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 libra) 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 Sabado, Nobyembre 11 sa 11:30 sa gabii. UG/10:30 sa gabii. CT.

Ang maong kalihokan, 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) gikan sa San Juan, Puerto Rico will take on red-hot Marcelo “The Pitbull” Rojo (12-4) from Cordoba, Argentina.

Sa 36 ka tuig ang panuigon, 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 libra) in his native Argentina.

A former semifinalist on Ang Ultimate Fighter: Latin America reality television series, Rojo has produced 10 sa iyang 12 career daog pinaagi sa (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 "Ang Gallero" Palacios (9-1) sa Misyon, Texas, will clash with fast-rising star Carlos “Lobo” Rivera (12-2) sa 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 Sa Roma Salazar sa Abril 20, ug ang usa ka unanimous decision nga sa ibabaw sa Chris Avila sa Hulyo 27.

Rivera is a 24-year-old member of the famed “Bonebreakers” fight squad. He has produced 8 sa iyang 10 propesyonal nga trabaho daog pinaagi sa (T)KO o pagpasakop, 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) sa Mankato, Gikan sa. 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 sa 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, gubat-gisulayan, 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.

Sa lang 25 mga tuig sa edad, Gómez has already racked up 30 propesyonal nga away, making him the most experienced of the tournament field and, sa iyang 20 career mga kadaugan, an astonishing 17 mianhi pinaagi sa (T)KO o pagpasakop.

Ayala is a gutsy, 27-year-old striker who also boasts a spectacular finish rate, uban sa 9 sa iyang 11 career conquests having come by way of (T)KO o pagpasakop. 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 libra) co-main event between undefeated knockout artist Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) sa 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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BAHIN COMBATE AMERIKA
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. Ang Combate Amerika franchise naglakip sa kamatuoran sa TV programming, live nga mga panghitabo ug mga mobile programming. Ang kompanya sa CEO, Campbell McLaren, sa tibuok kalibutan nga giila ingon nga ang mga co-founder / co-Magbubuhat sa Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Bag-ong York Magazine gihulagway McLaren ingon “ang marketing katalagsaon sa luyo sa UFC” ug Yahoo! Sports gimantala nga siya “nahibalo dugang mahitungod sa sport kay sa lang bahin sa bisan kinsa niini karon.” Uban sa usa ka bag-o nga produkto ug sa usa ka asul nga-chip pagpanag-iya ug pagdumala sa team, Combate Amerika ang andam sa paglapas sa bag-o nga yuta, ug dad-on mahitungod sa usa ka bag-ong panahon sa kalibutan championship nga lebel MMA kompetisyon.