Lewiston, ME (December 8, 2011) – Nick DiSalvo is proud to announce that the inaugural event of “Fight Night,” a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotions company, will be held at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine on Saturday, February 11th, 2012.
“Everyone in Maine and New England knows that Lewiston is a fight town,” stated DiSalvo, a veteran attorney and promoter of MMA events. “Muhammad Ali had one of his most infamous title fights in Lewiston and former boxing world champion Joey Gamache was homegrown there. I’m proud to be able to bring the first mixed martial arts event to this famous fight town.”
DiSalvo has booked the Androscoggin Bank Colisee for “MMA Fight Night I,” which was the venue for the 1965 Heavyweight Boxing Championship rematch between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali. The 4,500 capacity arena is the premiere venue in the Lewiston/Auburn area. The facility has added over $4 million in renovations in the last four years including food court/taverns and other amenities to provide fight fans with a top-flight experience from the moment they enter the building.
The Main Event for MMA Fight Night I is a professional welterweight bout between undefeated, fast-rising Maine prospect Ryan Sanders (2-0) from Young’s MMA and top-ranked Northeast middleweight Dan Keefe (7-2) out of Wai Kru/IntenZe.
“Keefe-Sanders is a big main event,” stated matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Ryan Sanders has been on a tear lately and while he hasn’t been fighting professionally for as long as Dan Keefe, Sanders’ wins are over some gritty, tough veteran fighters. Ryan and his coaches made it clear to me that they were only interested in fighting the best guys the region has to offer—and that’s what they’ll get in Dan Keefe on February 11th.”
Dan “The Ghost” Keefe is currently ranked #7 in the Northeast at 185 pounds. He began his professional career over five years ago as a middleweight and has only recently made the move down to 170 pounds to compete in the welterweight division.
“I’m excited to fight in Maine,” stated Keefe. “Ryan is a popular fighter there and will probably have a lot of fans in the crowd supporting him—but I’ll be bringing a lot of my fan base too. He’s a tough guy and I know we’ll put on a great show for the fans.”
MMA Fight Night I will have no fewer than three former Maine State Wrestling Champions on the card. “We set out to sign some of the best talent in the state and region for this show,” stated Peterson. “I’m confident that fans will feel that we accomplished our mission when they witness the action in the cage on February 11th.”
For more information and to stay up-to-date on the latest announcements regarding the inaugural event visit www.mma-fightnight.com.