05/08/2025
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐พ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐พ๐ผ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐๐๐
Saturday nightโs โNEF 62: Stars of Warโ event in Bangor was a contender for the most entertaining 210 minutes in New England Fights history.
In the main event of the evening at the Cross Insurance Center, Nick Eldridge, representing Nostos, won the NEF professional bantamweight belt to go with his prior amateur strap in the division.
Eldridge, now 3-0, pounded out a technical knockout via strikes over Tim Fargo at 2:03 of the third round.
โHonestly, I thought I was going to have the upper hand with striking,โ Eldridge said. โHe probably hit me with the better shots on our feet. He stunned me and caught me a couple of times. At the same time, the wrestling came easier to me than I thought it would.โ
The first of four winners on the night from neighboring Youngโs MMA, Jackson Campbell (5-0) prevailed in a battle of two young lions with Jordan Varney (3-2) for the amateur bantamweight crown.
Campbell gained full mount and unloaded a barrage to end the proceedings at 2:43 of the fourth round, then told the crowd he had done it all with a heavy heart.
โI found out today that a good friend of mine passed away (Friday) night,โ he said. โNever take a moment for granted. None of us know when itโs going to be our last day here. I want tonight to be a celebration of his life, so letโs tear the fu***ng roof off the place.โ
There was talk at Fridayโs weigh-in about Campbell perhaps wanting to reign over two divisions before turning pro, and it came up again in Saturdayโs aftermath.
โYou see this belly on me? I can make flyweight,โ Campbell said. โIโve just got to eat a lot less junk, but I know I can get there.โ
A win that couldnโt have been any closer was soured by one combatantโs failure to make weight.
Khusan Jamshidov (4-1) held off Hussin Al-Saadi (3-2) by the slimmest possible margin โ a split decision with a 48-47 verdict on all three cards โ in a fight for the NEF amateur flyweight belt.
The title remains vacant because Jamshidov showed up substantially over the weight limit. Both fighters agreed that the show must go on, however, and a dynamite display it was.
โThis is the first time in my career I went five rounds. I felt great,โ the 19-year-old Jamshidov said. โThis guy was a good fighter. He hit me with some nice strikes. Next time Iโm coming back for the fu***ng title. Letโs go!โ
Jamshidov, who hails from New York and registered his three previous wins by first-round stoppage, apologized for not holding up his end of the bargain.
โThe only reason I missed weight was that I traveled in a car 12 fu***ng hours,โ he said. โThis is the first time Iโve ever come in overweight, and it will never happen again.โ
Two pioneers of NEF settled their beef in the most hotly anticipated event of the evening, with hometown hero Bruce Boyington (18-14) getting the last word over Matt Denning (8-25) by rear naked choke at 2:41 in the first round of their lightweight battle.
Boyington, 45, had vowed to drag out the punishment against Denning, 35, after Denning publicly alleged that Boyington used performance-enhancing substances during his career.
Instead, he earned a relatively quick tap with a suffocating performance, scoring his first cage victory in nearly six years.
โI donโt want to sound cocky, but you all think Iโm cocky, anyway. I didnโt really feel challenged. Itโs still a fight, so youโve got to fight,โ Boyington said. โI thought about pulling back and having some more fun, but I couldnโt risk staying out here the way the last couple of fights have gone.โ
The veterans embraced in passing multiple times after the bout, with Denning then reiterating that it was his final walk to the NEF hexagon.
โIโm here to corner Jordan (Varney) now,โ said Denning, who recently moved to West Virginia from his native Maine. โThank you to everybody in the room who buys tickets and supports local fighters. Iโve never backed down from a tough fight. Iโve fought the best, and Iโm glad my last one for NEF was against one of the legends.โ
The professional lightweight donnybrook between Jarrod โThe Wolverineโ St. Jean and Tobiaus โFreight Trainโ Taylor was a true banger.
St. Jeanโs close but unanimous decision over Taylor had the crowd on its collective feet and screaming for more.
