Category Archives: Combate Americas

Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES COMPLETE LINEUP FOR TIJUANA, MEXICO ON THURSDAY, MARCH 30

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LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA

Bantamweight Main event:
Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo vs. Iván “El Brasil” Flores

Also:

José Alday replaces injured Joey Ruquet, will face Irving Hernández Cristi in a featherweight battle

Unbeaten Nate Diaz protégés Cristian Díaz and José Aguayo to make their respective debuts in La Jaula

NEW YORK – March 17, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced the completion of a stellar, 11-bout card for its debut in Tijuana, Mexico on Thursday, March 30, live on Azteca America in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m from the Auditorio Municipal.

TV Azteca will broadcast “Combate12” in Mexico on Friday at 11:00 p.m., and UFC Fight Pass® will distribute an English-language version of the event as a video on demand (VOD).

“Combate12” will be headlined by a bantamweight (135 pound) showdown between Argentinean Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (10-4) and Monterrey, Mexico native Iván “El Brasil” Flores (8-1-1).

Rojo, a veteran of season three of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, will look to make a statement in his first start in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, when he faces Flores, who will be on a mission to defend the honor of his house.

Rojo will fight for the first time in Mexico after an extensive career in South American arenas where he has become one of the most popular fighters in the region.
Flores, meanwhile, will look to rebound from a second round (3:11) submission (arm-triangle choke) defeat at the hands of Mark “The Bumblebee” Delarosa at “Combate10” in Mexico City, Mexico in January.

Another contestant from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, Costa Rican Walter Zamora (9-2), will face Monterrey native Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1) in the “Combate12” co-main event; the Mexican fighter has one goal only, and that is to defend the honor of his country in the featherweight (145 pounds) bout.

In one of the most anticipated Combate Americas battles of 2017, Erick “The Ghost Pepper” González (5-2) of Los Angeles, California returns to action less than two months after his “Fight of the Night” performance against Danny “The Realist” Ramírez in the main event of “Combate11.”

Gonzalez will collide with Marco Antonio “La Roca” Elpidio (7-1) of Mexico City.  Elpidio was victorious by way of split decision over Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas at “Combate10.”

After sustaining a broken nose in training, Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet of Las Vegas, Nev. has been replaced by Jose “El Pochito” Alday (9-2) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.

Alday, whose last start on October 15 against Mahatma Chit-Bala Garcia Avalos resulted in a draw, will square off with Irving “Moreno” Hernandez (4-2) of Tijuana.  Hernandez is a winner of his last three bouts, two by (T)KO.

In addition, two of UFC star Nate Diaz’s Stockton, Calif.-based, undefeated protégés, José Aguayo (2-0) and Christian Giovannie (1-0), will make their respective promotional debuts.

Aguayo will face Gilbert Santos (1-2) Ensenada, Mexico in a featherweight matchup, while Giovannie will fight Angel Gonzalez (0-0), also of Ensenada, in a bantamweight tilt.

COMBATE12 FIGHT CARD
Main Event
Marcelo Rojo (10-4) vs. Iván Hernández Flores (8-1-1)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)

Co-Main Event
Walter Zamora (9-2) vs.  Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)

Marco Antonio Elpidio (7-1) vs. Erick González (5-2)
Division: 155 lbs. (Lightweight)

Christopher Ramírez (5-1) vs. Alex Velasco (6-1)
Division: 170 lbs. (Welterweight)

Pablo Sabori (6-3) vs. Levy Saúl Marroquín (7-1)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)

José Aguayo (2-0) vs. Gilbert Santos (1-2)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)

Ramón Lopez (1-2) vs. Marcos Bonilla (4-3)
Division: 155 lbs. (Lightweight)

José Alday (9-2) vs. Irving Hernández (4-2)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)

Pablo Olea (5-5) vs. Eduardo Varela Soto (2-1)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)

Christian Giovannie (1-0) vs. Ángel González (0-0)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)

Oscar Quintero (2-1) vs. Oscar Chairez (1-0)
Division: 125 lbs. (Flyweight)

#combateamericas
#combate12
#lajaulaiscalling

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS RETURNSTO MEXICO WITH HARD-HITTING DEBUT IN TIJUANA ON THURSDAY, MARCH 30

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LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA AND UFC FIGHT PASS®

 BANTAMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT: MARCELO “PITBULL” ROJO VS. IVAN FLORES

Featherweight Co-Main Event: 
Walter Zamora vs. Alex “Gallito” Flores

Plus:
Erick “Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez vs. Marco Antonio “La Roca” Elpidio
Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet vs. Jose Salasar

NEW YORK – March 10, 2017 – Combate Americas announced its second event of the year in a Mexican territory – a debut visit to the city of Tijuana – on Thursday, March 30, live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC Fight Pass® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), from Auditorio Fausto Gutierrez Moreno.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event,  Argentinian Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (10-4) will square off with fellow rising star and Monterrey, Mexico native Iván “El Brasil” Flores (8-1-1).

