MMA in CT
Ryan O'Neal, Ali McGraw, boxing and 'Love Letters'
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/13/16
Ryan O'Neal and Ali McGraw, who achieved film stardom in the iconic film 'Love Story' will be in Hartford performing the acclaimed play 'Love Letters' in Hartford from Feb. 9 through Feb. 14 (the last performance is appropriately on Valentine's Day).
Apart from being one of the most famous cinematic leading men of the 70s', O'Neal also had an interest in boxing. Not only was he an amateur fighter but he also managed former pro weltereight Hedgeman Lewis, according to boxing trainer John "Iceman" Scully.
Scully, who also fought professionally as a light heavyweight, hosted an afternoon appearance by the stars on Feb. 10 at Bright Future Boxing -- located at 180 Pleasant Street in Hartford and formerly known as the San Juan Center Gym. Scully and O'Neal did a little light sparring for three rounds while Hartford's own Marlon Starling, a former welterweight champion and a boxing legend, refereed (Scully won the exhibition match by a split decision).
McGraw cornered O'Neal, admitting to one of our correspondents that she didn't particularly like seeing her co-star get hit.
Scully said Bright Futures, which has operated as a non-profit organization since 1992, is open to anyone.
"I train men, women and children," he said. "Professionals, amateurs and anyone who just wants to get into shape."
Links of interest for WSOF 24
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 10/16/15
World Series of Fighting 24 holds several items of potential interest for Connecticut MMA fans.
The event, which will be held at Foxwoods Resort Casino tomorrow evening, has main card that should allow be worth the price of admission; a welterweight fight between UFC veterans Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami; a heavyweight title fight between Blagoy Ivanov and Derek Mehmen; and former UFC middleweight Matt Hamill will fight Vinny Magalhaes. The organization will also crown its first flyweight champion. The preliminary card doesn't look too shabby either.
Nick Newell, who seems poised for bigger things in the lightweight division, will fight Tom Marcellino on the main card. Why isn't this guy in WSOF's forthcoming lightweight tournament?
Links of interest to Lion Fight
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 09/24/15
Will Muay Thai get more recognition as a combat sport? Despite being one of the primary building blocks of MMA, relatively few people have heard of it.
Perhaps the recent partnership of Las Vegas-based Lion Fight Promotions and Great Britain-based Muay Thai Grand Prix will change that. Lion Fight spokespersons released information on their forthcoming collaborations here.
Tomorrow night's event at Foxwoods may also serve as one more step in cementing stateside popularity of the sport. Lion Fight posted an interview with one of the headlining fighters here.
Lion 24 Fight Card
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 09/24/15
Lion Fight Promotions released the card for Lion Fight 24, which will be held at Foxwoods on Sept. 25. Information on the event is posted here.
Main Event
160 lbs Ky Hollenbeck (San Francisco, CA) vs Richard Abraham (Chicago, IL)
Co-Main Event – Title
134 lbs Ognjen Topic (Lodi, NJ) vs Stephen Meleady (Leeds, UNITED KINGDOM / IRELAND)
Feature Fight – Title
154 lbs Jo Nattawut (Atlanta, GA) vs Charlie Peters (London, UNITED KINGDOM)
142 lbs Gaston Bolanos (Dublin, CA) vs Ben Yelle (Marquette, MI)
142 lbs Chris Mauceri (Kingston, NY) vs Nicolas Parlanti (Brooklyn, NY / FRANCE)
134 lbs Julio Pena (Boston, MA) vs Yeison Berdugo (Providence, RI / COLOMBIA)
155 lbs Danny Millet (New York, NY) vs PJ Sweda (Philadelphia, PA) NON-TELEVISED PRO BOUT
Lion Fight 24 at Foxwoods
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 09/24/15
The following is a press release from Lion Fight Promotions regarding their Sept. 25 event, Lion Fight 24, st Foxwoods Resort Casino.
"Lion Fight, America’s premiere Muay Thai promotion, returns to Foxwoods Resort Casino Sept. 25th with a loaded card featuring two world title bouts and top talents such as Ky Hollenbeck, Jo Nattawut, Ognjen Topic and fast-rising star Gaston Bolanos.
Ky Hollenbeck (17-3-1) vs. Richard Abraham (7-2) headlines the September card, while the evening’s co-main event pits New Jersey’s Ognjen Topic against Ireland’s Stephen Meleady for the vacant Lion Fight lightweight world title. World champ Joe Nattawut, a native of Thailand now living and training in Atlanta, also defends his super welterweight title against a challenger to be named. Five Lion Fight 24 main card fights will be broadcast live on AXS TV.
“Ky Hollenbeck is a two-time world champion and one of the sport’s most unpredictable showmen; he’s an extremely hard-hitter and a fan favorite because you literally have no idea what he’s going to do next inside the ring,” said Lion Fight president Scott Kent. “His opponent Richard Abraham is tough-as-nails as he showed in an earlier loss to Jo Nattawut, who is one of Muay Thai’s most ruthless and dominating performers.
“Lion Fight 24 showcases two title bouts – Topic vs. Meleady and then Nattawut defending his belt against Charlie Peters. So for us to make Hollenbeck and Abraham the main event says a lot about how exciting and entertaining we expect their clash to be.”
The Topic-Meleady title tilt is one that will capture the imagination of Muay Thai purists who love watching world-class strategy and technical precision unfold at every turn. The 29-year-old Topic, who fled war-torn Bosnia in his youth, has defeated top fighters such as Paowarit Sasiprapa, Rungravee Sasiprapa and Coke Chunhawat. Topic has extensively trained in Thailand, the Mecca of Muay Thai, for the past few years. Meleady, meanwhile, employs an exciting and aggressive Muay Thai style and has fought some the best in the world. Last year the Dublin, Ireland native waged an inspiring performance against the man many regard as the best pound-for-pound Muay Thai fighter in the world, Saenchai.
Rounding out the Lion Fight 24 main card are California’s Bolanos and upstate New York’s Mauceri, two highly entertaining young fighters. Bolanos (4-0) is a training partner of former world champ Kevin Ross and owns some of the nastiest and most feared elbows in the sport. He is coming off a Fight of the Year performance/victory over Damien Earley and many predict 22-year-old Bolanos is destined to become a world champion.
