Travis Lizotte "Full Contact Writer"
We are live from the Merrill Auditorium in Portland, Maine tonight as we await New England Fights 53. Matt Peterson and Nick DiSalvo have eighteen fights on tap for us this evening, thirteen Amateur bouts, including two Amateur Title Fights, and five professional MMA bouts are set for an opening bell due to sound at 7 pm. Those not in attendance can follow along here as we bring you live round by round updates of all the action, or a pay-per-view stream is available for purchase at combatsportsnow.com...be sure to use your fighters name at checkout for the fighter to receive credit.
***Apologies to the New England MMA community that was counting on this article for their updates, as beautiful as the Merrill Auditorium setting was...their internet connection was not so desirable and I was unable to update the website from our position cageside.***
Alex Morris (Nostos MMA) vs. Timm Murray (VisionQuest MT)
Amateur Flyweight
Round 1: Wild start to this one as they trade strikes early. Tomm knocks Alex down to the mat but Alex recovers. Alex backs Timm to the cage and gets him to the canvas. Morris takes the back and sinks in the RNC for the tap.
Decision: Alex Morris defeats Timm Murray bu Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:02 of the first round.
Joe Diaz (Wai Kru) vs. William Lagasse (Team Alena)
Amateur Featherweight
Round 1: Will comes out and lands a short right hand that drops Joe...Will pounces on top for the quick TKO stoppage...
Decision: Will Lagasse defeats Joe Diaz by TKO at 17 seconds of the first round.
Julian Connerton (Evolution Athletix) vs. Isaac Therrien (Faith)
Amateur Lightweight
Round 1: Crazy first round with Isaac looking for takedowns and Jiggy working for position. Connerton throws up a number of submissions but none of them are deep enough to finish Therrien. 10-9 Connerton.
Decision: Isaac Therrien does not answer the 2nd round bell. Julian Connerton defeats Isaac Therrien by TKO
Nick Eldridge (Nostos MMA) vs. David Dorr (Millers MMA)
Amateur Featherweight
Round 1: Nick runs through Dorr taking him to the mat and finishing him with Ground and pound early.
Decision: Nick Eldridge defeats David Dorr by TKO Ground and Pound early in the first.
Mike Jolicoeur (Karasu Tengu Academy) vs. Evrit Roy (First Class MMA)
Amateur Catchweight (150 lbs.)
Round 1: Jolicoeur starts the fight with kicks and Evrit catches on and dumps him to the canvas. Mike stands with his back against the fence, he turns the action and takes Roy down now. Roy pops right back up but is greeted by Jolicoeur who puts him back on the fence. Roy turns the action and looks for the takedown. Jolicoeur returns to striking distance and lands some strikes before landing a takedown to end the round. 10-9 Jolicoeur.
Round 2: Strikes from Jolicoeur have Evrit shooting early in the second round and action ensues against the fence. Roy finally finishes the takedown and Mike is on bottom looking for an arm. Roy uses the attempt to remain on top in half guard. Roy goes full mount on a guillotine and Jolicoeur uses it to sweep to the top where he begins to work the ground and pound. Close round 10-9 Roy.
Round 3: Mike comes out again looking to strike and picking his spots. Roy backs to the fence and tries pulling guard on a guillotine but Jolicoeur stands back up. Mike attempts a takedown but it's Roy who ends up on top. Jolicouer throws up submissions down the stretch from his back. 10-9 Jolicoeur.
Decision: Mike Jolicoeur defeats Evrit Roy by Unanimous Decision.
Ben Grady (Evolution Athletix) vs. Nestor Yuja (Team Savage)
Amateur Lightweight
Decision: Back and forth war ends in a Unanimous Decision for Ben Grady.
Miles Emery (Titan Athletics) vs. Adolfo Bedolla (Davidson County)
Amateur Heavyweight
Decision: An injury to Miles left eye stops his onslaught, Adolfo capitalizes and finishes Emery by TKO ground and pound in the first round.
Isaac Ward (United Fitness) vs. Edwin Pena (VisionQuest MT)
Amateur Featherweight
Decision: Edwin Pena defeats Isaac Ward by first round Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
Sean Wakefield (Evolution Athletix) vs Jacob Silver (Silver)
Amateur Catchweight (180 lbs.)
Round 1: Big clash in the middle of the cage leads these two to the floor where Wakefield ends up on top looking for a choke. Silver defends the choke and stands briefly before Wakefield lands another takedown. Wakefields power grappling has him in total control of the first round. He ends the round on top landing ground and pound as time expires. 10-9 Wakefield.
