Tag Archives: women’s MMA

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA BRINGS WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT  TO CALIFORNIA’S CENTRAL VALLEY

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LFA 51 – MAZO vs. NIEVERA
MAIN EVENT:
 
LFA WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION
SABINA “COLOMBIAN QUEEN” MAZO
vs.
LFA WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT TOP CONTENDER
JAIMEE “QUEENIE” NIEVERA
 
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th LIVE on AXS TV
 
LIVE at the SELLAND ARENA
in FRESNO, CALIFORNIA
 
Tickets are on sale NOW through Ticketmaster.com

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – LFA CEO Ed Soares announced today that LFA will make its first trip to the Central Valley of California in September with a women’s flyweight title fight headlining LFA 51.

 

 

 

The main event of LFA 51 will bring a highly-anticipated women’s world title fight to the San Joaquin Valley. The headliner will see undefeated LFA women’s flyweight champion Sabina “Colombian Queen” Mazo defend her title against LFA women’s flyweight top contender Jaimee “Queenie” Nievera. LFA 51 – Mazo vs. Nievera takes place Friday, September 28th at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

 

 

 

“I am excited to bring LFA to Fresno at LFA 51”, stated Soares. “This will be our fifth show in my home state of California. The Central Valley has great fight fans and a lot of MMA talent. We look forward to packing the Selland Arena on September 28th with a fantastic fight card headlined by a women’s flyweight title fight between champion Sabina Mazo and top contender Jaimee Nievera.”

 

 

 

Tickets for LFA 51 – Mazo vs. Nievera are available for purchase NOW at Ticketmaster.com.

 

 

 

Mazo (5-0) is the 21-year-old LFA women’s flyweight champion that took the MMA world by storm in 2017. The Colombian wunderkind signed with LFA when she was 19-years-old and quickly burst onto the global scene at LFA 9. This happened when she knocked out 82nd Airborne Army veteran Jamie Thorton with a jaw-dropping head kick that went viral on mainstream media and MMA media outlets alike. The Kings MMA product doubled-down in her sophomore appearance for LFA by knocking out Minnesota National Guard member Linsey Williams with a nearly identical first round head kick at LFA 23. The “Colombian Queen” finally received her crown this past April. The title winning performance came courtesy of a unanimous decision over Shannon Sinn at LFA 37, which saw Mazo provide a brilliant display boxing and clinch work, as well as her signature Muay Thai skills. The Medellín, Colombia native now looks to begin her reign as champion with another masterful performance at LFA 51.

 

 

 

Nievera (7-4) earned her shot at LFA gold this past June with a dominant LFA debut win against the 2016 RFA Fans’ Choice Awards “Prospect of the Year” winner Katy Collins. The unanimous decision win came in Collins’ hometown of Branson, Missouri at LFA 42 just a few months after Collins had been ranked #4 on AXS TV’s inaugural women’s pound-for-pound rankings. The win immediately caught the attention of UFC matchmakers and Nievera was offered a main event spot on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series against Antonina Shevchenko. The 33-year-old Bellator veteran showed her gameness by accepting the fight on a week’s notice against Shevchenko, who is an undefeated MMA prospect, Muay Thai world champion, and the older sister of UFC #1 contender Valentina Shevchenko. Nievera displayed a ton of heart and skill, but did not get the result she wanted. The Union City, California native now has a chance to flip the script with a title winning performance in front of her home crowd at LFA 51.

 

 

 

Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT):

 

 

 

Main Event | Women’s Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)

 

 

– Sabina Mazo (5-0) vs. Jaimee Nievera (7-4)

 

 

 

Co-Main Event |Bantamweight Bout (135 lb)

 

 

– Gustavo Erak (19-3-1) vs. Cody Gibson (15-7)

 

 

 

Bantamweight Feature Bout (135 lb)

 

 

– Nohelin Hernandez (8-2) vs. Rolando Velasco (13-5-1)

 

 

 

Light Heavyweight Bout (205 lb)

 

 

– Jordan Powell (9-7) vs. Andres Alcantar (4-0)

 

 

 

Welterweight Bout (170 lb)

 

 

– Salaiman Ahmadyar(6-0) vs. Joaquin Lopez (4-0)

 

 

 

 

LFA 51 will be the fifth LFA event to take place in the state of California. RFA hosted eight events inside “The Golden State” before the merger. The entire main card of LFA 51 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

 

 

 

In 2017, RFA and Legacy FC merged to form LFA, the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts. The combined forces of LFA launched the careers of over 140 athletes to reach the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.  In May of 2018 the promotion joined the London Trust Media Holdings group of companies.

