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CES MMA on October 6 Features Dave Bautista, David Loiseau


The most successful professional wrestler of the past decade is joining forces with the hardest-working promoter in combat sports. The end result could be the biggest event to hit the Ocean State since the glory days of Vinny Paz.

Actor, wrestler and former bodybuilder David Bautista – known throughout the world by his World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) stage name, Batista – will make his highly-anticipated mixed martial arts debut Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 against heavyweight Rashid Evans (1-2) at “Real Pain,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports in association with June Entertainment at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.

Tickets go on sale Friday at 1 p.m. at http://www.ticketmaster.com and are priced at $20.00, $35.00, $55.00, $75.00, $125.00 and $250.00. The show will also air live on Direct TV Pay Per View.

“Fighting MMA is a dream come true,” said Bautista, a former six-time WWE world champion and one of the stars of the upcoming Quentin Tarantino motion picture The Man With The Iron Fists, which is scheduled to hit theaters Nov. 2. “I’m very excited to make my debut in Providence with Jimmy Burchfield, who has so much experience putting on fights. CES treats me like family and I can’t wait to make my debut with them. MMA has been my lifelong dream and I’m glad to be able to do it with them on the East Coast.”

Burchfield, a lifelong Rhode Island resident and former restaurant owner known worldwide for guiding the affable “Pazmanian Devil” to five world championships, has promoted professional boxing and mixed martial arts for more than 30 years in various states, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Tennessee, along with Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino.

Since launching its long-awaited mixed martial arts and entertainment divisions in 2010, CES has successfully promoted 12 MMA shows in just under two years, with the inclusion of former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) contenders Alex Karalexis and John “Doomsday” Howard, the latter who has now won three consecutive fights – the last two with CES MMA – since the UFC released him last summer.

In the span of 24 months, CES has developed into a household name and set new standards in mixed martial arts. After bringing Howard to Rhode Island in April of 2011 and promoting five sold-out shows during the calendar year, CES was named New England’s No. 1 promotion in 2011 by the Boston Herald with Patrick Sullivan winning the Matchmaker of the Year Award. CES’ Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle of Pawtucket, R.I., who will be featured on the undercard Oct. 6, earned Fighter of the Year and Comeback Fighter of the Year honors from the Herald after finishing 4-0 in 2011 and winning the promotion’s inaugural middleweight title in November. Karalexis’ June 10, 2011 showdown against Taiwan Howard in Rhode Island was the main event of the Herald’s best local card on paper.

As the ultimate encore, CES and June Entertainment will now bring the sport’s most polarizing newcomer to the heart of Rhode Island’s capital city in October.

“This is going to be huge, literally and figuratively,” Burchfield said. “Of all the promoters in the world, Dave Bautista chose CES because we take care of our fighters and we deliver results. No one has sold out The Dunkin’ Donuts Center since Vinny Paz fought Joe Frazier Jr. in 1986. We had people waiting outside trying desperately to get into the building that night, and we’re expecting the same atmosphere on Oct. 6 with Dave Bautista.

“There is no one who puts on a show like Dave, and there’s no promoter other than Classic Entertainment & Sports capable of turning his dream into a reality. Since Day 1, we promised our fans we’d get bigger and better with each show. Who bigger than Dave Bautista, all 6 feet, 6 inches and 290 pounds of him, to deliver on that promise? It’s an honor to work with both Dave and June Entertainment. We’re going to turn Oct. 6 into a night to remember.

“You’d be crazy to miss this epic event; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Oct. 6 will also be a homecoming for Bautista’s manager and June Entertainment CEO John Ryan Jr., a Providence native who moved to Los Angeles at the age of 19, where he co-created the ground-breaking entertainment program Tinseltown TV en route to becoming one of television’s most successful program developers and producers. Ryan developed and produced shows for Comedy Central, Discovery, Food Network and HBO, and also helped raise more than $150 million for independent films and studio development on film projects such as Lucky Number Slevin, The Butterfly Effect and The Rum Diary.

“I grew up going to The Dunkin’ Donuts Center back when it was still called the Providence Civic Center,” said Ryan, who also plans to produce more films in Rhode Island with his business partner and cousin, John Santilli, who produced The English Teacher and Loosies. “My dad was a security guard there and my dream was always to produce an event there.”

Bringing Bautista to Providence will be one of Ryan’s and CES’ crowning achievements; the 43-year-old Washington native is a six-time WWE world champion, winning the World Heavyweight Championship four times and the WWE Championship twice. The son of Filipino immigrants, Bautista also won the World Tag Team Championship three times and is the longest-reigning World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history. In addition to The Man With The Iron Fists, Bautista also starred in The House Of The Rising Sun and The Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption, and recently wrapped up filming for Vin Diesel’s The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dead Man Stalking, which is set for release in 2013.

Bautista is currently training at his Gracie Fighter Jiu-Jitsu facility in Tampa, Fla., which he opened to the public in 2011, with Matheus Andre, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, and Josh Rafferty, a contestant on the debut season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series. Highlights from Bautista’s eight-week training camp will air in a four-part series on Direct TV beginning at 6 a.m. (EST) on Oct. 6.