Tickets for Lion Fight 24, which will be held inside Foxwoods’ Fox Theater, go on sale now. Tickets can be purchased through Foxwoods.com or by calling the Foxwoods Box Office at 800-200-2882 or Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Foxwoods Box Office.
Ticket prices are $95, $55 and $35.
LION FIGHT 24 airs live on AXS TV starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The broadcast will feature play-by-play and color commentary by UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich alongside renowned sports commentator Michael “The Voice” Schiavello. "
CES 30 results from Aug. 14
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/25/15
Results provided by Classic Entertainment Sports
Luis Felix (14-8) def. Julian Lane (9-4-1) by UD to win the CES MMA World Lightweight Championship (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
Lenny Wheeler (9-3-1) KO1 Matt Bessette (15-7) at 39 seconds
Pat Walsh (6-2) def. Jesse McElligott (5-3) by UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
Peggy Morgan (4-3) def. Jesse Miele (4-2) by UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Leon Davis (7-3) def. Andres Jeudi (6-4) by UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Chip Moraza-Pollard (10-8) KO2 Dany Lauzon 18-5) at 3:12
Anthony Giacchina (1-0) def. Gary Balletto Jr. (0-1) by UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-25)
Rico DiSciullo (5-0) submits Jake Constant (6-8) by verbal tap
Manny Bermudez (2-0) submits Mak Kelleher (0-2) by triangle choke at 3:12 in the first round
Jacob Smith (1-0) KO2 Chris Caterino (0-1) at 4:03
Brennan Ward, Bellator coming to Mohegan Sun in October
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/25/15
(Editorial note: the following is a press release from Bellator): Tickets are on sale now for Bellator MMA’s return to the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT on Friday, Oct. 23. “Bellator 144: Galvao vs. Dantas 2” pits two former training partners against one another in a highly anticipated rematch between current bantamweight champion Marcos “Loro” Galvao (17-6-1) and former titlist Eduardo “Dudu” Dantas (17-4).
Additionally, highly touted welterweights Michael “Venom” Page (8-0) and “Irish” Brennan Ward (11-3) will return to Mohegan Sun Arena, where both fighters scored brutal knockout victories at July’s “Bellator 140: Lima vs Koreshkov,” resulting in each man earning a spot on ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10. Opponents for both Page and Ward will be announced in the near future.
“Knockout” results from Foxwoods
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/21/15
By Terry Sutton
(Aug. 16 - Mashantucket) It was the final fight of the reality show Knockout’s second season. Despite a disappointing crowd of less than a thousand people at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino, fans in attendance were able to see three exciting boxing matches including one involving a former champion widely considered one of the sport’s greatest.
The first fight saw Hartford, CT’s own Michael Oliver take his 26-4-1 record against California’s Jonathan Arellano in a 130 pound, eight-round contest. Oliver dominated the fight with his quickness winning the first three rounds on all the judge’s cards. The fourth round would see Arellano bully Oliver and knock him to the canvas with a second left in the fourth round. Despite getting back up for the count, the fight was stopped in the beginning of the fifth round when Oliver was not coherent enough to fight. Arellano was declared the winner and earned the fourth KO of his career.
The second fight saw the finale of “Knockout” as Minnesota’s Jason Litzau took on Hylon Williams of Houston, Texas in an eight round fight at 135 pounds. Litzau was the man with a longer range and more firepower. He had 22 knockout victories to go with his 29-3 record. Williams was the quicker fighter who boasted a record of 16-1.
The fight saw much back and forth action with neither man
hurting the other. Williams would get a cut near his eye in the seventh
but would even the score when he bloodied the nose of Litzau in the final
round. The Judges’ decision in the end would elicit boos from the
audience who
were unsatisfied with the scores. The bout was a draw with 77-75 for
Williams, 76-76 for both men, and 79 to 73 for Litzau.
The main event would see West Virginia’s own Eric Watkins (12-9-2 record) step in a few day’s notice to take on Roy Jones Jr. While most in the audience expected the former multi-weight class world champion to easily dispatch Watkins, he had other plans. While Jones dominated the first five rounds, he did not go unscathed. While Jones attacked Watkins with several hard body shots, Watkins fired back with several head shots of his own. Jones was never in any trouble during the fight and with one second left in the sixth round he dropped Watkins with a left shot to the head. It was too much for Watkins who lay on the canvas barely conscious for over a minute. It was another win for Jones who improved his record to 61 and 8.
Knockout is aired on Nuvo TV and Fuse.
CES 30 on Aug. 14
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/13/15(Editor's note: the following is a press release from CES)
Highly-anticipated Lane-Felix championship rematch headlines CES MMA's 30th event
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 31st, 2015) -- They've waited patiently for this moment, for a chance to settle the score for what we can only assume is the second, and final, time.
They've chosen their words carefully, each predicting a win without fanning the flames in advance of what might be this year's most highly anticipated rematch.
Two weeks from today, Luis Felix and Julian Lane face off again in the five-round main event of "CES MMA XXX," live on AXS TV, as Lane attempts to defend the promotion's lightweight title for the second time since he won the belt by beating Felix on national television in August of 2014.
CES MMA is celebrating its 30th show in style with a stacked card featuring 11 bouts, among them the return of regional standouts Chip Pollard, Matthew Bessette and Dinis Paiva, plus the professional debut of Gary Balletto Jr., the son of famed boxer Gary "Tiger" Balletto.
Tickets are priced at $40.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and available for purchase online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, by phone at 401-724-2253/2254 or at the Twin River Players Club. All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Lane (9-3, 1 KO) enters his second title defense brimming with confidence, convinced he's already faced the best of what Felix (13-8, 5 KOs) has to offer, whether standing up or on the canvas. Felix, the hometown favorite who appeared to be in control the first time until an overhand right changed the course of the fight, has taken the high road, focusing instead on reaffirming his place among the elite in the 155-pound division.
"My goal this fight is to go out there and prove [Julian and I] are on two different levels," Felix said. "I'm out there to prove I'm the best lightweight in the northeast."
