Combate Americas Returns May 9th – Breaking MMA 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 seven of nine matchups for its event on Monday, May 9, live on NBC UNIVERSO, the modern entertainment and sports cable channel for Latinos, from Exchange L.A. in Downtown Los Angeles, Calif., at 12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT.

Priced from $25, tickets for the event are available for purchase online at www.MMATixx.com.

In the bantamweight (135 pounds) main event, Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (6-1 MMA, 2-0-1, boxing) will look to extend his win streak and perfect record in the Combate Americas cage, or La Jaula, when he squares off with Brandon Royval (3-1).

Training at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, Calif., Palacios of Mission, Texas will make his first start of the year following his second consecutive win in La Jaula on December 16, 2015, when the 5-foot-6, 28-year-old earned a close, split decision over Anthony Paredes.

The win was Palacios’ third straight overall and followed his highlight reel, first round (1:00) head kick knockout of Benji Gomez at the inaugural “Combate Americas: Road To The Championship” event on September 17.

Royval of Littleton, Colo. is looking to notch his third consecutive victory following a devastating, first round (2:48) knockout of Danny Mainus by way of a knee strike, at the World Series of Fighting event in Greeley, Colo. on March 12.

In a women’s atomweight (105 pounds) co-main event and highly-anticipated, rubber match between two long-standing rivals, undefeated Stephanie “The Cyclone” Alba (3-0) will take on Paulina “Firefox” Granados (2-2).

The third meeting between Alba of Houston, Texas and Granados of San Diego, Calif. comes three and a half years after they faced off for the second time, under amateur status, on December 21, 2012.

Granados earned a close, split decision victory in the rematch, and a unanimous decision win in the first matchup with Alba on January 15, 2011.

In other action, Ray “The Judge” Rodriguez (9-4) of San Antonio, Texas will seek his fourth straight win against battle-tested veteran Art “King Arthur” Arciniega (14-6) of Dos Palos, Calif. in a featherweight (145 pounds) contest.

Miesha Tate and Bryan Caraway-protégé Gustavo Lopez (5-1) of Las Vegas, Nev. via Yakima, Wash. will aim for his fifth consecutive victory, and his third straight under the Combate Americas banner, when he faces off with submission specialist Saul Elizondo (6-6) of Raleigh, Texas at bantamweight (135 pounds).

Unbeaten Andrew Lagdaan (2-0) of Chula Vista, Calif. will throw down with 20-year-old young gun Jacob Rosales (1-2) of La Habra, Calif. at lightweight (155 pounds).

Mauricio Diaz (2-1) of Anaheim, Calif. will battle undefeated Cristobal Chavez (1-0) of El Paso, Texas in another bantamweight tilt.

U.S. Navy veteran Angel Oliveras (0-0) of Seal Beach, Calif. will make his professional debut after amassing a near-perfect, 9-1 record as an amateur, opposite Benji Gomez (4-5) of Oxnard, Calif. in a flyweight (125 pounds) affair.

Undefeated Team Alpha Male member Joseph Morales (5-0) will square off with an opponent to be named soon. The ninth matchup will also be announced soon.

The event on May 9 will bring to a conclusion the six-event “Road To The Championship” series. The most successful competitors in each weight class will be placed in the first Combate Americas world championship bouts in history over the summer.