Tag Archives: Ricky Palacios

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES MATCHUPS FOR “COPA COMBATE” ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN, $100,000 GRAND PRIZE TOURNAMENT LIVE ON TELEMUNDO AND NBCSN ON SATURDAY, NOV. 11

HISTORIC EXTRAVAGANZA PITS WORLD-CLASS FIGHTERS FROM
THE U.S., LATIN AMERICA AND SPAIN AGAINST EACH OTHER
IN CANCUN, MEXICO

CANCUN, MX – November 7, 2017 – Combate Américas announced earlier the official matchups for the quarterfinal, or opening stage, of the highly-anticipated “COPA COMBATE,” one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000, live on both Telemundo and NBCSN from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, November 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT.

The event, which takes place at Grand Oasis Cancun, marks both the first NBCU simulcast in history of an MMA event, and the first-ever Telemundo broadcast of MMA programming.

“COPA COMBATE” also represents the first time that world-class fighters from the U.S., Latin America and Spain will represent their respective countries in an epic, one-night tournament showdown in which the winner will have persevered through three consecutive bouts.

In the first quarterfinal stage bout in tournament bracket “A,” vicious striker Mikey “El Terrible” Erosa (12-5) from San Juan, Puerto Rico will take on red-hot Marcelo “The Pitbull” Rojo (12-4) from Cordoba, Argentina.

At 36 years old, Erosa is the oldest competitor in the tournament field. A combat sports tri-athlete who also boxes and kickboxes professionally, Erosa is the first recognized Puerto Rican world champion in the sport of MMA.

The 29-year-old Rojo is both the number one ranked bantamweight, as well as the top ranked featherweight (145 pounds) in his native Argentina.

A former semifinalist on The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America reality television series, Rojo has produced 10 of his 12 career wins by way of (T)KO or submission and will enter the tournament riding a four-fight win streak, including two consecutive wins in his first two Combate Americas starts.

On the same side of the tournament draw, wildcard entrant and relentless brawler Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (9-1) of Mission, Texas, will clash with fast-rising star Carlos “Lobo” Rivera (12-2) of Mexico City, Mexico.

The 30-year-old Palacios, the longest standing member of the Combate Americas fighter roster, has won all six of bouts in La Jaula, the Combate Americas circular cage.

In his last two starts, Palacios, also unbeaten as a professional boxer, earned victories over two different Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veterans – a split decision over Roman Salazar on April 20, and a unanimous decision over Chris Avila on July 27.

Rivera is a 24-year-old member of the famed “Bonebreakers” fight squad.  He has produced 8 of his 10 professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, and will enter La Jaula for the first time in his career, with three straight victories under his belt.

On the other side of the tournament draw, 25-year-old trailblazer John “Sexi Mexi” Castaneda (14-2) of Mankato, Minn. will battle national Muay Thai champion Kevin “El Frio” Moreyra (4-1) of Lima, Peru.

Tied with Palacios for the greatest number of wins – six – in La Jaula, Castaneda recently re-signed with Combate Americas where he has yet to be beaten, after emerging victorious by way of unanimous decision over Cheyden Leialoha in UFC President Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series on August 1.

Moreyra is an aggressive-minded, 24-year-old who also boasts a 4-1 record as a professional Muay Thai combatant, and is regarded as Peru’s fastest rising MMA star.

In the second tournament bracket “B” bout, battle-tested, number one ranked Spanish bantamweight Marc “Lufo” Gómez (20-10) of Barcelona will collide with number one-ranked Colombian bantamweight Andres “Doble A Leal “ Ayala (14-4) of Bogota.

At just 25 years of age, Gómez has already racked up 30 professional bouts, making him the most experienced of the tournament field and, of his 20 career victories, an astonishing 17 have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

Ayala is a gutsy, 27-year-old striker who also boasts a spectacular finish rate, with 9 of his 11 career conquests having come by way of (T)KO or submission.  In addition to his place as the top ranked 135-pound fighter in his country, Ayala also owns a top 10 ranking in Mexico.

The live simulcast of “COPA COMBATE” on Telemundo and NBCSN will feature the tournament’s complete semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage matchups in each tournament bracket against one another, as well as the championship stage showdown.

In addition to the tournament action, Telemundo’s and NBCSN’s live television coverage of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the previously announced women’s strawweight (115 pounds) co-main event between undefeated knockout artist Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) of Mexico City, Mexico, and submission expert and Miesha Tate pupil Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (4-2) of Santiago, Chile.