"All I have to do is tap him on the chin and it's over," countered Lane, who clubbed Felix with a hard right in their first fight before choking him out in the third round. "I'm going to go in there and knock him out."
Felix, coincidentally, is the only fighter on the card who also appeared on CES MMA's first show in September of 2010. Twenty-nine events later, he's back at Twin River as the headliner of a dynamic card featuring many old favorites mixed with a handful of new faces.
Among the returning stars is Bessette (15-6, 4 KOs), the Hartford, Conn., featherweight and Bellator vet who made his CES MMA debut in June with a knockout win over Khama Worthy. Two weeks from now, he faces Canadian Lenny Wheeler (8-3-1, 5 KOs) on the main card.
Also on the main card, red-hot East Providence, R.I., bantamweight Dinis Paiva Jr. (7-5, 4 KOs) faces Chino Duran (8-8, 4 KOs) of Homestead, Fla. The resurgent Paiva, now ranked No. 1 in his weight class in the northeast, has won four consecutive bouts - all in the opening round - including three by knockout.
Rounding out the televised portion of the card, light heavyweight Pat Walsh (5-2, 2 KOs) of East Bridgewater, Mass., faces Jesse McElligot (5-2, 2 KOs) of West Roxbury, Mass.; Plymouth, Mass., welterweight Chip Pollard (9-8, 4 KOs) battles Dan Lauzon (17-5, 9 KOs) of Bridgewater, Mass.; lightweight Leon Davis (6-3, 1 KO) of Ludlow, Mass., faces Boston's Andres Jeudi (7-4, 3 KOs); and The Ultimate Fighter alum Peggy Morgan (3-3) of Manchester, N.H., makes her CES MMA debut in a bantamweight bout against Jessica Miele (4-1) of Waterbury, Conn.
The preliminary card is headlined by Balletto Jr., the Cranston, R.I., welterweight who debuts against fellow newcomer Anthony Giacchina of Selden, N.Y. Bantamweight Rico DiSciullo (4-0-1, 1 KO) of Peabody, Mass., faces Jake Constant (6-7-1, 2 KOs) of Springfield, Ill.; Manny Bermudez (1-0, 1 KO) of Abington, Mass., battles featherweight Mak Kelleher (0-1) of Centereach, N.Y.; and bantamweights Jacob Smith of Russell, Mass., and Chris Caterino of Nashua, N.H., face one another in their pro debuts.
Jessy Miele of CES on MMA, career
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/12/15
NutmegMMA.com recently interviewed Jessy Miele (4-1) of Waterbury as she prepared for upcoming fight with Peggy Morgan (3-3) at CES's 30th MMA event. Morgan is perhaps best known for her appearances on The Ultimate Fighter television show. Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island will host the event on Aug. 14.
Q: How long have you trained in MMA?
A: A little over 8 years
Q: Which style did you start with?
A: MMA, Muay Thai & BJJ.
Q: What other arts have you studied?
A: A number of other Martial Arts JKD, Boxing, Judo, Kali, Wing Chun. A little bit of a lot of different arts!
Q: What do you consider your core art?
A: None of them. I’ve always tried to excel at all of them.
Q: Where have you trained?
A: The IMBCT International Martial Arts and Boxing Academy of Connecticut.
Q: Which organizations have you fought with?
A: I hold the 145 pound Championship belt for Gladiator Challenge in California. I fought with Reality Fighting, Premiere FC and Full Force Productions.
Q: Which fight was your toughest?
A: I think every fight brings a new challenge to the table. All of them were tough.
Q: Do you have any thoughts on your upcoming fight?
A: I am really excited about it.
Q: What are your eventual career goals?
A: I just want to keep moving forward doing what I enjoy.
Q: What is your profession apart from fighting?
A: I work in Multimedia and Interactive Communications.
Q: Which fighters do you enjoy? Which do you emulate?
A: I honestly respect all fighters who get in the ring. Just taking that step is a big deal. I enjoy watching fighters who have good attitudes. There are a lot of young boys and girls out there that look up to these fighters as role models and anyone who can represent themselves in a good light and not let the “Bull Sh*t” get in the way deserves respect.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring fighters?
A: Never walk away saying “I wish I did” or “I could of, should of, or would of” ..everyone goes through tough times, tough decisions, wins, and losses. At the end of the day, if it was easy everyone would be able to do it. Don’t let anyone or anything get in the way of your goals.
A few words with Matt Bessette
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/11/15
NutmegMMA.com chatted with local favorite Matt Bessette (15-6), formerly of Reality Fighting and Bellator, as his next featherweight bout with CES approaches. Bessette is scheduled to fight Lenny Wheeler (8-3-1) on Aug. 14 at the Twin Rivers Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island. we talked with Bessette about his charity work and his next fight.
Q: Tap Cancer Out has an event coming up next week in Danvers. Have you competed in any of their events? Are you involved with the organization in any capacity?
A: I have competed in one of their events and actually volunteered in one of their events. They run an excellent tournament and I wish I could be there next weekend but my MMA fight is that Friday, and I'll likely need a couple days to relax with my family after that.
I usually put them on all of my shirts that I make and most of the time, they are featured on my fight night banner. They do so much for everyone else, I just like to be as supportive as I can for them.
Q: Are there any other causes or similar organizations with which you are associating yourself?
A: “Hope Makes A Future.” You can find them in Facebook. They are in autism awareness group. The creator has a son who has autism.
Also, a sponsor of mine, "Choose Awesome" is a brand designed and created around positive vibes and a happy, healthy way of life (wecanbeawesome.com).
Q: Do you think the popularity of MMA in CT and the region is growing, waning or remaining steady?
A: I think it's clear as day that it's growing. More and more fighters are appearing on Bellator shows and UFC shows. Guys like Rick Hawn and Dez Green are headlining Titan FC shows. CES MMA has a spot bi-monthly on national television for AXSTV. We are killing it.
Q: I noticed that Lenny Wheeler has finished all eight of his victories, including five KOs, in the first, according to Sherdog.com. Do you have any thoughts to offer?
