LEWISTON, Maine — Father’s Day weekend will include a unique homage of sorts for the Bang family of Auburn.
Dr. Steven Bang Sr., a 46-year-old bariatric surgeon and triathlete, will compete on the amateur undercard at New England Fights’ NEF 24 show at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday night — as will his three sons and a foster son.
Steven Bang Jr., Shawn Bang, Skyler Bang and foster son Conner Murphy all will join their dad on the card, set to begin at 7 p.m.
The elder Bang, 1-1 in MMA competition, will take on 48-year-old Stacy Lupo, a millwright from Corinna as well as a kickboxing instructor at The Outlet in Dexter.
“I love competition and how it drives us to improve and become a more perfect version of ourselves,” said Steven Bang Sr., a native of Riverton, Wyoming, who graduated from Brigham Young University in 1994 and from the Des Moines (Iowa) University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1998.
“It has been a year since I have battled in the cage. This past year has been filled with the accomplishment of personal milestones and athletic goals with many more yet to be realized. Amidst all of this chaos, the stars have once again aligned to give me the opportunity to re-enter the battle arena where the stakes of competition, for me, are highest.”
Steven Bang Sr. weighed in Friday afternoon at 154.3 pounds for the lightweight (155-pound division) battle, and Lupo (0-0) weighed in at 154.2.
Among Bang’s sons, Shawn Bang (1-1) is returning to the cage for this Father’s Day reunion for the first time in nearly three years after a two-year stint as a missionary in accordance with his Mormon faith.
He will face Mike Bezanson (1-0) in a welterweight contest.
“I cannot begin to express how excited I am to reunite with my CMBJJ brothers,” said Shawn Bang, who trains with his family at Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Auburn. “I have only spoken with my own family on Christmas and Mother’s Day, and to have the opportunity to rejoin the ‘Bang Clan’ in battle … is a fitting reunion.
“Since childhood our father has always told us, ‘The first rule of brothers is to stick together.’ Ultimately, it will be me alone in the cage to battle my opponent, but it is family, both immediate and extended, that gets me there and beyond.”
Other matches involving the Bang family will have Skyler Bang (0-0) against Eddie DeRoche (0-0) at a catchweight of 150 pounds, Steve Bang Jr. (3-5) against Dom Cofone (6-5) in a lightweight test, and Connor Murphy (1-0) against Justin Witham (1-4) in a 130-pound battle.