The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament, as well as two tournament alternate bouts and a second women’s bout that will be announced soon, will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com. Coverage on NBCSN will be live streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

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ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, rapidly becoming the number two sport, after soccer, for Spanish speaking sports fans worldwide.  The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES TWO TOURNAMENT ALTERNATE BOUTS, WOMEN’S PRELIMINARY BOUT FOR “COPA COMBATE” ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 IN CANCUN, MEXICO

Pictured below:  Levy Saul “El Negro” Marroquin (8-2) will compete in a “COPA COMBATE” tournament alternate bout in Cancun, Mexico onSaturday, Nov. 11.  Photo credit: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas, LLC

HISTORIC EVENT’S ONE-NIGHT, EIGHT-MAN,
$100,000 GRAND PRIZE TOURNAMENT BROADCASTS LIVE
ON TELEMUNDO DEPORTES FROM GRAND OASIS CANCUN

ALTERNATE BOUTS AND PRELIMINARY BOUT
STREAM LIVE BEFORE LIVE TELEMUNDO BROADCAST

NEW YORK – October 26, 2017 –Combate Americas today announced the addition of two “alternate bouts” for its historic, one-night, eight-man “COPA COMBATE” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bantamweight (135 pounds) tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000 at Grand Oasis in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11, live on Telemundo Deportes (11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT, or following “Titulares y Mas”).

The two alternate matchups, as well as a newly announced women’s atomweight (105 pounds) matchup between world top 10-ranked Sheila Padilla (3-1) of Visalia, Calif. and aggressive-minded Lisbeth “Bunny” Lopez Silva(4-3) of Mexico City, Mexico will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, preceding the live Telemundo Deportes broadcast of the event that picks up with the tournament’s first semifinal stage matchup.

In one tournament alternate bout, Levy Saul “El Negro” Marroquin (8-2) will square off with Alejandro “Pitbull” Abomohor (5-4) and, in the other tournament alternate bout, Felipe “Pipe” Vargas (4-0) will face off with Jose “Pupi” Calvo (3-1).

In the event a winner of one of the tournament’s quarterfinal stage bouts is unable to advance to the semifinal stage due to injury, one of the two alternate bout winners will take the injured quarterfinal bout winner’s place in the semifinal stage.


Above: Sheila Padilla (left) will square off with Lisbeth Lopez Silva (right) in an atomweight (105 pounds) preliminary bout at “COPA COMBATE” on Saturday, Nov. 11.  Photo credit: Combate Americas, LLC

Marroquin’s start will mark a drop from the featherweight division.  The 22-year-old, who hails from Monterrey, Mexico, has produced seven of his eight career victories to date, by way of (T)KO or submission.

Abohomor of Barranquilla, Colombia is a 23-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu national champion and Capoeira expert.

The undefeated, 23-year-old Vargas is a ferocious knockout artist who recently relocated from Spain to Miami, Fla. where he has been training with famed fight squad American Top Team.

Similar to Vargas, the 24-year-old Calvo of San Jose, Costa Rica moved to Chicago, Ill. where he trains with renowned coach Mike Valle.

Tickets for “COPA COMBATE” at Grand Oasis Cancun are on sale at SmarTicket.

“COPA COMBATE” takes place on the 24th anniversary of McLaren’s now legendary UFC 1 event that he executive produced as the co-founder of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  The storied event set off a combat sports revolution, and changed the martial arts fight world forever.

The live Telemundo broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” marks the first time in history that NBCU’s leading Spanish language television network will air MMA fight programming, and will cover the tournament’s two semifinal stage bouts and championship stage showdown as well as a previously women’s strawweight (115 pounds0 co-main event between Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) of Mexico City and Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (4-2) of Santiago, Chile.

A lottery ball drawing to determine the “COPA COMBATE” tournament quarterfinal stage matchups will be held onThursday, Nov. 2.  The eight tournament competitors are as follows:

  • John “Sexi Mexi” Castaneda (14-2) of Mankato, Minn.
  • Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (12-4) of Cordoba, Argentina
  • Carlos “Lobo” Rivera (10-2) of Mexico City, Mexico
  • Mikey “El Terrible” Erosa (12-5) of San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Marc “Lufo” Gomez (20-10) of Barcelona, Spain
  • Andres “Doble A” Ayala (11-4) of Bogota, Colombia
  • Kevin “El Frio” Moreyra (4-1) of Lima, Peru
  • Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (9-1) of Mission, Texas

The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com, along with the tournament alternate bouts and the women’s preliminary bout.

Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of sports content in Spanish in the United States, is home to two of the world’s most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams’ away matches and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to “Boxeo Telemundo Ford,” the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and “Titulares y Más,” the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.

