LEWISTON, Maine — Veteran Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison won the New England Fights featherweight championship with a fifth-round submission of previously undefeated title holder Ray “All Business” Wood on Saturday night.
The promotion’s 145-pound title bout was the main event of NEF XVI, a 24-fight mixed martial arts card held before an estimated 2,500 fans at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.
Wood, competing in his first fight back in Maine since he moved from the Bangor area to Gaffney, South Carolina, last fall, got off to a quick start, but Morrison’s numerous takedowns and subsequent work on the mat began to give him the upper hand as the fight continued.
The bout was considered up for grabs as they entered the fifth and final five-minute round, but Morrison scored a takedown and was able to secure a guillotine choke hold to force Wood to tap out at 3:02 of the period.
The 30-year-old Morrison, a veteran of the upper-tier World Extreme Cage Fighting and Bellator promotions from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, improved his record to 19-10 after fighting for the first time since November 2013.
Wood, 25, fell to 5-1.
Former National Football League player Tyler King successfully defended his NEF heavyweight crown in the co-main event, stopping Terry Blackburn with a tapout via kimura at 2:06 of the first round.
Other winners in professional bouts were Nah-Shon Burrell and Mike Hansen. Both scored first-round technical knockout victories, Burrell over Ryan Hodge in a middleweight contest and Hanson over Artie Mullen in a heavyweight clash.
The NEF XVI pro bouts were preceded by 20 amateur contests.
New England Fights has scheduled its next mixed martial arts card, NEF XVII, for April 11, also at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. In the main event, NEF lightweight champion Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-7) of Young’s MMA in Bangor will defend his 155-pound title against Jamie Harrison (5-1) in the main event, while another professional matchup will feature Augusta’ Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (4-1) in a welterweight clash against veteran Dennis Olson.