 

 

 

Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.

 

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES NEW MAIN EVENT, LIVE UNIVISION DEPORTES NETWORK TELECAST OF ‘MEXICO VS USA’ MMA SHOWDOWN FROM SACRAMENTO, CALIF. ON FRIDAY, MAY 11

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BRENDA ENRIQUEZ REPLACES INJURED KYRA BATARA 
IN MAIN EVENT BATTLE WITH LISBETH LOPEZ SILVA

 

LIVE, 90-MINUTE TELECAST BEGINS AT 11 P.M. ET/8 P.M. PT

 

UNDERCARD TO STREAM LIVE ON UNIVISIONDEPORTES.COM
BEGINNING AT 9:30 P.M. ET/6:30 P.M. PT

 

FIGHT CARD COMPLETE WITH EIGHT BOUTS

 

 

NEW YORK – May 8, 2018 – Combate Americas today announced a new main event and  live Univision Deportes Network (UDN) telecast for its ‘Mexico vs. USA’ Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event that will be highlighted by matchups between a collection of prolific, rising stars from Mexico against ferocious combatants from the U.S., in Sacramento, Calif. on Friday, May 11.

 

The live UDN telecast of “Combate Americas: Mexico vs. USA” will begin at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT from McClellan Conference Center, and will be headlined by a 110-pound catchweight contest between top 20 world-ranked star Lisbeth “Coneja” Lopez Silva (5-3) of Mexico City, Mexico and Brenda Enriquez (1-1) of Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. via Chihuahua, Mexico.

 

The program will also be available on the Univision Deportes app and www.UnivisionDeportes.com.

 

The telecast will immediately follow a live stream of the five-bout undercard on www.UnivisionDeportes.com, beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT.

 

Enriquez will replace Kyra Batara of Las Vegas, Nevada., U.S. in the main event.  Batara was originally slated to face Silva at atomweight (105 pounds), but has withdrawn from the commitment due to a strain in her back and neck.

 

In the previously announced featherweight (145 pounds) co-main event, knockout artist Horacio “The Punisher” Gutierrez (4-3) of Guadalajra, Jalisco, Mexico will collide with Nate Diaz protégé Chris Avila (5-6) of Stockton, Calif., U.S.

 

Leading off the live telecast will be a newly announced, lightweight (155 pounds) matchup between aggressive-minded finisher Anthony “The Shark” Avila (15-5) of Sacramento and hard-hitting striker Jose Luis Verdugo (8-4) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

 

In preliminary bout card action and a fourth matchup pitting fighters from the two neighboring countries against one another, Jose “Manos De Padre” Loera (0-0) of Aguascalientes, Mexico will battle Christian Giovannie (2-2) of Stockton, Calif., U.S. at bantamweight (135 pounds).

 

Elsewhere in preliminary bout action, unbeaten Kaleio “K.O.” Romero (1-0) of Sacramento will face off with Luis “Lightyear” Vargas (2-2) of San Jose, Calif., U.S. in a lightweight bout.

 

A 140-pound catchweight contest will see undefeated Andrew “Bulldog” Coyne(2-0) of Sacramento go to war with Roger “Rare Breed” Severson (2-3) of Vallejo.

 

Combate Americas veteran Jose Aguayo (2-1) of San Ramon, Calif. U.S. will return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, to square off with unbeaten Jesse Strader (2-0) of Lancaster, Calif., U.S. in a featherweight tilt.

