/tko to strikes.  As an amateur he went 2-3-1 and topped it off with an awesome fight against Tom Venticinque that resulted in a draw for AFO.  His opponent is Montoyia Swilling and he trains with Champions in Christ.  He comes into this fight with an 0-2 record as a pro with both losses by submission.  As an amateur he went 9-18 and also has some muay thai fights as well.  This is going to be an awesome pro battle as you can see both fighters are no stranger to the cage.  I think Heon will have the advantage on the ground and will try to use that to bring home the win.  Swilling will want to try to keep this fight standing and tire out Heon if he wants to bring home the W.

135 PRO Quentin Gaskins (Xtreme Ambition 1-0) vs. Ricardo Marc (Team Link Brazil 3-1)

At 135 lbs Quentin Gaskins will square off against Ricardo Marc this Saturday.  Gaskins trains with Xtreme Ambition and comes into this fight with an 1-0 record.  He won his first fight as a pro by decision against  Jeremiah Yeager and as an amateur 5-2-1.  His opponent is Ricardo Marc and he trains with Team Link Brazil.  Marc comes into this fight with a 3-1 record with all 3 wins by submission.  He has 1 loss by split decision.  This will be his first time fighting in the states so lets all give him a warm welcome.  This should be a ground battle.

155 PRO Keenan Raymond (RAC 3-3) vs. Sam Watford (RGTF 1-0)

At 155 lbs Keenan Raymond will take on Sam Watford in the PFC cage.  Raymond trains with RAC and comes into this fight with a 3-3.  For his wins he has 1 by ko/tko, 1 by submission and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  His opponent is Sam Watford and he trains with RGTF.  Watford comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by decision which was for Bellator.  Another solid pro fight which I see being an exciting battle.

170 PRO Evander Russ (Mong Phu 0-0 6-4 ammy) vs. Vinicius De Jesus (Team Link Ludlow 1-0)

In the main event Evander Russ takes on Vinicius De Jesus at 170 lbs.  Russ trains with Mong Phu and will be making his pro debut.  As an amateur he went 6-4 with 2 wins by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 2 by decision.  His opponent is Vinicius De Jesus and he trains out of Team Link in Ludlow.  Vini comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by ko/tko against Gil Pinhierro at the last PFC which was a great battle.  I see this one being a good back and forth battle.

There you have the complete breakdown of the entire Premier FC fight card.  Warchild and I will be making the trip to cover the show for you all and we are looking forward to seeing all of our local and regional mma fans.  Special thanks to Premier FC for keeping us in the loop with the most up to date fight card so we can keep you all up to date.  If you enjoyed our write up, please spread the word and share it with your friends.  Thanks and hope to see you all there!

COMBAT ZONE 57 TEASER 2/5/2016

Combat Zone returns this Friday with their first show of the year at the Rockingham Park in Salem NH.  Like the past few shows this is a mixed kickboxing and mixed martial arts event.  It has a total of 11 fights, 5 kickboxing and 6 mma fights.  There is a kickboxing title fight between Franklin Johnson and Steve Walker which is sure to be exciting.  Also on the card if you couldn’t tell by the poster is the pro mma fight between Nuri Shakir and Brett Oteri.  The doors will be opening at 5:30pm and the first fight is set to kick off at 7pm.  In a time that many fighters don’t want to fight this part of the year Combat Zone has put together what should be another solid night of fighting.  I am only going to break down the mma portion of the night but the fight card is found below.  As a disclaimer, keep in mind this might not be the exact fight order.

185 AM KICK Connor Duffy (0-0) Espada Boxing vs. Perciles George (0-0) NEHD

185 AM KICK  Lavelle Wesley (0-0) Espada Boxing vs. Matt Gordon (0-0) Burgess

155 AM KICK Freddy Bermudez (0-0) NEHD vs. Ramano Medina (0-0) Burgess

160 AM KICK  Alex Dolan (0-0) FMA vs. Ray Welch (0-0) Burgess

145 AM MMA Kurt Daniels (0-3) F5 Fight Team vs. Dan Ward (0-5) Spero’s MMA

The first amateur mma fight of the night is between Kurt Daniels and Dan Ward at 145 lbs.  Daniels trains with F5 Fight Team and comes into this fight with an 0-3 record.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  His opponent is Dan Ward and he trains with Spero’s MMA.  Ward comes into this fight with an 0-5 record with 1 by ko/tko, 1 by submission and 3 by decision.  As you can see both of the fighters are looking for their first win so you know they are gonna bring it.  Which fighter will be victorious??

145 AM MMA Fernando Lopez (0-1) Team Irish vs. Brandon Marotte (0-0) Spero’s MMA

Second amateur mma fight of the night is Fernando Lopez against Brandon Marotte at 145 lb weight class.  Lopez trains with Team Irish and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with one loss by decision to Jimmy Jackson.  His opponent is Brandon Marotte and he trains with Spero’s MMA.  Brandon will be making his amateur debut.  Again, two fighters who are willing to let it all go in the cage for their first win.

155 AM MMA CJ Kevlin (2-2) LRVT vs. Nick Fiore (0-0) Renzo Gracie NH

At 155 lbs CJ Kevlin will fight Nick Fiore this Friday at Combat Zone.  Kevlin trains with Lakes Region Vale Tudo and comes into this fight with a 2-2 record.  For his wins, he has 2 wins by way of decision and for his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  He comes into this fight riding a 2 fight win streak and is looking to add a 3rd.  His opponent is Nick Fiore who trains with Renzo Gracie NH.  Nick will be making his amateur debut but he has his work cut out for him against Kevlin who has 4 fights already under his belt.  I think this fight will be a ground battle.

