NEW YORK – Combate Global and Paramount+ recently announced a new time slot – Saturday nights – for the premier Hispanic MMA sports franchise’s events, beginning March 11, streaming live on Paramount+ at 10 p.m. ET.
Combate Global’s move to Saturday nights comes during the 30th year anniversary of the sport of MMA that Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren started as co-founder of the original Ultimate Fighting Championship.
In addition, Combate Global announced that veteran announcer Jimmy Smith, Jr. will serve as play-by-play commentator for the live events on Paramount+ for the entirety of 2023.
“It is a very meaningful year for MMA, entering its 30th year anniversary as a sport, and to celebrate, Combate Global is coming out of the gates swinging, with a phenomenal new time slot on Saturday nights and, of course, ‘Much More Action!’” said McLaren.
Headlining the first event of the year will be a Mexico vs. USA collision between two grappling aces, Alejandro Gavidia (4-2) and Justin “Slick J” Vazquez (9-2). The main event will be contested at a catchweight of 152 pounds.
Gavidia of Queretaro, Mexico, is a decorated, four-time national champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a brown belt in the martial arts discipline.
In his last start on August 26, 2022, Gavidia scored a first-round TKO on Kevin Arreola.
Vazquez, of Miami, will seek his fifth consecutive victory when he squares off with Gavidia.
With a mix of what Vazquez describes as “Cuban-style karate, slick wrestling, kickboxing and submission grappling,” Vazquez, a member of Miami’s Freedom Fighters MMA fight team, has become a bonafide force in the sport.
Neither Gavidia nor Vazquez have ever been knocked out.
In a women’s catchweight (110 pounds) co-main event, Irene “La Nina” Cabello Rivera (9-6) will return to Combate Global action for the first time since 2019 to take on Jade “The Princess” Jorand (2-2).
Hailing from Barcelona, Spain, the 30-year-old Rivera has become re-focused on her MMA career, re-locating to Guadalajara, Mexico to train under the roof of famed coach Francisco Grasso that serves as home to a small legion of women’s MMA stars.
The 22-year-old Jorand of Bordeaux, France will look for her third consecutive victory after emerging victorious in both of her fights last year.
In a featured bantamweight contest, Ismael “Kraken” Zamora (5-2) of Mexico City, Mexico will face off with Ramon “Wild Boy” Vizcarra (6-4) of Mexicali, Mexico.
The preliminary bout card on March 11 will be highlighted by a flyweight matchup between Gaston “Cabeludo” Manzur (12-8) of Santiago, Chile and Chris Ocon (6-2) of Nashville, Tenn.
Leading off the card will be a bantamweight tilt between Mauricio “Puppy” Cubillo (10-7) of San Jose, Costa Rica and Alex “Coyote” Gonzalez (4-4) of Mexico City via Phoenix, Ariz.