 

In women’s strawweight (115 pounds) action, Francis “Hitgirl” Hernandez (2-2) of Camuy, Puerto Rico will make her Combate Americas debut against Shyann Farmer (0-1) of Alamogordo, N.M., U.S.

 

Priced from $40, tickets for “Combate Americas: Mexico vs. USA” are on sale at Ticketon.com.  Doors at McClellan Conference Center will open for the event at 6 p.m.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, women's MMA

THIRD WOMEN’S MMA FIGHT ADDED TO NEF 34 CARD IN PORTLAND

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Portland, Maine (April 27, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland, Maine with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” on Saturday night, June 16, 2018.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur women’s catchweight bout to the card.  Chelsea Tucker (0-2) will return to the NEF cage to take on the debuting Glory Watson (0-0) at a fight weight of 130-pounds.

 

 

 

Chelsea Tucker, a member of First Class MMA of Brunswick, Maine, is a native of Williamsburg, Virginia.  She has served her country as a veteran of the United States Coast Guard.  Tucker has twice entered the NEF cage to compete in MMA bouts.  She lost to Sarah Matulis (1-0) via TKO last fall at “NEF 31.”  She returned to meet Catie Denning (1-0) in February at “NEF 32.”  Tucker forced Denning to a decision, but lost on the judges’ scorecards.  Earlier this month, Tucker entered the NEF cage for a third time to grapple Carol Linn Powell (0-1) on the opener of “NEF 33.”  Tucker and Powell went to a five-minute draw. 

 

 

 

“I look forward to stepping into the cage with Glory,” said Tucker.  “It’s always an honor to step into the cage with anyone who puts in the time and work. She comes from a very good gym and so do I.  I have some great sparring partners and coaches. I’m excited to show what I have learned every time I make an appearance.”

 

 

 

“NEF 34” will be the debut of Glory Watson in the MMA cage.  Watson is a product of Young’s MMA of Bangor, Maine where she is a teammate of Catie Denning who defeated Chelsea Tucker earlier this year.  She is eager to test the skills she has picked up from her team in the cage this June.

 

 

 

“I’m looking forward to stepping into the cage to represent Young’s MMA,” said Watson.  “I love this sport, and am excited to show what I can do. I am thankful to the NEF for this opportunity to put the skills I have learned to the test.”

 

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

 

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

SECOND WOMEN’S MMA BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR NEF 34 IN PORTLAND

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Portland, Maine (April 25, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland, Maine with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” on Saturday night, June 16, 2018.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur women’s bantamweight bout to the card.  Carol Linn Powell (0-1) is scheduled to face Sarah Matulis (1-0) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

 

 

 

 

Powell is the wife of current UFC signee and former NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion Devin Powell (8-3). Together, the couple owns and operates Nostos MMA & Conditioning Facility in Somersworth, New Hampshire.  The gym earned the “Best Martial Arts Gym” designation in the 2017 “Best of the Seacoast” awards.  Carol Linn made her in-cage debut last November in Portland against Francesca Morabito (1-0), losing a hard-fought decision on the judges’ scorecards.  Earlier this month, Powell grappled Chelsea Tucker to a draw to open “NEF 33″ in Portland.

 

 

 

 

“Words can’t describe how excited and thankful I am to be partaking in the third NEF event in Portland after competing in the first and second,” said Powell when reached for comment. “Both times I’ve been in the cage have been very entertaining—the first of which ended in me getting my contacts knocked out and looking like Sloth after—and this time will be no different, I just plan on getting the job done quicker. I am looking forward to getting back in there and testing myself again and getting to witness how much better I have gotten at the sport. Sarah and I both made our debuts at ‘NEF 31’ in November, and I can’t wait to overcome the new challenges she has for me and to get my first win in the cage.”

 

 

 

 

Like Powell, Sarah Matulis did indeed make her cage debut at “NEF 31” last November in Portland.  That evening she was victorious over Chelsea Tucker with a first-round technical knockout.  By day, Matulis is a mother and nurse practitioner who studied nursing at Pace University in New York.  She is a member of The Outlet based in Dexter, Maine and regularly competes in grappling events throughout the New England region.

