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MIAMI – December 13, 2023 – COMBATE GLOBAL today made several announcements, including the Paramount+ programming details and matchups for the quarterfinal stage of the “COPA COMBATE eight-man, $100,000 grand prize featherweight (145 pounds) Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament in Miami on Friday, Dec. 15.
The tournament, widely recognized as the toughest tournament in sports, will stream over the course of two nights, with the tournament’s two alternate bouts and four quarterfinal stage bouts streaming live on December 15, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, and the semifinal stage bout and championship stage bout as well as a featured women’s matchup streaming the following night, Saturday, Dec. 16., beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
Announcers Jimmy Smith and Rodolfo Roman will co-host a 30-minute Paramount+ pre-show on each night, with Friday’s pre-show beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, and Saturday’s pre-show beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.
COMBATE GLOBAL also announced today the quarterfinal stage matchups for “COPA COMBATE” featuring seven of the eight previously announced tournament entrants, as well as new tournament entrant, Alexander “Prettyboy” Schenk (6-2), who will represent the U.S. and replace previously announced wildcard recipient Jeremy Alba (1-0) of El Paso, Texas, after the Florida Athletic Commission ruled that Alba would not be eligible to fight in the event.
In one tournament bracket, undefeated Ramiro “El Cachanilla” Jimenez (7-0) of Ensenada, B.C., Mexico will square off with Pablo “El Mexicano” Burgos (5-2) of Santiago, Chile, while Schenk of Clarksville, Tenn. will face Marlon “Deriko Siete” Gonzales (15-6-2) of Lima, Peru.
In the opposite tournament bracket, Manuel Exposito (10-1) of Cordoba, Argentina will battle Tommy “La Salsa” Garcia (7-2) of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Nicolas “Nico” Barna (8-3) of Montevideo, Uruguay will collide with Leonardo “Chimmy” Morales (13-9) of Managua, Nicaragua.
The winner of the matchup between Jimenez and Burgos will face off with the winner of the contest between Schenk and Gonzales in the semifinal stage of the tournament, and the winner of the bout between Exposito and Garcia will meet the winner of the affair between Barna and Morales in the semifinal stage of the tournament.
The two semifinal victors will collide in the championship fight for the $100,000 grand prize.
For the first time in the five-year history of “COPA COMBATE”, the tournament’s quarterfinal stage will be comprised of two rounds, each five minutes in length, while the semifinal stage bouts will still be comprised of one round, five minutes in length, and the championship bout will consist of three rounds, each five minutes in length, the same lengths that the semifinal stage fights and championship fight, respectively, have been in the past.
The additional round in the quarterfinal stage contests is intended to give each of the tournament fighters more time to warm up and execute their respective strategies.
Between the semifinal stage and championship stage of the tournament, COMBATE GLOBAL announced today that a featured women’s 119-pound catchweight fight between Jade “The Princess” Jorand (4-2) and Naomie “Queen Kong” Young (1-1) will take place.
The 23-year-old Jorand of Bordeaux, France is riding an impressive four-fight win streak, while Young, 26 years of age, of Orlando, Fla. was victorious over Dulce Vazquez in her last effort on July 16 by way of first round (1:46) submission (arm triangle choke).
Additional information about COMBATE GLOBAL and its athletes can be found on www.CombateGlobal.com as well as on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter 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 television ratings that are superior 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 also partnered with CBS Sports to distribute Combate Global’s live shows in English in the U.S. on Paramount+. In 2022, the company partnered with Eurosport for live distribution in Spain, as well as with RMC Sport in France and, in 2023, Combate Global entered 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 garnered a new MMA audience with its World Cup-style, country vs. country-style 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.