130 AM MMA James Palmer (0-1) Defensive Edge vs. Kevin Flanagan (0-0) Burgess

At a catch weight of 130 lbs James Palmer will face Kevin Flanagan.  Palmer trains with Defensive Edge MMA and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  In his first ammy fight he lost by submission against Rich Santiago, the newly crowned Cage Titans champ.  His opponent is Kevin Flanagan and he trains with Burgess MMA.  Flanagan will be making his mma debut but Combat Zone has seen him in Muay Thai fight against Mervin Castro in which he lost the decision.  This will be the last amateur mma fight of the night and it should be a great stand up battle.

225 AM KICK TITLE Franklin Johnson (2-1) NEHD vs. Steve Walker (5-2) Hard Knocks

This fight will be the first Combat Zone kickboxing title fight!  History in the making.

155 PRO MMA Devin Powell (4-1) Nostos MMA vs. Jeff Anderson (10-11) B&F Boxing

At 155 lbs Devin Powell will fight Jeff Anderson for their first pro mma fight of the night.  Powell trains with Nostos MMA and comes into this fight with a 4-1 record.  For his wins, he has 1 ko/tko, 2 by submission and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he lost a decision to Bruce Boyington.  He is riding a 2 fight win streak that he is looking to add on to.  His opponent is Jeff Anderson and he trains with B&F Boxing.  Jeff is a seasoned veteran with a record of 10-11.  Jeff has struggled as of late with 7 straight losses going back to 2011.  This should be a good fight as Jeff always comes prepared but I see Devin winning this in the first round by tko stoppage.

155 PRO MMA Nuri Shakur (18-21) Gate City vs. Brett Oteri (12-7) FAF 

In the main event Nuri Shakir will take on Brett Oteri at 155 lbs for Combat Zone this Friday. Nuri has been fighting forever since 2000 and comes into this fight with an 18-21 record.  He is head coach for Bucket Brigade and has wins all across the board with ko/tko, subs and decisions.  He is more then ready for a battle and to show his fans what he has in his arsenal.  His opponent is Brett Oteri and he trains with FAF gym.  He comes into this fight with a 12-7  record with most of his wins by submission and decisions.  Both fighters are veterans in the sport and fight the best of the best.  They have tried to fight before in the past but it just didn’t happen.  Now this Friday it is going to happen and it is going to be a battle for sure.

There you have the complete breakdown of the MMA portion of Combat Zone 57 that is happening this Friday.  Warchild and I will be making the trip to cover the show for you all.  Combat Zone is looking to kick off where they left off and that is providing an awesome night of a variety of styles with kickboxing and mma all in one night.  It has worked out well for them as the crowds always seem to have a good time and enjoy the beer, food and fights.  Special thanks to Combat Zone for their dedication to the sport and for hooking us up with the latest fight cards so we can share with you all.

NEF 21 2/7/16 TEASER

New England Fights returns with their first show of the year and it is going to be a big one.  There are a total of 28 fights with 4 fights being a title fight and 6 of them being professional mma fights.  Also out of the 26 fights will be 3 boxing matches and the much anticipated rematch between Erin Lamonte and Randi Boyington.  The doors will be opening at 6pm and the fights will start at 7pm.  The event will be held once again in the Androscoggin Colisee in Lewiston Maine and they pack the fans.  NEF just recently won last weekend Mass MMA’s Promotion of the Year which just goes to show you their hard work and dedication to the sport of mma is paying off.  Not to mention they pack a 2500+ crowd each and every show they have.  Follow along with me as I break down the fight card for you all.  I will be skipping the boxing portion but the fights will be listed below.  This should be the exact fight order and make note that they are doing things differently as having the main event earlier and then some POST prelim fights afterwards.

145 AM Rafael Velado 2-0 (First Class) vs Mike Peitersen 3-0 (Young’s)

At 145 lbs the first fight is between Rafael Velado and Mike Peitersen.  Velado trains with First Class MMA and he comes into this fight with a 2-0 record.  Rafael has both of his wins with first round stoppages by way of submission.  He would love to add another submission win to that list.  His opponent is Mike Peitersen and he trains with Young’s MMA.  He comes into this fight with a 3-0 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  This fight is too good to be the first one which just goes to show you fight fan to get there on time for the fights at 7pm.  Someone’s 0 has got to go!

170 AM *TITLE Caleb Farrington 3-0 (Lawton’s) vs Ricky Dexter 4-2 (Irish)

The second fight of the night is a title fight between Caleb Farrington and Ricky Dexter at 170 lbs.  That is right a title fight for the second fight!  Farrington trains out of Lawton’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 3-0 record.  Caleb has 1 win by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission.  His opponent is Ricky Dexter and he trains with Team Irish.  Ricky comes into this fight with a 4-2 record with 3 wins by ko/tko and 1 win by submission.  For his losses, he lost 1 by decision and 1 by submission.  This is going to be an awesome fight as both of these guys come out at an insanely fast pace and I see this one going the distance.

205 AM *TITLE Ryan Glover 2-1 (Berserkers) vs Mike Williams 1-0 (CMBJJ)

Next matchup is another title fight between Ryan Glover and Mike Williams in the 205 lb division.  Glover trains with Berserkers and comes into this fight with a 2-1 record with 2 wins by ko/tko to strikes.  His one loss was a decision loss to Bill Leahy but that fight was in the heavyweight division.  His opponent is Mike Williams and he trains with CMBJJ.  Mike comes into this fight with a 1-0 record with 1 win by submission in just a mere 26 seconds.  Here is another great match up and it is just the 3rd fight in!

135 AM *TITLE Henry Clark 3-1 (Choi) vs John Crafts 3-0 (Team NEU)

Henry Clark will take on John Crafts for the 135 lb title.  Henry trains with Choi’s Institute and comes into this fight with a 3-1 record with all 3 wins by submission.  His only loss came by ko/tko to strikes against Mike Peitersen.  His opponent is Johnny Crafts and he trains with Team NEU.  Crafts comes into this fight with a 3-0 record with all 3 wins by submission.  As you can see their records are virtually identical and they love to submit their opponents.  This fight should be an excellent ground battle.