 

 

 

 

“I’m thrilled to be competing again for NEF,” said Matulis.  “Carol Linn and I are both budding amateur fighters.  I know she’s hunting for her first win, but I plan to remain undefeated. NEF fans are accustomed to seeing spectacular WMMA bouts, and I fully expect this fight will keep to that standard.”

 

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights, women's MMA

FIRST WOMEN’S MMA BOUT ANNOUNCED FOR PORTLAND FIGHT CARD

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Portland, Maine (April 24, 2018) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to Aura in Portland, Maine with its next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” on Saturday night, June 16, 2018.  Earlier today, the fight promotion announced the addition of an amateur women’s bantamweight bout to the card.  Brianne Genschel (0-1) will return to take on Amanda Gallo (1-1) at a fight weight of 135-pounds.

 

 

 

Genschel made her MMA debut at “NEF 26” in the fall of 2016 in a losing effort to a much more experienced Jessica Borga who already had five amateur fights to her credit.  Despite the disadvantage in cage experience, Genschel held her own for a full three rounds and forced Borga to the judges’ scorecards.  Genschel is the owner and operator of the Farmington branch of The Foundry Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) school.  She has practiced BJJ for more than a decade and holds a black belt in the martial art.  Genschel is also a member of First Class MMA based in Brunswick, Maine.

 

 

 

“I’m really excited to get back in the cage,” said Genschel. “I have a feeling Amanda Gallo will be a great opponent, and certainly won’t make this an easy fight. I’m up for the challenge, and definitely respect anyone who puts in the time and dedication it takes to get out there. Thank you to Amanda for committing to this fight, and I plan to leave it all in the cage putting on a good show in the process!”

 

 

 

Amanda Gallo, like Genschel, is a one-fight veteran of the NEF cage.  In February of this year, she stunned the Maine fight community by handing top-prospect Jayda Bailey (1-1) her first loss in dominant fashion.  Gallo will make her second trip to Maine to fight on June 16 from her home state of Florida where she trains at the Tampa branch of Robson Moura Nations United (RMNU).

 

 

 

“Thank you to NEF for allowing me to fight for them again,” said Gallo. “I had a lot of fun fighting Jayda at NEF 32 – she was a tough opponent. I’m sure Brianne will also be a fun match. I’m looking forward to putting on a good show for Maine and hopefully bringing home another win to Florida.”

 

 

 

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018.  Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

boxing, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

New opponent for Amanda Serrano’s MMA Debut; Proceeds of the event go to those affected by Hurricane Maria

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The long-awaited mixed martial arts (MMA) debut of professional boxing five-division world champion, Amanda Serrano (0-0) had an opponent change, but of better quality.

 

 

 

 

Serrano was scheduled to face Mexican Erendira “Aketzaly” Ordóñez (2-1), but due to visa issues, the new opponent is now Californian Corina Herrera (3-4) in a three-round fight at the flyweight division (125 pounds).

 

 

 

 

 

Serrano-Herrera will take place on Friday, April 13th at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles, and will feature simultaneous live broadcasts on Univision and Univision Deportes at midnight (12:00 am Eastern Time / 9:00 pm Pacific Time).

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Herrera has fought on the big scenarios and has never been defeated by knockout or submission. She has good stamina, her fights are exciting, she has good defense and has already fought in different weights from 115 pounds to 135. I only hope that our fight is a great fight for all the demanding MMA fans and of course, for my boricua people who are my heart and soul,” said Serrano.

 

 

 

 

 

In this fight, 25% of the proceeds from the ticket sales on AXS.com, using the code “BORICUA”, will go to the organization “Voices For Puerto Rico” as part of a campaign led by Serrano, together with its promoter Combate Américas to help those affected by Hurricane Maria, an atmospheric event that passed through Puerto Rico last September. ( https://www.axs.com/events/351700/combate-estrellas-i-tickets )

 

 

 

 

 

“We cannot lower our guard. We must continue to help Puerto Rico in all possible ways because six months have passed since the hurricane came and we’ve still not recovered. My respects for the people who and left their families to help others while putting their lives in danger.”

