Category Archives: Combate Americas

Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR, LIVE TELEVISION EVENT PARTNERSHIP WITH FAST-GROWING LEISURE OPERATOR HYBRID ONE IN REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA

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Partnership kicks off with explosive, nine-bout MMA fight card for
Mexican Independence Day from The Amphitheater at Splash Kingdom on Friday, Sept 15

Tickets for “Combate Americas: El Grito en La Jaula” on sale at Ticketon.com

NEW YORK – August 29, 2017 – Combate Americas announced today that it has partnered with Southern California-based leisure operator Hybrid One to produce multiple, live televised Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events in California’s Inland Empire, beginning with a nine-bout fight card for Mexican Independence Day, at The Amphitheater at Splash Kingdom Waterpark in Redlands on Friday, Sept. 15.

“Combate Americas: El Grito en La Jaula,” the event that kicks off the partnership, will air live on Azteca America in the U.S. and on ESPN Latin America at 10 p.m. ET, and will be headlined by a featherweight (145 pounds) matchup between ferocious, 26-year-old rising star Jose “Froggy” Estrada(3-1) of Oxnard, Calif. and gritty battler Izic “Lionheart” Fernandez (2-3) of Santa Ana, Calif.

In the women’s atomweight (105 pounds) co-main event, former Eddie Bravo protégé Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (6-4) of Las Vegas, Nev., fresh off her second-round submission victory over 12-time Spanish National Judo Champion Vanesa Rico, will make a quick return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, where the 22-year-old will face off with Jenna Serio (3-2) of New York, N.Y.

Priced from $40, tickets for “Combate Americas: El Grito en La Jaula” are on sale at Ticketon.com.

“We are excited to partner with Hybrid One, and continue the rapid expansion of our live event series to yet another market in Southern California, beginning with a phenomenal fight card in honor of Mexican Independence Day,” said Combate Americas CEO and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder Campbell McLaren.

“We acquired Splash Kingdom in April of this year with the vision of transforming it into the Inland Empire’s leading entertainment destination.  Today’s partnership with Combate Americas represents a significant step toward realizing that vision,” said Hybrid One co-founder and co-owner Ryan Sauter.

Following the kick-off event on Sept. 15, Combate Americas expects to return to the Redlands venue in December.

A second women’s atomweight matchup at “Combate Americas: El Grito en La Jaula” will pit two professional debut competitors – Brenda Enriquez (0-0) of Salt Lake City, Utah against Shyann Farmer (0-0) Alamogordo, N.M.

The 28-year-old Enriquez is coming off a stellar amateur career during which she amassed a 7-1 record, with 6 of her victories coming by way of either (T)KO or submission.

Farmer is a 24-year-old upstart who collected an amateur record of 4-1.

Elsewhere on the fight card, undefeated, emerging star Rafael “Gifted” Garcia (4-0) of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico will make his second start in La Jaula and face off with three-time Combate Americas veteran Marcos “El Matador” Bonilla (4-4) of Los Angeles, Calif. in a featherweight contest.

In a battle between unbeaten lightweights (155 pounds) Javier “Habanero” Garcia (2-0) of Covina, Calif. will take on Guillermo Gonzalez (3-0) of San Bernardino, Calif.

Fresh off his first-round submission victory at Combate Americas on May 5, Ralph “The Spyder Monkey” Acosta (17-12) of Riverside, Calif. will collide with Cub Swanson student Gareth De La Cruz (6-1) of Palm Springs, Calif.

Doors at The Amphitheater at Splash Kingdom Waterpark open at 6 p.m.  The first bout will begin at 6:30 p.m.

COMPLETE “COMBATE AMERICAS: EL GRITO EN LA JAULA” FIGHT CARD

Featherweight Main Event (Live on Azteca America and ESPN Latin America):
Jose Estrada vs. Izic Fernandez

Atomweight Co-Main Event (Live on Azteca America and ESPN Latin America):
Kyra Batara vs. Jenna Serio

Preliminary Card:
Featherweight:  Rafael Garcia vs. Marcos Bonilla
Lightweight:  Javier Garcia vs. Guillermo Gonzalez
Atomweight:  Brenda Enriquez vs. Shyann Farmer
Flyweight:  Ralph Acosta vs. Gareth De La Cruz
Flyweight:  Isaac Camarillo vs. Heber Castillo
Catchweight (140 pounds): Angel Gonzalez vs. Julio Aguilera
Middleweight: Santiago Diaz vs. Alex Thompson
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

