(PRESS RELEASE) -- Lewiston, Maine (September 24, 2012) – New England Fights! (NEF) is proud to announce the addition of a mixed martial arts bout between former number one contender for the Maine State MMA Welterweight title, “THE” Ryan Sanders (4-2), and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu standout Jarod Lawton (1-1) to the promotion’s FIGHT NIGHT V card scheduled for November 17 in Lewiston, ME at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
Sanders lost in his last bout at Fight Night IV when he faced internationally-experienced Gil de Freitas for the first ever Maine State MMA Welterweight Championship. After 25 minutes of action, Sanders dropped a decision on the judges’ scorecards. Ready for redemption, Sanders is motivated to make his return to the NEF cage for the fifth and final time in 2012.
Jarod Lawton last graced the NEF cage at Fight Night II when he took on the extremely athletic and dynamic striker Darrius Heyliger (3-1) from the famed Team Bombsquad out of Ithaca, New York. Despite almost finishing Heyliger in the first minute of the fight with a tight armbar, the bout was ultimately stopped in the third round in Heyliger’s favor after Lawton sustained a grizzly cut on his forehead that forced the ringside physician to wave off the match.
“Jarod Lawton almost went the distance with Darrius Heyliger in a competitive fight at a time when no one knew who Heyliger was,” stated NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “Don’t let Lawton’s MMA record mislead you—he’s well-known in BJJ circles and most recently won his brown belt division at the Boston International Open IBJJF Championships. He’s a very skilled grappler with a lot of BJJ competition and it will be fascinating to see this play out.”
“There’s no question—Ryan and I are the best 170-pound fighters from Maine,” stated Lawton when reached for comment. “We are both coming off of losses and have a lot to prove. We match-up really well and we are similar fighters. Ryan is very tough, but I believe my technical ability and power will prove dominant in this fight. I anticipate this being the fight of the night, if not the year!”
Fight Night V is slated for November 17 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, ME with a special start time of 5:00 PM. For more information on this 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.” Tickets for Fight Night V are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling The Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.
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.