Rojo, a semifinalist on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, will make his promotional debut in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, and set out to prove that he has the tools necessary to lead Combate Americas’ fast-growing, 135-pound division.

“I’m not only here as a guest. I came here to become the most important fighter in my division,” said Rojo.  “MMA has grown in Argentina, and it’s about time that we show that on this side of the continent. This fight will be a duel between the North against South.”

On the other side, Flores, who suffered his first career defeat at the hands of unbeaten Mark “The Bumblebee” Delarosa at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City, Mexico on January 19, now wants to return to the win column immediately.

“When you face a Mexican fighter, you have to be prepared for the most difficult fight of your life. I hope (Rojo) is aware of that, if he wants to be victorious” said Flores.

Rojo will fight for the first time in Mexico after an extensive career in South American arenas where he has become one of the most popular fighters in the region.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event, Walter Zamora (9-2) of Costa Rica will battle Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1) of Monterrey.

Zamora’s debut in Combate Americas will once again personify the sports rivalry between Mexican and Central American fighters.

“Mexico is always the one to beat at any sport,” Zamora explained. “It won’t be any different against Flores. We are going to put on a good show. It will be a spectacular evening because the best fighters of the Americas will be present in Tijuana.”

In other action in La Jaula, Erick “Ghost Pepper” González (5-2) of Los Angeles, Calif. will return to action just six weeks after his heroic, “Fight of the Night” performance against Danny “The Realist” Ramírez at Combate11 on February 16.

Gonzalez will battle Marco Antonio “La Roca” Elpidio (7-1) of Mexico City in a lightweight (155 pounds) affair.  Elpidio was victorious by way of split decision over Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City.

Gonzalez’s three-fight win streak was snapped when he gave up a unanimous decision to Ramirez.

In another bantamweight scrap, Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (4-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. will collide with Jose Salasar (4-2) of Tijuana.

Ruquet notched a spectacular victory by submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round (1:47) of action against Jose “The Ghost” Ceja at the Combate Americas event in Mexico City.

Additional Combate12 bouts will be announced soon.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

Download the UFC App now.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas

COMBATE AMERICAS HITS BURBANK, CALIFORNIA ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16; LIVE ON AZTECA AMERICA AND UFC FIGHT PASS®

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ATOMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
KYRA BATARA VS VANESA RICO FERNANDEZ

Featherweight Co-Main Event:
Erick Sanchez vs. Andres “The Bullet” Quintana

Plus:
Erick “Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez vs. Danny “The Realist” Ramirez
Jose “Froggy” Estrada vs. George Hernandez

Tickets for “Combate11” on sale now
NEW YORK – January 25, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced the main event – a women’s atomweight (105 pounds) showdown between Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (5-4) and eight-time Spanish national Judo champion Vanesa Rico Fernandez (2-2) – as well as three additional bouts for the league’s 11th live Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, which takes place at Burbank Events Center in Burbank, Calif. on Thursday, Feb. 16, and airs live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC FIGHT PASS® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

The event will also air via tape delay in Mexico the following night, Friday, Jan. 20 at 11 p.m. CT., on TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.

Priced from $45, tickets for the event – “Combate11” – can be purchased online at ItsMySeat.com.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event between two of the sport’s fastest rising stars, Urijah Faber-protégé Erick Sanchez (7-2) will collide with Combate Americas newcomer Andres “The Bullet” Quintana (9-2).

Elsewhere on the live telecast, fellow knockout artists Erick “The Ghost Pepper” Gonzalez (5-1) and Danny “The Realist” Ramirez (5-2) will face off in a lightweight (155 pounds) attraction, while unbeaten, heavy-handed Jose “Froggy” Estrada (2-0) will take on submission artist George “Furious” Hernandez (4-3), also at lightweight.

Additional bouts for “Combate11”, including a flyweight (125 pounds) matchup featuring Heinrich “Ricky Scraps” Wassmer (4-1) of Los Angeles, Calif., will be announced soon.