COMBATE AMERICAS AND TELEMUNDO DEPORTES ANNOUNCE HISTORIC, LIVE MMA BROADCAST OF $100,000 GRAND PRIZE “COPA COMBATE” TOURNAMENT ON SATURDAY, NOV. 11 FROM CANCUN, MEXICO

Telemundo and Combate Americas have announced a historic partnership for the broadcast television network’s first-ever live MMA event with “Copa Combate,” the one-night, eight-man, $100,000 grand prize tournament in Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

(Pictured from left to right below): Tournament fighter Mikey Erosa of San Juan, Puerto Rico; multi-time WWE Heavyweight Champion and Combate Americas talent Alberto Del Rio; tournament fighter Marcelo Rojo of Cordoba, Argentina; tournament fighter John Castaneda of Mankato, Minn; Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren; Telemundo Deportes President Ray Warren; tournament fighter Carlos Rivera of Mexico City, Mexico; tournament fighter Ricky Palacios of Mission, Texas; and tournament fighter Marc Gomez of Barcelona, Spain

One night, eight-man tournament takes place on the 24th anniversary of UFC 1, pitting the most fearsome competitors from the
U.S., Latin America and Spain against each other in
high stakes showdown

All eight tournament fighters announced

MIAMI – October 5, 2017Combate Americas and Telemundo Deportes announced, at a news conference in the Wynwood district of Miami, a landmark partnership to produce the first-ever Telemundo broadcast of a live Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event with “COPA COMBATE,” the epic, one-night, eight-man tournament, the winner of which will have persevered through three bouts in one night to take home a $100,000 grand prize. The event will take place onNovember 11 at 11:30 p.m. ET/ 8:30 p.m. PT, live from Cancun, Mexico.

The historic, 90-minute live broadcast on Telemundo will coincide with the 24thanniversary of the now legendary UFC 1, which was executive produced by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder and Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, and which was also headlined by a one-night, eight-man tournament.

“We are incredibly excited to partner with Telemundo Deportes and to bring back to life, live on Telemundo, the leading U.S. broadcast television network, the most thrilling format for competitive fighting that was responsible for changing the combat sports world forever when I introduced the UFC in 1993,” said McLaren.

“Telemundo Deportes is committed to continue expanding its portfolio of sports events, and we are thrilled to partner with Combate Americas to bring this unique MMA tournament to millions of Hispanic viewers,” said Ray Warren, President of Telemundo Deportes. “Copa Combate is a tournament created for our core audience featuring an exciting format and a diverse group of Hispanic competitors, and we look forward to an historic broadcast.”

“COPA COMBATE” will assemble a collection of the most fearsome stars in MMA’s bantamweight (135 pounds) division, hailing from the U.S., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru, and will see them battle in La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, over the course of three tournament stages – quarterfinal, semifinal and championship – before the eventual winner is crowned.

The event marks the first time in history that fighters will represent their respective countries on a quest to win the inaugural ‘Copa.’

Joining the previously announced John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (14-2) of Mankato, Minn. in the tournament field, will be the highest ranked bantamweight fighters in their respective countries:

  • Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (12-4) of Cordoba, Argentina
  • Carlos “Lobo” Rivera (10-2) of Mexico City, Mexico
  • Mikey “El Terrible” Erosa (12-5) of San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Marc “Lufo” Gomez (20-10) of Barcelona, Spain
  • Andres “Doble A” Ayala (11-4) of Bogota, Colombia
  • Kevin “El Frio” Moreyra (4-1) of Lima, Peru

Filling the eighth spot in the tournament field will be wild card entry, Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (9-1) of Mission, Texas.

Palacios, a 30-year-old knockout artist, is riding a six-fight win streak, and is tied with Castaneda for the most wins – six – held under the Combate Americas promotional umbrella.  In his last two starts, Palacios earned decisions over UFC veterans Roman Salazar and Chris Avila, respectively.

The eight competitors will be separated into four tournament brackets, with the top four fighters given seeded positions based on their worldwide rankings.

Quarterfinal stage opponents for the four fighters will be determined based on a lottery ball drawing that will take place on a date to be announced.

Telemundo’s live broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the tournament’s semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage bouts in each tournament bracket against one another. The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com.

Telemundo Deportes, one of the leading providers of sports content in Spanish in the United States, is home to two of the world’s most popular sporting events: the FIFA World Cup™ through 2026 and the Summer Olympic Games through 2032. In addition, Telemundo Deportes broadcasts the FIFA World Cup™ CONCACAF qualifying matches for most of the region, including the Mexico and USA national teams’ away matches and the Premier League. Telemundo Deportes is also home to “Boxeo Telemundo Ford,” the #1 boxing program in Spanish, and “Titulares y Más,” the #1 sports news, entertainment and commentary show in Spanish, among other recognized sports properties.
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COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS FIVE NEW BOUTS TO STACKED “COMBATE CLÁSICO” LINE UP IN MIAMI ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