A: He's just another puzzle I have to piece together when I'm in there. Every fight is different. His tools are power in his strikes and he comes forward constantly. It makes for a very predictable, yet ultra-exciting match up. That being said, I'm looking to give him another loss, and I'm shooting for a first round finish.
Tapping Cancer Out
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 08/11/15
NutmegMMA.com had a chat with Jon Thomas, the founder and CEO of Tap Cancer Out. The organization, which is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit registered with the IRS,
will be holding its next Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Massachusetts on Aug. 15.
Q: When was Tap Cancer Out founded?
A: 2011
Q: Where are you based out of?
A: Lots of people think we’re a big organization and that I do this full time, but it’s actually the exact opposite. We’re just a small nonprofit run out of my house in Stratford, Connecticut. My wife and I both have full time jobs in the advertising world and spend our limited free time working on TCO.
Q: How many events have you held and where have you held them?
A: We’ve held seven so far
- April, 2012 - Stratford, CT
- April, 2013 - Stratford, CT
- June, 2013 - Danvers, MA
- April, 2014 - Stratford, CT
- August, 2014 - Danvers, MA
- January, 2015 - San Diego, CA
- April, 2015 - Stratford, CT
- Our next tournament is this August 15th in Danvers, MA
Q: How many participants do you typically draw?
A: About 200 - 300, but it depends on timing and how well known we are. Our Connecticut tournament always draws a huge crowd but we’re still emerging in California. But each tournament we increase the number of competitors year after year.
Q: How much do you typically raise against cancer?
A: Depends on the tournament. Our last spring tournament we raised a little over $70,000. Our winter tournament (first in California) raised $17,000. Our upcoming tournament in Danvers should raise somewhere between $20,000 and $30,000. In 2014 we gave St. Baldrick’s $100,000 after giving the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society $60,000 in 2013. We’ll most certainly exceed $100,000 donated in 2015, it’s just a matter of how much. All of our financial information is public and can be found at http://www.tapcancerout.org/about/annual-reports/
Q: What was the inspiration for the event?
A: My personal inspiration was simply the family and friends I had lost to this disease. I actually gave a TEDx talk about how it all got started It took us a while to land on the concept of fundraising tournaments though. But once we did, we realized this was the best way to effectively raise funds, host a great event, and unite the community.
The organization itself was my way of combining my love for BJJ and hate for cancer in a way that could give back. I also wanted to show the world that the sport of BJJ and its community is a GREAT one, filled not just with fighters but fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, and we can make a difference together. Our tournaments give grapplers an outlet to compete in the sport they love while fighting for more than just themselves…they get to fight for those who are in the fight of their lives.
Q: Do you have no-gi bouts?
A: We used to do Gi and No-Gi divisions. But since we’re limited to one day, we’ve switched to Gi only in order to accommodate kids, juniors, and teens divisions. That’s not to say we’ll never have them again though. We may do a No-Gi only tournament too.
11. Are you a private not-for-profit?
12. Are there business or organizational partners?
We have a number of strategic partners who help us TREMENDOUSLY, including Inverted Gear (which is our primary tournament sponsor), BJJHQ.com/RollMore.com, MassPrint, FightSoap, FIVE Grappling, and Manto.
A Few Questions with Blair Tugman
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 07/13/15
Tugman is one of several local and area fighters scheduled to fight at Bellator 140 on July 17 at the Mohegan Sun Arena. He discussed his upcoming bout and other aspects of his career in a conversation with Nutmegmma.com.
Q: Do you have any thoughts to offer regarding your forthcoming fight?
A: I'm excited to fight a tough opponent like Rodrigo "The Young Lion" Almeida. He is the second ranked Bantamweight in New England based off Tapology rankings (He is also ranked top 10 at 155lbs and 145lbs). Rodrigo is 12-2 on a 7 fight winning streak and is coming off a win over UFC vet Walel Watson.
I'm a guy that likes to fight the toughest opponents so I can test myself. He will definitely be my toughest opponent to date. I'm looking forward to scrapping with him to see where I stand in the Bellator Bantamweight division.
(Editorial note: Tugman confirmed that Almeida will not be fighting on July 17. Tugman’s new opponent will be Kin Moy (6-2).
Q: Have you fought for Bellator before?
A: Yes I have fought for Bellator in my last two fights. I won both by unanimous decision. I beat a very tough opponent in Brandon Fleming(who was at the time ranked 4th in New England at 145lbs and the 145lbs Reality Fighting Champ).*our fight was at 135lbs. Then most recently beat Marvin Maldanado. (Marvin was an amateur champion and highly touted fighter coming out of those ranks.)
A win over Rodrigo would be three straight wins inside the Bellator Cage over two professional Champions from other organizations and one amateur champion.
Q: Do you live in Connecticut?
A: I'm originally from Lincroft, New Jersey. I grew up in New Jersey and went to Middletown High School South where I wrestled and was a three-time NJ HS state place finishers and four-time NJ Freestyle State Champion. I attended college at Lock Haven (PA) University where I wrestled for the Division 1 program. Some of my teammates Included Sara McMann, Tim Boetsch, Mike Ciesnolevicz, Charlie Brennamen; all UFC vets or currently fighting in the UFC.
I moved to Connecticut in 2007 after college and have been there ever since. I live in Branford now and train in North Haven under Andrew Calandrelli.
Q: When did you first study martial arts? Which style did you start with?
A: Many people don't consider wrestling a martial art but I would not be where I'm at in the sport of MMA without it. I started wrestling when I was about nine-years-old and competed throughout high school and vollege at the highest levels of the sport. I consider wrestling to be one of the best sports to compete in prior to entering MMA. It teaches you the importance of work ethic, discipline, overcoming adversity, teamwork, etc. I feel there is no other sport on the planet that can make you as mentally tough as wrestling can. I truly believe in one of Dan Gable’s (one of the best wrestlers and coaches in the history of wrestling) quotes; "Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy."
Q: How many styles have you studies?
A: I train in all aspects of MMA with my coach Andrew Calandrelli and my teammates at Ultimate MMA. Andrew is a coach who also still competes so he is still constantly training and learning. He has fought for Bellator, won and placed in several grappling tournaments and has competed as an amateur boxer. I am lucky to have someone teaching me that has actually stepped into the cage and knows what it feels like to compete in a sport like MMA.