Kyra Batara vs. Vanesa Rico Fernandez

The 4-foot-11, 22-year-old Batara of Las Vegas, Nev. has been unstoppable in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, winning all three of her matchups, including a second round (4:13) TKO of Jenny “The Phoenix” Silverio that Batara produced in an unprecedented manner – a ground and pound assault with Silverio locked in a “twister,” the patented submission move created by Batara’s famed mentor, Eddie Bravo.

Making her U.S. debut, Rico Fernandez (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.

Erick Sanchez vs. Andres Quintana

The 5-foot-10, 26-year-old Sanchez of Sacramento, Calif. is an explosive finisher who will enter La Jaula for the third time in his career, on a three-fight winning streak.

The Team Alpha Male member has put away all three of his last opponents by way of (T)KO or submission, including his last adversary – Mike Segura – whom Sanchez forced to tap out from a rear-naked choke just 50 seconds into their meeting at Combate Americas last April 18.

Fighting out of Roswell, N.M., the 6-foot-, 25-year-old Quintana is another devastating force who has earned all but one of his nine professional career wins by way of (T)KO.

Quintana will attempt to bounce back from his only loss in nearly five years – a first round (2:10) TKO (body kick and punches) at the hands of Adrian Diaz, on May 19.

Erick Gonzalez vs. Danny Ramirez

The 5-foot-10, 25-year-old Gonzalez of Torrance, Calif. will risk a three-fight win streak, including two consecutive victories under the promotion of Combate Americas.

Gonzalez has notched four of his five professional wins to date via (T)KO.  In his last start, he handed Cuban upstart Yoandy Carrillo his first career defeat by way of TKO (punches) in the second round (3:13) of battle.

A native of Los Angeles and former U.S. Marine, the 5-foot-9, 27-year-old Ramirez fights out of Sacramento and, like his opponent, has claimed victory in all but one of his five conquests, via (T)KO.

The hard-hitting Ramirez scored a third round (1:02) TKO (punches) on Chuck Seang in his last appearance on August 27.

Jose Estrada vs. George Hernandez

In less than one year as a professional, the 5-foot-6, 26-year-old Estrada, known best to his fans as “Froggy,” has already earned the reputation of a brutal puncher, scoring first-round knockout wins in each of his two starts, both of which took place in La Jaula.

The Fillmore, Calif. resident made a mark in his professional debut, putting Jonathan Quiroz flat on his back with a single punch in just under two minutes.

The 5-foot-10, 35-year-old Hernandez of Santa Rosa, Calif. will seek his first win under the Combate Americas banner, and attempt to stop a three-fight skid.

After turning professional just two years ago at age 33, Hernandez cruised to victory in his first four bouts, defeating three of his opponents by way of submission and the fourth by way of TKO.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

Download the UFC App now.

# # #
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS APPOINTS FINANCE AND SPORTS INDUSTRY LEADER JOE PLUMERI BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN

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First Data Vice Chairman, former Willis Group Holdings Chairman and CEO, and N.Y. Yankees minor league affiliate team owner sets his sights on the surging Hispanic millennial demographic and world’s fastest growing sport

NEW YORK, January 11 — Combate Americas, the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports and media franchise, today announced the appointment of its lead investor, longtime financial services and sports industry entrepreneur and philanthropist Joe Plumeri, as its non-executive, board of directors chairman.

Plumeri, the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for payment processing technology giant First Data, former chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings, former CEO of Citibank, North America and former President and Managing Partner of Shearson Lehman Brothers, as well as the owner of the New York Yankees minor league affiliate team, The Trenton Thunder, will sit on the board alongside Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-founder and Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, and three of Plumeri’s fellow strategic investors.

Plumeri’s appointment comes on the heels of Combate Americas closing its series B round of financing.

“We are honored and excited to name such an esteemed and accomplished member of the business community like Joe Plumeri as the chairman of our board of directors and to have him play such a pivotal role in this movement we have created to serve the Hispanic millennial audience,” said McLaren, who launched Combate Americas in 2013 as a first-to-market venture that essentially combined his UFC pioneer experience with his storied background in television production.

“I am looking forward to this next chapter in my career that will allow me to focus on one of the last centers of growth in the U.S. economy – the emerging and exploding Hispanic demographic – through an incredible, first-to-market sports entertainment and media property that Campbell and his team have built with Combate Americas,” said Plumeri.

Prior to his role with First Data, Plumeri guided Willis Group Holdings for nearly 13 years to enormous value creation.   He also served as President of Smith Barney, Vice Chairman of Travelers and Chairman and CEO of Primerica during his tenure with Citigroup.

