NEW YORK – Xya. 8, 2016 – Combate Americas today announced that red-hot, streaking bantamweight (135 phaus) hnub qub John "tau ntxim hlub tau ntxim hlub" Castaneda (11-2) thiab Gustavo Lopez (6-1) will face off in the first world championship bout in league history at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.. rau Friday, Lub kaum hli ntuj 14, live on beIN SPORTS En Español and UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The 24-year-old Castaneda of Mankato, Los ntawm. and the 27-year-old Lopez of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Ntxuav. will collide in the main event of the 10-bout “Combate Americas: Empire Rising” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) extravaganza.

“We are thrilled to be producing our first world title fight in Combate Americas history at our debut event in the Empire State,"Hais tias Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, who also produced the last live televised professional MMA event in New York State with UFC^® 7 nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj 8, 1995.

“John Castaneda and Gustavo Lopez put on some incredibly memorable and heroic performances during our ‘Road To The Championship’ fight series this year and last year,"Txuas ntxiv McLaren, “so we are looking forward to have these two budding, young stars square off and to crowning our first champion.”

Each fighter earned his way to the title fight in “La Jaula,” or the Combate Americas cage, by going undefeated in three consecutive bouts during the “Road To The Championship” series that kicked off in September 2015 and concluded on May 9, 2016.

Pictured Above (Far): Bantamweight star Gustavo Lopez (6-1) ntawm Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Ntxuav. will look to continue his unbeaten run in “La Jaula,” lub Combate Americas tawb, when he fights for his first world title.

Castaneda, who has finished 8 ntawm nws 11 kev ua hauj lwm yeej, is riding a six-fight win streak dating back to May 16, 2015 thaum nws xa Pedro Velasco with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:42) sib ntaus sib tua.

Castaneda’s run in the “Road To The Championship” series began with a unanimous decision win over Justin Governale nyob rau hauv lub Cuaj Hli Ntuj 17, 2015, and continued with a spectacular, arm-triangle choke submission of Federico Lopez in the closing moments of the third round (4:49) ntawm cov kev txiav txim.

The aggressive-minded Castaneda cemented his spot in the world title fight by edging out a split decision over Gabriel Solorio rau Plaub Hlis Ntuj 25.

Nyob rau hauv nws cov nag pib, Castaneda stepped up for Combate Americas on just two weeks’ notice, replacing an injured Erick Sanchez, at the higher, featherweight limit of 145 phaus, tiv thaiv Angel Cruz on Lub yim hli ntuj 11, and scored a second round (2:25) LEEJ TWG (punches) on Cruz.

Fighting out of the famed Xtreme Couture camp in Las Vegas, Lopez, a protégé of former UFC^® champion Miesha Tate and UFC bantamweightBryan Caraway, will look for his sixth consecutive win in the cage, and his fourth under the Combate Americas promotional umbrella.

Similar to his opponent, Lopez is a determined finisher who has earned five of his six professional career wins by way of (T)KO los yog cuav.

Lopez began his Combate Americas journey in the “Road To The Championship” series, defeating Mauricio Diaz by way of unanimous decision on September 17, 2015.

In his second Combate Americas appearance, Lopez submitted Joey Ruquetwith an arm-triangle choke in the second round (4:06) ntawm cov kev txiav txim, before sealing his fate in the title fight with Castaneda by scoring a devastating, ob puag ncig (4:07) TKO rau Xa-u Elizondo with a barrage of punches on the ground.

A nationally recognized venue for legendary, fight-of-the-year-level boxing events, Turning Stone Resort Casino will now become one of the very first venues in New York to host professional MMA fights. With a legacy of hosting some of the best events in the country, rivaling many venues in major cities such as Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New York City, Turning Stone has established Upstate New York as a premier destination for live sporting events. Turning Stone is an award-winning destination resort, offering world-class amenities including four hotels, ntau tshaj 20 restaurants and dining options, two luxurious spas, ib tug 125,000 square taw Las Vegas style gaming pem teb, ib tug cabaret-style Showroom, ib tug 5,000 lub rooj arena, five pristine golf courses, ob peb tuav, cocktail lounges and nightlife venues.

Tickets for “Combate Americas: Empire Rising” are on sale and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Daim pib no yog luv nqi ntawm $75, for cageside, $65, $50 thiab $35, and may be subject to additional fees. Qhov rooj yuav qhib thaum 5:30 p.m.rau cov kev tshwm sim, thiab cov thawj ua ntej bout yuav pib thaum 6 p.m.

Ntxiv bouts yuav muab tshaj tawm sai.

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