The undercard of “Real Pain” will feature nine-time UFC veteran David Loiseau (20-10, 13 KOs) of Montreal; Providence lightweight Mike “The Beast” Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs), a former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) contender; Woonsocket, R.I., bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (2-1, 1 KO); Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs); and Howard (17-7, 6 KOs), a Boston native and veteran of seven UFC bouts. Howard rose to prominence in 2009 and 2010 as a 26-year-old welterweight with four consecutive wins in the UFC. His win over Daniel Roberts in 2010 on the undercard of the UFC Live: Vera vs. Jones event was named Knockout of the Night and he also won Fight of the Night honors in his 2009 UFC debut with a split-decision win over Chris Wilson. In two stints with the UFC, Loiseau faced Jorge Rivera and former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin and earned knockout wins over Gideon Ray, Charles McCarthy and Evan Tanner.

UFC Vet McCray Seeks 4th Straight Win at CES MMA


The most talked-about promotion in combat sports is about to bring its act to the famed Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ mixed martial arts division will make its long-awaited debut at the historic Resorts Casino Hotel on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 with “War On The Shore,” starring the return of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran and New Jersey resident Kris McCray (8-3, 1 KO).

This will be Burchfield’s sixth show of the summer and fifth within the past month, capping a tremendous season in which CES also announced the signing of former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion Dave Bautista to its MMA division. Next weekend, Burchfield will launch his highly-anticipated entertainment division at Resorts with Morris Day & The Time before bringing mixed martial arts to the Superstar Theater on Aug. 25.

“We’ve had a tremendous summer, and there’s no better place to wrap it up than at the beautiful Resorts Casino Hotel,” Burchfield said. “This city has welcomed us with open arms and we’re proud to call it our home away from home.

“Anyone can promote a bunch of shows in a short amount of time, but few can provide quality fights time and time again. What we do takes experience, know-how and old-fashioned hard work. We’ve got the best staff in the business, and our track record in mixed martial arts speaks for itself. The summer has been good to us, and we’re looking forward to a tremendous sendoff on the 25th.”

The main event features a bit of local flair with McCray, a New Jersey resident originally born in Germany, facing up-and-coming Cincinnati welterweight Chris Curtis (7-2, 4 KOs), a heavy-handed knockout specialist who has won seven of eight fights since losing his professional debut in 2009.

McCray is seeking his fourth consecutive win and, perhaps, a return to the UFC, where he lost three fights before the promotion released him in April of 2011. Curtis is aiming for his third consecutive win; four of his last five have come by knockout.

Tickets for “War On The Shore” are on sale now at $45, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel Box Office. Showtime is 8 p.m. (EST) with doors opening at 7.

The undercard of “War On The Shore” features another homecoming of sorts as White Plains, N.Y., native Mike Stewart (8-3, 3 KOs), one of the rising stars in the light heavyweight division, seeks his fourth consecutive victory. Stewart shot to the top of the rankings in the northeast after submitting Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Greg Rebello – the previous No. 1 – in February and highly-rated contender Cody Lightfoot a month later. After back-to-back wins in Rhode Island, Stewart hit Resorts in June and destroyed Eric Tavares via first-round knockout in just 42 seconds.

On Aug. 25, Stewart will face 26-year-old Slidell, La., veteran Eric Thompson (7-15, 4 KOs), who is searching for back-to-back wins for the first time since September of 2007.

Also on the undercard, Bricktown, N.J., lightweight Kevin Roddy (12-14-1) will face Brazilian Fabio Serrao (4-2) – fighting out of the city of Manaus – with Roddy seeking three consecutive wins for the first time since 2006; welterweight Joe McGann (3-1, 1 KO) of Franklin, Mass., will battle Lester Caslow (8-7, 3 KOs) of Belmar, N.J.; and Philadelphia’s Rami Ibrahim (1-1) will take on fellow bantamweight Keyon Wilkins (0-2) of South Hill, Va.

Featherweight Jason McLean (6-5, 2 KOs) of Perthamboy, N.J., will face Corey Simmons (1-1) of Defiance, Ohio. Light heavyweight Gemiyale Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will also be featured on the undercard in a separate three-round bout. Adkins has fought for Bellator, losing to Jay Silva in May of 2011, and also lost to McCray in his last bout in November.

A former high-school wrestler and six-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, McCray hopes a win on Aug. 25 will punch his ticket back to the UFC. He achieved success early in his mixed martial arts career, winning all 10 of his amateur bouts and starting his professional career with five consecutive victories before being selected to participate in the 11th season of The Ultimate Fighter reality television series.

McCray won his entry fight against Cleburn Walker, but lost in the preliminary round via decision to Josh Bryant. Soon after, McCray returned as that season’s wildcard entry and made the most of his second opportunity, beating Kyacey Uscola, Kyle Noke and Bryant in a semifinal rematch to advance to the finals. McCray’s loss to Court McGee – now a five-time UFC veteran with 14 overall wins – in the Season 11 finale was his first of three consecutive losses; he also lost to Carlos Eduardo Rocha via kneebar submission at UFC 122 in Germany and lost a close decision to John Hathaway at UFC Fight Night 24 before the UFC released him.

As evident by his performance as the wildcard entry on TUF 11, taking advantage of second chances is nothing new to McCray. He ended an eight-month layoff following his third UFC loss with back-to-back wins in November of 2011 and recently beat Ailton Barbosa – a three-time Bellator contestant – by split decision in April for his third consecutive victory.

Curtis Looks to Defy Odds Against McCray at CES MMA


The theme playing out for Kris McCray’s main event showdown against Chris Curtis next weekend at Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City has become a common refrain in combat sports.

You have McCray (8-3, 1 KO), the more established of the two who’s looking for one more big win to put himself back in the conversation among the sport’s elite, facing Curtis (7-2, 4 KOs), the younger, relatively unknown fighter with nothing to lose who’d love nothing more than to spoil the party.