 

Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Paramount Network, women's MMA

HAWAII’S ILIMA-LEI MACFARLANE MAKES FIRST FLYWEIGHT TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST ALEJANDRA LARA IN MAIN EVENT OF BELLATOR 201 ON JUNE 29

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cid:image002.jpg@01D3CB3F.0B7BB070

 

VALERIE LETOURNEAU RETURNS TO ACTION AGAINST BRUNA ELLEN

 

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES – Bellator returns to Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. for Bellator 201 on Friday, June 29. The card will be headlined by the San Diego-based Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (7-0), who defends her undefeated record and newly won flyweight crown against Columbia’s Alejandra “Azul” Lara (7-1).

 

 

 

 

In addition to the women’s flyweight championship being up for grabs on June 29, Valerie Létourneau (9-6) will look to improve to 2-0 inside the Bellator cage, when she meets the always-tough Bruna Ellen (4-1) at 125-pounds. Additional bouts, including the co-main event for Bellator 201: Macfarlane vs. Lara, will be announced in the coming days.

 

 

 

 

Tickets for the event go on sale this Friday, April 6 and start at $39. Tickets will be available at the Pechanga box office and Pechanga.com. Doors for the event open at 3:30 p.m. PT, while the preliminary card will kick-off at 4:30 p.m. PST. The event will be broadcast live and free on Paramount Network at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and globally on the newly updated Bellator Mobile App.

 

 

 

 

Ilima-Lei Macfarlane has been proving naysayers wrong since her viral MMA debut in 2015, defeating every opponent placed in front of her en route to becoming the inaugural Bellator women’s flyweight champion this past November by defeating Emily Ducote. Born in Honolulu, “The Ilimanator” was a high school wrestler at Punahou School, where she was also a classmate of pro golfer Michelle Wie. Primarily focusing on her academics, Macfarlane went on to attend San Diego State University, where she studied cultural anthropology and went on to earn her master’s degree in liberal arts and sciences. Following that, the 27-year-old dove headfirst into MMA, splitting time between Team Hurricane Awesome and 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, where she remains to this day. Undefeated as a pro, Macfarlane now looks to keep her undefeated record intact and the title around her waist.

 

 

 

 

Hailing from Medellin, Colombia, Alejandra Lara made a statement in Bellator’s flyweight division when she finished Lena Ovchynnikova via rear-naked choke at Bellator 190. The 23-year-old knockout artist has earned seven victories in eight outings since making her professional debut in 2011 and has shown tenacity in her fights thus far, showcasing a pair of first round knockouts and multiple submissions. On the heels of her impressive promotional debut, Lara earned a shot at the championship on June 29.

 

 

 

 

The Canadian-born Létourneau, a former UFC strawweight title challenger, carries an impressive track record of thrilling fights, highlighted by a world title contest against former champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk. Since signing with Bellator, “Trouble” has moved up to her more natural weight class, impressively defeating Kate Jackson in her promotional debut. At Bellator 201, the American Top Team-product will look to improve upon her nine victories as a professional, a tally that includes five finishes, with four coming by way of knockout.

 

 

 

 

At only 21-years-old, Ellen has already made three appearances for Bellator, competing against the likes of Veta Arteaga and Jessica Middleton. The Campinas, Brazil native and Team Nogueira-product has won four out of five fights to begin her professional career and will now look to continue her upward trajectory when she meets the former title challenger in a battle of top contenders.

 

 

 

 

Updated Bellator 201: Macfarlane vs. Lara Fight Card:

 

 

 

Women’s Flyweight Title Main Event: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (7-0) vs. Alejandra Lara (7-1)

 

 

 

Women’s Flyweight Feature Bout: Valerie Létourneau (9-6) vs. Bruna Ellen (4-1)

 

 

 

 

 

*Card subject to change.

 

 

 

 

Please visit Bellator.com for additional information.