As a philanthropist, Plumeri was named Humanitarian of the Year in 2006 after contributing the largest gift in history to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, to fund the construction of the New Jersey headquarters of the non-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of children with life-threatening diseases.

Plumeri is also responsible for funding the creation of business scholarships, athletic scholarships and annual faculty excellence awards at his alma mater, The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., where the baseball stadium, Plumeri Park, is named after his father. He also donated money to New York Law School to help create the Joe Plumeri Center for Social Justice and Economic Opportunity.

Combate Americas also recently announced a new company president in Alberto “El Presidente” Rodriguez, formerly Alberto Del Rio of the WWE, and a new television partnership that has its fight programming airing in over 135 million homes weekly on Azteca America in the U.S. and Mexico’s TV Azteca S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.

For the first time in history, Combate Americas will head outside of the U.S. – to Mexico City, Mexico – with its live event series on Thursday, Jan. 19 when it will present a 10-bout fight card live on Azteca America and UFC FIGHT PASS®.  The event will air the following evening, Friday, Jan. 20 on TV Azteca.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts

COMBATE AMERICAS: UNDEFEATED BANTAMWEIGHTS MARK DELAROSA AND IVAN HERNANDEZ FLORES FACE OFF IN MEXICO CITY ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

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FIGHT CARD COMPLETE WITH NINE BOUTS, INCLUDING PROMOTIONAL DEBUT OF UNDEFEATED COMBATE AMERICAS OPEN TRYOUT SIGNEE RAFA “GIFTED” GARCIA

LIVE FROM EL PLAZA CONDESA ON
AZTECA AMERICA AND UFC FIGHT PASS®

NEW YORK – January 6, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced the completion of a stellar, nine-bout Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card, including a bantamweight (135 pounds) showdown between two fast-rising, undefeated stars – Mark “The Bumblebee” Delarosa (7-0) and Ivan “El Brasil” Hernandez Flores (8-0-1) – for the league’s much-anticipated, historic debut in Mexico on Thursday, Jan. 19, live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC FIGHT PASS® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

The “Combate10” event, which will take place at El Plaza Condesa in Mexico City, will also air via tape delay in Mexico the following night, Friday, Jan. 20 at 11 p.m. CT., on TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.

The fight card is headlined by the previously announced, bantamweight battle between knockout artist Steve Swanson (14-2) and Xtreme Couture prodigy Gustavo Lopez (6-2).

One of the latest athletes to sign an exclusive, multi-fight agreement with Combate Americas, the 22-year-old Delarosa of Dallas, Texas will enter La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, for the first time in his young career.

To date, Delarosa has notched four of his six professional career wins by way of (T)KO or submission.  In his last start on April 2, he earned a unanimous decision over Arthur Oliveira.

A multiple-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament champion, Delarosa holds a brown belt in the discipline and is a three-time MMA champion in regional competition.

At 25 years old, Hernandez Flores of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico is ranked as high as number one in Mexico and number two in all of Latin America in the sport’s flyweight (125 pounds) division.

Five of Hernandez Flores’ victories, thus far, have come by way of (T)KO or submission.

In other action on the card, undefeated, 22-year-old prospect Rafa “Gifted” Garcia (3-0) of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico will make his promotional debut after being discovered at the Combate Americas open tryout in Pasadena, Calif. last August.

Garcia will take on submission expert Raul “The Cobra” Najera Ocampo (4-2) of Mexico City in a featherweight (145 pounds) contest.

Unbeaten, 18-year-old phenom Kevin Garcia (4-0) of Monterrey will face off with hard-hitting Enrique “Kike” Barragan (5-1) of Saltillo, Coahila, Mexico in a bantamweight battle.

Garcia and Barragan have each claimed all of their professional career victories, thus far, by way of (T)KO or submission.

In one of two welterweight (170 pounds) matchups, Heriberto Tovar (6-3-1) of Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico will square off with Christofer Ramirez (4-1) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

In the other welterweight scrap, Alex Velasco (5-1) of Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico will meet Julio Cesar Cruz (9-9) of Mexico City.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

Download the UFC App now.

