PROVIDENCE, RI – in a packed Patrick’s Pub on Friday, CES MMA announced a spectacular card taking place on February 23 at “The Wonder of it All,” Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
Tickets for CES MMA 76 are on sale now at CESfights.com, ticketmaster, or the Foxwoods Box Office. Act now as tickets are quickly selling out!
Headlining the card is newly minted CES MMA Middleweight World Champion Gary “Batman” Balletto Jr. (8-3), who will attempt to win a world title in a second weight class when he battles Springfield, MA native Pat “The Gorilla Ninja” Casey (10-7) for the vacant CES MMA Welterweight title.
Balletto Jr. won his middleweight title at home in Cranston, RI last July, when he submitted James Cannon via rare naked choke in round 2 to the delight of his hometown fans.
Only six months later, Batman will be fighting for a world title in a second weight class. In Casey, Balletto Jr. will be facing a highly athletic former Bellator fighter with an aggressive style who is seeking his first professional title.
“Here we go again,” said an ecstatic Balletto Jr. to the standing room only crowd. “I’m excited to be sharing this card with Pat. He’s got a great following and is an exciting fighter. This is as bad ass as it gets.”
As ‘The Gorilla Ninja’ took the stage, it was evident that the respect was mutual.
“We’re both well rounded fighters,” said Casey, who played football for American International College before taking up mixed martial arts. “Wherever the fight goes, it’ll be exciting. We both have many ways in which we can finish a fight, and I see no way that this won’t be an exciting fight for however long it lasts.”
In the co-feature, former UFC veteran Yorgan DeCastro (9-5) battles Eric Smith (7-7) in a heavyweight contest. “The Mad Titan,” a Cape Verdean native fighting out of Fall River, MA, made his pro debut with CES MMA and is undefeated with the company in his 4 appearances.
“I don’t think there’s a heavyweight in New England who can deal with me,” said a confident DeCastro. “But I know that talk is cheap, so February 23 I have to go out there and execute.”
In Yorgan’s way stands Eric Smith, who will be making his CES MMA debut after several California Cage Wars and Gladiator Challenges. The California native is extremely motivated to impress CES MMA with the biggest win of his career.
Another intriguing match-up includes the return to CES of “The Russian Polar Bear,” Yuri Panferov (6-1). Panferov is a perfect 4-0 in the CES MMA cage and is looking to bounce back from his only career loss on ‘Dana White’s Contender Series’ last October. Panferov is facing 23 fight veteran Rocky “The Number” Edwards in a middleweight match-up.
Four other bouts are confirmed, including the highly anticipated pro debut of Peabody, MA native Lucas Rosa. The 28-year-old, who trains alongside his older brother Charles Rosa in Boca Raton, FL, was one of the best amateurs in the country with a record of 10-1. Many believe that the Wheaton College graduate is destined for world titles and stardom. He faces Leslie Summers, who is also making his pro debut, in a 3-round featherweight bout.
For more information on CES MMA 76 and all other CES MMA events, visit cesfights.com.
INFORMATION
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 offers guests a premier destination resort experience throughout its six world-class casinos, AAA Four-Diamond hotels featuring over 2,200 rooms, dining options for all tastes, luxurious spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters, Tanger Outlet Mall and conference space for groups of all sizes. There is always something new at Foxwoods, including the recently announced landmark deal with Great Wolf Lodge, opening in 2024, our new 80,000 sq ft expo center opening in November 2022 and a new High Stakes Bingo Hall which opened July 2022, giving guests more reasons to stay than ever. When it comes to sports betting and gaming, Foxwoods has partnerships with fan-favorite betting and entertainment platforms, including DraftKings and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe’s recently formed Wondr Nation. For a detailed look at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation visit Foxwoods.com.