120 AM Erin LaMonte 5-0 (Juniko) vs Randi Beth Boyington 1-2 (Young’s)

In a much anticipated rematch Erin LaMonte will take on Randi Beth Boyington at a catch weight of 120 lbs.  Erin trains with Juniko and comes into this fight with a perfect 5-0.  Of her 5 wins she has 2 by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 1 by decision.  NEF fans will remember her last fight with Randi in which she won by armbar with the ref stoppage.  Randi right away protested and many NEF fans agreed that she was fine and that sparked a huge interest in a rematch.  Thankfully the ladies have agreed and it is all happening this Saturday.  Randi trains with Young’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record.  She has 1 win by decision and 2 losses by submission. I expect this fight to be much like the first and a ground battle with takedowns and control.  

125 PRO Brandon Warne 0-1 (Bombsquad) vs Norman Fox 0-0 (MMA Athletix)

Mixing it up a bit with a pro fight between Brandon Warne and Norman Fox at 125 lbs.  Warne trains with Team Bombsquad and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  Warne fought his pro debut against David Baxter for CES and lost by submission in Rd 1.  He will be looking to bring home his first pro win this weekend.  His opponent is Norman Fox who trains with MMA Atlletix and will be making his pro debut.  As an amateur Fox was 4-2 with 1 ko/tko and 3 submission wins.  This is a great pro fight as Warne wasn’t able to get things started in his first fight and Fox has a huge fan base up in Maine and can scrap.

175 PRO BOXING Joel Bishop 0-0-1 vs Crowsneck Boutin 0-0 (Choi Institute)

170 PRO Andrew Tripp 1-0 (Team Irish) vs Alex Henry 0-0 (Bombsquad)

In the second pro fight of the night Andrew Tripp will take on Alex Henry.  Tripp trains with Team Irish and has a 1-0 record with a win by ko/tko.  Tripp had a phenomenal amateur career going 8-1 with 2 ko/tko, 4 submissions and 2 decisions.  His opponent is Alex Henry and he trains with Team Bombsquad out of New York.  He will be making his pro debut and as an amateur went 6-0 with 3 wins by ko/tko and 3 by decision.  As you can see both of these fighters don’t mess around and this one is gonna have fireworks as these guys love to finish fights.

155 PRO Zenon Herrera 0-2 (Independent) vs CJ Ewer 0-0 (Young’s)

At 155 lbs Zenon Herrera will square off against CJ Ewer.  Zenon is an independent fighter with an 0-2 record.  Zenon lost both of his fights by submission against Matt Denning and Jesse Erickson.  His opponent is CJ Ewer and he trains with Young’s MMA.  CJ will be making his pro debut and as an amateur he had a 5-2 record.  I see CJ winning this one pretty easily in the first round but Zenon is no easy independent to beat so you can’t rule him out but I just see CJ being too overpowering on the ground.

147 PRO BOXING Evincii Dixon 6-13-1 vs Antonio Chaves Fernandez 7-24-3

185 PRO Mike Hansen 3-2 (Berserkers) vs Zach Elkins 0-1 (First Coast)

The next pro fight is between Mike Hansen and Zach Elkins at 185 lbs.  Hansen trains with Berserkers and comes into this fight with a 3-2 record.  For his wins, he has 2 wins by submission and 1 by ko/tko.  For his losses, he lost both of them by ko/tko.  His opponent is Zach Elkins and he trains with First Coast.  Elkins comes into this fight with an 0-1 record in which he lost by a submission.  He is coming all the way up from Florida and was 10-6 as an amateur.  Both of these guys hit hard and should be an exciting match up that I don’t see going to a decision.

145 PRO Derek Shorey 3-4 (Shatterproof) vs Josh Lange 3-2 (Bombsquad)

At 145 lbs Derek Shorey  takes on Josh Lange.  Shorey trains with Team Shatterproof and comes into this fight with a 3-4 record.  For his wins he has 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 3 by submission.  He isn’t afraid to fight anybody and to take tough fights and this is another tough fight for him.  His opponent is Josh Lange and he trains with Bombsquad.  He comes into this fight with a 3-2 with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by sub.  For his losses, he lost 1 by sub and 1 by decision.  This is another really closely matched up fight and the fans will get the reward.

148 PRO BOXING Brandon Berry 10-1 (West Forks) vs Tollison Lewis 2-0 (CMBJJ)

155 PRO *TITLE Bruce Boyington(c)12-8 (Young’s) vs Jon Lemke 5-3 (Irish)

In the main event Bruce Boyington will defend his title against Jon Lemke at 155 lbs.  Boyington trains with Young’s MMA and comes into this fight with a 12-8 record.  Bruce just won performance of the year award from MASS MMA last weekend and now it is his turn to show his skills.  For his wins he has, 7 wins by ko/tko, 2 by submission and 3 wins by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 7 by submissions.  He is on a 3 fight win streak and is looking to add another.  His opponent is Jon Lemke and he trains with Team Irish.  Lemke comes into this fight with a 5-3 record with 4 wins by ko/tko .  For his losses, he lost all 3 by submission.  I see this fight being a big stand up battle and these guys know what is at stake and that is the TITLE.

140 AM Erik Nelson 1-2 (CMBJJ) vs Julio Martinez 0-1 (Juniko)

At a catch weight of 140 lbs Erik Nelson will square off against Julio Martinez.  Nelson trains with CMBJJ and comes into this fight with a 1-2 record with 1 win by submission.  For his losses, he lost the 2 by decision and one of them was a split.  His opponent is Julio Martinez and he trains with Team Juniko.  Martinez comes into this fight with an 0-1 record with 1 loss by decision at a previous Cage Titans show.  Both of these fighters can go the distance and are from two awesome schools.  Can’t wait for this one.