Retired Women’s MMA Star Named Combate Americas Fight Director

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Retired, former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world champion Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc has been appointed Combate Americas Fight Director.  Photo credit: Fred Siegel/Combate Americas, LLC

COMBATE AMERICAS NAMES
NICDALI RIVERA-CALANOC
FIGHT DIRECTOR

Former MMA world champion becomes the first Mexican American woman In history to lead matchmaking efforts for a combat sports franchise

NEW YORK – July 13, 2017 – Combate Americas has named retired, former women’s Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) world champion Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc, a Fight Director for the Hispanic sports and media franchise.

The appointment makes Rivera-Calanoc the first Mexican American woman in history to be charged with leading recruitment and matchmaking efforts for a combat sports organization.

Based in Las Vegas, Nev., Rivera-Calanoc, a training partner of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) world champion Miesha Tate, will be responsible for managing the rapidly expanding field of women athletes that compete for the Combate Americas live television event series, both in the U.S., and internationally in Latin America.

She will also participate in the recruiting and matchmaking processes for the Combate Americas men’s division.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc to our fast-growing and robust team of executives,” said Combate Americas CEO and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder Campbell McLaren.

“Throughout her involvement in the sport,” continued McLaren, “Nicdali has been the consummate professional both in and out of competition, and we are confident that her vast experience as a professional athlete, will be a conduit to success working with the new generation of the sport that Combate Americas is investing in.”

Rivera-Calanoc has made history with Combate Americas twice before, competing in both the franchise’s first-ever, live televised U.S. event in Las Vegas in 2015, as well as its first live televised event in Mexico last January with Tate in her corner.

A 10-year veteran of professional MMA competition, Rivera-Calanoc was ranked amongst the top 10 fighters in the world in three different weight classes – flyweight (125 pounds), strawweight (115 pounds) and atomweight (105 pounds) – at three different points in her career.

On August 23, 2008, Rivera-Calanoc was crowned a world champion after defeating Shawn Tamaribuchi by way of unanimous decision in a flyweight contest in Shawnee, Okla.

Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Rivera-Calanoc immigrated to the U.S. at age 5 with her family, and was raised in Tulsa, Okla.  She returned to her roots in Chihuahua annually until her latter teenage years.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

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

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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 YORK – July 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.

# # #
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ADDS KYRA BATARA VS. VANESA RICO ATOMWEIGHT GRUDGE MATCH TO “COMBATE CLÁSICO” ON JULY 27 IN MIAMI

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Tickets for “Combate Clásico” on sale now

NEW YORK – July 6, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced the highly-anticipated atomweight (105 pounds) showdown pitting grappling sensation Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (5-4) against Judo black belt Vanesa Rico (2-2) at the upcoming “Combate Clásico” 10-bout professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event in Miami, Fla., on Thursday, July 27, televised live on Azteca America and ESPN LATAM.

Tickets for “Combate Clásico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com.

Nearly six months after failing to make weight for her Combate 11 main event, the 22-year-old Batara (5-4) of Las Vegas, Nev., a protégé of jiu-jitsu legend Eddie Bravo, will risk her undefeated record in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, at Miami’s Mana Wynwood venue, following a bitter rivalry that continues to intensify on social media.

“It’s no secret there’s bad blood between us and I am excited to ‘bring the heat’ to Miami and ignite a ‘Fight of the Night’ performance on such a grand stage,” Batara said. “Being from Las Vegas, I don’t like to gamble, but if there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.”

Making her U.S. debut, the 36-year-old Rico (2-2) of Alicante, Spain, holds a second-degree black belt in Judo and is a 13-year member of the Spanish national Judo team and former national freestyle wrestling champion. Her two professional MMA career victories to date both came by way of submission.

“I was really looking forward to fighting for Combate in February but unfortunately, Kyra robbed me of that chance with her unprofessional behavior by missing weight,” Rico said. “I hope that Kyra comes ready this time because I am very motivated to show the world who I am. I’ve waited so long now to get in the cage at Combate, it’s my time!”