Combate Americas superstar Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (right) returns to action at “Combate Clascio” at Mana Wynwood in Miami on July 27.  Palacios will face his biggest test to date in Nate Diaz protege Chris Avila. Photo credit: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas LLC

COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS FIVE NEW BOUTS TO STACKED “COMBATE CLÁSICO” LINE UP IN MIAMI ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios returns for a featherweight showdown
opposite Chris Avila

Plus:
Bantamweight: Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo vs. Billy Molina
Featherweight: Alberto Montes vs. Jonathan Quiroz
Bantamweight: Irvin “The Beast” Rivera vs. Chino Duran
Bantamweight: Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet vs. Vinney “The Instigator” Pantaleon

NEW YORKJuly 11, 2017 – Combate Americas and Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures, today announced five new marquee bouts to its upcoming “Combate Clásico” professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event in Miami, Fla., on Thursday, July 27.

Making his return to the Combate Americas cage La Jaula is top-ranked bantamweight (135 pounds) star Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (8-1), who will move up to the featherweight (145 pounds) division for the second time in his Combate Americas career to face his toughest test to date – two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran and Nate Diaz protégé, Chris Avila (5-4) of Stockton, Calif.

“This is shaping up to be our most stellar fight card, from top to bottom, to date. With the matchup between Ricky Palacios and Chris Avila, we are destined for another memorable night of electrifying action in La Jaula,” Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren said.

Fresh off his triumphant victory over another former UFC star Roman “El Gallito” Salazar at Combate 13 on April 20, the hard-hitting 30-year-old Palacios of Mission, Texas, also an unbeaten professional boxer, looks to extend his five-fight winning streak.

The 24-year-old Avila of the famed Cesar Gracie Fight Team makes his debut in La Jaula following a pair of hard-fought decisions under the UFC.

In bantamweight action, the red-hot Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (11-4) aims for his fourth consecutive win and second straight inside La Jaula following his blistering, technical knockout win over Ivan Hernandez “Brasil” Flores at Combate 12 last March in Tijuana, Mexico.

The 29-year-old Argentinian will be paired off against Puerto Rican sensation Billy Molina (5-3), 30, making his Combate Americas debut after last month’s return to action in Bayamon.

Joining the featherweight (145 pounds) division for “Combate Clásico” is undefeated Venezuelan finisher Alberto Montes (3-0). Fighting out of the MMA Masters gym in Miami, the 23-year-old prospect locks horns with 30-year-old Combate Americas veteran Jonathan Quiroz (2-2) of Long Beach, Calif.

Grizzled veteran Irvin “The Beast” Rivera (5-3), best known for his thrilling, back-and-forth wars with Jose “Ghost” Ceja, looks to get back to his winning ways at the expense of prolific bantamweight wrestler Chino Duran (8-9), who makes his return to Combate Americas after a torrid run on the Florida MMA circuit.

Rounding out the newest additions to “Combate Clásico” is 24-year-old Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (4-1), coming off consecutive wins in La Jaula and ready to make a run at the top of the bantamweight division by tangling with Florida’s own Vinney “The Instigator” Pantaleon (1-1).

Tickets for “Combate Clásico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com. Additional bouts will be announced in the coming days.

The “Combate Clásico” live MMA event will join a nearly week-long extravaganza that begins with a match between marquee soccer clubs Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain at Hard Rock Stadium on July 26 as well as concerts, parties and other interactive events prior to El Clásico Miami on July 29.

For more information on El Clásico Miami fans can visit elclasicomiami.com and internationalchampionscup.com.

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COMBATE AMERICAS COMPLETES STACKED, 10-BOUT FIGHT CARD FOR TUCSON, ARIZONA

LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA AND ESPN LATIN AMERICA
ON THURSDAY, APRIL 20

Undefeated welterweights Daniel Rodriguez and Joel Champion face off

Unbeaten Alesha Zappitella faces Stephanie Alba
 in women’s atomweight matchup

Tickets for “Combate 13” on sale now
NEW YORK – April 6, 2017 – Combate Americas announced today the completion of a stacked, 10-fight lineup for its “Combate 13” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event at Casino Del Sol in Tucson, Ariz. on Thursday, April 20, live on Azteca America and ESPN Latin America (10 p.m. ET).

Among the matchups added to finalize the card are a welterweight (170 pounds) showdown between a pair of undefeated, rising stars in Daniel Rodriguez (3-0) and Joel Champion (4-0), neither of whom have been taken the distance of a fight yet, as well as a women’s atomweight (105 pounds) contest between unbeaten sensation Alesha “Half Pint” Zappitella (2-0) and hard-nosed battler Stephanie “The Cyclone” Alba (3-1).

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of “Combate 13,” accomplished veteran Roman “El Gallito” Salazar (10-5-1) of Scottsdale, Ariz. will collide with knockout artist Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (7-1) of Mission, Texas.

