NEF ANNOUNCES 2014 YEAR-END AWARDS WINNERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (December 17, 2014) –New England Fights (NEF), America's number-one regional fight promotion, earlier this week announced the results of the 2014 NEF Year-End Awards presented by Origin.  Winners were selected from five categories: Fighter of the Year; Rookie of the Year; Fight of the Year; Submission of the Year; and Knockout (KO)/Technical Knockout (TKO) of the Year.  The results were based solely on fan vote.  A total of 5,598 ballots were cast in the online polls.  Each winner receives a gift certificate from Origin.

Fighter of the Year was awarded to Crowsneck Boutin (6-6). Boutin went 3-0 in the NEF MMA cage this year with two finishes. He arrived in NEF nearly three years ago as a street fighter with no formal training in the martial arts.  Since joining the Choi Institute in Portland, Maine, however, Boutin has shown incredible improvement, especially in his striking game.

"This has been a very special year for me, inside and outside of the cage," stated Boutin when reached for comment.  "I'm healthy.  I'm focused.  I've been reconnected with my daughter, and, for the first time in near ten years, I don't have any warrants for my arrest. These changes have allowed me to finally apply myself fully.  I'm proud, honored, and thankful to have been voted for the Fighter of the Year.  On February 7th in Lewiston, the Choi Institute will continue to represent."

The award for Rookie of the Year went to Johnny Crafts (2-0).  A member of Team New England United (NEU), Crafts made the transition from the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) mats to the MMA cage this past year, and he did it flawlessly.  The Lisbon Falls, Maine-native made it look easy with two wins coming by way of submission.

"I am very happy about all the support from the people who voted," said Crafts.  "This just gives me another reason to train hard and prove to be an exciting fighter for all the NEF fans on February 7th."

Jesse "The Viking" Erickson (3-4) was awarded the Submission of the Year for his triangle choke victory over Tollison Lewis (0-4) at "NEF XII" last February.

"It means a lot to me that the fans voted for my submission," said Erickson when reached for comment. "I am lucky to have a great Jiu-Jitsu team in NEU/CMBJJ (Central Maine BJJ in Auburn, Maine), and I thank my coaches for giving me the tools to win. Thanks again so much to everyone who took the time to vote. "

It was the second award Erickson won this year as he also shared the Fight of the Year award with NEF Lightweight Champion Bruce "Pretty Boy" Boyington (9-7) for their title rematch last month at "NEF XV."  The hard-fought battle went deep into the third round before Boyington submitted Erickson to retain.  Erickson was the only multi-award recipient this year.

"I'm honored that our fight was chosen as fight of the year by the fans," continued Erickson.  "Even though I lost, I am happy to have put on a great show for the fans. Thanks so much to everyone who voted."

Jarrod Tyler (3-1) was the recipient of the KO of the Year award for his third-round KO punch on Mike Robinson (0-2) at "NEF XIV" last September.  Tyler had a banner year himself in 2014, going 2-0.  He is based out of Team Irish in Brewer, Maine.

"It is an incredible honor just to be nominated for the KO of the year award," exclaimed Tyler.  "I go to every NEF event and I have seen some amazing knockouts. Winning the award feels great. It was a very hard battle with Michael Robinson.  So, to be awarded for that fight is awesome. He was clearly winning the fight over the first two rounds, so going into the third round my corner told me I had to knock him out to get the win.  After being stood up by the ref with a little over half of the final round remaining, I knew there was little time left.  When we exchanged, I was able to catch him with a hard cross which sent him to the cage.  All I remember is the crowd starting to go crazy, so I just kept looking for openings to strike.  After a flurry of punches, Robinson moved to my right allowing me to step in with a straight right to get the KO.  Stepping back, seeing my team in my corner going crazy, as well as all the amazing fans going nuts was the greatest feeling I have ever had.  I would like to thank both New England Fights and Origin and all the incredible fight fans who voted for me.  Thank you all."