265 AM Gravin Guillen 2-4 (Independent) vs Matt Glover 0-0 (Berserkers)

In a heavyweight showdown Gravin Guillen will fight Matt Glover.  Guillen is an independent fighter with a 2-4 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 3 by submission.  He has struggled as of late with 3 straight losses so he is looking to do anything possible to get that W.  His opponent is Matt Glover and he trains with Berserkers.  Glover will be making his amateur debut but being from the Berserkers I know he will be well prepared.  I think this fight will be a slugfest and I don’t see it going the distance.

155 AM Ken Dunn 0-3 (M.K.K.) vs Frank Johanson 0-0 (CMBJJ)

At 155 lbs Ken Dunn will fight Frank Johanson this Saturday.  Dunn trains with M.K.K. and comes into this fight with an 0-3 record.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  His opponent is Frank Johanson and he trains with CMBJJ.  Frank will be making his amateur debut and this is another well matched fight.  We will have to see how this one pans out.

265 AM Dave Smith 2-0 (Berserkers) vs Brendan Battles 1-0 (Juniko)

In what is sure to be an epic battle Dave Smith will face Brendan Battles.  Smith trains with Berserkers and comes into this fight with a 2-0 record.  Dave has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by submission with 2 first round stoppages.  His opponent is Brendan Battles and he trains with Juniko.  Battles comes into this battle with a record of 1-0 with 1 win by ko/tko with a finish in the first round.  Both of these fighters are newcomers to the heavyweight division and they hit hard.  This one will not be going all 3 rounds, trust me.

230 AM Ras Hylton 0-0 (First Class MMA) vs Zak Bergeron 0-0 (CMBJJ)

At 230 lbs Ras Hylton is taking on Zak Bergeron.  Hylton trains with First Class MMA and he will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Zak Bergeron and he trains with CMBJJ.  He will also be making his amateur debut.  Two new fighters so who knows what to expect but it should be a good one.

170 AM Adam Nielsen 4-0 (Team Irish) vs Ruben Redman 1-4 (Team Nytmare)

In another amateur battle Adam Nielsen faces Ruben Redman  at 170 lbs.  Nielsen trains with Team Irish and he comes into this fight with a 4-0 record.  For his wins, he has 1 win by ko/tko, 2 by submission and 1 by decision so far in his career.  His opponent is Ruben Redman and he trains with team Nytmare.  He comes into this fight with a 1-4 record with 1 win by by submission to strikes.  For his losses, he 1 by submission and 3 by decision.  I give the edge to Nielsen but this one may go the distance as Redman is tough to finish.

155 AM Dustin Shorey 0-2 (Shatterproof) vs Juan Meneses 0-0 (First Class)

At 155 lbs Dustin Shorey will take on Juan Meneses.  Dustin trains with team Shatterproof and comes into this fight with an 0-2 record with 2 losses by submission.  His opponent is Juan Meneses and he trains with First Class MMA.  Juan will be making his amateur debut at NEF.  This is another good addition to the post-lim fights.

125 AM Justin Witham 1-3 (Shatterproof) vs Jake Denham 0-0 (Lawton)

At 125 lbs Justin Witham will be challenging Jake Denham.  Witham trains with Shatterproof and comes into this fight with 1-3 record.  Justin has 1 win by ko/tko and for his losses, he has 2 by sub and 1 by decision.  His opponent is Jake Denham and he trains with Lawton’s MMA.  Denham will be making his amateur debut.  Witham is looking to continue the momentum with his big KO win last fight and Denham is looking to make a name for himself in his first fight.

155 AM Chad Murillo 0-0 (First Class) vs Tony Agust 0-0 (Fortified Fitness)

At 155 lbs Chad Murillo will take on Tony Agust.  Murillo trains with First Class MMA  and will be making his amateur debut.  Tony Agust trains with Fortified Fitness and will also be making his amateur debut.  Not much insight can be added to this one but should be a good fight.

160 AM Caleb Swoveland 1-0 (Ruthless) vs Tom Burgess 0-0 (Beserkers)

Next up is a catch weight at 160 lbs Caleb Swoveland will take on Tom Burgess.  Swoveland trains with Ruthless MMA and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record.  He has his sole win by submission at the last NEF and is looking to step in the cage once again.  His opponent is Tom Burgess and he is one of the many fighters from Berserkers.  Both fighters are from smaller schools and I think this will be a good stand up battle.

135 AM Richmond Pierce Wiegman 0-1 (First Class) vs Clifford Redman 0-3 (Team Nytmare)

At 135 lbs Richmond Pierce Weigman will square off against Clifford Redman.  Richmond trains with First Class and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He lost his first fight by ko/tko against David Thompson at the last NEF.  He is still hungry for his first taste of victory in the cage.  His opponent is Clifford Redman and he trains with Team Nytmare.  Clifford comes into this fight with an 0-3 record with 2 losses by sub and 1 by ko/tko.  This is a really good fight because both fighters have losing record and are both looking for their first W.  Who will be victorious?  We will find out soon enough.

135 AM David Thompson 1-1 (Shatterproof) vs Caleb Costello 2-4 (Irish)

At 135 lbs David Thompson will be fighting Caleb Costello for the last fight of the night.  Thompson comes into this fight with a 1-1 record from Team Shatterproof.  He lost his first fight by submission and won his last fight by knockout.  Boy, would he love another knockout!  His opponent is Caleb Costello and he trains out of Team Irish.  Caleb comes into this fight with a 2-4 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  For his losses, he lost 1 by submission and 3 by decision.  As you can see both of these fighters know how to finish and have power in the hands.  I think this will be another good stand up battle.