“We have a fantastic lineup of fights assembled, and we are excited about bringing the Combate Americas live television series to Arizona for the first time ever,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

Priced from $20, tickets for “Combate 13” are on sale at the Casino Del Sol box office (1-855-765-7829).

The 6-foot-1, 29-year-old Rodriguez, who recently signed an exclusive, multi-fight contract with Combate Americas, has notched all three of his professional wins to date inside of two rounds.  In his last effort on January 21, the Alhambra, Calif. resident scored a second round (3:55) TKO (punches) on Christian Gonzalez.

Also 6-foot-1 and 29 years of age, Champion of Tucson has not been pushed past the second round of a fight yet.  In his last start on October 1, 2016, he scored a first round (4:13) knockout on Chris Collins.

Zappitella is a 4-foot-11, 22-year-old resident of Brighton, Michigan and decorated amateur wrestler, who is coming off an extraordinary victory in Sanya, China on February 25 where she submitted Miao Ding with an arm-triangle choke in the second round of a matchup contested at flyweight (125 pounds), two weight classes above Zappitella’s natural fighting weight.

The 4-foot-11, 34-year-old Alba of Houston, Texas will look to return to the win column after suffering a split decision defeat at the hands of old rival Paulina “Firefox” Granados at “Combate 5” last May 9.  Prior to the loss, Alba had gone unbeaten in her campaign as a professional.

In other action, Victor “Kelevra” Reyna (8-3) will meet Andy “Golden Boy” Perez (7-3) at welterweight.

The 5-foot-11, 30-year-old Reyna of Dallas, Texas has earned six of his eight professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission, while Perez of Tucson, a 5-foot-9, 28-year-old, is looking to record his second straight victory after notching a first round (2:16) submission (rear-naked choke) win over Anthony Wray on October 1, 2016.

Originally slated to face Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-2) of Palm Beach, Fla., Randy Steinke (17-10) of Payson, Ariz. will now square off with Urijah Faber-protégé Erick Sanchez (7-3) of Sacramento, Calif., while Rivera will do battle with unbeaten Kevin “Quicksand” Natividad (2-0) of Phoenix, Ariz.

The 5-foot-10, 26-year-old Sanchez is looking to bounce back quickly from a unanimous decision defeat at the hands of Andres “The Bullet” Quintana at Combate 11 on February 16.  Prior to the loss, the Team Alpha Male member held an unblemished, 2-0 record in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage.

Originally from Hawaii, the 24-year-old Natividad owns two, first-round victories – a submission (rear-naked choke) of Josue Rodriguez at the 3:04 mark of the first frame in what was Natividad’s pro debut on November 19, 2016, and a TKO (punches) of Jesse Ortiz that came at the 2:52 mark of the opening round of action on January 28.

Natividad turned professional after amassing a perfect amateur record of 6-0.  Five of his amateur victories came by way of TKO or submission.

The “Combate 13” preliminary bout card will also feature two flyweight matchups – the first between Arturo Guzman (0-1) of Tucson and Robert Caspar (0-0) of Copperas Grove, Texas, and the second between Justin Rascon (2-1) of Tucson and Jose Palencia, Jr. (1-1) of Tempe, Ariz.

To location what station Azteca America airs on in your market, you can log onto the network’s channel finder.

In addition to Azteca America and ESPN Latin America, “Combate13” will air on TV Azteca in Mexico the following night, Friday, April 21, at 11 p.m. CT.  It will be distributed by UFC Fight Pass® as a video on demand.

Complete “Combate Americas: Combate 13” Fight Card

Bantamweight Main Event:
Roman Salazar vs. Ricky Palacios

Middleweight Co-Main Event:
Kobe Ortiz vs. Eddie Arizmendi

Bantamweight:  Irwin Rivera vs. Kevin Natividad
Welterweight: Benny Madrid vs. Chad Dietmeyer
Welterweight: Daniel Rodriguez vs. Joel Champion
Atomweight:  Alesha Zappitella vs. Stephanie Alba
Featherweight:  Erick Sanchez vs. Randy Steinke
Welterweight: Victor Reyna vs. Andy Perez
Flyweight:  Justin Rascon vs. Jose, Palencia, Jr.
Flyweight: Arturo Guzman vs. Robert Caspar
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COMBATE AMERICAS HITS CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA ON THURSDAY, APRIL 20

LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA

BANTAMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
ROMAN “EL GALLITO” SALAZAR VS. RICKY “EL GALLERO” PALACIOS
Middleweight Co-Main Event:
Kobe “The Stunna” Ortiz vs. Eddie “Crazy Face” Arizmendi
Plus:
Welterweight: Benny Madrid vs. Chad Dietmeyer

Bantamweight: Randy Steinke vs. Irwin Rivera

Tickets for “Combate13” on sale now

NEW YORK – April 3, 2017 – Combate Americas announced today that it will bring its live Azteca America (10 p.m. ET) television event series to Tucson, Ariz. for the first-time ever on Thursday, April 20 with a stacked, 11-bout card at Casino Del Sol, headlined by a bantamweight (135 pounds) showdown between accomplished veteran Roman “El Gallito” Salazar (10-5-1) and knockout artist Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (7-1).