“I’m the guy who’s supposed to lose. I’m never give a chance to win a fight, yet I win them,” said Curtis, a Cincinnati, Ohio, native who’s won seven of eight fights since losing his professional debut in 2009. “I’m always the sacrificial lamb.”

Curtis will look to defy the odds again on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 when he faces McCray in the three-round welterweight main event of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “War On The Shore” mixed martial arts show at Resorts.

This will be a homecoming of sorts for McCray, a self-proclaimed “military brat” who was born in Germany, raised in Virginia, and has since relocated to New Jersey following his stint on Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter reality television series. He now lives in Toms River, which is an hour from the Boardwalk, and trains with 13-time Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran Frankie Edgar, a relationship he built through his experience on TUF 11.

Since the UFC released him from his own contract in April of 2011, McCray has worked diligently to get his second chance, winning each of his last three fights by decision, including an impressive win over submission specialist Ailton Barbosa at the Bellator Fighting Championships 65 event at Boardwalk Hall in April. One more win could punch McCray’s ticket back to the UFC.

“I never got the chance to do what I wanted to do when I was there,” said McCray, who took advantage of his wild-card reentry onto TUF 11 and advanced to the finals, where he lost to Court McGee by submission. “That’s my main reason for wanting to get back – to prove I belong on that level.

“I’m hoping they’ll give me a call soon and show some interest. If not, it’s not the end of the world. I’ll keep looking for fights. It’s not over for me yet. My goal is to fight the best in the world. I’m definitely looking to get back, so I’ve got to get this win and look good doing it.”

Curtis’ goal is to spoil the homecoming and perhaps launch himself into the spotlight. Since losing to 2010 M-1 Selection champion Tom Gallicchio in May of 2011, Curtis has won his last two fights, including a unanimous decision win over previously-unbeaten welterweight Andrew Trace in his last bout in October.

According to Curtis, the layoff won’t be a factor, nor was there any hesitation on his part when presented with the opportunity to fight a more active, experienced opponent in that fighter’s backyard.

“Some people might ask for a tune-up,” Curtis said, “but I’m a fighter. This is what I do.”

These challenges have become a motivational tool, fueling Curtis to achieve what others think is impossible.

“What’s funny is my buddy texted me the other day and asked me if I ever visit Tapology,” said Curtis, referencing the popular MMA website where fans are allowed to register, pick winners of upcoming fights, and build their own custom rankings.

“I never look at any of that stuff, but I looked up this fight and [the online poll] says I have a [six-percent] chance of winning. I’m always the underdog, and there’s nothing I love more than going to someone else’s hometown and knocking them out. The crowd gets quiet. That’s the best feeling in the world.

“They look at you like you’re supposed to be there for their guy to get a win, but I won’t lay down for anyone.”

Curtis considers himself a “stand-up” fighter, which is evident by his four knockouts in seven victories, yet he continues to hone his craft, working with Cincinnati boxers Danny Calhoun, a heavyweight who recently won his professional debut in July, and cruiserweight Dante Craig, a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team.

“Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you should neglect it,” Curtis said.

As the underdog next weekend, Curtis will not only have to deal with McCray’s hometown fans, but he’ll also have to brace himself for what McCray describes as “more ammunition” in his arsenal since he began working exclusively with Edgar. McCray made the move five weeks before his UFC 122 fight in Germany back in November of 2010 (a submission loss to Carlos Eduardo Rocha).

Slowly, but surely, McCray is absorbing Edgar’s tutelage, and the difference has been evident since McCray reemerged last November following his release from the UFC.

“I had good, hard-nosed training in Virginia, but we didn’t have those UFC guys who put pressure on you everyday,” McCray said. “I needed that extra step.

“I like Frankie’s style. He’s a really good boxer – a real poised, humble guy – and I want to take that into my next fight. I need to stay confident in my game and put some pressure on [Curtis]. I want to make it fun for the fans.”

More importantly, McCray says, he’s learned to be more patient, developing from a “brawler” who always tried to score an early takedown to get the fight started into more of a technical fighter with enough skill and savvy to withstand three full rounds. Edgar has also taught McCray the science behind the sport, including what to eat and even how to cut weight prior to a fight.

“When you’re in the cage with guys who can weather your initial storm you end gassed by the third round. Then what do you do?” McCray said. “I had to take a step back in terms of trying to force things, and that has opened things up for me in the later rounds where I’m still aggressive but can now also do the things I need to do to win. I think I’m starting to understand it now, and it’s becoming more fun.”

Given everything he’s had thrown at him, McCray is accustomed to having to rely on second chances. On TUF 11, he lost his first fight once he gained entry into the house, but made it back onto the show as one of two wild cards. From there, he won three consecutive fights to reach the finale. A return trip to the UFC would be the latest comeback story on McCray’s resume, but first he must get past Curtis, who’s planning on crashing the party.

“Some people never make it, so I’m glad I did, but I’m not just happy with getting there,” McCray said. “I want to be consistent in my game and get back as fast a I can.”

Tickets for “War On The Shore” are on sale now at $45, $65, $75 and $125 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesboxing.com and www.ticketmaster.com, or at the Resorts Casino Hotel Box Office. Showtime is 8 p.m. (EST) with doors opening at 7.