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.

The event will air live in the U.S. on Azteca America and live on ESPN LATAM in Latin America at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.  It will also air the following night, Friday, July 28 on TV Azteca in Mexico. Additional matchups for “Combate Clásico” will be announced soon.

For more information on El Clásico Miami fans can visit elclasicomiami.com and internationalchampionscup.com.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

RELEVENT SPORTS AND COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCE GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP FOR “COMBATE CLASICO” ON THURSDAY, JULY 27

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FIGHTERS FROM BARCELONA AND MADRID FACE OFF IN A
LIVE MMA TELEVISION EXTRAVAGANZA
TWO DAYS BEFORE FC BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID
FACE OFF IN EL CLASICO MIAMI

Tickets for “Combate Clasico” on sale now

NEW YORK – June 2, 2017 – Relevent Sports, a division of RSE Ventures, and Combate Americas today announced a groundbreaking partnership to produce “Combate Clasico,” a spectacular, world-class Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) live television event in Miami, Fla. on Thursday, July 27.

Tickets for “Combate Clasico” are on sale online at Ticketon.com.

In the main event of a 10-bout affair that takes place at Mana Wynwood, the two premier, pound-for-pound fighters from rival cities in Spain – Abner “Skullman” Lloveras (20-9-1) of Barcelona and Javier Fuentes (9-4) of Madrid – will face off two days before the El Clasico Miami, a meeting between global soccer powers Real Madrid and FC Barcelona at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.  The match, which marks the clubs’ first meeting in North America and the first outside of Spain since 1982, is part of the International Champions Cup presented by Heineken.

The “Combate Clasico” live MMA event will be part of a nearly week-long extravaganza that will begin 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 Clasico Miami on July 29.

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

“Relevent Sports is thrilled to partner with Combate Americas,” said Relevent Sports Chairman Charlie Stillitano.  “Combate Clasico promises to be another must-see event in the lead up to El Clasico Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.”

“We are excited to be working with Relevent Sports and the International Champions Cup to bring the Combate Americas brand of electrifying, professional Hispanic MMA action to Miami,” said Combate Americas CEO and UFC co-founder Campbell McLaren.  “This promises to be a phenomenal week of live sports and music, culminating in a historic showdown between the world’s two biggest soccer powerhouses.”

The event will air live in the U.S. on Azteca America at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.  It will also air the following night, Friday, July 28 on TV Azteca in Mexico.

The pride of Barcelona, the 34-year-old Lloveras is a 2010 Spanish Olympic boxing tournament Gold Medalist and three-time national boxing champion.  In 2015, Lloveras, who holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter:  Team McGregor vs. Team Faber reality television series on Fox Sports 1.

The 27-year-old Fuentes is an aggressive-minded and fast-paced competitor who has earned all of his professional career victories to date by way of (T)KO or submission.

Additional matchups for “Combate Clasico” will be announced soon.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS RETURNS TO MEXICO CITY ON FRIDAY, JUNE 30

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Danny “The Realist” Ramirez (pictured) will collide with Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas in the lightweight main event of “Combate 15” in Mexico City, Mexico on Friday, June 30.

 LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA

LIGHTWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
RODRIGO “KAZULA” VARGAS VS. DANNY “THE REALIST” RAMIREZ

Featherweight Co-Main Event:
Levy “El Negro” Marroquin vs. Andres “The Bullet” Quintana

Featured Women’s Strawweight Bout:
Melissa “Melly” Martinez vs. Yajaira “Shokolate” Romo

Tickets for “Combate 15” on sale soon

NEW YORK – May 25, 2017 – Combate Americas will make its highly-anticipated return to Mexico City, Mexico, with a stacked lineup of professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action at the storied Salas de Armas on Friday, June 30, live on Azteca America at 10 p.m. ET.

In the “Combate 15” lightweight (155 pounds) main event, recent Combate Americas “Fight of the Night” winner Danny “The Realist” Ramirez (6-2) will square off with seasoned battler Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas (6-3).

In the featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event, Levy “El Negro” Marroquin (5-1) looks for his second straight win when he collides with the red-hot Andres “The Bullet” Quintana (11-2).

