LEWISTON – New England Fights announced Wednesday that crowd favorite Jarod “Last Minute” Lawton (3-1) will return to the mixed martial arts cage Sept. 21 at Androscoggin Bank Colisee against All-American wrestler Leon Davis (4-2).

“Jarod Lawton is one of the most sensationally dangerous ground fighting specialists in the Northeast right now,” NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo said in a news release. “He earned his nickname from his wife by fighting to the bitter end in every battle he’s been in. You can’t sleep on him for one second because if you do, he will finish you, guaranteed.”

Lawton debuted in April 2012 at NEF II. In November 2012 at NEF V, Lawton defeated Ryan Sanders with a stunning knee bar submission at 4:58 in the third and final round of a back and forth main event ruckus.

In May of this year, Lawton astounded an audience of 3,000 once again when he came from behind to submit a young and aggressive Cody Anderson (1-2) in the final minute of their ferocious fight at NEF VII. Immediately following his bout with Anderson, Lawton was awarded his black belt in the cage from his instructor, Alexey Cruz. Later in the locker room that same night, bloodied and exhausted, Lawton quipped to a friend: “Jiu Jitsu–it saves lives.”

When Lawton enters the cage for the fifth fight of his career in September, it will be against the Fighting Arts Academy’s Davis, who earned All-American status as a junior college wrestler while attending Springfield Technical Community College and placed eighth at the JuCo National Championships in 2008. A former Massachusetts high school state champion, Davis will no doubt look to put Lawton on his back and shut down his superior Jiu-Jitsu.

“Jarod is an extremely tough kid,” Davis said. “He always goes for the win and he is going to be a challenge, but I will rise to the occasion. I’m very excited to come and fight for NEF and fight one of the best Maine has to offer.”

“I am really looking forward to my next fight with Leon Davis,”  Lawton said. “He seems like a great wrestler, probably the most well conditioned guy as far as pushing the pace in his fights, and willing to move up from 155 to fight me. It’s going to be a great battle, I think, like all my fights seem to be. My training and strategy will be a lot different for this fight than my previous fights, but I’ll always be looking to bring the fight to my world, and finish. Whether it’s in the first minute, or the last minute, we will see.”

Lawton is owner and head instructor of Innovative Athletics in Farmingdale.

September’s card is NEF X, the 10th show for the promotion that is less than two years old. The card will feature NEF featherweight champion Ray “All Business” Wood (4-0) defending his title against Rhode Island’s Joe Pingitore (4-0).

NEF IX is scheduled for August 3 at Biddeford Ice Arena.