Round 2: Wakefield steamrolls Silver to open the second and finished him on the ground with ground and pound.
Decision: Sean Wakefield defeats Jacob Silver by TKO (Ground and Pound) early in the second.
Matt Jenkins (Nostos MMA) vs. Qasim Abdulla (Choi Institute)
Amateur Flyweight
Summary: A wildly entertaining fight between these two Flyweights, Qasim seemed to take the first round pretty decisively, but it looked like Jenkins woke up a little on the stool between the first and second. Jenkins' athletic ability and high level chain wrestling put him right back into the one through the second round. But in the third Qasim's size proved to be too much for Jenkins who ultimately succumbed to a Rear Naked Choke.
Decision: Qasim Abdulla defeats Matt Jenkins by third round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in a back and forth fight of the night contender.
David McCarty (Titan Athletics) vs. Logan Bond (Ascension Athletics) Amateur Light-Heavyweight
Decision: Logan Bond defeats David McCarty by first round Knockout (Hammerfists).
Teddy Politis (Evolution Athletix) vs. Brandon Maillet-Fevens (CMBJJ)
**Amateur Featherweight Title**
Round 1: Maillet Fevens had Politis in trouble in the first but Politis was saved by the bell at the end of the round. 10-9 Fevens
Round 2: Politis comes out in the second and gets his revenge getting Maillet-Fevens to the ground and sinking in a Rear Naked Choke.
Decision: Teddy Politis defeats Brandon Maillet-Fevens by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) half way through the second round. Politis captured the NEF Amateur Featherweight title.
Kelsey Ivers (Lee Brothers) vs. Cassidy Bedard (CMBJJ)
**Women's Amateur Featherweight Title**
Round 1: Cassidy some out and backs Kelsey to the fence where they go back and forth for the first three minutes. 10-9 Bedard.
Round 2: Same technique from Bedard...strike Ivers to the cage and work. 10-9 Bedard.
Round 3: Bedard picks her apart on the feet doing significant damage on the cage before taking Ivers down and working from the top. Bedard turns on the output and stops Ivers with Ground and Pound.
Decision: Cassidy Bedard defeats Kelsey Ivers by third round TKO
Tyler Smythe (Evolution Athletix) vs. Paul Walters (ThundeRose)
Bantamweight
Round 1: Walters comes out with some flashy spinning techniques, Smythe wants none of that, he takes Walters down and pounds him into the canvas for the stoppage.
Decision: Tyler Smythe defeats Paul Walters by TKO strikes at 1:13 of the first round.
Kyle Pufahl (Nostos MMA) vs. Tymar Miles (Train to Go)
Catchweight (165 lbs.)
Round 1: Miles comes out looking to strike Kyle takes the fight to the canvas where he unleashes a series of vicious elbows for the stoppage.
Decision: Kyle Pufahl defeats Tymar Miles by TKO (Elbows) at 1:38 of the first round.
Chris Lee (Lee Brothers) vs. James Lawson (Relentless Bunch)
Welterweight
Round 1: Lee gets the takedown and Lawson has him in a head lock, they battle for position on the ground with Lee seemingly in control but Lawson working a guillotine and the fight is stopped.
Decision: This one left me scratching my head, Chris Lee defeats James Lawson by TKO at :41 seconds of the first round.
Matt Denning (Denning's MMA) vs. Artur Minev (Defensive Edge)
Lightweight
Round 1: An early grappling exchange has Denning fishing for a heel hook, Artur breaks away gets on top and pulverizes Denning with elbows. Denning is bleeding profusely but still looking for a submission. More elbows from Minev prove too much for Denning as he is forced to tap from the strikes.
Decision: Artur Minev defeats Matt Denning by Submission (to Strikes) at 1:37 of round 1. New England MMA look out for Artur Minev...this 19 year old could very well be the region's next big prospect.
Ali Zebian (Underground MMA) vs. Ryan Sanders (VisionQuest MT)
Welterweight
Summary: These two stood toe to toe for the first two rounds, trading combinations and testing each others chins. Sanders deployed some nasty kicks and Ali was finding a home for his fists. In the third round Ali was finally able to score some takedowns, which I though won him the fight. I had Zebian winning the final two rounds...but the judges were split in their view of the contest.
Decision: Ryan Sanders defeats Ali Zebian by Split-Decision and you can't really be critical of the decision...that fight could have gone either way.
