SOUTHAMPTON, MA – For the first time in over a year, “Nasty” Nate Ghareeb (10-3) steps into the cage on Saturday at the Great Cedar Showroom in Foxwoods Resort Casino, squaring off against the battle-tested Jefry “The Universal Soldier” Roy (7-5-1) in the co-main event of CES MMA 81.
Tickets for ‘CES MMA 81′ are available for purchase at CESFights.com and Ticketmaster. Doors open at 6pm, with the first bout beginning at 7pm EST. The fight will also be available on Swerve.TV.
The 32-year-old Ghareeb, who is 7-1 in the CES cage, has seen more than his share of adversity since winning a split decision over Mohammad Al Kinani last August. Shortly after the victory, Nate packed his bags, leaving Florida and American Top Team behind after divorcing his wife of several years.
Now back in Southampton and training with the coaches who first molded him, Ghareeb is ready to remind fans—and himself—why he fell in love with MMA in the first place.
“It’s been going good, man,” said Ghareeb of his training camp at Springfield Submission Society. “It’s a little different than what I’m normally used to. I was down in Florida for three years at American Top Team, and now I’m back in Massachusetts training with my old coaches and teammates and some new teammates as well. I feel like I’ve been learning a lot again, especially in the striking department.”
Born in Arkansas and raised in Southampton after being adopted as a child, Ghareeb wrestled through middle school and college before discovering jiu-jitsu and then Muay Thai while studying at West Virginia University. That spark turned into a wildfire for Ghareeb.
“I fell in love immediately with the art of fighting,” said Ghareeb. “I fought two weeks before my college graduation and the weekend after. I knew this is something I wanted to do. I knew that if I didn’t do it then, I probably never would. I’m grateful that I decided to pursue it because it led me all over the world and allowed me to meet a few of my heroes—guys like Don Cerrone.”
After college, Ghareeb settled in Coconut Creek, Florida and trained at the famed American Top Team gym, which offered him the kind of intensity and elite-level training many fighters dream of.
“Training there was amazing,” explained Ghareeb. “I was training with the best every single day, with some of the best coaches in the world. They offered me different perspectives, and I was able to work on some holes that I had. It was an incredible experience, but due to personal reasons, I had to leave Florida. There’s a lot of things that have been going on in my life since my last fight. The last two years have been brutal for many reasons.”
Deciding to return home to Massachusetts, Ghareeb reconnected with his longtime coach, Dan McIntyre, and found a renewed sense of clarity.
“The only way I can explain it is, it’s something that’s very special,” said Ghareeb of the relationship he has with his coach. “The knowledge he passes on to me, I just understand it. It just makes more sense to me. I always take the lessons that I’ve learned from anywhere I’ve been and add them to my arsenal, so it makes me a more complete fighter.”
While Nate took a philosophical tone, he’s still every bit the “Nasty” problem fans and opponents have come to expect.
“I’m an entertaining fighter,” says Ghareeb of his style. “I bring the violence and the mean. My style is built around that. My goal was never really to be a world champion. I want to have entertaining fights and moments in time that people will remember for years to come. The goal is to get to the UFC and put on highlight reel fights.”
A memorable fight is what Nate hopes for on Saturday, when he takes on Jefry Roy, a physical and aggressive fighter known more for raw power than polish.
“He’s an athletic guy,” says Ghareeb of Roy. “He hits hard. His grappling is very athletic based—he just bench presses or tosses you off. His striking is not educated. He gets timid when pressed.”
Nate believes that Roy will wilt under the educated pressure Ghareeb will apply.
“I have a great feint game,”explains Ghareeb. “Anybody that’s ever sparred or fought me knows that you never really know what’s coming. I’m going to pressure him and break him down. If he decides to come forward swinging, I’ve got plenty of things to counter that. He’s gonna walk into some really brutal things. He throws punches with his chin up in the air—so he’s gonna eat something real nasty.”
After everything Nate’s endured—injuries, losses, divorce—this fight means more than just another win on his record. For Ghareeb, this marks the start of his reinvention in the sport and in life.
“I was at a point where I was about to retire,” admits Ghareeb. “But a bunch of people were like, ‘You can’t. You still have so much left.’ They believe in me. My team believes in me. My family believes in me, even though they hate that I do this. I’m going to go out there and put everything that I have into this fight, win or lose. This is part of the comeback story—not just in fighting, but in life.”
Nate’s resurrection begins on Saturday night at Foxwoods.
For more information on ‘CES MMA 81′ and all other CES MMA events, visit cesfights.com.
About CES MMA
CES MMA is a mixed martial arts promotional company based out of Providence, R.I., founded by legendary boxing promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. It promoted the first sanctioned professional MMA event in 2010. In 2012, CES MMA promoted its first pay-per-view event featuring the professional MMA debut of former WWE superstar Dave Bautista.
CES MMA has gained the reputation as being the gateway to the UFC developing the careers of UFC contenders Calvin Kattar, Rob Font, Charles Rosa, William Knight, Mike Rodriguez, Tony Gravely, Andre Soukhamthath and others.
About Foxwoods Resort Casino
Foxwoods Resort Casino, the largest resort casino in the Northeast, has set the standard for innovation and excellence in gaming and hospitality for over 33 years. Owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Foxwoods continues to redefine the resort experience by offering a dynamic mix of world-class gaming, award-winning dining, top-tier entertainment, and family-friendly attractions.
A destination like no other, Foxwoods offers over 1,900 luxury hotel rooms, over 175,000 square feet of flexible space for meetings and events, shopping at Tanger Outlets, and expansive gaming floors throughout the resort and unmatched amenities. The entertainment portfolio features globally acclaimed artists, exclusive live performances, and premier events hosted at its renowned venues, including the Premier Theater and Great Cedar Showroom.
Through strategic partnerships with leading brands like DraftKings Sportsbook, Hell’s Kitchen, and Great Wolf Lodge, Foxwoods continues to expand its offerings and deliver elevated, curated experiences for guests. The new brand campaign, “This Is How We Resort,” reflects Foxwoods’ commitment to creating unique, personalized moments—from thrilling gaming adventures to relaxing escapes—that redefine what it means to “resort”. For more information, visit www.foxwoods.com.
