Lewiston, Maine (March 22, 2013) — Just minutes after the conclusion of its co-promotion with Bellator in Lewiston, New England Fights! (NEF) executives officially announced its next event scheduled for May 18, 2013 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
In the main event of that card, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran and Bangor, Maine native, Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (21-9) will take on New York’s Darrius Heyliger (4-1) in a welterweight showdown. Davis is the founder of Team Irish, a Mixed-Martial Arts (MMA) breeding ground for competitors with locations in both Bangor and Portland. Over the course of his illustrious MMA career, Davis has competed in the cage against the likes of such high-profile talent as Dan Hardy, Pete Spratt, Chris Lytle and Melvin Guillard, just to name a few.
“It’s a real honor to have Marcus Davis competing for us,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “He’s one of the true trailblazers in the sport. He put Maine MMA on the map.”
Fresh off an appearance for Bellator, the legendary Davis looks to finish Heyliger before Davis’s home crowd, a task that has proven easier-said-than-done for previous Mainers. Heyliger, based out of Ryan Ciotoli’s much-feared Team Bombsquad in Ithaca, NY, has traveled to the Pine Tree State on two previous occasions, first downing Jarrod Lawton (2-1) last April at an NEF event in Biddeford, and then Josh Bellows six months later in Lewiston. Those victories have earned Heyliger quite a bit of respect from the Maine MMA fans.
“Darrius is one of those out-of-town guys that we get a ton of requests from fans to see again and again,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “His fight with Jarrod Lawton last spring was one of the most brutal encounters we’ve ever had in the NEF cage. This fight with Marcus Davis promises much of the same.”
In the evening’s co-main event, Jamie Harrison (4-1) will meet another veteran of the UFC cage in the form of Henry Martinez (9-5) to determine the first-ever Maine State Lightweight Champion. Harrison earned the right to challenge for the title with an impressive four-fight win-streak in 2012 for NEF. Capturing the title before his home crowd, however, will prove no easy task for the innovator of the “Lobster Punch.” Martinez is a seven-year-plus veteran of the sport looking for redemption after his impromptu release from the UFC just a few weeks back.
Another title fight on May 18 in Lewiston will see the first Maine State Heavyweight king crowned as Randy “The Wolf” Smith (14-13-1) of Cortland, NY returns to NEF to face Travis “The Showstopper” Bartlett (8-3). Bartlett, a native of Dexter, has spent the last several years in Las Vegas where he has gained a reputation as a sought-after sparring partner of UFC standouts like Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva and Frank Mir.
At the time of this writing, the fight card for May 18 in Lewiston consisted of ten professional and more than thirty amateur fights. 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, visit www.NewEnglandFights.com. 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 Mixed Martial Arts 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.