The event, “Combate13,” will also be distributed live on ESPN Latin America and by UFC Fight Pass® as a video on demand.  It will air on TV Azteca in Mexico, the following night, Friday, April 21, at 11 p.m. CT.

In the co-main event, prolific finishers and Tucson rivals Kobe “The Stunna” Ortiz (15-5) and Eddie “Crazy Face” Arizmendi (17-7) will collide in a middleweight (185 pounds) contest.

Priced from $20, tickets for “Combate13” are on sale at the Casino Del Sol box office (1-855-765-7829).

“We are excited to be bringing our live television series to a new market that has a reputation for being a great fight town filled with passionate fans and decorated combat sports athletes,” said Combate Americas President Alberto Rodriguez.

Also slated for action, Benny “El Hijo” Madrid (9-3) will take on Chad Dietmeyer (8-1) in a welterweight (170 pounds) battle, and submission expert Randy Steinke (17-10-1) will face off with aggressive-minded, Blackzilians camp member Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-2) in another bantamweight contest.

Additional matchups will be announced soon.

Roman Salazar vs. Ricky Palacios

The 5-foot-7, 29-year-old Salazar of Scottsdale, Ariz. is a three-time Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC) veteran who will make his first start of 2017, and his first-ever in La Jaula.

In his last effort at WFF 32 on November 19, 2016, Salazar defeated Gilberto Aguilar by way of unanimous decision.

Also 29 years of age, the 5-foot-6 Palacios of Mission, Texas will put on the line a four-fight win streak that includes back-to-back finishes – a second round (3:14), one-punch knockout of Carlos Ricardo Diaz on June 12, 2015, and a stunning, first round (1:00) head kick knockout of Benji Gomez at “Combate2” on Sept. 17, 2015 – as well as a “Fight of the Month” nominated, unanimous decision conquest of Brandon Royval at “Combate7” on May 9, 2016.

Also unbeaten (2-0-1) as a professional boxer, Palacios has earned 5 of his 7 professional MMA career wins by way of (T)KO.

Kobe Ortiz vs. Eddie Arizmendi

The 6-foot, 35-year-old Ortiz is riding a two-fight win streak after producing back-to-back stoppages in his last two appearances – a third round (4:45) TKO (punches) of Dano Moore on October 3, 2015, and a third round (:24) TKO (punches) of Brendan Tierney on March 20, 2016.

Ortiz has notched 12 of his 15 career wins by way of (T)KO or submission.

Arizmendi is an 11-year veteran of the sport, and winner of his last two matchups.  On October 3, 2015, he forced Brendan Tierney to retire after the second round (5:00) of action and, on March 5, 2016, he took a unanimous decision from Nick Salantri.

Benny Madrid vs. Chad Dietmeyer

Fighting out of Phoenix, Ariz., the 5-foot-10, 36-year-old Madrid has earned 8 of his 9 professional career victories by way of (T)KO or submission.

Madrid will step into La Jaula after back-to-back, first round wins – a submission (rear-naked choke) of Jeff Fletcher that came at the 1:26 mark of the opening round on September 18, 2015, and a knockout of Roberto Leon that occurred at the 1:10 mark of the first stanza of their matchup.

Dietmeyer is coming off a four-year layoff from competition.  In his last start on March 30, 2012, he faced his toughest test to date in UFC and DREAM veteran Antonio McKee, taking McKee the distance of their fight before finding himself on the losing end of a unanimous decision.

Randy Steinke vs. Irwin Rivera

The 5-foot-9, 31-year-old Steinke of Payson, Ariz. will enter La Jaula for the first time after scoring back-to-back, first round submissions over just a two-week span, on Ray Robinson and Guillermo Pena on October 1, 2016 and October 15, 2016, respectively.

Rivera is a 5-foot-6, 28-year-old native of Windsor, New York who relocated to South Florida to join the famed Blackzilians camp.  To date, three of his five career wins have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

COMBATE AMERICAS ACTION HEATS UP WITH WEEKLY MMA FIGHT SERIES ON NBC UNIVERSO, BEGINNING MONDAY, APRIL 18

THIRTY FIGHTS IN THIRTY DAYS!