The full results in the voting for the 2014 NEF Year-End Awards:

FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

 

Crowsneck Boutin 35.71%

Bruce Boyington 23.22% 
Mike Vangelist 20.85%

Matt Denning 20.22%

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

 

Johnny Crafts 35.70%
Josh Harvey 18.90%

Billy Leahy 15.70% 
Mike Crespo 15.34%

Caleb Farrington 14.36%

 

FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Bruce Boyington vs. Jesse Erickson (NEF XV) 39.80%

Ray Wood vs. Gabriel Baino (NEF XIV) 28.92% 
Jason Carpenter vs. Dan Thayer (NEF XII) 16.42%
Jarod Lawton vs. Joel Bishop (NEF Boxing) 14.86%

 

SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR
Jesse Erickson arm triangle on Tollison Lewis (NEF XII) 46.05% 

Bruce Boyington Kimura on Jesse Erickson (NEF XV) 29.55% 
Devin Powell standing guillotine on Jon Lemke (NEF XIII) 12.65%

Caleb Farrington Americana on Nash Roy (NEF XIV) 11.75%

KO/TKO OF THE YEAR
Jarrod Tyler KO on Mike Robinson (NEF XIV) 41.98%

Dustin Veinott TKO on Dan Thayer (NEF XIII) 28.81%
Crowsneck Boutin TKO on Dan Connaughton (NEF XIII) 17.99% 
Jarod Lawton KO on John Ortolani (NEF XII) 11.22%

NEF's next MMA event, "NEF XVI," takes place on February 7, 2015.  Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title against Bellator and WEC veteran Anthony "Cheesesteak" Morrison (16-9).  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a combat sports events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

About Origin

 

ORIGIN brand was created by BJJWeekly.com co-creator Pete Roberts back in 2009. Pete's vision was not to create a "fight brand," but instead a BJJ lifestyle brand that spoke directly to the needs of the everyday BJJ enthusiast. As a designer and entrepreneur, Pete brings 15 years of branding experience into an industry which he is passionate about growing.

RAY WOOD TO DEFEND FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST BELLATOR AND WEC VETERAN AT NEF XVI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (November 21, 2014) –New England Fights (NEF), America's number-one regional fight promotion, presents its sixteenth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVI,” on February 7, 2015 in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Earlier today NEF announced the addition of a professional featherweight championship bout to the fight card.  Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0) will defend the NEF Featherweight Title against Anthony "Cheesesteak" Morrison (16-9).

Ray Wood won the NEF Featherweight Title in July 2013 in front of his hometown crowd on the Bangor Waterfront.  During that bout, Wood suffered a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), requiring surgery and a lengthy layoff from the sport of MMA.  He would make his triumphant return this past September at "NEF XIV," successfully defending his title against the tough challenge of Brazil's Gabriel Baino (6-2).  Wood looked dominant in the performance, as if he never missed a beat during his time off, winning via second-round technical knockout.  In the days that followed the fight, Wood was on the move, leaving the comfort zone of his Young's MMA teammates for the warmer climes of South Carolina.  He now trains at South Carolina Revolution MMA with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) women's Bantamweight Title contender Sara McMann (8-1).  On February 7, he will return home and reunite with his teammates at Young's MMA to defend his title in Lewiston, Maine.

"I'm definitely excited to come back and defend the title," said Wood.  "Things are going to be a little different for me this time around now that I'm training out of South Carolina Revolution mixed martial arts, home of UFC fighter Sara McMann as well as flyweight Justin Scoggins. It has taken a little time to adjust to the change seeing as how I've been training with Young's MMA since the start of my career. I can definitely put in a good solid camp here  and come back a whole new fighter.  I feel this is a huge fight for me.  Anthony Morrison has fought some big-name fighters and has held his own at the next level. I plan on going into this fight showing everyone I'm ready for the next level. Anthony is towards the tail end of his career, I'm younger faster and more hungry.  I just have more to prove!"

Anthony Morrison will be a serious step up in competition for Wood.  Morrison has been to the big stage before, having competed in the Bellator cage as well as for World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) which was later absorbed into the UFC. Morrison has faced such top names as current UFC-signed athletes Mike Thomas Brown (22-9) and Chad "Money" Mendes (16-2). His last cage appearance saw Morrison defeat Kenny Foster (11-8) via unanimous decision at Bellator 108.  Morrison is currently a member of Daddis MMA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He will make the trek to Lewiston, Maine this February in hopes of bringing the NEF Featherweight Title back with him to the "City of Brotherly Love."

