Moreau ready to chop down the competition

Thomas Moreau shouldn’t have any problem making weight for his fight on Friday night during Combat Zone 32 at Rockingham Park in Salem.
Last weekend Moreau, who owns a tree-cutting business, was busy cleaning up the damage left behind by the wind storm and moving his training studio to Londonderry. That kept him out of the gym, but Moreau said the workout he got may have been more intense than what his regular training would have called for.
“Between the storm and everything else it was a pretty busy weekend,” Moreau said. “I stayed busy.”
Moreau, who is 29 years old, will fight Marcos Maciel of Brazil in the main event at Combat Zone 32. There are 14 bouts on the card for the event that starts at 8 p.m.
One twist to this Combat Zone will be the new unified rules for mixed martial arts the state adopted at the beginning of this year. The new rules allows knees and elbows to be used in situations they weren’t in the past.
“It makes it a little more realistic and it definitely makes it more exciting,” Moreau said.
And, it could work to his advantage. Moreau said Maciel is good on the mat, and these new rules could make it tougher for one fighter to take another down.
“His submissions are very good,” Moreau said. “He’s really slick when he locks you up.”
Things would go better for Moreau if both fighters stay on their feet. Moreau feels he is the better striker, and that’s something he wants to use to his advantage.
“As long as I dictate the fight and take it to him I’ll be OK,” Moreau said.
Moreau graduated from Pinkerton Academy in 2000 and almost immediately started his business, Moreau’s tree cutting. He fights for Team Valor and now lives in Raymond.
Moreau is just one of numerous fighters from the state on the card. Amateurs from New Hampshire fighting include Logan Moore of Kingston (0-1), Nate Ainsworth of Lisbon (2-1), Kris Kloets of Gilford (0-0), John Santos of Derry (1-3), Jesse Menize of Derry (0-1), Wayne Ahlquist of Meredith (0-1), Taylor Trahan of Lisbon (2-3) and David Spero of Atkinson (1-1). Local professionals include Eddie Brito of Derry (1-3), Keaton Van Thof (0-1), Jamie Fellows of Meredith (1-2), John Levasseur of Hooksett (1-0), Adam McQuaid of Manchester (1-0), Brent Kinberger of Manchester (5-1) and Moreau.