The undercard of “War On The Shore” features another homecoming of sorts as White Plains, N.Y., native Mike Stewart (8-3, 3 KOs), one of the rising stars in the light heavyweight division, seeks his fourth consecutive victory. Stewart shot to the top of the rankings in the northeast after submitting Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Greg Rebello – the previous No. 1 – in February and highly-rated contender Cody Lightfoot a month later. After back-to-back wins in Rhode Island, Stewart hit Resorts in June and destroyed Eric Tavares via first-round knockout in just 42 seconds.

On Aug. 25, Stewart will face 26-year-old Slidell, La., veteran Eric Thompson (7-15, 4 KOs), who is searching for back-to-back wins for the first time since September of 2007.

Also on the undercard, Bricktown, N.J., lightweight Kevin Roddy (12-14-1) will face Brazilian Fabio Serrao (4-2) – fighting out of the city of Manaus – with Roddy seeking three consecutive wins for the first time since 2006; welterweight Joe McGann (3-1, 1 KO) of Franklin, Mass., will battle Lester Caslow (8-7, 3 KOs) of Belmar, N.J.; and Philadelphia’s Rami Ibrahim (1-1) will take on fellow bantamweight Keyon Wilkins (0-2) of South Hill, Va.

Featherweight Jason McLean (6-5, 2 KOs) of Perthamboy, N.J., will face Corey Simmons (1-1) of Defiance, Ohio. Light heavyweight Gemiyale Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia will also be featured on the undercard in a separate three-round bout. Adkins has fought for Bellator, losing to Jay Silva in May of 2011, and also lost to McCray in his last bout in November.

Stewart Hopes to Stay on Top at CES MMA


Mike Stewart doesn’t worry much about where he’s ranked among his peers in the light heavyweight division. The numbers game in mixed martial arts can be quite fickle at times.

“I could be out of those rankings in a mere second,” said Stewart, a White Plains, N.Y., native who’s ranked No. 1 in the northeast in the 205-pound weight class. “You’ve got to treat everyone the same regardless of their record or ranking.

“The biggest fight is the one in front of you, and you never know when you might get that call – or who’s watching.”

Stewart (8-3, 3 KOs) hopes all eyes are on him Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012 at the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City when he faces veteran Eric Thompson (7-16, 4 KOs) of Slidell, La., on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports “War On The Shore” mixed martial arts event.

With three consecutive wins – two against fighters currently ranked among the Top 5 in the northeast, including former No. 1 Greg Rebello of Rhode Island – Stewart knows he’s on the cusp of something big if he can keep the momentum going. Thompson’s resume isn’t as flashy as what Rebello or Cody Lightfoot – the current third-ranked light heavyweight in the region, whom Stewart beat in February – bring to the table, but Stewart knows better than to overlook anyone, especially considering what’s at stake.

“I think we’re getting close,” Stewart said of his chances of a possible invite to the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC). “Greg and Cody were such tough guys and tough fighters, and, to be honest, it’s easy to get up when you’re facing someone that good, but right now Eric Thompson is the most dangerous guy in the world to me.

“If I lose to him, all my recent winnings are undone. He’s got nothing to lose, so I need to be that much sharper. I need him – I need him to get to where I want to be.”

Stewart’s recent success, and subsequent climb in the rankings, hasn’t affected his mentality, nor has the pressure of needing every last win brought on any unwanted bouts with stage fright. He’s figured out how to ignore all the outside chatter, a skill he developed over the years while balancing his personal life and career.

“You have to block that stuff out,” he said. “If you think about anything else other than the day in front of you, things won’t get done. Learning how to deal with adversity and being uncomfortable is what makes you a champion, and with every fight I’ve had, it seems like there’s always something.”

Two weeks before his win over Frederic Belleton in January of 2010 in Plymouth, Mass., Stewart’s father passed away – “I was going from the funeral to my workout sessions,” he said – and he’s had to adjust his training schedule for Saturday’s fight with his wife, Dana, undergoing a surgical procedure earlier this month.

“I think these are the little speed bumps God throws in your way to make you stronger,” Stewart said.

“If you sit and harp and worry, you won’t get done what you need to get done. I love training. I’m glad I’m a simple-minded person. Once I get in there, I shut my phone off and just concentrate on what I need to do. I live for this. When I’m in there, either training or fighting, there’s nothing else – no worries, just the guy standing in front of you trying to punch you in the face.”

The task at hand Saturday night is defeating Thompson, whom Stewart describes as a crafty veteran capable of switching between an orthodox and southpaw stance if necessary.

“He’s going to come out swinging for the fences,” Stewart said. “That’s what I would tell him to do.”

Stewart’s goal, as always, is to use his dominant strength and size to overwhelm his opponent, similar to what he did against both Rebello and Lightfoot.

“I just want to come forward and make him bend to my will. I like to pressure guys until they’re worn out,” Stewart said. “If that means throwing punches, then so be it, or if they hit the cage and go to the floor I’ll just punch them until they throw their hands up and say, ‘Get me out of here!’

“I just want to outwork the guy. I’m not the most talented guy in the world, but the one thing I do is work. I’m going to work harder than him and we’ll find out who’s willing to give more.”

The main event of Saturday’s show stars former UFC welterweight Kris McCray of Toms River, N.J., battling Chris Curtis in addition to a dynamic lightweight showdown between Brazil’s Gil de Freitas and Philadelphia native Gemiyale Adkins.

Also on the undercard, Bricktown, N.J., lightweight Kevin Roddy (12-14-1) will face Brazilian Fabio Serrao (4-2) – fighting out of the city of Manaus – with Roddy seeking three consecutive wins for the first time since 2006.

