Norton High Graduate Wins Gold in Hybrid Fighting World Championships

At Saturday’s World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts event at Foxwoods, Norton's Erik Lane won a gold medal in the middle weight division in the Hybrid Fighting World Championships.  

Lane’s former Norton High School coaches Pat Coleman, Pete Holmes and Pat Gallagher, along with their wives, cheered on the 175-pound Lane, who dominated the fight. He scored points with high-amplitude hip-tosses, kicks and takedowns to win a unanimous decision. He is still undefeated at 26-0 in his hybrid fighting career.

The 20-year-old began training in the martial arts at age 4 with Maryann Weeden at Nick Cerio’s Kenpo in Plainville then in Walpole with Erik Kearns and John Rietz at Kensho-Ryu Kenpo Walpole. He competed intermittently on the local tournament scene with his most notable win being the Ocean State Grand Championships continuous fighting division in 2002.

Lane was the 2010 co-captain and outstanding wrestler at Norton High School where he was a state finalist and the first Lancer to win 100 matches in his career. He went undefeated in his final dual meet season.

Lane continued his Kenpo training throughout, training with Grandmaster Mark Sheeley and earning his third degree black belt by age 18.

While studying at Rhode Island College, pursuing a business degree, Lane still trains with Grandmaster Sheeley and also trains in Jiu Jitsu with Kyoshi David Lindsay. He is a licensed Sensei in Kensho-Ryu Kenpo, works at Kensho-Ryu Karate in Cumberland RI.

He began Hybrid Fighting Arts training at its inception with Shihan Jason Delucia. To this date, Lane has been undefeated in his HFA weight division with 26 matches, including competitions at the New England Open and Ocean State Grand Nationals.