“COMBATE AMERICAS: COMBATE10”

MAIN CARD (Live on Azteca America and UFC FIGHT PASS):

Bantamweight Main Event:
Steve Swanson vs. Gustavo Lopez

Atomweight Co-Main Event:
Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc vs. Lisbeth Lopez Silva

Bantamweight:  Mark Delarosa vs. Ivan Hernandez Flores
Bantamweight:  Jose Ceja vs. Joey Ruquet

PRELIMINARY CARD (Live on UFC FIGHT PASS):

Bantamweight:  Rafa Garcia vs. Raul Najera Ocampo
Lightweight:  Rodrigo Vargas vs. Marco Antonio Elpidio
Bantamweight:  Kevin Garcia vs. Enrique Barragan
Welterweight:  Alex Velasco vs. Julio Cesar Cruz
Welterweight:  Heriberto Tovar vs. Christofer Ramirez
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES MAIN EVENT FOR MMA LEAGUE’S HISTORIC MEXICO DEBUT: STEVE SWANSON VS. GUSTAVO LOPEZ

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LIVE FROM EL PLAZA CONDESA IN MEXICO CITY ON
AZTECA AMERICA AND UFC FIGHT PASS®
ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 19

Atomweight Co-Main Event:
Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc vs. Lisbeth Lopez Silva

Plus:
Lightweight:  Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas vs. Marco Antonio “La Rocka” Elipidio
Bantamweight: Jose Ceja vs. Joey Ruquet

NEW YORK – January 3, 2017 – Combate Americas today announced four spectacular Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) bouts, including a bantamweight (135) main event between rising stars Steve Swanson (14-2) and Gustavo Lopez (6-2) – for the league’s much-anticipated, historic debut in Mexico on Thursday, Jan. 19, live on Azteca America (10 p.m. ET/PT) and UFC FIGHT PASS® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

The event, which will take place at El Plaza Condesa in Mexico City, will also air via tape delay in Mexico the following night, Friday, Jan. 20 at 11 p.m. CT., on TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world.

In the atomweight (105 pounds) co-main event, former world championship challenger Nicdali “The Night Queen” Rivera-Calanoc (9-9) will make her long-awaited return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, and face red-hot Lisbeth Lopez Silva (3-3).

“We are excited to be assembling a phenomenal fight card, and to have the opportunity to be at the forefront of MMA’s growth in Mexico with our unique and fast-growing sports franchise,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

In other main card action, two hard-hitting, Mexico City rivals, Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas (9-5) and Marco Antonio “La Rocka” Elpidio (4-1-1) will collide at lightweight (155 pounds).

Fellow upstarts Jose “The Ghost” Ceja (4-3) and Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet (3-1) will square off at bantamweight.

Additional bouts for the Combate Americas event will be announced soon.

The 5-foot-5, 36-year-old younger brother of UFC star Cub Swanson, Steve of Indio, Calif. is a 36-year-old prolific knockout artist whose family originally hails from Chihuahua, Mexico.

Swanson is a winner of his last four fights, all by way of (T)KO.  He is coming off an explosive, 38-second stoppage of Christian Rios on October 22.

Fighting out MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture’s Xtreme Couture camp in Las Vegas, Nev. Lopez is a 5-foot-5, 27-year-old finisher originally from Yakima, Wash.

Lopez emerged unbeaten, with a record of 3-0, during the Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” fight series that spanned from September 2015 to May 2016.  He has notched five of his six professional career victories via (T)KO or submission.

Rivera-Calanoc is a 5-foot-3, 31-year-old resident of Las Vegas, Nev. and native of Tulsa, Okla., as well as a battle-tested veteran of the sport who has faced a handful of top rivals in the women’s field, including Jessica Penne.

Rivera-Calanoc, whose ancestral roots are in Chihuahua, took a split decision in her last start on March 12, from Ronni Nanney.

Lopez Silva of Mexico City is aiming for her fourth straight win on the heels of a unanimous decision over Marcel Yineris Nieto on December 2 in Panama City, Panama.

A former welterweight (170 pounds), Vargas of Mexico City is a 5-foot-8, 31-year-old powerhouse who will put a three-fight win streak on the line.

To date, the Mexican Pride team member has claimed all of his wins by way of (T)KO or submission.

Elpidio, whose nickname translates to “The Rock,” is also a former welterweight standout who will look to secure his third consecutive win.

In his last effort on March 19, Elpidio, a member of the Renzo Gracie affiliate team in Mexico City, scored a second round (3:16) TKO on Francisco Vargas with an onslaught of punches.

The 5-foot-7, 31-year-old Ceja of Port Arthur, Texas will make his second start under the promotion of Combate Americas.

