Combate Americas today announced 8 new bouts to complete a stacked, 11-fight lineup for its return to Tucson, Ariz. with world-class Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action on Friday, Oct. 11, live on television in the U.S. on both Univision (12 a.m. ET/PT) and TUDN (12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT) from AVA Amphitheater at Casino Del Sol.
In the previously announced bantamweight (135 pounds) main event, former world champion Jose “Pochito” Alday (13-4-1) of Tucson via Hermosillo, Son., Mexico will look to continue his march towards re-gaining the coveted title when he faces off with rising star and Combate Americas newcomer Andre Barquero (6-2) of San Pedro, Costa Rica.
Among the eight new fights announced today was a featured bantamweight women’s matchup between undefeated Marilia “The Tigress” Morais (3-0) and fellow hard-hitting striker Paola Ramirez (1-2).
Fighting out of Miami, Fla., the 30-year-old Morais, who hails from Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil will step into La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, seven weeks after her previously scheduled Combate Americas debut in Lake Tahoe, Nev. was canceled by the state athletic commission during fight week due to an undisclosed issue related to her opponent, Chelsea Chandler.
Morais is a multiple-time Muay Thai and kickboxing champion who has earned all of her MMA victories to date by way of (T)KO or submission.
The 33-year-old Ramirez, a native of Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif. will return to MMA action for the first time since February 2, 2017 when she lost a decision to Christina Marks.
Ramirez’s sole start under the Combate Americas promotional banner took place on April 25, 2016 and ended in spectacular fashion when she scored a crushing, first round (4:05) knockout on Amber Tackett with a superman punch.
In a featured flyweight (125 pounds) matchup announced today, fast-rising star Jaime Alvarez (8-1) will face off with Joao Camilo (5-3).
Alvarez of Surfside, Fla. is a world-ranked, 31-year-old member of American Top Team (ATT) and a fast-paced striker with dangerous knockout power.
Alvarez will make his Combate Americas debut and look for his third consecutive win after his lone start this year on January 25 when he scored a second round (4:57) TKO on Jorge Calvo Martin.
Fighting out of MMA veteran Javier “Chunty Boy” Torres’ acclaimed, Phoenix, Ariz.-based fight camp, the 27-year-old Camilo of Boiania, Goias, Brazil will look to secure his third Combate Americas victory after back-to-back unanimous decision wins in La Jaula over Joe Madrid and Albert Trujillo on October 13, 2018 and March 29, 2019, respectively.
In preliminary fight action announced today, Raymond Pina (8-4) of Tucson will square off with Michael “El Enterrador” Robertson of Phoenix via Cancun, Q.R., Mexico in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest.
In a women’s 140-pound catchweight affair between two competitors making their respective professional debuts, Valerie Quintero (0-0) of Phoenix will battle Lucero Acosta (0-0) of El Centro, Calif.
Also making his professional debut, Humberto Duarte (0-0) of Tucson will face Jesus “Bear” Rivas (1-3) of Eloy, Ariz. at flyweight.
The Combate Americas lineup will include three amateur bouts, which were announced today, including a featherweight (145 pounds) tilt between a pair of unbeaten, Tucson upstarts, Dorian Ramos (3-0) and Anthony Elijah (2-0).
In bantamweight amateur action, Chris Quiroz (0-0) will meet fellow Tucson resident Gabe Brown (1-0), and a flyweight amateur bout will see Erick Barreras (0-0) of Tucson throw down with Aaron Hernandez (0-1) of Tempe, Ariz.
Priced from $15, tickets for the Combate Americas live MMA event are on sale at CombateAmericas.com/Tucson.
In a previously announced, featured bantamweight attraction, Anthony “El Toro” Birchak (15-6) of Tucson will take on Jose Luis “Puppy” Calvo (8-2) of Santo Domingo de Heredia, Costa Rica.
A previously announced preliminary fight between two unbeaten, bantamweight professional prospects – Guillermo “Memo” Torres (3-0) of Guadalajara and Orlando Jimenez (2-0) of Phoenix via St. Louis, Mo. – will be contested at bantamweight.
COMBATE AMERICAS FIGHT CARD – FRIDAY, OCT. 11
BANTAMWEIGHT MAIN EVENT:
Jose Alday vs. Andre Barquero
BANTAMWEIGHT FEATURED BOUT:
Anthony Birchak vs. Jose Luis Calvo
BANTAMWEIGHT FEATURED BOUT:
Marilia Morais vs. Paola Ramirez
FLYWEIGHT FEATURED BOUT:
Jaime Alvarez vs. Joao Camilo
PRELMINARY BOUT CARD:
Bantamweight: Guillermo Torres vs. Orlando Jimenez
Welterweight: Raymond Pina vs. Michael Robertson
Catchweight (140 lbs.): Valerie Quintero vs. Lucero Acosta
Flyweight: Humberto Duarte vs. Jesus Rivas
Featherweight: Dorian Ramos vs. Anthony Elijah
Bantamweight: Chris Quiroz vs. Gabe Brown
Flyweight: Erick Barreras vs. Aaron Hernandez