There you have the complete breakdown of the entire NEF card.  If that isn’t enough to entice you to venture north for it then maybe this will.  New England Fights has informed me that they will have not 1 beautiful ring girl but 2 for this show!  Warchild and I will be making the trip to keep you all up to date with the latest happenings so stay right here for the updates.  Shout out to NEF for all the hard work that they do and for always keeping us up to date on their latest happenings.

CAGE TITANS XXVII 1/30/2016 TEASER

Cage Titans returns with their first show of the year at Plymouth Memorial Hall this Saturday January 30th, 2016.  Mike Polvere and company have put together an excellent fight card consisting of 16 total fights with 3 of them being title fights and 3 professional ones.  MassMMA.com will also be giving out their awards that night so you definitely don’t want to miss it.  Cage Titans will be looking to set the bar for what will be another incredible year of fights in New England.  Let me break down the fight card for you and keep in mind that this might not be the exact fight order.

135 AM Aaron Paul (0-0, Rare Breed) vs Marty Kelly (0-0, Carlson Gracie)

The first fight is between Aaron Paul and Marty Kelly at 135 lbs amateur.  Paul trains with Rare Breed and will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Marty Kelly and he trains with Carlson Gracie.  Kelly will also be making his amateur debut this Saturday night.  This is a great way to kick off the night with two fresh young fighters looking to show the fans what they got.

145 AM Aaron Hughes (0-1, TriForce) vs Sean Murrin (0-0, Carlson Gracie)

Next match up is Aaron Hughes against Sean Murrin at 145 lbs amateur.  Hughes trains with Triforce and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  In his first fight he found Joe Smith and lost by unanimous decision.  He is still hungry for his first mma win.  His opponent is Sean Murrin and he trains with Carlson Gracie.  Murrin will be making his amateur debut.  This one should be another close battle and I am feeling a decision on this one.

175 AM James Collins (0-0, Rare Breed) vs Marty Naves (0-0, Lakeville)

At 175 lbs James Collins will face off against Marty Naves.  Collins trains with Rare Breed MMA and will be making his amateur debut.  His opponent is Marty Naves and he trains with Lakeville MMA.  Marty will also be making his amateur debut.  Both fighters are starting with clean slates, who will bring home the W??

125 AM Jose Lugo (1-1, Rivera Athletics) vs Nick Mancinone (2-3, FAA)

Jose Lugo is set to face Nick Mancinone at 125 lbs.  Lugo trains with Rivera Athletics and comes into this fight with a 1-1 record.  Lugo has 1 win by decision and one loss by submission.  His opponent is Nick Mancinone who trains with Fighting Arts Academy in Springfield MA.  He comes into this fight with a 2-3 record with both of his wins by way of submission.  For his losses, he lost 2 by submission and 1 by decision.  This fight is sure to be a fast paced battle that will keep the crowd on edge.  I see this one ending by a submission.

125 AM John Semenuk (0-0, Rivera Athletics) vs Sheriden Descristoforo (1-1, TriForce)

In another 125 lb fight John Semenuk takes on  Sheriden Decristoforo.  John trains with Rivera Athletics and will be making his amateur debut.  Being from RAC you know he will be ready for a battle.  His opponent is Sheriden Decristoforo and he trains out of Triforce MMA.  He comes into this fight with a 1-1 record with 1 win by submission and one loss by decision.  Sheriden has the experience coming into this fight and he will be looking to use that to his advantage.

Hvy AM Jon Gruber (0-0, Team BKJA) vs Gary Watson (0-0, Victory)

In a heavy weight fight Jon Gruber will square off against Gary Watson.  Gruber trains with Team BKJA and will be making his amateur debut.   His opponent is Gary Watson and he trains with Victory MMA.  Watson will also be making his amateur debut.  Both of these beasts will be looking to show off their mma skills and no doubt they will be swinging hard so you don’t want to miss this battle.

155 AM Derek Trahan (1-0, Santos) vs John Douma (2-0 Triforce)

Derek Trahan is set to fight John Douma at 155 lbs this Saturday.  Now both of these fighters were scheduled to fight on the card but their opponents dropped out and thankfully they both agreed to fight each other and their fans get to see them battle.  Trahan is out of Team Santos and comes into this fight with a 1-0 record.  He won his first fight by submission in under a minute of the first round.  His opponent is John Douma and he trains out of Triforce MMA.  . He comes into this fight with a 2-0 record with 1 win by submission and 1 win by decision.  Both fighters are two up and comers and they will want to make this one exciting for their fans.

185 AM Chris Marriott (0-0-1, Team Anubis) vs Sean Bettencourt (2-1, Victory)

At 185 lbs Chris Marriott will take on Sean Bettencourt.  Chris trains with Team Anubis and comes into this fight with an 0-0-1 record.  He fought for CFX back in 2015 and the fight went to a draw in his first amateur fight.  Now he is ready to do it all again and get the W but he is going to be facing a tough opponent in Bettencourt.  Sean trains with Victory MMA and comes into this fight with a 2-1 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by split decision so far in his ammy career.  His one loss came by a submission in Rd 2 against Jonathan Deupree at a previous Toe 2 Toe event.  This should be a close battle but I give the slight edge to Sean with the 3 fight experience on this one.

205 AM Ron Marshall (0-0, Team Anubis) vs Yorgan De Castro (2-2, Lauzon)

Ron Marshall will face off against Yorgan De Castro at 205 lbs amateur this Saturday.  Ron trains with Team Anubis and will be making his amateur debut.  De Castro trains with Lauzon MMA and comes into this fight with a 2-2 record.  For his wins, he has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by decision.  For his losses, he has 2 losses by decision but he is looking to break that 2 loss streak with a win.  In this battle Yorgan has the 4 fight experience that he will be looking to use towards his advantage.  This should be another good battle.