Andrew runs Calandrelli BJJ out of North Haven, which is now also a Marcelo Garcia affiliate gym. Andrew continues to train under Marcelo Garcia in New York. We train in boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, BJJ and MMA at the gym. Throughout the week I am drilling and sparring in all of those areas.
Q: What do you consider your core style?
A: I have been working diligently on becoming well rounded. I want to bring a lot of weapons with me into the cage. The sport of MMA has evolved from its early years where a person extremely skilled in one style could dominate their competition. Example would be Royce Gracie and BJJ in the first UFCs’. I think know a days you have to be skilled in all aspects of the sport if you want to be the best. With that being said I feel a fighter should also know their strengths and look to them throughout their fights.
My strength is wrestling and BJJ. I have competed and coached in the sport of wrestling for over 25 years. I competed in wrestling throughout my high school career in New Jersey (typically known as one of the top wrestling states in the country). After high school I went one to wrestle at NCAA Division 1 program Lock Haven University, which at the time was ranked in the top 15 in the country. While at Lock Haven I had the opportunity to train with my childhood idol Cary Kolat. Kolat was an undefeated four-time PA State Champion (Pennsylvania is typically known as the best wrestling state in the country), two-time NCAA Division 1 Champ and two-time World Medalist. Kolat took me under his wing and for two years and I trained one-on-one with him on a daily basis. I feel working with Kolat was one of the best learning experiences I have ever had. He greatly improved my technique but more importantly he showed me how a champions trains and made me much more mentally tough.
BJJ is also a part of my strength. I think my wrestling and BJJ go hand in hand. Andrew has instilled in me the importance of blending the two sports into one. I have worked hard to gain as much knowledge as possible about the sport of BJJ. I started training in BJJ under Andrew back in 2007. I am know a Black Belt under Andrew and feel my grappling skills are top notch.
Q: Which fighters do you emulate? Which do you enjoy?
A: I love watching all kinds of different fighters. I have always liked reviewing wrestling matches, fights, grappling matches, etc. to see if I could pick up some new techniques or strategies. Recently I have been watching a lot of T.J. Dillashaw. He is the UFC Bantamweight Champion (135 pounds). If you’re going to try and learn something from someone, you might as well look at what the top guy in your division is doing.
Latley I have been working very hard on staying active and constantly moving my feet and creating angles like Dillashaw. He is non-stop the whole fight. He also is constantly switching from orthodox to southpaw stance. Something I am looking to bring into the cage with me on July 17.
Q: When did you decide to pursue MMA?
A: I decided to start MMA back in 2007. My good friend Mike Ciesnolevicz is the person that got me interested. Mike was a college teammate of mine at Lock Haven University. While we were still in school Mike would have me over and he would have mats in his house and he would be practicing all these crazy chokes, arm and leg locks, etc. He was studying BJJ which was still not very big at the time. After we graduated Mike asked me to go and compete in a grappling tournament with him. I was a little crazy and loved competing so I said why not. When we got to the tournament Mike told me that it was an Absolute division tournament (absolute division means you would compete against anyone from any weight class no matter the weight difference). I knew very little BJJ but had an extensive wrestling background, so I decided to do it anyway. I ended up going 2-2 and placing 4th. My first opponent was 250lbs plus. The rush I got from competing that day and doing well was what led me to begin training at Andrew Calandrelli’s gym once I got to CT.
I trained with Andrew for a couple months and then got a call from my buddy Mike Ciesnolevicz asking me if I was interested in representing the U.S.A in the Abu Dhabi World grappling championships. ADCC is the most prestigious NO-GI grappling event in the world. I was only a blue belt at the time but I jumped at the opportunity. I ended up losing my first match but gained unbelievable experience from the event. A month after competing in Abu Dhabi I competed in my first pro MMA event, along with my college wrestling teammate and now UFC vet Tim Boestch at Extreme Challenge 78. I won via unanimous decision over Glenn Oritz. I have not stopped ever since.
Q: What is your current record?
A: My current record is 7-5. I am on a two-fight winning streak in the Bellator Organization. I'm currently ranked tenth in New England (Mass-mma.com rankings) and eighteenth on the Tapology.com rankings. I feel I'm much better then what those rankings have me at and I’m excited to prove it July 17!
Q: What do you do apart from fighting?
A: Aside from fighting I run my private wrestling club Team Tugman WC (based out of Branford) and have been the assistant wrestling coach for the Wesleyan University program the last few years. Although I do not foresee myself becoming a millionaire any time soon, I absolutely love what I do, while making a decent living. I love working with motivated athletes that want to become the best wrestlers they can be. I travel all over the country with my wrestlers to various national, regional and state competitions. I am constantly seeking out the toughest and highest level competitions I can find for my wrestlers to compete in, so that they are always being challenged to improve. I have elementary-middle school practices and high school-college practices throughout the year. Each group practices three nights a week for one-and-a-half hours. I am 100 percent dedicated to building my program into one of the top wrestling clubs in the country. I know this will not happen overnight but I am constantly striving to better myself as a coach and help my athletes work towards their goals. Seeing my wrestlers work so hard to improve, succeed and reach their goals is highly motivating for me as a coach and a competitor. I want to set a great example for them and be the absolute best role model I can be for them. They help me to be a better person and I hope that I help them in the same way. Coaching these kids is my life! I always want them to succeed and more importantly have fun and grow into good people.
Q: What are your future career goals?
A: My very short term goal is to get my hand raised again July 17 in the Bellator Cage. Right now I have tunnel vision and the only thing on my mind is competing to the best of my ability July 17th and getting a big win over a very tough and highly ranked opponent in Rodrigo "the young lion" Almeida. After that my sights are set on being on main cards (televised) for Bellator MMA. I want to become the Bellator Bantamweight Champion. I compete to be the best. I want to be the best. Why else compete? I always like challenging myself and testing myself against the best and toughest opponents I can find. I'm looking forward to continuing to move up the Bellator Bantamweight ladder and someday getting my chance to fight for the Bellator Bantamweight Belt.