Additionally, Combate Americas will produce its second women’s strawweight (115 pounds) matchup in history when unbeaten upstart Melissa “Melly” Martinez (1-0) goes head-to-head with the venerable Yajaira “Shokolate” Romo (3-2).

“There is no better way to kick off our summer fight campaign than by returning to Mexico City,” Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren said.

“Since we brought the Combate Americas live event series to Mexico for the first time in January,” McLaren continued, “we have been unearthing some of the fiercest, young fight talent in a country that has a proud history of producing legendary world champions and, on June 30, fans will see some of the most electrifying action to date in ‘La Jaula.’”

Additional “Combate 15” matchups will be announced soon.

Rodrigo Vargas vs. Danny Ramirez

The 5-foot-7, 31-year-old Vargas heads into “Combate 15” having won four of his last five starts, with all four victories coming by way of knockout or submission.

Fighting out of Mexico City, “Kazula” will have the hometown crowd on his side as he looks to rebound from last January’s razor-thin decision loss to Marco Antonio Elpidio in what was an epic, see-saw battle at “Combate 10.”

Ramirez, 28, has more than seven years’ experience in the U.S. Marine Corps, which “The Realist” was able to parlay into a successful cagefighing career. After shredding the amateur circuit, the 5-foot-9 Californian turned pro, compiling an impressive 6-2 record with four knockouts.

His most recent victory also received “Fight of the Night” honors at last February’s “Combate 11” affair, where Ramirez upset fan-favorite Erick “Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez in a three-round war in Burbank, Calif.

Levy Marroquin vs. Andres Quintana

One of the top prospects fighting out of Monterrey, Nuevo Leone, Mexico, the 5-foot-8, 21-year-old Marroquin made a successful debut with Combate Americas by outlasting Pablo Sabori at “Combate 12” earlier this year in Tijuana.

“El Negro” boasts four finishes in five wins, split between knockouts (2) and submissions (2).

Quintana, 25, cut his teeth on season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show before returning to the local circuit, where the 6-foot-1 ‘Bullet’ shot up the regional rankings to earn his spot on Combate Americas roster.

The Albuquerque, N.M.-based fighter did not disappoint, turning Combate Americas’ featherweight division on its head with a thrilling, three-round upset win over Team Alpha Male product Erick Sanchez at “Combate 11” last February.

Melissa Martinez vs. Yajaira Romo

Martinez makes her return to Mexico City, as well as her Combate Americas debut, after stopping Iliana Lopez in her first professional fight roughly one year back.

Standing 5-foot-5, Monterrey’s Yajaira Romo looks to return to the win column after her three-fight win streak was halted in early 2016. “Shokolate” is a member of the famed Combate Libre Academia, and possesses knockout power in both hands.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS  ANNOUNCES NINE-BOUT LINEUP FOR CINCO DE MAYO MMA EVENT IN VENTURA, CALIFORNIA

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LIVE FROM VENTURA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS
ON FRIDAY, MAY 5

LIGHTWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
JOSE “FROGGY” ESTRADA VS. EMILIO CHAVEZ

Lightweight Co-Main Event:
Danny “The Realist” Ramirez vs. Chris “Taco” Padilla

Plus:
John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda vs. Chris Beal
Alyssa Garcia vs. Sheila Padilla
Heinrich Wassmer vs. Freddie Arteaga

Tickets for “Combate 14” on sale now
NEW YORK – April 25, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced a sensational, nine-bout Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card that will take place at Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura, Calif., in celebration of the “Cinco De Mayo” holiday, on Friday, May 5.

In the lightweight (155 pounds) main event of “Combate 14,” undefeated, heavy-handed rising star Jose “Froggy” Estrada (3-0) will square off with Emilio “The Ferocious Aztec” Chavez (11-9).

Priced from $35, tickets for “Combate 14” are available online at Ticketon.com.

The 5-foot-6, 26-year-old Estrada from Fillmore, Calif. has been on a tear since he made his professional debut with Combate Americas last April, stopping all three of his opponents to date inside of one round.

Chavez of Fullerton, Calif. is a flashy, 5-foot-9, 30-year-old competitor who will make the second start of his career in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage.  In his promotional debut on April 18, 2016, Chavez submitted Angel Cruz in the second round (4:21) of action with a rear-naked choke.