 

"The champion, Ray Wood, is a good, well-rounded opponent," Morrison said.  "I look forward to facing him for the title. It will be a good victory."

NEF's next MMA event, "NEF XVI," takes place on February 7, 2015.  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now atwww.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

PROFESSIONAL LIGHTWEIGHT BATTLE ON TAP FOR NEF XVI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (November 20, 2014) –New England Fights (NEF), America's number-one regional fight promotion, presents its sixteenth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVI,” on February 7, 2015 in Lewiston, Maine.  The event is scheduled to originate from the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. Earlier today NEF announced the addition of a professional lightweight bout to the fight card.  Jesse "The Viking" Erickson (3-4) will look to get back on the winning track after dropping two in a row when he faces John "Little" Healey (0-1).

Erickson, the former number-one contender to the NEF MMA Lightweight Title, is coming off back-to-back losses to reigning champion Bruce "Petty Boy" Boyington (9-7) at "NEF XIV" and "NEF XV" respectively.  Up until that time, Erickson had never lost two fights in a row.  The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) coach from Central Maine BJJ in Auburn, Maine is now put in the position where he needs a win to stay in the lightweight title picture.  Erickson has his sights set on Healey, and he claims to be hungry to climb back in the NEF MMA cage in the new year.

"For the first time in my career, I've tasted defeat twice in a row," stated Erickson.  "I hate losing, but I'm not going to let it deter me. I'm going to use it as motivation and come back better than ever in February.  John Healey better come prepared for a serious battle because I've tasted a higher level of competition and I'm hungry for more." 

John Healey has had his share of frustration in the past few months.  Scheduled to face Ryan "The Junkyard Dog" Cowette (2-2) last September at "NEF XIV," Healey was left at the scale the afternoon of weigh-ins when Cowette was rushed to the hospital for a medical emergency.  NEF officials were quick to find Healey an opponent for "NEF XV" earlier this month, only for Healey to suffer an injury during training, forcing him to pull out of the fight. While this will be Healey's first time competing as a professional in the NEF MMA cage, Healey had quite a bit of success in that hexagon as an amateur, winning all three of his previous bouts for the fight promotion.  He will look to continue that success on February 7 when he meets Jesse Erickson.

"Fighting Jesse Erickson will be a great fight and tough because Erickson is a tough kid from a good school," said Healey when reached for comment.  "He's an NEF veteran having fought for the promotion multiple times, so he's no stranger to the NEF cage.  But I will be ready for anything that comes at me February 7th.  I know he doesn't give up and neither do I, so it's going to be a great fight. I'm excited for this fight and to finally get back in the NEF cage. I know we're both going to be ready to go and I am excited to get back into the NEF cage after having things happen the last two times I was supposed to compete, so be ready because I'm hungry and ready for this fight."

NEF's next MMA event, "NEF XVI," takes place on February 7, 2015.  Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title.  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

BOYINGTON RETAINS TITLE AS YOUNG'S MMA GOES 4-0; HALL PUTS ON WRESTLING CLINIC IN CAGE; DENNING SHINES IN PRO DEBUT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (November 17, 2014) –New England Fights' (NEF) fifteenth mixed martial arts (MMA) event, “NEF XV,” took place this past Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.  Despite an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) pay-per-view airing at the same time, as well as two other nationally-televised MMA events on free television, a crowd of more than 1500 braved below-freezing temperatures to witness NEF's final event of the calendar year.  In a rare feat for the sport of MMA, all seventeen bouts originally scheduled for the event came to fruition on fight night with only one replacement opponent stepping in the week of the event.  In an even rarer feat in the sport, all fighters on the card made their agreed-to fight weight at weigh-ins on Friday.