Q: Do you have advice for aspiring fighters?
A: My advice to any aspiring fighters would be to believe in yourself and your abilities. You have to have an unbelievable amount of confidence when stepping into that cage to fight. Any doubts will hinder your performance. The key to being confident going into any type of competition is the way in which you prepare for it. You have to invest an incredible amount of time and effort into training, eating right, resting/recovering, etc. If you have done everything you possibly can to ensure that you compete at your best, you can go into a competition with the utmost confidence. Many people think or say they have put a lot of time in but it is my belief that a small percentage of competitors actually put the necessary amount of time into preparing to be champions. It’s simple; "out work your opponents."
Q: What is your most memorable fight?
A: My most memorable fight would probably be my fight with Brandon Fleming at Bellator 123 (Mohegan Sun Arena). Going into that fight I was a huge underdog. I was coming off a loss and fighting a rising star in Fleming. He was the Reality Fighting Featherweight (145 pounds) Champion, ranked fourth in New England who was on a two-fight winning streak and making his 135-pound debut. The online forums and polls didn't give me much of a chance. Prior to that fight I had the opportunity to fly out to California for a week and trained at Team Alpha Male while staying with my good friend Hal Morgan and his family. While out there I got to train with the UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw, top ranked UFC flyweight Joseph Benevidez and many other top fighters in the world. It was an incredible experience and the fact that I did well while I was out there training helped me bring back a ton of confidence to Connecticut for my fight with Fleming. I won a unanimous decision winning every round of the fight. It was one of my best performances inside the cage to date.
I traveled back out to California for a week for this fight as well. I was able to train with second-place-ranked Featherweight in the world Chad Mendes and undefeated UFC Bantamweight Cody Garbrandt. Both are fighting on the July 11th UFC Card. (Editor’s note: Conor McGregor knocked out Mendes in the second round and secured the interim UFC featherweight belt, while Garbrandt won by decision over Henry Briones) It was another great trip out there training with those guys and I am bringing back even more confidence going into this fight July 17 because of it!
I would like to thank my mom (Debbie), dad (Jack), two brothers (Blake and Brad) for always supporting me throughout this process. Their help and support is greatly appreciated and I am lucky to be able to call them my family. Thank you to my coach and good friend Andrew Calandrelli for getting me to this point in my career. I would not be where I am without his help and coaching. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and work with Andrew for my future fights. Big thank you to all my teammates and training partners at Ultimate MMA. You cannot get better without the help of your teammates. I’m lucky to have some of the best training partners in the area to push me every day. (Matt A., Brett K., Harry A., Marisa B., Dave H., Nick N., Justin K., Nick G., etc.). There are too many to name all of them but those are some of my main partners I work with.
Big thank you to Bellator for giving me this opportunity! I'm looking forward to taking full advantage of it!
Thank you to my sponsor Prime Athletics for hooking me up with some nice gear (shirts, banner, shorts, etc.) And last but certainly not least, thank you to all of my friends, wrestlers, fans that support me! I love competing in front of so many supportive people. Your support gives me added motivation to prepare and be the best MMA fighter I can be so that I can put on a great show on fight night!
Bellator update for July
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 07/08/15
Representatives of Bellator have sent us a press release regarding their forthcoming event. We present it below.
"Four preliminary bouts featuring prime east coast fighters have been added to complete the full card of “Bellator: Lima vs. Koreshkov,” which takes place July 17 from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.
The additional bouts include a featherweight faceoff between Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) and Ryan Quinn (10-5,1 NC), Billy “Wolverine” Giovanella (8-3), who faces Rodrigo “The Young Lion” Almeida (12-2) at bantamweight, Kaline “The Dark Angel” Medeiros (4-4), who fights Sarah “Soulja” Payant (1-0) in a women's strawweight scrap, and lightweights Dean “The Hammer” Hancock (1-0) versus Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC).
Bellator 140 features five world-class welterweight bouts including World Champion Douglas Lima (26-5) and Andrey Koreshkov (17-1), Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6), Michael “Venom” Page (7-0) taking on Rudy Bears (16-13), Brennan “The Irish Bad Boy” Ward (10-3) scrapping with Gavin “War Horse” Sterritt (6-1), and knockout artist Paul “Semtex” Daley (36-13-2) challenging Dennis Olson (14-8). The event also boasts several additional previously announced preliminary contests featuring more top prospects from the Northeastern United States.
The main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while the announced preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET.
Tickets for "Bellator MMA: Lima vs. Koreshkov," which start at just $25, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office or Ticketmaster.com.
Bellingham, MA’s Billy Giovanella is 4-1 in his last five fights heading into his bantamweight bout. His last four victories include three submissions and a knockout en route to his Uncasville bout. Giovanella’s challenger Remo Cardarelli of Framingham, MA will look to rely on his record-proven submission talent to win. Expect both fighters to relentlessly compete to break from recent losses on their record.
Danbury, CT’s Dean Hancock wowed fans with a first round submission victory at Bellator’s “British Invasion” event. Hancock will look to repeat his entertaining performance by defeating challenger Dunworth of Bridgewater, MA, who makes his Bellator debut riding a two-fight winning streak.
Another Danbury, CT fighter Ryan Quinn, who trains with American Top Team in Connecticut has found great success in the Bellator cage, emerging perfect in all six of his appearances. He now faces an established veteran of the sport in Philadelphia’s Waylon Lowe, who fights under the Bellator promotion for the first time since 2009, when he scored a win in his promotional debut.