 

LFA, mixed martial arts, MMA

LFA RETURNS TO SOUTH DAKOTA WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER AT LFA 37

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LFA RETURNS TO SOUTH DAKOTA
WITH CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLEHEADER AT LFA 37
MAIN EVENT:
 
SOUTH DAKOTA’S OWN
SID BICE
vs.
CUBAN OLYMPIC WRESTLER
MAIKEL PEREZ
 
FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
CO-MAIN EVENT:
 
COLOMBIAN KNOCKOUT SENSATION
SABINA MAZO
vs.
COLORADO POWERHOUSE
SHANNON SINN
 
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
 
 
FRIDAY, APRIL 20th LIVE on AXS TV
SANFORD PENTAGON in SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA 
Tickets will go on sale at 10 am cst on Tuesday 3-20-18  through Ticketmaster.com
HOUSTON, Texas – Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) CEO Ed Soares announced today that the promotion will bring a championship doubleheader to South Dakota at LFA 37. The promotion will crown its king and queen of the flyweight division as both the men’s and women’s vacant 125-pound titles will be on the line.

The main event of LFA 37 will crown a new LFA flyweight champion when South Dakota native Sid “Vicious” Bice battles Cuban Olympic wrestler “Super” Maikel Perez for the vacant strap. The co-main event of LFA 37 will crown a new LFA women’s flyweight champion when Colombian knockout sensation Sabina Mazo faces Colorado powerhouse Shannon Sinn for the vacant women’s title.  LFA 37 – Bice vs. Perez takes place Friday, April 20th at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The entire main card will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
“LFA 37 will continue our exciting history in South Dakota that began with the RFA in August 2014,” stated Soares. “We brought the first sanctioned MMA event to the state at RFA 17, we hosted the first MMA world title fight in the state, and now we will bring the first women’s world title fight to ‘The Mount Rushmore State’ at LFA 37.”
Tickets will go on sale at 10 am cst on Tuesday 3-20-18 through Ticketmaster.com
Bice (8-1) is widely considered one of the top flyweight prospects in MMA as well as one of the best fighters to hail from “The Mount Rushmore State”. The Winner, South Dakota native, who wrestled collegiately in Sioux Falls at Augustana University, made a successful return to his homestate after signing with LFA last year. “Sid Vicious” won both of his fights for LFA in Sioux Falls by establishing his signature frenetic pace that he uses to outclass his opponents with movement, dominant wrestling, and precise striking. The 28-year-old Factory X Muay Thai product, who is based in Denver, now looks to win gold in his home state at LFA 37.
Perez (6-1) is a former Olympian and Cuban national wrestling team member. The 34-year-old began competing on Cuba’s national team at international tournaments when he was 17-years-old. This included competing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. “Super Maikel” also represented Cuba at the 2009 World Championships and the 2006 and 2009 Pan American Championships. Perez took the gold medal at 60 kg at the 2009 Pan American Championships. Perez, who trains at Kings MMA in southern California, now looks to add more gold to his trophy case at LFA 37. He will get that chance in front of the same fans he impressed last summer at LFA 19.
Mazo (4-0) is one of MMA’s breakout stars of 2017. The 20-year-old Colombian signed with LFA when she was 19-years-old and quickly burst onto the global scene last April at LFA 9. This happened when she knocked out 82nd Airborne Army veteran Jamie Thorton with a jaw-dropping head kick that went viral and was featured on every major MMA website as well as mainstream outlets such as USA Today. The Kings MMA product, who trains alongside Perez, then doubled-down in her sophomore appearance for LFA by knocking out Minnesota National Guard member Linsey Williams with another first round head kick. The “Colombian Queen” is now looking for her crown and perhaps a hat trick head kick KO courtesy of one of the most lethal high kicks in MMA.
