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NEW YORK – March 8, 2023 – Combate Global and Paramount+ today announced a new time slot – Saturday nights - for the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise’s events, beginning March 11, streaming live on Paramount+ (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).
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 (UFC).
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, 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 (3:11) TKO (punches) on Kevin Arreola.
Vazquez of Miami, Fla. 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 Niña” 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, Jal., 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 (135 pounds) contest, Ismael “Kraken” Zamora (5-2) of Mexico City, Mexico will face off with Ramon “Wild Boy” Vizcarra (6-4) of Mexicali, B.C., Mexico.
The preliminary bout card on March 11 will be highlighted by a flyweight (125 pounds) 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.
Additional information about Combate Global and its athletes can be found on www.CombateGlobal.com as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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About Combate Global
Combate Global is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise that is rapidly becoming the number two sport after soccer for Spanish speaking fans worldwide, and that consistently garners superior television ratings to those of other major, longer established sports television properties. It is the only MMA property regularly airing on broadcast television in the U.S. (Univision) and the only MMA property owned, in part, by a major Hispanic media company, as a result of TelevisaUnivision purchasing a significant equity stake in Combate Global in 2021. In 2021, the company partnered with CBS Sports to distribute Combate Global’s live shows in English in the U.S. on Paramount+, and closed out 2022 by entering into a multi-year partnership with global entertainment powerhouse, IMG, for media rights representation worldwide. The company’s programming is available in over 70 countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere globally.
Nielsen research indicates that an astounding 91 percent of Combate Global viewers in the U.S. are not regular viewers of other MMA content, demonstrating that Combate Global has discovered and engaged a new MMA audience with its World Cup-like, country vs. country format of competition.
Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren, also the co-founder and creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been described by New York Magazine as "the marketing genius behind the UFC,” while Yahoo Sports has said he "knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today." Under his direction, the growth of Combate Americas’ television footprint and worldwide audience triggered a re-branding in 2021 to Combate Global.
About Paramount+
Paramount+, a direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, combines live sports, breaking news and a mountain of entertainment. The premium streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. Paramount+ also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis.
For more information about Paramount+, please visit www.paramountplus.com and follow @ParamountPlus on social platforms.