In his debut for the league on October 14, Ceja avenged a previous loss in dynamic fashion, scoring a first round (4:22) knockout on Irwin “The Beast” Rivera in the first live televised, professional MMA event since UFC 7 in September 1995.

Ruquet of Las Vegas, Nev. via Venice, Fla. is a 5-foot-8, 24-year-old upstart and seasoned striker who will make his second appearance in La Jaula after submitting Luke Faultersack with an anaconda choke in the second round (4:28) of action on April 25.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

Download the UFC App now.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

TV AZTECA AND COMBATE AMERICAS SIGN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT TO BROADCAST LIVE, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MMA EVENTS  IN SPANISH FROM U.S. AND MEXICO

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LIVE SERIES KICKS OFF
WITH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH
FROM MEXICO CITY ON JANUARY 19

Azteca’s first MMA programming deal in history also
includes weekly series showcasing
Combate Americas’ fastest rising stars

NEW YORK/MEXICO CITY DF, October 26 — Combate Americas, the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, and TV Azteca, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: AZTECA; Latibex: XTZA), one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, today announced an exclusive, year-long agreement to broadcast live world champion MMA events in the U.S. and Mexico.

In addition to monthly live events, the partnership, which marks the first time in history Azteca will carry MMA programming in Mexico, also includes a weekly series that will showcase the most exciting Combate Americas fights to date as well as highlight the league’s prolific, young fighters and celebrity personalities.

The live events and weekly series will be featured on both TV Azteca’s Channel 7 in Mexico and Azteca America in the U.S.  Broadcast from Mexico City, the first live event under the new partnership is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19.

“MMA has developed a worldwide audience and through Combate Americas, a passionate following among the fast-growing U.S. Hispanic, millennial audience, which is why we wanted this programming for both U.S. and Mexico,” said Rodrigo Fernández, Director of Azteca 7.  “Campbell McLaren understands MMA better than anyone, which is why Azteca wants to be part of what we believe will be phenomenal growth for Combate Americas.”

“As we’ve seen with our soccer programming, live sports events drive Hispanic millennial viewing.  That’s why the opportunity to deliver MMA, with its proven track record, to our audience is so compelling,” said Manuel Abud, president and CEO, Azteca America. “Combate Americas understands the sport and our audience.  It’s an unbeatable combination.”

“Our partnership with Azteca will take Combate Americas to the next level,” said Combate Americas founder and CEO Campbell McLaren.  “I was there for the beginning of the UFC and saw how critical the correct television partner is to the growth of the franchise.  Azteca has incredible reach in both the U.S. and Mexico, which is why this is such an exciting time for us.”

The weekly series, Combate Americas Azteca, hosted by award-winning MMA journalist and Combate Americas color commentator Andrea Calle, will premiere on Thursday, Nov., 3 at 10 p.m. in the U.S. on Azteca America, and on Friday, Nov. 4 at 11 p.m. on TV Azteca’s Channel 7 in Mexico, following the popular La Liga Mexicana football.  The monthly live events air live in the U.S. and the following night in Mexico.

Founded by UFC co-creator McLaren and co-owned by Creative Artist Agency (CAA), Bunim/Murray Productions and Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), Combate Americas is the first fight-themed show to win a major television award (“Best Variety or Reality Series” at the 29th annual Imagen Awards on August 1, 2014).  The company has expanded its roster to include over 40 fighters and, after producing two live events in 2015, it rolled out a total of five live events in 2016.

Combate Americas live events will continue to air in English via UFC FIGHT PASS®, a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.
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ABOUT TV AZTECA
TV Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the world, operating two national television networks in Mexico, El trece and Azteca 7, through more than 300 owned and operated stations across the country.  TV Azteca affiliates include Azteca US, a broadcast television network focused on the rapidly growing U.S. Hispanic market, and Azteca Web, an Internet company for North American Spanish speakers.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPION AND ICON ALBERTO “EL PATRỐN” JOINS COMBATE AMERICAS AS PRESIDENT

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Former WWE heavyweight champion takes on new moniker
“El Presidente” as well as executive role with the
leading Hispanic MMA sports franchise

NEW YORK, October 11 – Combate Americas, the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, today announced that it has named multiple-time professional world wrestling champion and former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) star Alberto “El Presidente” Rodriguez, formerly known as Alberto Del Rio and Alberto El Patrόn, as its president.

A former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Rodriguez, the son of Lucha Libre legend Dos Caras, Sr., also competed in 14 professional MMA bouts – 2 of them under the promotion of former Japanese juggernaut PRIDE Fighting Championships – between 2001 and 2010, as Alberto “Dos Caras, Jr.” Rodriguez.  He compiled an overall record of 9-5 in the sport, with 7 of his victories coming by way of submission.