NEW YORK – March 28, 2015 – Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, today announced the return of its epic, action-packed “Road To the Championship” fight series to NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, with a weekly, one-hour program, beginning Monday, April 18, at 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT, from Los Angeles, Calif.

A total of 30 bouts featuring the most fearsome, emerging Hispanic MMA fighters, including Imagen Award-winning Combate Americas reality series contestant and professional boxer Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (5-1 MMA, 2-0-1 boxing), Urijah Faber protégé Erick Sanchez (6-2), John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (9-2) and women’s atomweight standout and Eddie Bravo pupil Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (4-3), will unfold over the course of a 30-day period.

“We are thrilled to be featured in a new, weekly slot that will allow us to continuously showcase the best and most exciting young Hispanic fighters and future world champions” said McLaren.

“Since we launched our franchise,” continued McLaren, “NBC Universo has played an instrumental part in helping Combate Americas engage a national Hispanic audience, so we look forward to returning to their incredible platform, and entertaining and inspiring new and existing MMA fans throughout the U.S.

“Combate Americas is a great place for fighters of Latin backgrounds to shine in front of martial arts fans”, said Bilai Joa Silar, Senior Vice President of Programming and Production at NBC Universo. “It’s very exciting to have another season of Combate Americas on NBC Universo. We’re sure our audience will be thrilled with each fight scheduled since they will all feature top notch fighters.”

Additional participating fighters and matchups will be announced soon, as will the Los Angeles location for the kick-off event and host venues for subsequent events.

The first weekly show on April 18 will mark the third event in the “Road To The Championship” series.  Following the sixth event in the series, which kicked off on September 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nev., the most successful competitors in each weight class will be placed in the first Combate Americas world championship bouts in history.

COMBATE AMERICAS HITS HOLLYWOOD!

First U.S. Hispanic MMA franchise brings live televised
“Road To The Championship” fight series to Los Angeles on Wednesday, Dec. 16

“Sexy Mexy” faces “Kiko” Lopez in bantamweight main event
Ricky Palacios battles Anthony Paredes in bantamweight co-main event

Kyra Batara squares off with Liz McCarthy in women’s atomweight action

Live, four-fight NBC UNIVERSO telecast begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT

Tickets on sale now

NEW YORK – December 1, 2015 – Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, today announced that it will make its debut in Los Angeles, Calif. with a stellar, nine-bout fight card at Florentine Gardens, live on NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

“This event represents Combate Americas coming of age, and presenting a lineup that is second to none with a collection of the brightest up-and-coming Hispanic fighters in the U.S.,” said McLaren.

Priced from $40, tickets for “Premier Insurance Services and Aspira Mas Present Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood,” are on sale atwww.HollywoodFightNight.com.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event of the live, four-fight telecast on NBC Universo, John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda, fresh off his victory at the inaugural “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Nev. on September 17, will square off with fellow striking sensation Federico “Kiko” Lopez.

The 23-year-old Castaneda (8-2), a seasoned striker who hails from Mankato, Minn., earned his third consecutive victory in the form of a unanimous decision over Justin Governale in the Combate Americas cage.

A 31-year-old member of Team Quest, Lopez (10-5) of Murrieta, Calif. is riding a five fight win streak, with four of those victories having come by way of either (T)KO or submission.

In the bantamweight co-main event, Combate Americas reality television series star and power puncher Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios will square off with dangerous scrapper Anthony Paredes of Murrieta.

Palacios (5-1), a 28-year-old resident of Mission, Texas who also boasts an unblemished professional boxing record of 2-0-1, scored a thunderous, first round (1:00) KO on Benji Gomez with a head kick at the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event on September 17, while the 26-year-old Paredes, another member of Team Quest, is looking to return to the win column after suffering a loss in July that snapped a two-fight win streak.

In a featured women’s atomweight (105 pounds) attraction on the live telecast,Kyra “Mogwai” Batara will collide with “Lightning Liz McCarthy.

Fighting out of Las Vegas, Batara (3-3) is a 21-year-old protégé of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guru Eddie Bravo.  During the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event in Las Vegas, Batara pulled off a stunning upset win via unanimous decision over Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, a former world championship challenger with five times as many professional bouts as Batara.

The 29-year-old McCarthy (2-3), also fighting out of Las Vegas, is a four-time veteran of Invicta FC, the world’s premier all-women’s MMA league.   Prior to her professional debut at Invicta FC 2 where she defeated Jessica Philippus by way of first round (5:00) TKO (doctor stoppage) on July 28, 2012, McCarthy amassed a perfect, 6-0 record as an amateur.

The live NBC UNIVERSO telecast will kick off with a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup between Urijah Faber protégé and prolific finisher Erick Sanchez (5-2) of Sacramento, Calif. and fellow rising star “Ruthless” Rudy Morales (3-3) of Las Vegas.