155 AM Matt Alger (0-1, Rivera Athletics) vs Alex Dolan (0-3, Independent)

At 155 lbs Matt Alger will take on Alex Dolan.  Alger trains with Rivera Athletics and comes into this fight with an 0-1 record.  He lost his first fight by ko/tko at a previous WNXFA event.  His opponent is Alex Dolan and he is an independent fighter with an 0-3 record.  He has 1 loss by ko/tko and 2 losses by submission.  Now, both fighters are ready to bleed for us in the cage to get their first W and that makes this exciting.

125 AM TITLE Rich Santiago (RAC 3-4) vs. Ryan Kane (Juniko 4-2)

For the 125 lb amateur title Rich Santiago takes on Ryan Kane for the coveted belt.  Rich trains with RAC and comes into this fight with a 3-4 record.  For his wins, he won 1 fight by ko/tko, 1 by submission and 1 by decision and a nice streak of winning 3 out of his last 4 fights!  For his losses, he lost 3 by submission and 1 by decision.  Rich trains hard and is always improving and never backs down from a fight.  His opponent is young phenom Ryan Kane who trains with Juniko.  Kane comes into this fight with a 4-2 record with 1 win by ko/tko, 1 by sub and 2 decision wins so far in his amateur career.  His 2 losses were decisions and he just like Rich has always been improving each fight.  It is also worth noting that Ryan will most likely have the nicest hair of the night.  This is going to be an awesome battle that you don’t want to miss and I see it being mostly stand up.

145 AM TITLE Don Shainis(5-0 Redline) vs. Kris Moutinho (6-2 RAC)

The next title is at 145 lbs between Don Shainis and Kris Moutinho.  Shainis is the current 155lb Cage Titans champ and is now looking for the 145lb title.  Moutinho has had the Cage Titans 125, 135 and 145lb belt and is looking to successfully defend the 145 lb belt once again.  Confused yet? Both fighters aren’t afraid to shift their weight and go through grueling cuts to get the strap.  Both fighters have been extremely dominant in their divisions and this has fight of the year potential all over it.  Shainis trains with Redline MMA and comes into this fight with a perfect 5-0 record with 2 wins by ko/tko 1 sub and 2 decision wins.  Moutinho trains with RAC and comes into this fight with a 6-2 record with 2 wins by ko/tko, 2 subs and 2 decision wins.  I don’t think anyone can successfully predict what will happen in this fight but I can tell you this, it is going to real fun to watch.

155 AM TITLE Jose Rivera (4-3 Thornton MMA) vs. Joe Giannetti (SSSF 6-0) 

In the final title fight Jose Rivera will take on Joe Giannetti for the 155 lb strap.  Rivera trains with Thornton MMA and comes into this fight with a 4-3 record with 1 win by ko/tko and 3 wins by submissions.  For his losses, he lost 2 by decision and 1 by submission to Joe Giannetti.  He is currently riding a 3 fight win streak and is looking to continue.  His opponent is Joe Giannetti and he trains out of SSSF.  He comes into this fight with a perfect 6-0 record with 2 wins by ko/tko and 4 wins by submission.  Jose is looking to show that he has improved and has what it takes to take the belt to CT.  Joe is looking to prove once again that he is the better fight and keep his belt that he has worked so hard to earn.

145 PRO David Espino (Trifecta 0-0) vs. Max Barrett (0-0 Juniko)

In the first pro fight of the night David Espino will face Mad Max Barrett.  Espino trains with Trifecta and will be making his pro debut.  As an amateur he went 3-3 with 2 wins by ko/tko and 1 submission.  In his last amateur fight he stepped up last minute to fight Max and I think everyone will agree that the fight was pure awesomeness.  Now they are both looking to do it again as a professional.  Barrett trains with Juniko and is also making his pro debut.  As an amateur he went 6-4-1 with 4 out of his 6 wins by ko/tko.  I think this fight will be more of what we saw when they fought as an amateurs and that is an all out stand up war.

145 PRO Dan Dubuque (2-0 DCNU) vs. Manny Bermudez (4-0 SSSF)

At 145 lbs Dan Dubuque will take on Manny Bermudez in the Cage Titans cage.  Dan trains with DCNU out of CT and comes into this fight with a 2-0 record.  For his wins he has both of his pro wins by decision.  In fact all of Dan’s amateur fights were also resulting in a decision in which he had a record of 5-2.  His opponent is Manny Bermudez and he trains out of SSSF.  Manny comes into this fight with a 4-0 record with 3 submission and 1 ko/tko win.  He has done all of this in a 7 month span and just fought at CES on January 8th.  This fight was just put together about 3 weeks ago and man it is going to a great one.  Manny is going to try to do what no one has done before and that is try to submit Dan Dubuque.  Dan will look to continue what he does best and that is win the rounds with his striking and take home the W.

155 PRO Keenan Raymond (Rivera Athletics 3-2) vs. Peter Barrett (Juniko 4-0)

In the main event Keenan Raymond will take on Peter Barrett at 155 lbs professional.  Raymond trains with Rivera Athletics and comes into this fight with a 3-2 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko, 1 by submission and one by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko and 1 by submission and also he has fought for Bellator in his career.  His opponent is Peter Barrett and he trains with Juniko and comes into this fight with a 4-0 record.  For his wins, he has 3 wins by ko/tko and 1 by submission so far in his pro career.  This is going to be another stand up battle and I suggest to the Cage Titans fans that you don’t leave early because this should be an awesome one.

There you have the complete breakdown of the entire Cage Titans card.  Warchild, The Artist and I will be making the trip out east to keep you all up to date.  MassMMA will be giving out their awards at 6:30pm and throughout the night and the fights start at 7pm.  As you can see it should be a memorable night and I hear its practically sold out already.  Hope to see you all there!

CES MMA 32 TEASER 1/8/2016

CES returns this Friday at Twin River Casino on January 8th, 2016 with their 32nd show to date.  This is earlier in the year than most of their shows in the past but as usual CES doesn’t skip a beat.  There were many fight changes throughout the course of this show but they made it work.  This show’s main card will be televised on AXS TV and we will be there with the live play by play.  There are a total of 11 professional fights and one of them is a title fight.  Let me break down the card for you all.  Please keep in mind that this might not be the exact fight order.