Welterweight Joe McGann (3-1, 1 KO) of Franklin, Mass., will battle Lester Caslow (8-7, 3 KOs) of Belmar, N.J.; Philadelphia’s Rami Ibrahim (1-1) will take on fellow bantamweight Keyon Wilkins (0-2) of South Hill, Va.; and featherweight Jason McLean (6-5, 2 KOs) of Perthamboy, N.J., will face Corey Simmons (1-1) of Defiance, Ohio.

Saturday's CES MMA Card Rescheduled Due to Cage Malfunction


Saturday night’s professional mixed martial arts event promoted by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports at the Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City has been rescheduled for a later date due to a cage malfunction.

Official details on the new date and scheduled bouts will be available shortly on www.cesmma.com. Fans who purchased tickets at the Resorts Box Office or through TicketMaster will be entitled to a full refund at either the Resorts Box Office or any TicketMaster location.

Stacked CES MMA Card Coming to Providence


A loaded undercard featuring four Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veterans and 12 fighters ranked among the elite in the northeast is threatening to steal the thunder from Dave “The Animal” Bautista next month at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.

The former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion will make his long-awaited mixed martial arts debut Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 against Rashid Evans at “Real Pain,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports in association with June Entertainment, but he won’t be the only star featured on the live, Direct TV Pay Per View telecast. The show features 13 bouts, including the Rhode Island debut of Canadian UFC veteran Dave Loiseau and the return of 29-year-old Boston native John “Doomsday” Howard, who fought on seven UFC shows between 2009 and 2011.

“We’ve stacked the deck for this one,” Burchfield said. “Almost every fight on this show has ‘main event’ potential. Anyone could walk away as the Fighter of the Night, and that’s what makes it an event you don’t want to miss.”

Loiseau (20-10, 13 KOs), nicknamed “The Crow,” is a veteran of nine UFC shows, most recently in June of 2010 when he lost to Mario Miranda. He also fought Rich Franklin in Las Vegas for the UFC middleweight title in 2006, but lost a unanimous decision. On Sept. 6, Loiseau will face Charleston, S.C., native Chris McNally (5-4), who has five submission wins on his resume and has won back-to-back bouts since his last loss in 2010.

Also looking to return to the UFC, welterweight Marc Stevens (14-7, 6 KOs) of Lorraine, N.Y., will face dangerous Providence native Luis Felix (7-6, 4 KOs), who has won back-to-back fights, including a huge win over The Ultimate Fighter: Live quarterfinalist and current UFC contender Joe Proctor in November of 2010, and five of his last seven dating back to 2009.

Stevens, who has also appeared on Bellator Fighting Championships and Strikeforce promotions, was cast on Season 12 of TUF, also known as The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck, in 2010. Stevens lost both of his fights on the show, including his re-entry into the house via the wild card selection, but has since won two of his last three bouts and is aiming for another shot with the UFC.

Howard (17-7, 6 KOs) finds himself in a similar position, though he’s much closer to making it back to the sport’s biggest stage. Since the UFC released him in 2011 following three consecutive losses, Howard has won three in a row, including a 1-minute, 28-second win over Scott Rehm in August after Rehm suffered an injured triceps. “Doomsday” will look to make it four in a row Oct. 6 when he faces middleweight Brett Chism (16-11, 7 KOs) of Valdosta, Ga. Chism has won three of his last four fights within the past two years, including two by knockout.

The fourth UFC veteran on next month’s card, welterweight Chad Reiner (29-13, 9 KOs) of Omaha, Neb., will face arguably the stiffest test among his UFC alumni when he battles Pawtucket, R.I., veteran Keith Jeffrey (8-2). Reiner, who fought for the UFC twice in 2007 and also has an appearance with Bellator on his resume, has won seven of his last 10 bouts since 2010, while Jeffrey has won three in a row since returning from a knee injury, including an impressive submission win over Harley Beekman in June. Jeffrey is now ranked No. 5 among welterweights in the northeast.

The remainder of the undercard is littered with Top 10 fighters, including a dynamic showdown between No. 1 ranked 145-pounder Saul “The Spider” Almeida (12-2) of Framingham, Mass., and No. 4 ranked Calvin Kattar (12-2, 6 KOs) of Methuen, Mass. Nicknamed “The Boston Finisher,” Kattar has won four consecutive bouts, including big wins over Cody Stevens and Jeff Anderson, while Almeida is looking to bounce back from his loss to Matt Bessette at Bellator’s show in March, which ended his five-fight winning streak.

Providence’s Mike “The Beast” Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs), a former World Extreme Cagefighting contender who is now ranked No. 5 among lightweights in the northeast, will face Philadelphia’s Gemiyale Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs), a former welterweight making his first appearance in the 155-pound division. Campbell won a unanimous decision over Bombsqaud veteran Don Carlo-Clauss in August, giving him back-to-back wins for the first time in more than two years.

Pawtucket’s Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs), the former CES MMA middleweight champion, will end his five-month layoff and face Boulder, Colo., native Chandler Holderness (9-3, 4 KOs) in a bout originally scheduled for June before Chattelle suffered an arm injury during training camp.

Chattelle last fought in April when he lost by second-round knockout to Howard, but had won his last four fights leading up to the showdown against “Doomsday.” Holderness, who splits time between training in Colorado and Boston, still fought in June, knocking out Bob Burton at the 2:33 mark of the opening round, which, at the time, was his first win in 11 months. Overall, he’s won four of his last five and is now ranked No. 7 in the middleweight division – five spots behind Chattelle, who is No. 2 behind Howard.