Sinn (5-5) is one of the most physically imposing women in the flyweight division. Her statuesque physique, aggressive fighting style, and technical grappling have made her a fan favorite. The Colorado native also happens to train alongside two of the best female fighters in the world, UFC women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas and UFC women’s flyweight #1 contender Valentina Shevchenko. Sinn’s world-class training partners, take-on-all-comers mentality, and relentless work ethic has allowed the 38-year-old Coloradan to enjoy a career resurgence that includes back-to-back wins over the 2016 RFA Fans’ Choice “Prospect of the Year” Katy Collins as well as former LFA title challenger Heather Bassett. She now looks for her crowning moment by capturing LFA gold.
LFA 37 will feature the fourth championship doubleheader to take place in the state of South Dakota as well as the first-ever women’s world title fight to take place inside “The Mount Rushmore State”. The first three championship doubleheaders (six overall title fights) were contested under the RFA banner.
RFA visited South Dakota a total of four times and produced an incredible amount of talent at those four events. Ten fighters went on to compete for the UFC and five more would go on to fight for Bellator. Christos Giagos, Luke Sanders, Devin Clark, Geane Herrera, Khalil Rountree, Matthew Lopez, Terrion Ware, Jordan Johnson, Joe Gigliotti, and Brian Camozzi are the ten fighters that competed for the RFA in South Dakota before signing with the UFC. Justin Lawrence, Mark Dickman, Francisco France, Leandro Higo, and Logan Storley are the five fighters that competed for the RFA in South Dakota before signing with Bellator.
RFA 37 was the final RFA event in the state of South Dakota, before the merger, and it was featured on UFC President Dana White’s hit reality show Dana White: Lookin’ For A Fight. Five fighters from that event were signed to the UFC and another two signed with Bellator. That includes every fighter that won on the main card and another fighter that won on the undercard. LFA 37 looks to continue this tradition of success in the state.
Currently Announced Main Card (Televised on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT):
Main Event | Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)
– Sid Bice (8-1) vs. Maikel Perez (6-1)
Co-Main Event | Women’s Flyweight Title Bout (125 lb)
– Sabina Mazo (4-0) vs. Shannon Sinn (5-5)
Welterweight But (170 lb)
– Jordon Larson (8-4) vs. Clarence Jordan (10-4-1)
Lightweight Bout (155 lb)
– Bryce Logan (8-2) vs. Dakota Bush (4-0)
In September 2016, RFA and Legacy FC officials announced that they would be merging to form the premier developmental organization in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) starting in January 2017. RFA and Legacy FC have launched the careers of over 150 athletes that have reached the pinnacle of MMA by competing in the UFC.
LFA 37 will serve as the third LFA event to take place in the state of South Dakota. RFA visited “The Mount Rushmore State” four times before the merger. That includes RFA 17, which was the first sanctioned MMA event to take place in the state of South Dakota. Further information about LFA 37 will be announced soon. The entire main card of LFA 37 will be televised live and nationwide on AXS TV at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.
Please visit LFAfighting.com for bout updates and information. LFA is on Facebook at Legacy Fighting Alliance. LFA is also on Instagram at @LFAfighting and Twitter at @LFAfighting.
boxing, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA, women's boxing, women's MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS SIGNS FIRST-EVER, FIVE-DIVISION WORLD BOXING CHAMPION AMANDA SERRANO

