Combate Americas Announces Complete MMA Card – Breaking UFC News

Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise founded by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) co-creator Campbell McLaren, today announced an eight-bout lineup for the first of its all-new, weekly fight series on NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, beginning at Exchange L.A. in Los Angeles, Calif., on Monday, April 18, at 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT.
“We are excited to return to the great city of Los Angeles, which has a rich history in combat sports, and kick off this incredible, new weekly series with NBC Universo, and a group of phenomenal, up-and-coming athletes,” said McLaren.

Priced from $25, tickets for the “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event are available for purchase online at MMAtixx.com.

Headlining the first live event in the series will be a featherweight (145 pounds) contest between Urijah Faber protégé and Team Alpha Male member Erick Sanchez (6-2) and aggressive-minded finisher Mike Segura (4-2).

Sanchez of Sacramento, Calif. is a 5-foot-10, 25-year-old powerhouse, seeking his third consecutive win after scoring a third round (1:22) TKO (punches) on seasoned striker Ousmane Thomas Diagne at Bellator 147 on December 4, 2015.

The 6-foot-2, 27-year-old Segura of Costa Mesa, Calif. has claimed all four of his professional career wins to date via TKO or submission.

In the flyweight (125 pounds) co-main event, Jonathan Martinez (7-1) will take on Jesse “The Puerto Rican Game Cock” Cruz (8-5).

Martinez of Plainview, Texas is a hard punching battler who went undefeated in his first seven professional bouts, winning five of them via (T)KO.

The 5-foot-7, 29-year-old’s sole loss came by way of disqualification as a result of an unintentional, but illegal knee strike he threw in the second round (2:21) of his last start on December 4, 2015, against former MTV Uncaged MMA reality series star, Matt “Danger” Schnell.

Cruz of San Diego, Calif. has notched five of his eight career wins by way of (T)KO or submission. The 5-foot-6, 33-year-old will make his first appearance of the year in the cage, and look to rebound from a first round (1:40) submission (guillotine choke) defeat at the hands of Cheng Jun Yang on October 24, 2015.

In other action, undefeated Duke Roufus protégé Kevin Vazquez (3-0) of Milwaukee, Wisc. will collide with aggressive-minded Adam “Chingon” Calderon (5-2) of Porterville, Calif. in a featherweight affair.

Fast-paced finisher Angel Cruz (5-1) of San Diego, Calif. will lock horns with submission specialist Mario “Handsome” Navarro (4-4) of Huntington Beach, Calif. in another featherweight scrap.

Flashy striker and Tae Kwon Do and Karate black belt Jonathan “Tsunami” Santa Maria (3-2) of Whittier, Calif. will throw down with Kyle Estrada (2-2) of Sherman Oaks, Calif. at flyweight.

Unbeaten upstart Daniel Rodriguez (1-0) of Alhambra, Calif. will meet Marcos Gonzalez (5-4) of Whittier in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest.

Michael “El Guapo” Reyes (1-1) of Oxnard, Calif. will square off with Richard Bowen (2-1) of San Diego at flyweight.

Leading off the card will be a lightweight (155 pounds) bout between a pair of pro debut competitors in Jose “Froggy” Estrada (0-0) of Ventura, Calif. and Jonathan Quiroz (0-0) of Long Beach, Calif.

A total of 30 bouts featuring the most fearsome, emerging Hispanic MMA fighters, including Imagen Award-winning Combate Americas competition reality series contestant and professional boxer Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (5-1 MMA, 2-0-1 boxing), John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (9-2) and women’s atomweight standout and Eddie Bravo pupil Kyra “Mogwai” Batara (4-3), will unfold over the course of a 30-day period.
The first weekly show on April 18 will mark the third event in the “Road To The Championship” series. Following the sixth event in the series, which kicked off on September 17, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nev., the most successful competitors in each weight class will be placed in the first Combate Americas world championship bouts in history.