In his new executive role with Combate Americas, “El Presidente” will be actively involved in all aspects of athlete relations and development, from recruitment to enhancing their showmanship skills.

“A storied fighter, with a following throughout Mexico and the U.S., Alberto brings a tremendous amount of knowledge of what it means to be in competition, coupled with an ability to communicate his passion for the sport, to his new role,” said Campbell McLaren, Combate Americas founder and CEO.  “From working with Alberto in the past, we have gotten to know him very well, and are thrilled to have him on our team in an executive capacity.”

“I am excited to enter a new chapter in my career in combat sports, and to have the opportunity to spearhead the Combate Americas mission of delivering to fight fans everywhere, an authentic and first-rate Hispanic MMA product,” said Rodriguez.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Rodriguez made his professional wrestling debut in 2000, eventually signing with the WWE where he took on the “Del Rio” name and became the league’s only competitor in history to win both the “Royal Rumble” and the “Money in the Bank” ladder match in the same calendar year – 2011.

Over the course of two tenures with the WWE, Rodriguez faced and defeated a collection of top rival champions and other superstars in the sport, including fellow Mexican hero Rey Mysterio, John Cena, Dolph Ziggler and Randy Orton.

As a member of the Mexican National Greco-Roman wrestling team in the late ‘90s, Rodriguez won the Central American and Caribbean Games in his weight division three times.

Rodriguez will make his public debut as “El Presidente” this week, during the first-ever Combate Americas live event in New York on Friday, Oct. 14 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona. 

The seven-bout, “Combate Americas: Empire Rising” card will be headlined by the league’s first world championship showdown in history – a bantamweight (135 pounds) title fight between ferocious rising stars John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) of Mankato, Minn. and Gustavo Lopez (6-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash.

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

Combate Americas: Three New Bouts Announced For New York on October 14

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Below: Paulina “Firefox” Granados (pictured) will face off with Jenna Serio in a featured atomweight (105 pounds) contest at Combate Americas: Empire Rising, the U.S. Hispanic league’s debut event in New York, on Friday, Oct. 14, live on beIN Sports en Español as well as UFC FIGHT PASS®.

COMBATE AMERICAS
ANNOUNCES THREE MORE BOUTS
FOR FIRST-EVER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT IN NY,
LIVE ON BEIN SPORTS EN ESPAÑOL
AND UFC FIGHT PASS® ON FRIDAY, OCT. 14

Featherweight co-main event: Erick Sanchez vs. Victor Martinez
Bantamweight: Irwin Rivera vs. Cristobal Chavez
Women’s atomweight: Paulina Granados vs. Jenna Serio

Tickets on sale now

NEW YORK – Sept. 14, 2016 – Combate Americas today announced the addition of three bouts, including a featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event contest between streaking Urijah Faber protégé Erick Sanchez (7-2) and hard-hitting knockout artist Victor Martinez (6-4) to the league’s first world championship fight card in history at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y. on Friday, Oct. 14, live on beIN SPORTS En Español and UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The matchup between Sanchez and Martinez will precede the much-anticipated bantamweight (135 pounds) championship showdown between red-hot stars John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) of Mankato, Minn. and Gustavo Lopez (6-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash.

In another bantamweight contest, Blackzilians team member and rising starIrwin “The Beast” Rivera (5-1) will collide with undefeated submission expert Cristobal “El Mosquito” Chavez (4-0).

In women’s atomweight (105 pounds) action, Paulina “Firefox” Granados(3-2) will take on Jenna Serio (3-1).

Erick Sanchez vs. Victor Martinez

The 5-foot-10, 25-year-old Sanchez of Sacramento, Calif. will look for his third straight victory in La Jaula, and his fourth consecutive win overall, after submitting (rear-naked choke) Mike Segura in just 50 seconds at the third event in the Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” series in Los Angeles, Calif. on April 18.

Prior to the victory, Sanchez, who has won five of his seven professional starts by way of (T)KO or submission, scored a third round (1:22) TKO (punches) on Ousmane Thomas Diagne at Bellator 147 on December 4, 2015.

Also 25 years of age, the 25-year-old Martinez of Pharr, Texas has notched five of his six professional wins by way of (T)KO, with all five of the conquests having come with his hands.

Martinez is looking to rebound from a close, split decision defeat at the hands of Erick Gonzalez at the fourth Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” event on April 25.


