The New England Fights mixed martial arts promotion has limited its shows to Maine audiences since its inception in 2012.
But that’s about to change as the Lewiston-based organization plans to live up to its regional moniker with its NEF 23 show scheduled for May 14 in Hyannis, Massachusetts.
“The move to expand into Massachusetts and promoting an event on Cape Cod is a calculated one,” said NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson, also a state representative from Rumford. “A lot of analysis was done prior to announcing this show.”
Eighteen of NEF’s first 21 cards were held at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, with two additional dates in 2013 at the Biddeford Ice Arena and one at Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion in Bangor.
The promotion’s next show, NEF 22, also is scheduled for Lewiston on April 23.
“NEF was the first ever mixed martial arts event in Lewiston,” said Peterson, who shares ownership of the promotion with Massachusetts attorney Nick DiSalvo. “As a team, we identified Lewiston as an area that was hungry for a new form of combat sports entertainment. From there, we worked hand in hand with local athletes, teams and businesses to create the market from whole cloth. We see the same potential in Cape Cod and are busy working with local partners to replicate our model there.”
Peterson said the expansion of NEF — which also has added boxing matches to several of its recent productions — into other markets beyond Lewiston is likely and there has been talk about a return visit to the Bangor area, which has become an MMA hotbed regionally.
Young’s MMA of Bangor and Team Irish MMA Fitness Academy of Brewer are among the state’s top gyms while another training outlet, the Shatterproof Combat Club, recently opened in Dexter.
Three fighters affiliated with Young’s who were among NEF’s key building blocks, Ray “All Business” Wood, Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington and “The” Ryan Sanders, have gone on to compete on national-level or at least nationally televised MMA cards, including Wood with Bellator MMA and Boyington with the World Series of Fighting.
“Maine in general and Lewiston specifically will always be our home base of operations,” Peterson said. “But as athletes continue to develop, as the talent pool deepens and as the fan base grows, as a result our schedule of events will expand in proportion to meet the growing demand.
“You can expect to see more growth in the coming months as NEF broadens its reach in an effort to showcase new talent and provide a quality evening of fight sports entertainment for fans all across New England.”