In the 205-pound division, Providence’s Greg Rebello (13-4, 7 KOs), No. 3 in the northeast, will look to get back on track against Chris Guillen (13-12, 1 KO), a St. George, Utah, veteran with a deceiving record. Of Guillen’s 12 losses, four have come against future UFC contenders, including former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin, who will face Roy Nelson in The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale in December, and former heavyweight contender Ben Rothwell. Rebello, who has lost two of his last three, is looking for his first win since beating Cody Lightfoot in September of 2011.

“Real Pain” also features another battle between two Top 10 fighters, this time in the heavyweight division with No. 3 Josh Diekmann (12-4, 8 KOs) of Groton, Conn., facing No. 5 Tyler King (4-1, 2 KOs), a former NFL offensive lineman from Norwood, Mass. King and Diekmann actually fought on the same card in separate bouts in Rhode Island back in February; King beat Eric Bedard while Diekmann lost to former UFC contender Josh Hendricks. Neither fighter has fought since then, so the winner could continue climbing the northeast rankings in the heavyweight division.

Also on the undercard, No. 6 ranked middleweight Brennan Ward (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence will face Shedrick “Chocolate Thunder” Goodridge (2-2) of Rahway, N.J.; Providence’s Nate Andrews (1-0) will battle Leon Davis (2-0) of Springfield, Mass., in an interstate welterweight showdown and bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (2-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., will face Rob Costa (2-0) of Fall River, Mass.

McNally Aims for Gold Against Loiseau at CES MMA: Real Pain


The only way a professional fighter working full-time in the airline business can soar to new heights is by stepping into the cage against a former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, Charleston, S.C., middleweight Chris McNally (5-4) will face his toughest test in front of a Pay Per View audience at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center when he battles former UFC title contender Dave Loiseau (20-10, 13 KOs) on the undercard of “Real Pain,” presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports in association with June Entertainment.

The show, highlighted by the professional mixed martial arts debut of former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion Dave Bautista, features an undercard stacked with four UFC veterans, including this intriguing showdown between McNally and Loiseau, two fighters at polar opposites in their careers battling for the same prize.

“Dave is definitely the best fighter I’ve faced,” said McNally, who works for The Boeing Company’s material management division. “I believe a win like this could really accelerate my career in a lot of ways and put me a lot closer to where I want to be.

“I want to go global. I want to go as far as this sport can take me. I’m getting older, so I’m at the point where I really want my shot. I’ve been doing this for four years, and my aspirations have always been extremely high. I want it to finally pay dividends.”

A 32-year-old father of four (three daughters and one son), McNally works for the department that stores, supplies and retains parts to build Boeing aircrafts, including, screws, nuts, bolts and all raw materials.

“I kind of got into it by accident in some regard,” he said.

The same could be said for his mixed martial arts career. After four years at Western Maryland College – now known as McDaniel College – where he wrestled for four years and finished fourth in the country among Division III wrestlers as a senior, McNally moved to South Carolina to begin working on his Master’s degree at The Citadel.

While attending night classes, he met a local Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor who wanted McNally to teach he and his students fundamental wrestling moves. At the time, McNally was helping coach The Citadel’s wrestling team, so he agreed. In exchange, McNally began learning Jiu-Jitsu and eventually started studying other forms of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat, including Muay Thai.

“To me, it was cool,” he said. “I had always wanted to train in martial arts and now I had my chance. Then it just of progressed.”

Three years later, McNally made his amateur debut in mixed martial arts and eventually turned pro in 2010. He’s now 5-4 with all five wins by submission, showcasing his elite wrestling technique. He’ll need every bit of it against Loiseau, a 12-year veteran who, despite being the same age as McNally, has three times the experience inside the cage and once fought for the UFC middleweight championship against Rich Franklin six years ago.

“I’ve always been the underdog,” McNally said. “I had a severe learning disability growing up, which really hurt me my whole life. I almost quit wrestling a number of times, but I eventually worked my way up to No. 4 in the country as a senior. I know if you believe in yourself and don’t quit you can achieve greatness. You just have to be willing to make sacrifices along the way.”

Loiseau, a Montreal native who is a close friend and training partner of UFC welterweight champion George St-Pierre, will enter next week’s fight as the heavy favorite as he continues to work his way back from a knee injury that has kept him out of the cage for more than a year and a half. Next month’s showdown against McNally will be his first since February of 2011.

While his ultimate goal is to get back to the UFC following his release in January of 2010, Loiseau refuses to look ahead – “I’ve made that mistake in the past,” he said – and is instead focusing on the task at hand, which is taking care of business against McNally on Oct. 6.

“I’ve got experience on my side, and that’s something you can’t buy,” he said. “I’m taking it one fight at a time. I’ve been doing this for 12 years and I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but thankfully I’m 100-percent healthy now.

“I’ve approached fights strategically through the years, which is why longevity is on my side. I live a very clean and healthy lifestyle. I don’t drink or smoke – no drugs. Fighting for another six or seven years is what I fully expect.”

The 13 knockouts on his resume suggest Loiseau would prefer to keep his opponent upright, but the reality is he’s become more well-rounded through the years and is fully prepared to hit the canvas if that’s where the fight ends up.

“There’s a difference between training Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling to defend it and actually embracing the whole art. That’s the biggest change from today compared to years ago,” Loiseau said. “I no longer just train to defend.