In the co-main event, which will also be contested at lightweight, Danny “The Realist” Ramirez (6-2) will return to action on the heels of a “Fight of the Night” performance in La Jaula, to battle Combate Americas newcomer and fellow knockout artist Chris “Taco” Padilla (7-2).

The 5-foot-9, 28-year-old Ramirez of North Hills, Calif. staged an incredible, relentless performance against Erick “Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez at “Combate 12” on February 16, earning a unanimous decision over Gonzalez in what was Ramirez’s second straight win.

Padilla of Gardena, Calif. has notched six of his seven professional career victories to date by way of (T)KO or submission.  Prior to making his professional debut in 2014, “Taco” amassed a perfect, 6-0 record under amateur status, with all of his wins coming by way of (T)KO or submission.

In other action at “Combate 14,” bantamweight (135 pounds) star John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) will face off with Chris “The Real Deal” Beal (10-4).

Castaneda of Mankato, Minn. is riding a seven-fight win streak that dates back to May 16, 2015 when he secured a first-round submission (rear-naked choke) win over Pedro Velasco.  The 5-foot-7, 25-year-old has been perfect in La Jaula, winning all five of his Combate Americas bouts.

The 5-foot-7, 31-year-old Beal of Ventura is an eight-year, battle-tested veteran of the sport who has competed on three different continents.  In his first start with Combate Americas, he will look to end a recent, four-fight skid.

Elsewhere on the card, Alyssa “Tiny Tim” Garcia (3-2) of Whittier, Calif. will face Sheila Padilla (2-1) of Visalia, Calif. in an atomweight (105 pounds) matchup.

Submission ace Heinrich Wassmer (5-1) of Los Angeles, Calif. will take on hard-nosed scrapper Freddie “Lil’ Man” Arteaga (8-5) of Boise, Idaho in a flyweight (125 pounds) contest.

Complete “Combate Americas: Combate 14” Fight Card

Lightweight Main Event:
Jose Estrada vs. Emilio Chavez

Lightweight Co-Main Event:
Danny Ramirez vs. Chris Padilla

Bantamweight:  John Castaneda vs. Chris Beal
Middleweight:  Joseph Vidales vs. Joseph Henle
Flyweight: Heinrich Wassmer vs. Freddie Arteaga
Flyweight: Michael Reyes vs. Benji Gomez
Atomweight:  Alyssa Garcia vs. Sheila Padilla
Catchweight (140 pounds):  Ryan Lilley vs. Ralph Acosta
Lightweight: Bruno Machado vs. Austin Wilson

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Combate Americas, Fight Network, M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, One Championship, UFC

Fight Network Presents 5 Live Events Over 3 Days Starting Tonight, April 20

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For Immediate Release – April 20, 2017

Including UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. Lobov Prelims, ONE Championship: Kings of Destiny, LFA 10: Heinisch vs. Rota, M-1 Challenge 76 and Combate Americas 13

TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents three action-packed days of live mixed martial arts, beginning tonight, Thursday, April 20, with Combate Americas 13 from Tucson, Arizona, kicking off globally with the live prelims at 8 p.m. ET and at 10 p.m. ET in Canada with the live main card, which follows a live edition of IMPACT Wrestling at 8 p.m. ET.

The action continues on Friday, April 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET with a live Canadian broadcast of ONE Championship: Kings of Destiny from Manila, Philippines. Later, at 9 p.m. ET, LFA 10: Heinisch vs. Rota emanates from Pueblo, Colorado and airs live on Fight Network in Canada and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

On Saturday, April 22, M-1 Global returns with a live doubleheader, beginning at 10 a.m. ET with M-1 Selection 76, which airs live in Canada, the U.S. and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The M-1 Challenge 76 main card airs live exclusively in Canada at 1 p.m. ET.

Finally, Fight Network will deliver extensive coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. Lobov across Canada on Saturday, April 22, starting at 7 p.m. ET with the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. LobovPRE-FIGHT SHOW leading into LIVE PRELIMS on Fight Network. The main card airs live on TSN5. TheUFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. Lobov PRE-FIGHT SHOW will feature UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and retired UFC lightweight contender Yves Edwards serving as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant and reporter Laura Sanko conducting on-site fighter interviews.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s main card, the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. Lobov POST-FIGHT SHOW on Fight Network features highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.