170 PRO KEENAN RAYMOND (2-2) vs. RYAN TODD [0-0]

The first fight of the evening is Keenan Raymond against Ryan Todd.  Raymond comes into this fight with a 2-2 record with 1 submission and 1 decision victory so far in his pro career.  For his two losses, he lost 1 by submission and 1 by ko/tko to strikes.  He can scrap and this should make for a good match.  His opponent is Ryan Todd coming from New York.  As an amateur he went 2-1 with 1 win by ko/tko and 1 by decision.  Now Todd is set to make his pro debut this Friday under the CES promotion.

125 PRO  NICK IACIOFANO (2-0 USMMA) vs. LUAY ASHKAR (1-0 Team Andrello )

In the second fight of the night Nick Iaciofano will face off against Luay Ashkar at 125 lbs.  Nick trains with USMMA and comes into this fight with a 2-0 record.  He has 1 win by ko/tko and 1 win by submission with both pro fights ending in the first round.  His opponent is Luay Ashkar and he trains with Team Andrello out of New York.  He comes into this fight with a record of 1-0 with his sole win by ko/tko to strikes.  This is a great match up as both of these fighters hit hard and are both young in their mma career.  I do not see this one going to a decision!

125 PRO DAVID BAXTER (2-0 USMMA) vs. JOSHUA RICCI (Team Andrello 0-0)

In another 125 pro fight David Baxter takes on Joshua Ricci.  Baxter trains with USMMA and comes into this fight with a 2-0 record with both wins by way of submission.  When Baxter enters the cage, he leaves it all in there and always an exciting fighter to watch.  His opponent is Josh Ricci and he trains with Team Andrello.  He will be making his pro debut and as an amateur went 6-3.  Most of his wins came by decision so he has no problem going the distance.  I think this is a good fight for both fighters and I see this one going to a decision.

185 PRO  PAT McCROHAN (1-0 Gillett’s MMA ) vs. MIKE RODRIGUEZ (2-0 Trifecta MMA)

At 185 lbs Pat McCrohan returns to the CES cage against Mike Rodriguez.  Pat trains with Gillett’s MMA and had a big successful debut against Buck Pineau when he slammed him hard and which looked to break Buck’s arm.  Now he is looking to continue that momentum into another big fight against Mike Rodriguez.  Rodriguez trains with team Trifecta.  Mike comes into this fight with a 2-0 record with 2 wins by ko/tko.  Both of these guys love tough fights and this is going to be an insane fight.  I don’t see this fight being boring at all and I do not see it going to a decision.  Fight of the night contender here.

145 PRO JAMES MURRIN (3-3 Broadway Jiu Jitsu) vs. MAK KELLEHER (Varner’s Combat Academy 0-2)

At 145 lbs James Murrin will face off against Mak Kelleher.  Murrin trains with Broadway Jiu Jitsu and comes into this fight with a 3-3 record.  For his 3 wins he has 2 by ko/tko and 1 by submission so far in his pro career.  For his losses, he has all 3 losses by decision so he has never been finished before.  His opponent is Mak Kelleher and he trains out of Jamie Varner’s Combat Academy.  He has a record of 0-2 with 1 loss by decision and 1 loss by submission.  I give the slight edge to Murrin in this one and I see him winning this one by ref stoppage to strikes in rd 2.

145 PRO  MANNY BERMUDEZ (3-0 SSSF) vs. EVAN PARKER (5-3)

Then at 145 lbs Manny Bermudez will square off against Evan Parker.  Bermudez trains with SSSF and comes into this fight with a 3-0 record.  Manny continues to win just as he did as an amateur with 1 win by ko/tko and 2 wins by submission.  His opponent is Evan Parker and he trains in Worcester MA.  He comes into this fight with a 5-3 record with 1 win by ko/tko, 3 by sub and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he lost all 3 by decision.  I see this fight being a ground battle and I think there will be submission attempts galore.

135 PRO  KODY NORDBY (5-3 Allaire MMA) vs. DEREK SHOREY (3-3 Team Shatterproof)

At 135 lbs Kody Nordby will face Derek Shorey in the CES cage.  Nodby trains with Allaire MMA and comes into this fight with a 5-3 record.  In the win column, Nordby has all 5 wins by submission and for his losses, he has 2 by submission and 1 by decision.  After two opponent changes, Derek Shorey has stepped up to fight Kody.  Shorey trains with Team Shatterproof and comes into this fight with a 3-3 record.  For his wins, he has 2 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  For his losses, he has 1 by ko/tko and 2 by submission.  I see this fight being a stand up battle and if Nordby gets into trouble he will take Derek down.  Derek comes out with a ferocious intensity each fight and Kody is going to have to watch out for that.

145 PRO KYLE BOCHNIAK (5-0 Broadway Jiu Jitsu) vs. TAYLOR TRAHAN (5-4 Team Link)

At 145 lbs Kyle Bochniak takes on Taylor Trahan.  Kyle comes into this fight with a 5-0 record and trains with Broadway Jiu Jitsu.  He has 2 wins by ko/tko, 1 sub and 2 by decision and he is looking to add one more to his win column.  His opponent is Taylor Trahan and he trains with Team Link.  He comes into this fight with a 5-4 record with 2 wins by submission and 3 wins by decision.  In the loss column, he lost 3 by ko/tko and 1 by submission.  This should be a great battle as both opponents are very well trained in all aspects of mma and I think their skillsets are very close.