In the main event of the evening, Bruce "Pretty Boy" Boyington (9-7) successfully defended the NEF Lightweight Championship by submitting Jesse "The Viking" Erickson (3-4) in the third round.  It was a rematch of their bout from "NEF XIV" last September. Boyington's striking, as usual, was crisp and on-target.  In a surprising twist, it was Boyington's use of a Kimura submission that tolled the end for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) specialist Erickson.

Boyington's victory capped a stellar night of competition for the athletes of Young's MMA that saw the Bangor, Maine team go undefeated at the event.  "The" Ryan Sanders (7-6) and 52-year old Pat Kelly (2-0) both finished their respective opponents, while their teammate Fred Lear (2-0) claimed a unanimous decision victory over Carl Langston (3-6).

The co-main event of "NEF XV" saw Jamie Harrison (5-1) return to NEF after a two-year absence to defeat Tollison Lewis (0-3) in the first round.  An accomplished wrestler out of Windham High School in Windham, Maine and the University of Southern Maine, Harrison quickly took Lewis to the mat and worked a Kimura to score the submission.  Immediately following the event, rumors swirled around a potential title fight between Harrison and Boyington at "NEF XVI" this coming February.

Matt Denning (1-0) snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in his professional debut against "Shatterproof" Derek Shorey (1-1). Despite Shorey getting the upper hand in the early going, Denning locked an armbar after a takedown and brief scramble to force Shorey to tap.  Denning continues his winning ways in the NEF MMA cage, having previously won his last two amateur bouts for the promotion.

On the amateur side of the card, a much-anticipated showdown between former Maine state high school wrestling champions featured Caleb Hall (5-1) and "Dangerous" Dom "Hands of Stone" Cofone (5-5).  Hall had a dominant performance, taking Cofone down four times over the course of a round and a half before getting full mount and pounding out a technical knockout win via referee stoppage.

Also on the amateur card, 44-year old Rick Matthews (0-1) of Team Irish dropped a very close split decision to Alex Johnson (1-1).  Not to be outdone, 56-year old Mladin Holman (0-1) inspired the entire crowd with his gutsy showing in a losing effort to Gravin Guillen (1-1) in a super-heavyweight contest.

In addition to the fights, NEF announced that the promotion's featherweight champion, Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0), would return at "NEF XVI" on February 7, 2015 to defend his title.  Wood relocated to South Carolina shortly after his successful title defense at "NEF XIV" last September in order to further pursue his career in the sport.  Also of note, NEF veteran Ryan Hodge (6-9) entered the cage and issued an open challenge to all NEF MMA champions from the welterweight class up through light-heavyweight.  Hodge's last appearance for the promotion saw him land a highlight-reel knockout punch on Josh Watson (7-4) in November 2013.

The full results from "NEF XV":

PROFESSIONAL

155*TITLE Bruce Boyington def. Jesse Erickson via Kimura, round 3 (Boyington retains)

159 Jamie Harrison def. Tollison Lewis via Kimua, round 1

160 Ryan Sanders def. Mark DeFord via guillotine, round 1

140 Matt Denning def. Derek Shorey via armbar, round 1

265 Brent Dillingham def. Artie Mullen via TKO, round 1

135 Elias Leland def. Jimmy Alexander via rear-naked choke, round 1

AMATEUR

151 Caleb Hall def. Dom Cofone via TKO, round 2

160 Pat Kelly def. Steven Bang via TKO, round 3

135 Dave Brown def. Doug Bailey via TKO, round 2

170 Adam Nielsen def. Heath Hanson via rear-naked choke, round 1

130 Dustin Venoitt def. Justin Witham via rear-naked choke, round 1

S.HWT Gravin Guillen def. Mladin Holman via TKO, round 2

155 Alex Johnson def. Rick Matthews via split decision

140 Fred Lear def. Carl Langston via unanimous decision

145 Nick Spencer def. Caleb Serra via TKO, round 3

180 Ricky Dexter def. Jacob Cameron via TKO, round 1

145 Henry Clark def. Sheldon Bang via triangle choke, round 2

NEF's next MMA event, "NEF XVI," takes place on February 7, 2015.  Ray "All Business" Wood (5-0) returns that night to defend the NEF MMA Featherweight Title.  Tickets start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com. In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.