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Five-division world boxing champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano has signed an exclusive, multi-year promotional agreement with Combate Americas, and is slated to make her MMA debut in March.

  

Pound-for-pound boxing phenom set to make her much-anticipated
MMA debut for world’s premier Hispanic MMA sports franchise

 

 

NEW YORK – January 11, 2018  – Combate Americas today announced the signing of five-division world boxing champion, including reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight (118 pounds) champion, Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (Boxing: 34-1-1, 26 KO’s; MMA: 0-0) to an exclusive, multi-year promotional agreement.

 

 

The only female fighter in history as well as the only Puerto Rican competitor ever to win five world titles in five different weight divisions, the 29-year-old Serrano who was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico and fights out of Brooklyn, N.Y., will make her Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) debut in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, on a March date to be announced soon.

 

 

“We are excited to bring Amanda Serrano, one of boxing’s most exciting superstars into the Combate Americas familia, and look forward to placing her on a global stage that is the premier sports property in 21 Spanish speaking countries worldwide,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

 

 

Serrano, a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter, will continue her burgeoning boxing career under the promotion of DiBella Entertainment, and attempt to become the first athlete in history to simultaneously hold world titles in MMA and boxing.

 

 

Serrano captured her first major world title, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super featherweight crown, at just 22 years old, with a brutal, second-round knockout of Kimberly Connor on September 10, 2011.

 

 

She has since torn through the ranks of fighters in four other weight divisions, ranging from bantamweight to lightweight (135 pounds), and most recently scored a first round TKO on Marilyn Hernandez on November 4, 2017.

 

 

Serrano was inspired to cross over to the world of MMA by retired world champion Miesha Tate, who has since become Serrano’s co-manager.

 

 

Combate Americas is coming off a banner year, producing remarkable television ratings in the U.S., Mexico and Spain, including the first two Telemundo MMA events in history that generated the highest ratings of any Spanish language MMA shows in the U.S. in the summer and fall of 2017, and as many as 6.9 million viewers for one episode of its weekly television series on TV Azteca in Mexico.
Amateur MMA, Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF WOMEN’S CO-MAIN EVENT TO LIVE TELEMUNDO BROADCAST OF “COPA COMBATE” ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 FROM CANCUN, MEXICO

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Pictured: Undefeated Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (right) of Mexico and Miesha Tate pupil Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (left) of Chile will square off in a strawweight (115 pounds) co-main event on the live Telemundo broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.  Photo credit: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas

MELISSA MARTINEZ OF MEXICO FACES GLORIA BRAVO OF CHILE IN STRAWWEIGHT SHOWDOWN PRECEDING
$100,000 GRAND PRIZE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT

NEW YORK – October 18 2017 –Combate Americas today announced the addition of a women’s strawweight (115 pounds) showdown between undefeated knockout artist Melissa “Super Melly” Martinez (2-0) and Gloria “Gloriosa” Bravo (4-2) that will serve as the co-main event on the highly-anticipated, live Telemundo broadcast (11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT, or following “Titulares y Mas”) of the “COPA COMBATE” Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) extravaganza from Cancun, Mexico on Saturday, Nov. 11.

The battle between the 20-year-old Martinez of Mexico City, Mexico and the 31-year-old Bravo, of Santiago, Chile, will immediately precede the championship stage bout and finale of the one-night, eight-man bantamweight (135 pounds) “COPA COMBATE” tournament that will award its winner a grand prize of $100,000 and that, for the first time ever, will see top-ranked fighters from the U.S., Latin America and Spain represent their respective countries in a quest for glory.

“This is a phenomenal addition to an already stellar and historic fight card created for the Telemundo broadcast television platform,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

“With the incredibly relentless and hard-hitting action we have seen from the women of Combate Americas,” continued McLaren, “it is only fitting that we showcase a matchup between two of the sport’s brightest and fastest rising female stars like Melissa Martinez and Gloria Bravo on the ‘COPA COMBATE’ platform.”

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

The 5-foot-2 Martinez will return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, for the second time in her career after shelling out a stunning, highlight reel knockout of Yajaira “Shokolate” Romo in the second round (2:45) of battle at Combate 15 in Mexico City on June 30.

Following the promotional debut victory, Martinez, also a decorated Muay Thai competitor, earned a second-place finish at WAKO Kickboxing’s “The World Games 2017 – Wroclaw” tournament in Poland on July 30.

The 5-foot-5 Bravo will enter La Jaula for the first time ever and put a three-fight winning streak on the line.  All three of her latest victories came by way of armlock submission.

Bravo recently ventured from Chile to Las Vegas, Nev. to train for the upcoming matchup with famed, retired, former UFC world champion Miesha Tate.

In addition to the “COPA COMBATE” tournament championship bout and the featured women’s fight between Martinez and Bravo, Telemundo’s live broadcast of “COPA COMBATE” will feature the tournament’s semifinal stage consisting of two bouts that pit the winners of the quarterfinal stage bouts in each tournament bracket against one another. The entire quarterfinal stage of the tournament will stream live on the Telemundo Deportes En Vivo app and TelemundoDeportes.com.

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