Kaline Medeiros of Fall River, MA, has taken three unanimous decision victories in her last four bouts, and scored an impressive knockout just seven seconds into a fight. She takes on Sarah Payant from West Springfield, MA, who makes her Bellator debut following up her first professional bout this past March, where she scored a triangle choke submission victory. "
Main Card (9 P.M. EST)
Bellator Welterweight Title Fight: Douglas Lima (26-5) vs. Andrey Koreshkov (17-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Chris Honeycutt (6-0) vs. Paul Bradley (22-6)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Michael Page (7-0) vs. Rudy Bears (16-13)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Brennan Ward (10-3) vs. Gavin Sterritt (6-1)
Bellator Welterweight Feature Fight: Paul Daley (36-13-2) vs. Dennis Olson (14-8)
Preliminary Card (7 P.M. EST)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Josh Neer (36-14) vs. Matt Secor (6-2)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Blair Tugman (7-5) vs. Rodrigo Almeida (12-2)
Bellator Welterweight Prelim Fight: Ilya Kotau (debut) vs. Nicolas Sergiacomi (1-0)
Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Parker Porter (5-4) vs. Eric Bedard (6-5)
Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Billy Giovanella (8-3) vs. Remo Cardarelli (4-2)
Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Dean Hancock (1-0) vs. Alex Dunworth (2-1,1 NC)
Bellator Strawweight Prelim Fight: Kaline Medeiros (4-4) vs. Sarah Payant (1-0)
Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Waylon Lowe (15-6, 1 NC) vs. Ryan Quinn (10-5, 1 NC)
A few questions with Jeff Emil Haddad
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/18/15
Bristol resident Jeff Emil Haddad (4-0) of Reality Fighting was kind of enough to answer a few questions for us this week as he prepares for his June 19 bantamweight bout with Walter Smith Cotito (3-2) at Mohegan Sun.
Nutmeg MMA: When did you first study martial arts? What was the first art that you studied and where?
Haddad: I think I was four or five years old when I started Tae Kwon Do in the Worcester area and continued until I was about nine.
Nutmeg MMA: How many arts have you studied? Which ones?
Haddad: I have studied BJJ (Gi & No-Gi), Wresting, Muay Thai, Boxing and Kickboxing. I consider wrestling my base as I have been wrestling for 15 years (Editor's note: He stated that he has wrestled for Stafford High School, Old Saybrook High School and American International college).
Nutmeg MMA: When did you start pursuing Mixed Martial Arts as a calling?
Haddad: I saw my first UFC in 1999 or so. I thought it was crazy and cool, but I didn’t really see it as a calling until I started wrestling in 2000. Then I knew the natural progression would lead me there.
Nutmeg MMA: Have you fought for other organizations besides Reality Fighting?
Haddad: I have not. They have always treated me so well, and I love fighting at Mohegan Sun. However, I signed with Bellator before my surgeries. My contract expired due to my long lay off. Now that I am back, I am open to fight for other promotions. I really like how CES builds their fighters, runs their shows, and pushes their fighters to the next level. I see myself fighting for them this year for sure.
Nutmeg MMA: I understand that you at one point held Reality Fighting"s bantamweight belt but had to vacate the championship due to injury. Who did you defeat to earn the belt?
Haddad: I defeated Johnny McLaughlin for the belt back in 2011. He was actually a high school friend and Bellator vet. Small world!
Nutmeg MMA: What are your career goals within MMA? Do you plan on coaching or teaching at some point?
Haddad: My goals are small right now. I can’t say win a world title if I am not even in the UFC right now or in the mix for a world title. My goals are to get better everyday, win this next fight, get back to the gym and keep grinding. I’ll reassess my goals when I get in the UFC. I definitely plan on coaching more than I do now. I coach high school wrestling and help out Underdog BJJ where I can. However, I plan on opening a gym after my career is over as an active fighter.
Nutmeg MMA: Do you have any advice for aspiring fighters?
Haddad: Start small. This sport is incredibly grueling and taxing. Just set goals of making it to every practice in a year. Once you have achieved smaller goals like that, start building on those goals. So many people dream of huge goals without any idea how to get there. Life isn’t just about dreaming, it’s about preparing, planning, working, failing, reassessing, preparing, planning, working, achieving, build and repeat.
Nutmeg MMA: Do you have any fighters that you particularly like to watch? That you emulate?
Haddad: I love watching TJ Dillashaw, Dominick Cruz, Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Frankie Edgar, etc. Without being too vague, I really try to take aspects from all great fighters across all combat sports. I love all combat sports and think it’s critical to grow and evolve.
Nutmeg MMA: The last time I checked, you were the ring girl coordinator with Reality Fighting. Do you still have that job?
Haddad: I am not longer the ring girl coordinator. It was more or less something to stay involved with the company while I was out.
Nutmeg MMA: You also work as a physical therapist. Has one calling giving you a geater appreciation for the other?
Haddad: I think they have complement each other well. I am able to work with intelligent people all the time who stimulate my mind, understand the mechanics of the body, help with injuries, and keep me motivated to grow in a mental and intellectual way. MMA helps me apply the concepts that I teach and learn as a physical therapist. I am able to identify more appropriate positions for mechanical advantages or identify areas to improve in a muscular sense. I am also able to identify when an injury is just a nagging injury or something more significant as well as help check out team members if they are concerned about something. On top of all that, physical therapy allows me to appreciate a fully functional body after seeing so many sick or injured people. It motivates me to stay in shape and make the most of that I have.
Thank you very much for your time. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans, girlfriend, coaches, training partners, and sponsors for all the support! Underdog BJJ, Fighting Arts Acadamy, Luigi’s Restaurant, Cutting Edge Chiropractic, Baddass Inc. and Bristol Gladiator’s Wrestling.
A few questions with Matt Bessette
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/17/15
We recently caught up with local favorite Matt "the Mangler" Bessette, who trains at Underdog BJJ in Hartford. Bessette, who is 15-6, knocked out Khama Worthy (7-4) at 2:42 in the second round of their fight at the Twin Rivers Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island on June 12. "The Mangler" is not only known as a distinguished featherweight for Bellator and lightweight for Reality Fighting but is a leukemia survivor as well and known for attracting support for victims of the illness.
Nutmeg MMA: You just defeated Kahma Worthy at a CES event last weekend and raised your record to 15-6. Do you have any general comments regarding the victory?
Bessette: It's been a long time coming, being able to shine for CES and I knew I had a perfect opportunity to show them that I was worth the wait. I'm glad I came through in the clutch.
Nutmeg MMA: You knocked Worthy out with a counterpunch. Left or right? What kind of punch?
Bessette: I knocked him out as he stepped in with a right hand. I threw a check hook, stepped off the center line, and followed it up with an overhand right.