The stacked lineup for tonight’s Combate Americas 13, starting at 8 p.m. ET globally on Fight Network and 10 p.m. ET with the main card in Canada, includes:

-Roman Salazar (10-5) vs. Ricky Palacios (7-1)

-Irwin Rivera (5-2) vs. Kevin Natividad (2-0)

-Benny Madrid (9-3) vs. Chad Dietmeyer (8-2)

-Daniel Rodriguez (3-0) vs. Joel Champion (4-0)

-Erick Sanchez (7-3) vs. Randy Steinke (17-10-1)
-Victor Reyna (8-3) vs. Andrew Perez (5-4)
-Stephanie Alba (3-1) vs. Alesha Zappitella (2-0)

ONE Championship: Kings of Destiny, airing on Friday, April 21 at 8:30 a.m. ET across Canada, is headlined by lightweight kingpin Eduard Folayang defending his title against surging Ev Ting. The full card includes:

-Eduard Folayang (17-5) vs. Ev Ting (13-3) – ONE lightweight title
-Kevin Belingon (14-5) vs. Toni Tauru (11-4-1)
-Danny Kingad (5-0) vs. Muhammad Aiman (2-1)

-Eugene Toquero (8-4) vs. Stefer Rahardian (4-0)
-Chan Rothana (4-2) vs. Xie Bin (2-1)

-Gina Iniong (4-2) vs. Natalie Hills (2-4)
-Michelle Nicolini (3-1) vs. Irina Mazepa (2-0)

-Robin Catalan (4-3) vs. Jeremy Miado (6-0)
-Christian Lee (5-1) vs. Jianping Wan (2-2)
-Honorio Banario (11-6) vs. Jaroslav Jartim (6-5-1)

LFA 10: Heinisch vs. Rota, airing on Friday, April 21 at 9 p.m. ET across Canada and globally on Fight Network, features the following lineup:

-Ian Heinisch (7-0) vs. Lucas Rota (12-6)

-Nick Urso (9-3) vs. Brandon Royval (5-2)
-Zac Riley (5-3) vs. Jerome Rivera (5-0)

-Dominic Montoya (7-0) vs. Slobodan Maksimovic (12-5-1)

-Andrew Yates (9-2) vs. Andrew Tenneson (5-1)
-Adam Martinez (3-1) vs. Maikel Perez (1-0)

-Cody Yohn (3-1) vs. Mike Jones (4-2)

Saturday’s M-1 Global doubleheader begins with a live global broadcast of M-1 Selection 76 at 10 a.m. ET, which will include the following bouts:

-Javier Fuentes (9-3) vs. Khamzat Sakalov (4-2)
-Elnur Veliev (6-0) vs. Zalimbek Omarov (7-2)
-Anatoly Lyagu (5-1) vs. Abubakar Mestoev (4-0)
-Evgeniy Goncharov (5-2) vs. Daniil Arepyev (7-1)
-Alexey Valivakhin (10-5) vs. Ingishkan Ozdoev (0-0)

The M-1 Challenge 76 main card airs live across Canada at 1 p.m. ET and is headlined by a clash for the M-1 bantamweight championship. The full fight card includes:

-Movsar Evloev (6-0) vs. Alexei Nevzorov (12-2) – M-1 bantamweight title
-Khamzat Dalgiev (8-1) vs. Heliton dos Santos (15-5)
-Timur Nagibin (8-2) vs. Diego D’Avila (18-5)

-Sergey Morozov (6-2) vs. Fabricio Sarraff (22-9)

-Zalimbeg Omarov (7-2-1) vs. Elnur Veliev (6-0-1)

Saturday’s UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Swanson vs. Lobov PRELIMS air live on Fight Network across Canada at 8 p.m. ET. The star-studded four-bout card includes:

-Thales Leites (26-7) vs. Sam Alvey (30-8)
-Dustin Ortiz (16-6) vs. Brandon Moreno (13-3)

-Scott Holtzman (9-2) vs. Michael McBride (8-2)

-Jessica Penne (12-5) vs. Danielle Taylor (8-2)

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

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

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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
# # #
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS HITS CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA ON THURSDAY, APRIL 20

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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.