Shorey set to fight on nationally televised MMA card

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Derek “Shatterproof” Shorey wasn’t sure how to react when he received a phone call recently offering him the chance to fight on a nationally televised mixed martial arts card.

LMP Photos/New England

IN THE RING — Derek Shorey of Dover-Foxcroft lands a kick against John :”First Class” Raio of Topsham during their 150-pound mixed martial arts bout as part of the NEF XVII show at Lewiston’s Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday, April 11, 2015. Shorey won by a first-round technical knockout. 

“I didn’t know whether to cry, shake, laugh uncontrollably or go to the gym, so I think I did all of it,” said Shorey after accepting a bout against Kody Nordby on the main card of CES 32, an MMA show to be held Friday night at the Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island, and broadcast live on AXS-TV.

The telecast is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m.

“It’s incredibly humbling to get that call,” he said, “and I’m ready to step up and prove what I’m capable of.”

A 2000 Foxcroft Academy graduate who won a high school wrestling individual state championship for the Ponies in 1998, Shorey is 3-3 in the professional MMA ranks.

He learned about his latest opportunity in the cage from Matt Peterson, the co-owner and matchmaker of the Maine-based New England Fights promotion for which Shorey has fought most of his recent bouts.

“I said ‘yes’ immediately,” said Shorey. “Matt said he thought it would be a great opportunity for me and it’s also a great opportunity for people who normally don’t get to see me fight.”

Shorey already was training at his Shatterproof Combat Club in Dexter for a scheduled NEF fight next month in Lewiston, so he was ready to step in as a late replacement for Friday’s show after Nordby’s first two scheduled opponents pulled out due to injury.

“I’m always training, always at the gym,” Shorey said.

Nordby, a lefthander who normally competes at 135 pounds, also agreed to fight Shorey at 145 to alleviate Shorey’s need to drop weight on short notice.

Nordby is 5-3 and has scored all of his pro victories by rear-naked choke — a hold Shorey has struggled with throughout his years in the cage.

“He’s a wrestler who wins by rear-naked choke,” said Shorey. “Anyone who’s followed my amateur career knows that’s been my Achilles heel, so this is just a direct challenge that I need to overcome.”

At 5-foot-10, the 33-year-old Shorey will enter the cage with a six-inch height advantage over his 22-year-old opponent.

“I’ve got the reach advantage, I’m a lot taller than he is, but that hasn’t seemed to affect any of his past matches,” said Shorey. “He’s just a really good, game fighter and I’m excited for the challenge.”

For Shorey, the chance to perform for a nationwide television audience will be a dream come true.

“Honestly it means I can quit fighting, because the only goal I had, as vain as it sounds, was to fight on TV,” said the 33-year-old Shorey, whose cornermen for the bout will include his brother Dustin.

“Obviously I’m not going to [retire], but it’s an incredible opportunity. I know the caliber of the fight is huge on top of the pressure of fighting on national TV. But I’m ready for it. This is all I’ve wanted and I’m going to be smiling through it all. Regardless of what happens I’m going to leave everything in the cage Friday night.”

Shorey will be one of two area fighters on the AXS-TV card, joined by Etna native “The” Ryan Sanders, who will be part of the main event in a non-title bout against CES lightweight champion Luis “Rockstar” Felix of Cranston, Rhode Island.

Like Shorey, Sanders is a late replacement who will be competing on 10 days’ notice against Felix. But because Sanders took the fight just last Monday as a replacement for injured challenger Waylon Lowe the bout will be held at a catchweight of 160 pounds.

“After I win on Friday it will look good,” said Sanders, who trains at Young’s MMA in Bangor. “I will have beaten Felix on short notice and then he’ll probably want a rematch and that one will be for the title and it will be really big.”

The 28-year-old Sanders (9-7) has won three of his last four fights, including a five-round split-decision victory over Lucas Cruz on Oct. 3 in Portland to win the Toe 2 Toe Fights lightweight championship.

Felix (14-8) has won five of his last six bouts while ascending to the top of the CES ranks. A former high school and college wrestler, Felix also is well known for his striking skills.

“I feel like it’s harder for guys coming out of Maine because we’re a smaller state with smaller gyms, so it’s good to get these chances,” Sanders said. “I know Derek and I are both huge underdogs going into these fights but the way I look at it is we have nothing to lose because we’re taking these fights on short notice.

“I honestly figure it’s a win-win for us. We’re just a couple of Maine boys people expect to get their heads knocked off and we get the chance to go in there and say, ‘That’s not happening.’”