Nutmeg MMA: Will you be fighting again for CES or Reality Fighting? Are you still signed with Bellator?
Bessette: I have a three-fight contract with CES; so two fights left, and a Bellator/UFC out clause. If either organization comes calling, I have the option to fight for them.
Nutmeg MMA: Has the UFC, WSOF or other organizations come knocking?
Bessette: Nope.
Nutmeg MMA: Will you be staying at Featherweight or is there a possibility of a return to lightweight?
Bessette: I'm a featherweight for good.
Nutmeg MMA: Is there anything you would like people to know about the causes you support?
Bessette: I thank everyone who continues to support the Tap Cancer Out organization along with me.
Nutmeg MMA: In what what would you say your fight strategy has changed or evolved?
Bessette: My knowledge of striking has grown so much over the past couple years that my whole confidence level and gameplan in general has changed drastically.
Reality Fighting on June 19
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 06/13/15
Reality Fighting will return to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville on June 19. The tentative card is posted here and includes the return of Jeff Emil Haddad.
The organization's previous event on Jan. 3 did not include former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia as originally scheduled. It did include a large number of first round finishes.
Will next week's event deliver similar action? Here at the site we will attempt to catch up with Reality Fighting spokespersons and gain a little insight into what to expect and watch for during the event.
Bellator: British Invasion Update
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/26/15
Mohegan Sun in Uncasville is preparing for Bellator: British Invasion on Feb. 27 and four Connecticut fighters will be among those competing.
The main event will be a title fight between between light heavyweight champion Emanuel Newton (25-7) and challenger Liam McGeary (9-0). The main card will also include; a welterweight fight between Paul Daley (35-13) and Andre Santos (37-9); a heavyweight fight between Cheick Kongo (22-9-2) and "King Mo" Lawal (14-4); a light heavyweight fight between Rameau Sokoudjou (16-12) and Linton Vassell (14-4); and a light heavyweight fight between Michael Page (7-0) and Curtis Millender (7-0).
While it is always exciting to see big names like Lawal and Kongo return to Connecticut, Bellator's push to bring bigger names like these two and Daley into their cards has pushed fighters like Matt Bessette of Hartford and Brennan Ward of Waterford down to the preliminary card. Bessette (13-6), who established himself among Connecticut MMA fans as a lightweight with Reality Fighting, made it to the semi-finals of Bellator's Season 10 featherweight tournament. Ward (9-3) entered Bellator's Season Nine middleweight tournament as a replacement and wound up winning it before losing to then-middleweight champion Alexender Shlemenko. Some fans feel that Bessette and Ward both desrve to be on the main card that will air at 9 p.m. on Spike TV rather than the undercard that will appear on Spike.com.
Bessette will fight Josh Laberge (9-4) and Ward will fight Jesse Juarez (22-9). Josh Diekman (15-5) of Groton, who is fast becoming a local favorite, will fight Raphael Butler (8-1-1) in a heavyweight bout. Blair Tugman (6-5) of North Haven will fight Marvin Maldanado (2-2) in a bantamweight bout.
Other preliminary bouts include a middleweight fight between Jason Butcher (8-1) and Tamdan McCrory (12-3), and a welterweight fight between Bobby Flynn (4-2) and Neiman Gracie (2-0).
At around 11 p.m., following the end of the main card, lightweight Dean Hancock will make his professional debut against Michael Mangan (0-2).
Bellator meet-and-greet
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 02/25/15
As Feb. 27 approaches and Mohegan Sun prepares for Bellator: British Invasion, the organization is offering a treat of sorts for Connecticut MMA fans. Four legends of the sport will appear at Dave & Buster's at 100 Buckland Hills Drive during an event that is open and free to the public.
Fedor Emelianko, Royce Gracie, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock will appear at the event to sign autographs. Bellator announced that attendants will also get a chance to win prizes, including tickets, and get their pictures taken with Bellator's ring girls.
Although former UFC light heavyweight Ortiz is perhaps the most recognizable name to casual MMA fans, purists will probably gush at the chance to meet Fedor. Bellator President Scott Coker founded the now-dissolved organization Strikeforce, which was Fedor's former employer.
Ortiz is currently signed with Bellator and drew huge viewership to the organization when he fought Stephen Bonnar at Bellator 131. The two men put on a stagey, pro-wrestling confrontation at Mohegan Sun last year to hype the fight.
Gracie and Shamrock were old rivals from the early barn-storming days of the UFC and meeting them in the same room should be interesting. One of Gracie's students, Jim Hughes, operates Gracie Jiu Jitsu in West Hartford and Gracie himself used to periodically came to the Hartford Police Department to train police officers. A branch of Shamrock's Lion's Den training camp operated in Middletown but is currently closed.
Reality Fighting on Jan. 3: Highlights to include Tim Sylvia and Matt Bessette in co-main events
by Brian Woodman Jr. on 12/23/14
Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim "the Maine-iac" Sylvia will headline Reality Fighting's next event on Jan. 3 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville.
Sylvia, who currently holds a professional record 31 wins and 9 losses (statistics provided by Reality Fighting), will face Juliano Coutinho (6-1) during the main event. Sylvia started his career in MMA with Reality Fighting in 1998, according to information from the organization.
Matt Bessette (13-6), the Hartford fighter who made it into the semifinals for Bellator's tenth-season featherweight tournament, will fight Kevin Roddy (15-5-1) in a featherweight bout. Bessette established himself in the Connecticut scene as a lightweight with Reality Fighting.
The card also includes; a middleweight fight between Jason Ward (4-1) and Cheyenne Vasquez (2-0); a bantamweight fight between Johnny Lopez (0-1) and Marvin Maldonado (1-2); and a featherweight fight between Rob Brown (2-0) and Melvis Figueroa (0-1).
Opponents for welterweight Jarrid Heon and featherweight Jessy Miele (2-0) have not been announced.
Amateur bouts scheduled for that evening include; a 150-pound fight between Jose Rivera (0-0) and Vinny Brightman (0-4); a featherweight fight between B. J. Prak (0-1) and Harris Bonfiglio (0-0); and a bantamweight fight between Mike Piacentini (1-3) and Joe Albani (0-1).