Above: Irwin “The Beast” Rivera (pictured) will make his Combate Americas debut against undefeated Cristobal Chavez in a featured bantamweight (135 pounds) bout.

Irwin Rivera vs. Cristobal Chavez

Fighting out of Boca Raton, Fla., the home of the Blackzilians fight squad, the 5-foot-6, 27-year-old Rivera, who will make his debut under the promotion of Combate Americas, was raised in New Windsor, N.Y. after being born in Nezahualcoyotl, Mexico.  He jump started his professional career with a split decision victory over Andre Cuff on November 7, 2014, and ran to three consecutive wins thereafter.

In his last outing on March 25, Rivera submitted Jose Ceja in third round (4:45) of battle with a rear-naked choke.

The 5-foot-7, 26-year-old Chavez of El Paso, Texas has yet to be beaten in a combined eight professional and amateur bouts.  Three of his four professional wins have come via (T)KO or submission.

Chavez is coming off a second round (4:14) submission (armlock) of Ronny Perrogon on June 11.

Paulina Granados vs. Jenna Serio

A native of Corpus Christi, Texas where she excelled in power lifting as a high school student, the 5-foot-2, 28-year-old Granados fights out of the famed Alliance MMA team in San Diego, Calif.

Granados made her Combate Americas debut in her last start on May 9, earning a split decision over longtime rival Stephanie Alba, whom Granados had defeated twice previously during their amateur days.

Serio of Brooklyn, N.Y. is a 5-foot-2, 24-year-old upstart who will enter the Combate Americas cage for the first time, riding a two-fight win streak.

In her last effort, Serio handily submitted Sadee Monserrate with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:50) of their matchup on June 3.

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, more than 20 restaurants and dining options, two luxurious spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five pristine golf courses, several bars, 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.  Tickets are priced at $75, for cageside, $65, $50 and $35, and may be subject to additional fees.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.

Additional bouts will be announced soon.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

UFC FIGHT PASS is available on: personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Sony TVs with Android TV and Roku devices.
Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS HITS NEW YORK WITH  FIRST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT IN HISTORY, LIVE ON BEIN SPORTS EN ESPAÑOL AND UFC FIGHT PASS® ON FRIDAY, OCT. 14

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(Pictured below): Twenty-four year-old surging star John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) of Mankato, Minn. will bid to become the first 135 pound world champion in Combate Americas history onFriday, Oct. 14, live on beIN Sports en Español and UFC FIGHT PASS.

John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda faces Gustavo Lopez
for the world bantamweight championship
at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.

Tickets on sale now

NEW YORK – Sept. 8, 2016 – Combate Americas today announced that red-hot, streaking bantamweight (135 pounds) stars John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) and 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. on Friday, October 14, live on beIN SPORTS En Español and UFC FIGHT PASS®.

The 24-year-old Castaneda of Mankato, Minn. and the 27-year-old Lopez of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash. 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,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, who also produced the last live televised professional MMA event in New York State with UFC® 7 on September 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,” continued 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) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash. will look to continue his unbeaten run in “La Jaula,” the Combate Americas cage, when he fights for his first world title.

Castaneda, who has finished 8 of his 11 professional career victories, is riding a six-fight win streak dating back to May 16, 2015 when he submitted Pedro Velasco with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:42) of battle.

Castaneda’s run in the “Road To The Championship” series began with a unanimous decision win over Justin Governale on September 17, 2015, and continued with a spectacular, arm-triangle choke submission of Federico Lopez in the closing moments of the third round (4:49) of action.

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

In his last start, Castaneda stepped up for Combate Americas on just two weeks’ notice,  replacing an injured Erick Sanchez, at the higher, featherweight limit of 145 pounds, against Angel Cruz on August 11, and scored a second round (2:25) TKO (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 or submission.

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) of action, before sealing his fate in the title fight with Castaneda by scoring a devastating, second round (4:07) TKO on Saul 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, more than 20 restaurants and dining options, two luxurious spas, a 125,000 square foot Las Vegas style gaming floor, a cabaret-style Showroom, a 5,000 seat arena, five pristine golf courses, several bars, 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.  Tickets are priced at $75, for cageside, $65, $50 and $35, and may be subject to additional fees.  Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.for the event, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.

Additional bouts will be announced soon.

UFC FIGHT PASS is a digital subscription service which gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s largest fight library.

UFC FIGHT PASS is available on: personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Sony TVs with Android TV and Roku devices.