“Everyone practices everything these days. There are no more karate guys fighting judo guys. It’s not like that anymore. I’ve noticed [McNally] is strong on the ground. That’s about it.”

The possibility of fighting in front of thousands of fans both at The Dunk and on Pay Per View worldwide does not faze Loiseau, who fought Franklin in front of 9,569 at UFC 58 in Las Vegas and 12,604 fans in Anaheim at UFC 63.

“The UFC is the [National Football League] of MMA,” he said. “This is where the top dogs are at, and it’s a great experience, but it could be at Mandalay Bay or Montreal or California – wherever. A fight is a fight to me.”

“My family is the driving force behind what I do,” said McNally, who celebrated his seventh wedding anniversary this past summer. “I just don’t accept that I can’t make something of this because of all the time and training I’ve put into it and the sacrifices I’ve made. What this has taught me is if I hang on, it’ll pay off. To me it’s not about proving anything. I just want to be as successful as I possibly can.”

The main event of “Real Pain” stars Bautista against fellow newcomer Rashid Evans of Newburgh, N.Y. The show also features former UFC welterweight Marc Stevens (14-7, 6 KOs) of Lorraine, N.Y., who will face dangerous Providence native Luis Felix (7-6, 4 KOs), a winner of back-to-back fights, including a huge win over The Ultimate Fighter: Live quarterfinalist and current UFC contender Joe Proctor in November of 2010.

Stevens, who has also appeared on Bellator Fighting Championships and Strikeforce promotions, was cast on Season 12 of TUF, also known as The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck, in 2010. Stevens lost both of his fights on the show, including his re-entry into the house via the wild card selection, but has since won two of his last three bouts and is aiming for another shot with the UFC.

Boston native John “Doomsday” Howard (17-7, 6 KOs), a veteran of seven UFC shows between 2009 and 2011, finds himself in a similar position, though he’s much closer to making it back to the sport’s biggest stage. Since the UFC released him in 2011 following three consecutive losses, Howard has won three in a row and will look to extend that streak Oct. 6 when he faces middleweight Brett Chism (16-11, 7 KOs) of Valdosta, Ga. Chism has won three of his last four fights within the past two years, including two by knockout.

The fourth UFC veteran on next month’s card, welterweight Chad Reiner (29-13, 9 KOs) of Omaha, Neb., will face arguably the stiffest test among his UFC alumni when he battles Pawtucket, R.I., veteran Keith Jeffrey (8-2). Reiner, who fought for the UFC twice in 2007 and also has an appearance with Bellator on his resume, has won seven of his last 10 bouts since 2010, while Jeffrey has won three in a row since returning from a knee injury, including an impressive submission win over Harley Beekman in June. Jeffrey is now ranked No. 5 among welterweights in the northeast.

The remainder of the undercard is littered with Top 10 regional fighters, including a dynamic showdown between No. 1 ranked 145-pounder Saul “The Spider” Almeida (12-2) of Framingham, Mass., and No. 4 ranked Calvin Kattar (12-2, 6 KOs) of Methuen, Mass. Nicknamed “The Boston Finisher,” Kattar has won four consecutive bouts, including big wins over Cody Stevens and Jeff Anderson, while Almeida is looking to bounce back from his loss to Matt Bessette at Bellator’s show in March, which ended his five-fight winning streak.

Providence’s Mike “The Beast” Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs), a former World Extreme Cagefighting contender who is now ranked No. 5 among lightweights in the northeast, will face Philadelphia’s Gemiyale Adkins (7-3, 3 KOs), a former welterweight making his first appearance in the 155-pound division. Campbell won a unanimous decision over Bombsqaud veteran Don Carlo-Clauss in August, giving him back-to-back wins for the first time in more than two years.

Pawtucket’s Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs), the former CES MMA middleweight champion, will end his five-month layoff and face Boulder, Colo., native Chandler Holderness (9-3, 4 KOs) in a bout originally scheduled for June before Chattelle suffered an arm injury during training camp.

Chattelle last fought in April when he lost by second-round knockout to Howard, but had won his last four fights leading up to the showdown against “Doomsday.” Holderness, who splits time between training in Colorado and Boston, still fought in June, knocking out Bob Burton at the 2:33 mark of the opening round, which, at the time, was his first win in 11 months. Overall, he’s won four of his last five and is now ranked No. 7 in the middleweight division – five spots behind Chattelle, who is No. 2 behind Howard.

In the 205-pound division, Providence’s Greg Rebello (13-4, 7 KOs), No. 3 in the northeast, will look to get back on track against Chris Guillen (13-12, 1 KO), a St. George, Utah, veteran with a deceiving record. Of Guillen’s 12 losses, four have come against future UFC contenders, including former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin, who will face Roy Nelson in The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale in December, and former heavyweight contender Ben Rothwell. Rebello, who has lost two of his last three, is looking for his first win since beating Cody Lightfoot in September of 2011.

“Real Pain” also features another battle between two Top 10 fighters, this time in the heavyweight division with No. 3 Josh Diekmann (12-4, 8 KOs) of Groton, Conn., facing No. 5 Tyler King (4-1, 2 KOs), a former NFL offensive lineman from Norwood, Mass. King and Diekmann actually fought on the same card in separate bouts in Rhode Island back in February; King beat Eric Bedard while Diekmann lost to former UFC contender Josh Hendricks. Neither fighter has fought since then, so the winner could continue climbing the northeast rankings in the heavyweight division.

