LINCOLN, R.I. (April 11th, 2013) — With today’s weigh-in for “Path To Destruction” set for 4 p.m. at Twin River Casino, the participants in Friday night’s mixed martial arts extravaganza have shared their final thoughts on their upcoming bouts.
“Path To Destruction,” which is presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, will begin 7 p.m. at the Twin River Event Center. Tickets are $36.00, $56.00, $101.00 and $126.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.shop.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle (11-8, 8 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., will faceDennis Olson (12-7, 1 KO) of Amherst, N.H., in the main event in a rematch of their bout from 2007. The undercard features the return of Boston’s John “Doomsday” Howard (17-7, 8 KOs), who will face Iowa’s Jason Louck (15-10, 7 KOs) in a middleweight bout, and Rhode Island natives Shaun Marmas (4-4, 1 KO) of Coventry and Providence’s Thomas Evans (2-1), who will face one another in a three-round featherweight bout.
Boston’s Lucas Cruz (6-0, 2 KOs) and Rob Font (5-1, 1 KO) will face one another in a featherweight bout. Also on the undercard, TriForce’sKeenan Raymond will debut against Ralph Johnson; Kody Norby(3-0) of Woonsocket, R.I., will put his unbeaten record on the line against flyweight Jimmy Grant (3-1) of Carlstadt, N.J.; and welterweight Toby Oden (1-0) of Milford, Mass., will return against Jersey City veteran Emmanuel Walo (2-1). Fan-favorite Dinis Paiva Jr. (3-3, 1 KO) of East Providence, R.I., will also be back in action searching for his third consecutive win against Cambridge, Mass., nativeKin Moy (2-0); and Massachusetts natives Matt Doherty (1-0, 1 KO) of Salem and Whitman’s Johnny Campbell (5-4, 3 KOs) will square off in a bantamweight bout. Unbeaten lightweight Nate Andrews (3-0, 1 KO) will face Asa Zorn (0-1) of Salem, Conn.
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Chattelle: “With God, all things are possible. I’m ready to go. No thoughts on him – my thoughts are on me. I’m going to fight my fight. This fight is mine.”
Olson: “I just want the bell to ring, and the fight to start.”
Paiva: “The hungrier wolf gets the meal.”
Moy: “I foresee my fight with Dinis Paiva being an easy contender for Fight of The Night despite the card being so packed. Dinis is a tough nut to crack; he’s a really solid wrestler, a tricky striker, a southpaw, and an explosive athlete to top it all off. I’ve fought and beaten guys possessing one or two of those traits before, but never someone with all of that going on at once.
“For that reason, I think this will be my toughest test to date.That being said, I always come prepared and this is no different. I’ve been working with some top-notch training partners in Pedro Gonzales, Matt Doherty, and Soap Am. I always bring the heat when I fight, and this time will be no different. Win or lose, I intend to put on a show.”
Evans: “First, I want to thank CES MMA for giving me another great opportunity to fight in my home state. I would also like to thank my coaches at Tri-Force MMA and TUML (Team United Muay Lao), boxing coach Diamond Dave Keefe, Muay Lao coach William Soukhamthath, and my MMA coaches the Jeffrey brother [Pete and Keith Jeffrey], for the great support and training camp. Finally, I would like to thank my sponsors, training partners, parents, friends and girlfriend, who have all supported me getting back in the cage this Friday night.
“It hasn’t been an easy road, to be honest. I had my pinkie knuckle replaced by Dr. [Stephen] Margles the week after my last fight for CES one year ago when I shattered it in the first round. That surgery was very frustrating due to the fact I was unable to train and help my teammates get ready for their fights. I was cleared in October of 2012 by my hand doctor and was dying to get back in the cage, so I took a fight for CES in December of 2012. Unfortunately, I was involved in a car accident that November and suffered a sprained neck and lower back spasms, which made me unable to compete once again. Finally, once I was cleared CES gave me a great opportunity to fight on this April’s Card and I jumped at it.
“I am very blessed and excited to be able to compete for CES MMA in my home state and put on a show for everyone in Rhode Island. This is a dream come true for me. I do this not to make it to the UFC, but to serve as a role model for all these children and my students that I advise or teach martial arts to. I tell them all the time that if you work hard and never give up, you will eventually become successful. There have been many times that I have faced in my life that I could have called it quits, but I didn’t, and that was because I practice what I preach. I have a lot of support and I am blessed for that. I respect my opponent, Shaun Marmas, for taking the fight and keeping it classy, because that is what this is all about. It is a sport at the end of the day. MMA, sports, etc., can really help give our children direction and that is what they need. That is the reason I continue to do this.”
Marmas: “I’m doing well. It’s coming down to that time. I can’t wait to get in there! Skills pay bills; Captain America chose to call me out. He chose to the only thing standing between me and my victory. Our choices have consequences and, come Friday, it’s time to pay the price!”
Doherty: “It will be a war. Big shots will be landed, and I will this the main event. Words were exchanged, but I respect him like everyone else. I don’t when I’m in that cage. His life or mine – in the end, talk will be done and a winner will be revealed.”
Campbell: “I’m coming to secure victory. I intend on expressing my artistic genius upon [Matt] Doherty’s face and body. Blink at your own discretion.”
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Path To Destruction.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance).