FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Portland, Maine (September 25, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) will hold its final mixed-martial-arts event of 2018, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” on Saturday, November 17 at Aura in Portland, Maine. Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of a professional flyweight fight to the card. Ernesto “Ernie” Ornelas (4-7) will face Jose “El Salvaje” Lugo (3-0) at a fight weight of 125-pounds.
Ernesto Ornelas will look to extend his two-fight win streak when he meets Lugo in front of his hometown fans in Portland. Ornelas is coming off wins over two larger opponents in the form of Carl Langston (0-1) and Zenon Herrera (1-7) at “NEF 33” and “NEF 35” respectively. It has been rare for Ornelas to find opponents at his natural weight of 125-pounds over the years. He has been versatile throughout his career, fighting in four different weight classes in order to stay active. A multiple-time Golden Gloves champion as an amateur boxer in California, Ornelas now trains with the Choi Institute in Portland.
“I’m really excited Jose Lugo is making the trip north to challenge me,” said Ornelas. “He’s got a lot of momentum riding behind him, but has yet to fight someone to my caliber. I have unfinished business in the fight game. I believe I have some of the best skill sets in the northeast and I plan on showcasing it. I’m feeling great. I’m on a two-fight win streak and I’m at my best at 125-pounds. I’m in redemption mode. I plan on climbing my way up to the top and I will not be anyone’s stepping stone to get there. I’ll be representing the state of Maine as the only pro 125-pounder. I’ll be representing my backyard of Portland where I have yet to lose a fight and on November 17th, I will be keeping it that way.”
A native of Puerto Rico now residing in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Jose Lugo is a perfect 3-0 to start his professional MMA career. All three of his wins have been finishes. Lugo took up boxing during his teen years in Massachusetts. Later, he wrestled during his senior year of high school. Lugo put together an impressive 4-1 record as an amateur in MMA. He trains out of BST MMA & Fitness in Mendon, Massachusetts.
“I’m very excited to step into NEF,” said Lugo. “I want to make a good impression on the people of Maine and build new fans. Ernie is a veteran of the sport. He’s a hard worker and he hustles for what he wants, but he’s ultimately just another body in the way of my dreams. On November 17th, I’m stepping into the NEF cage to make a statement and to show everyone that I’m the best flyweight in New England.”
NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 36: Battle for the Gold,” will see the company make its return to Aura in Portland, Maine. The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 17, 2018 with a bell time of 7 pm. Tickets are on sale now at www.AuraMaine.com.
About New England Fights
New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.