265 PRO JOSH DIEKMANN (15-6 Triforce ) vs. ASHLEY GOOCH (8-4 MMA Lab)

Next up is the huge heavyweight showdown between Josh Diekmann and Ashley Gooch.  Diekmann trains with a bunch of local gyms and comes into this fight with a 15-6 record.  His recent fights have been for Bellator MMA and most of his wins have been by his fists.  After a tough year with losing loved ones, Diekmann is focused and ready for battle.  His opponent is Ashley Gooch and he trains with MMA Lab.  Gooch comes into this fight with an 8-4 record with 6 wins by ko/tko, 1 sub and 1 decision victory.  For his losses, he lost 1 by ko/tko, 2 by sub and 1 by decision.  As you can see by their records, both fighters are worthy of the CES cage and I see this one ending by ko/tko to strikes.

160 PRO LUIS FELIX (14-8 NE Combat) vs. RYAN SANDERS (9-7 Young’s MMA)

At 160 lbs Luis Felix will take on Ryan Sanders.  Felix trains with NE Combat with a record of 14-8.  For his win column he has 5 wins by ko/tko, 5 by submission and 4 by way of decision.  For his losses, he lost 2 by ko/tko, 3 by sub and 2 by decision and 1 DQ.  His opponent is Ryan Sanders who comes from Maine and trains with Young’s MMA.  He comes into this fight with a 9-7 record with 1 win by ko/tko, 7 submissions and 1 by decision.  For his losses, he has 1 loss by ko/tko, 1 loss by submission and 5 by decision.  Sanders is hot off a win against Lucas Cruz and Felix is riding a 3 fight win streak.  This fight has fight of the night written all over it and I think it is going to be an absolute war.

170 PRO TITLE GIL DE FREITAS (18-5 Team Link) vs. CHRIS CURTIS (12-4 Vision)

The main event brings us Gil De Freitas defending his title against Chris Curtis.  Freitas trains with Team Link and comes into this fight with an 18-5 record.  For his wins, he has 6 by ko/tko, 3 by submission and 9 by decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by sub and 4 by decision but he it should be noted that he hasn’t lost in New England since he came here in 2012.  His opponent is Chris Curtis and he trains with Team Vision.  He comes into this fight with a 12-4 record with 4 wins by ko/tko, 2 by submission and 6 by way of decision.  For his losses, he lost 1 by submission and 3 by decision.  Again, another awesome battle that should be a war.  I don’t see this one going all 5 rounds as both fighters can hit hard.

There you have the complete breakdown of the entire CES fight card that is happening this Friday.  Special thanks to CES for always keeping us up to date and sharing all your press releases with us so we can share with you all.  We will be there with the live play by play of course for those who can’t make it.  Where will you be watching it?  Live or at home??  Thanks for following along and if you enjoyed it please share it with your friends and family.  Til next time!

Fight Week: Darryl Marcurele introduces Holland Ahern

New Year’s Eve is a pretty exciting time for most folks the world over, but for one man it’s much more than that.  Over the last week I’ve been contacting the many coaches and trainers I’m acquainted with in hopes of finding out details regarding their fighters that are slated to compete on Saturday night in the Mohegan Sun Arena for Reality Fighting’s New Years Bash 2016.
  I am fortunate to report that Darryl MarcAurele was one of those contacts that took the time to respond.  Over the course of an hour I learned several things about Strike Zone MMA, Holland, and most unexpectedly Darryl himself.

   Let’s talk about Hollad for a moment.  The debuting amateur fighter is coming in to the cage on ten days notice.  His teammate, Nick Rankin, was injured in practice and Holland described as a tough kid with 6 months training at Strike Zone and a mountain of potential stepped up to fill the spot. Holland, a former marine, has just returned from his second tour in the middle east in July of 2015.
  I didn’t bother asking about his background as it relates to mixed martial arts because in my mind I see the fight as the ultimate showcase where we all will get to see what he brings to the cage.  One thing to remember though is how Mohegan Sun Athletic Guidelines and Rules effect the matches of debuting amateur martial artists.  An additional restriction has been applied to anyone with an 0-0-0 record in a match and states that no strikes are permitted to the head of a downed combatant.  Most fights seem to lose their initial intensity once they hit the mat.  It’s an unfortunate necessity for the safety of the amateur which we hope can be shown to have long term benefits or else be struck from a future revision of the rules.  Maybe I’ll get a moment with Michael Mazzulli soon and he’ll give me some data that shows the need to enforce this and other rules that seemingly detract from the overall game of the fighters.
Holland is a 205er standing above the 6′ mark and like others from the Strike Zone camp will be athletic in build.  Strike Zone has been a tough nut to crack over the years.  My team and I at Ravenous MMA have squared off with their fighters over the last few years and across several local cages.  I know first hand that they come in to throw with bad intentions.  Winning/ losing fights in dramatic fashion is a core value to Darryl MarcAurele.  With the emphasis being on the wins of course.  Not unlike other clubs Strike Zone prepares it’s representatives in a variety of disciplines when it has the time and the need.  Sometimes though Darryl admits there just isn’t enough of either and then it’s straight to work cramming a specific skill to be instinctual and thus available at all times in an upcoming match.  In talking with MarcAurele it became abundantly clear that he is a gifted speaker.  I’m not on his team and yet I became swept up in his enthusiasm and upbeat attitude on the sport in general and how his fighters play it.   This is a regular thing you see.  Every time I speak with him I learn more about his motivators and ideals.  His longing to be in the cage again is a sore spot due to the fact that it’s medical intervention that keeps him sidelined.  Risking further injury and suffering comes a far second to the thrill and glory he’s known during his active days.  In spite of this he’s enduring and remaining firmly seated at the helm of the team, overseeing training first hand, and preparing the next generation of grapplers and fighters alike.  Fighters like Ahern.  Fighters willing to come into the cage and dish out a blistering beating from the word “go” to the point the ref pulls them off their adversary.
Catch the action live this Saturday in person or at home with GFL.tv’s live stream starting at 7pm.