Also on the undercard, No. 6 ranked middleweight Brennan Ward (3-0, 2 KOs) of Providence will face Shedrick “Chocolate Thunder” Goodridge (2-2) of Rahway, N.J.; Providence’s Nate Andrews (1-0) will battle Leon Davis (2-0) of Springfield, Mass., in an interstate welterweight showdown and bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath (2-1, 1 KO) of Woonsocket, R.I., will face Rob Costa (2-0) of Fall River, Mass.

Almeida, Kattar Put It On the Line at CES MMA: Real Pain


On paper, it could be the fight of the night, or perhaps the fight of the year, a bona fide main event on almost any other card.

The impending Oct. 6 showdown between Saul Almeida and Calvin Kattar is almost too good to be true, so much so that it might make fight fans wonder why two red-hot prospects in their mid-20s are willing to risk their records and reputations against one another in front of a worldwide Pay Per View audience.

“Fights like this don’t come around often,” Kattar said. “I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”

This rare match-up will take place on the undercard of Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports’ “Real Pain” mixed martial arts event Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at The Dunkin’ Donuts Center in association with June Entertainment.

The event, which is available live on Direct TV Pay Per View, features the professional debut of former six-time World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) heavyweight champion Dave Bautista, but the Kattar-Almeida showdown could steal the show, even with four former Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veterans on the undercard.

Kattar, a Methuen, Mass., native and Almeida, who hails from nearby Framingham, enter next weekend’s featherweight showdown with identical records (12-2) and equal opportunities to climb even higher if they win the fight.

According to the website ULTMMA.com (Uniting Fighters Locally Through Mixed Martial Arts), which ranks “unsigned” fighters – primarily those not affiliated with the UFC or signed by another major promotion – on a pound-for-pound scale and by their respective weight class, Almeida and Kattar are No. 5 and No. 11, respectively, in the pound-for-pound rankings, a list that includes fighters from New York, Iceland, Brazil and Germany.

Kattar, a natural lightweight (155 pounds), is dropping to 145 to face Almeida, who has never lost in the featherweight division (both of his losses, including his most recent setback against Matt Bessette at the Bellator Fighting Championships in March, have come at 155). While the two have identical records, this is actually a stark contrast in styles; six of Kattar’s 12 wins have ended by knockout, prompting the nickname “The Boston Finisher,” whereas “The Spider” Almeida has gone the distance 10 times in his 12 wins, using his lanky, 6-foot-1 frame to impose his will on his opponents.

“He’s a little unpredictable,” Kattar said. “Long, definitely rangy – he likes to impose his will, and I generally like to do the same, so it’ll be an interesting fight.”

“He likes to trade a little more and push the pace,” Almeida countered. “It’ll be interesting to see who can impose their will. This is the fight that’s supposed to happen. Everyone wants to see it. I want to fight the best and I feel as though he and I are right up there, so it’s a big fight for both of us.”

Though the perception is Almeida would rather keep the fight on the ground, “The Spider” is quick to point out he was a black belt in karate at 10 years old and began boxing at 16. He even made his professional boxing debut in July, a fight that ended in a no-contest due to an accidental headbutt.

Kattar doesn’t care where the fight ends up; he’s preparing for every imaginable scenario.

“I don’t want to say, ‘He can’t take me to the ground!’ because then I’ll get taken down and there goes my whole game plan,” he said. “I’ll adjust as the fight goes.”

What the future holds for the winner remains to be seen, but both fighters understand the implications. Kattar has a show a willingness throughout his career to fight anyone at any given time. He’s won four consecutive fights dating back to 2010, including wins over Jeff Anderson and Cody Stevens, both of whom have also lost to Almeida. Throw in Kevin Roddy, who has also lost to both fighters, and that makes three common opponents.

Considering they’ve traveled similar paths to the top, Kattar is correct in saying next month’s showdown against Almeida has “been a long time coming.”

“He kept winning, I kept winning – the fight had been hanging around for a while, but it never made as much sense as it does right now,” Kattar said. “CES made it happen.”

“He was never someone I was gunning for,” Almeida said, “but once he dropped down to featherweight, I knew it’d be a possibility. I really see the winner moving on [to something bigger].”

The only major difference between the two as they prepare to face one another on Oct. 6 is Kattar has been red-hot of late, whereas Almeida is coming off a loss, one in which he blames his own lack of focus for the outcome.

“My head wasn’t it,” he said. “I wasn’t listening to my team or my corner. I wasn’t following the game plan. I looked at the fight afterward and I knew I was sloppy. Not to take anything away from [Bessette], but that wasn’t me out there.

“I feel better now,” he added. “Plus, I’m fighting at 145. I feel stronger and quicker at this weight. I’ve never lost at 145, so it should be a good fight.”

Kattar hasn’t fought since October; he had a fight lined up for August that fell through the day of the weigh-in. Rust might be a factor, but he’s been in the gym consistently since the beginning of his last training camp, so he doesn’t anticipate any problems matching Almeida’s impeccable level of conditioning.

“Given the caliber of opponent, I know I won’t have a problem,” Kattar said. “I know he’ll be ready, too.”

When it’s all said done, Kattar might even have enough time afterward to enjoy the rest of the fight card, including Bautista’s highly-anticipated debut.

“The cool part is this on the undercard, so there’s a little less pressure for me,” he said. “This is the perfect storm. This is what fight is all about. I’m excited to finally have this opportunity.”