The complete, five-bout preliminary card for “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship Hollywood” will be announced soon.

Doors at Florentine Gardens open at 5 p.m. PT for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.

COMBATE AMERICAS AND NBC UNIVERSO KICK OFF ALL-NEW MMA FIGHT SERIES  “ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP” LIVE ON THUR., SEPT. 17  FROM LAS VEGAS

NBC UNIVERSO to Feature Combate Americas’
Most Bad-Ass Latino MMA Fighters

Main Event: Ramiro “Junior” Hernandez vs. Max Ceniceros 
Also in action: Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, Ozzie Alvarez,
John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda and
reality TV stars Ricky Palacios and JC Llamas

NEW YORK – August 26, 2015 – Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, and NBC UNIVERSO, the modern sports and entertainment cable channel for Latinos, today announced the kick-off of “Road To The Championship,” an all-new, multi-year MMA fight series that will air live on NBC UNIVERSO. The first live event in the Combate Americas series will air on Thursday, September 17 at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. from The D in Las Vegas, Nev., just in time for the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Combate Americas is the groundbreaking, live MMA fight series created specifically for U.S. Hispanics who are passionate about the artistry and action of the sport. Fans can tune into NBC UNIVERSO to watch these modern day gladiators enter the cage to compete for a chance at glory.

The Combate Americas live fight series schedule on NBC UNIVERSO includes:

  • Thurs., Sept. 17, 2015 at 11p ET / 8p PT
  • Thurs., Nov. 19, 2015 at 11p ET / 8p PT
  • In 2016, four additional dates TBD

“We are excited to expand our relationship with NBC UNIVERSO, and look forward to delivering action-packed fight cards featuring some of the best Latino fighters on the planet,” said McLaren, who created Combate Americas two years ago to serve the fastest-growing U.S. demographic – Hispanic millennials.

“NBC UNIVERSO’s partnership with Combate Americas’delivers on our promise to provide our Latino viewers rousing and edgy entertainment and the biggest events,” said Rubén Mendiola, President, NBC UNIVERSO.

The Combate Americas fight series comes one-year after Combate Americas – the competition reality series, made history by becoming the first fight-themed program ever to win a major television award – “Best Variety or Reality Series,” at last year’s 29th Annual Imagen Awards. The Combate Americas reality show aired on NBC UNIVERSO (formerly mun2) and was a fan favorite among U.S. Hispanic viewers.

In the main event of the live NBC Universo telecast of the Combate Americas kick-off event on Thur., Sept. 17, two-time UFC veteran and Miletich Fighting Systems prodigy Ramiro “Junior” Hernandez (17-7) of Muscatine, Iowa will square-off with hard-hitting KO artist Max Ceniceros (7-2) of La Mirada, Calif. in a featherweight (145 lbs.) main event showdown. Ceniceros is seeking his seventh consecutive victory, after finishing four of his last six opponents by way of (T)KO or submission.

Also on the fight card that night will be Combate Americas reality series stars J.C. Llamas (5-5) and Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (3-1), who will make their respective second starts in the Combate Americas cage.

The runner-up in the reality series competition, Llamas of Bakersfield, Calif., will square-off against aggressive-minded finisher Ozzie “The Outlaw” Alvarez (6-2) of Brea, Calif. in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest. Palacios of Mission, TX will face Benji “The Brawler” Gomez (4-4) of Ventura, Calif. in a bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup.

In a featured women’s strawweight (115 pounds) bout, Invicta FC veteran Nicdali “The Night Queen” Rivera-Calanoc (8-8) of Tulsa, Okla. will collide with power puncher Katy “Red Dragon” Collins (2-1) of Branson, Mo.

Additional fights, including a complete preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
# # #

ABOUT COMBATE AMERICAS
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts.  The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming.  The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.”  With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.

About NBC UNIVERSO:
NBC UNIVERSO (www.nbcuniverso.com) is a modern sports and entertainment cable channel for Latinos, bringing the world’s top sports franchises and edgy programming to more than 40 million households in the U.S. As one of the most widely available modern cable channels for U.S. Latinos, NBC UNIVERSO delivers a thrilling mix of exclusive sports action – including FIFA World Cup™, Liga MX, Premier League, NASCAR Mexico Series, NFL and The 2016 Rio Olympics – along with signature series, blockbuster movies, music, must-see live events and strategic acquisitions, on TV, online and mobile devices. NBC UNIVERSO is part of Hispanic Enterprises and Content, a division of NBCUniversal (www.nbcuniversal.com), one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (www.comcastcorporation.com). To find the NBC UNIVERSO channel number in your area, please visit www.nbcuniverso.com/encuentralo.