โIโm always hard on myself. I thought I lost that fight,โ said St. Jean, one of two winners on the card out of Nostos MMA on the New Hampshire seacoast. โTobiaus beat my ass. He dropped me for the first time in my career.โ
In a short window, both men sent the other crashing to the canvas with one punch that would have ended the fight immediately against a lesser opponent.
โI just felt off. This morning, the whole day, I didnโt want to be in here,โ St. Jean admitted, โHe had 15 professional fights and like eight amateur fights. He has a s**t ton of experience. He had his first fight literally when I started fu***ng training.โ
After St, Jean (2-0) unloaded a third-round fusillade against Taylor (7-9), prompting the ringside physician to lake a lengthy look at the journeyman from Cleveland, Ohio, the crowd vociferously implored the doc to โlet them fight.โ
Fight on they did, to a standing ovation at the finish, with St. Jean victorious by a 29-28 count on two of the judgesโ cards and a 30-27 clean sweep on other.
โBefore the fight, I was out back thinking, goddamn, thereโs a mountain stacked against me,โ St. Jean said. โHe beat the s**t out of me. I will get better from it, so thank you, Tobiaus. I will go back and work my ass off.โ
Felipe Gรผnter got back on the winning track after suffering his first loss as a professional last December. Gรผnter, who improved his pro record to 3-1, forced veteran Charlie Gathers to tap to a heel hook 3:32 minutes into the first round. Pennsylvaniaโs Gathers (9-11) was left limping from the cage once Gรผnter had finished with him.
Kat Jenkinsโ star continues to rise. โThe Roninโ from nearby Levant thrilled the local fans and stayed unbeaten with her fourth consecutive win, a stoppage of Pennsylvaniaโs Gabby Giordano in an amateur womenโs bout.
Jenkins locked in the rear naked choke at 2:12 of the second round and stayed on track for a title shot. She was slated for a championship bout this past winter against Lindsey Kelley, who withdrew due to injury.
โIโm going to take the summer off. This was my third straight fight camp, and my body needs a little bit of a break. Iโm going to enjoy some hiking and some good food,โ Jenkins said. โIโll get back, go to New York and Quebec for a little training. Maybe we can make it work for that title bout in November with Lindsey.โ
In a clash of two 135-pounders making their debut, Jayce Murphy of Bucksport used his 6-foot-3 frame to subdue Augustaโs Alex Smith at 2:13 of the first round.
He had a tough act to follow, fighting after Youngโs MMA stablemate Campbell won his title in impressive fashion out of the gate.
โThis whole camp, that was my number one focus, that I was going to let everybody down,โ the 18-year-old Murphy said. โI feel like I impressed tonight.โ
It was an emotional win for Billy Henry (2-1) of Lewiston and First Class MMA over Percy โPJโ Crawford (1-2) by a narrow, split decision. All three judges saw it 29-28, two for the New Jersey native.
โTwo years ago, I was not doing well in life, because of (drugs) and all the bulls**t thatโs out there. Thatโs kind of why I came to Maine. I wanted a better life,โ Henry said. โIf youโre struggling right now, find something you enjoy, something thatโs hard. Iโve met so many great people through this sport.โ
Hunter Darling (2-3) outlasted Harry Dwyer (0-2) by a slim but unanimous decision in an amateur welterweight collision.
โCardio is king,โ Darling said. โI knew he was going to shoot for takedowns the whole fight, and I came prepared.โ
Jay Byrom (2-1) embellished the night for Youngโs with a first-round rear naked choke at the expense of game late replacement Isaac Therrien (1-4).
โWhen we were clinched, I knew the knees (to the midsection) were there, so I went for โem,โ Byrom said. โI saw him buckle a little bit in the corner. I went and kept the pressure on top and secured the victory.โ
โNEF 63: Cruel Summerโ is scheduled for Saturday, August 9 at the historic Lewiston Armory in Lewiston, Maine. Tickets are on sale now at www.newenglandfights.com/Tickets/. Doors open at 6 p.m., with an opening bell time of 7 p.m.
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