Combate Americas touches down in Hidalgo, Texas to bring the most highly anticipated fight of the year between legendary combat sports icons Tito Ortiz and Alberto El Patrón, along with an action-packed eleven-bout fight card.
Fighters will weigh in at The Payne Arena on Friday, December 6 at 7:00 CT, one day before the event. The weigh-in is open to the public, free-of-charge, and will stream live on Facebook.com/CombateAmericas at 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT.
The event will be headlined by the 210-pound showdown between UFC Hall of Famer and former World Light Heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz (20-12-1) of Huntington Beach, Calif., and multiple-time WWE Heavyweight Champion and former PRIDE and DEEP MMA star Alberto “El Patrón” Rodriguez (9-5) (formerly “Alberto Del Rio” of the WWE) of San Antonio, Texas by way of San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico. This event is a winner-take-all title belt challenge that will see the victor walk away with the loser’s coveted championship belt.
The co-main event will feature the first Combate Americas women’s world championship fight in history, where undefeated, 21-year-old knockout artist Melissa “Super Mely” Martinez (6-0) of Mexico City, Mexico will collide with fellow ferocious, world-ranked star Desiree “Dirty Dez” Yanez (5-1) of Waco, Texas for the world strawweight (115 pounds) title.
Among the three changes to the main card lineup announced earlier this week was the flyweight (125 pounds) contest, which will now feature world-ranked, former champion Dani Barez (11-4) of Valencia, Spain. Barez will face off with rising star João Camilo (6-3). Barez’s original opponent, Joby Sanchez, withdrew from the bout after sustaining an injury in sparring.
In the featured, featherweight (145 pounds) showdown, young rivals from Mexico and the U.S., respectively, Levy “El Negro” Marroquin (12-3) and Enrique “Baby Bull” Gonzalez (8-3) will face off.
In the next featured bout, Gaston “Tonga” Reyno (8-2, 2 NC) of Montevideo, Uruguay will battle Rey “The Warrior” Trujillo (24-27) of Houston, Texas at a catchweight of 150 pounds.
Wrapping up the main card, former Lucha Underground world champion and undefeated professional boxer turned unbeaten MMA upstart, “Sexy” Dulce Garcia (1-0) of Monterrey, N.L., Mexico, will take on Anali Lopez Hernandez (0-0) of McAllen via Veracruz, Mexico at a catchweight of 118 pounds.
In undercard action, Jose “Luke” Flores (8-1) of Mission, Texas will face Clarence Brown (2-2) of Houston, Texas at lightweight (155 pounds) after Flores’ original opponent, Ismael “Marreta” Bonfim (13-3), withdrew from the commitment, citing an injury.
At featherweight, hard-hitting Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (11-2) will face off with former training partner-turned-nemesis Jose “The Ghost” Ceja (5-6) at featherweight.
In a new undercard fight, Victor “The Brick” Martinez (11-4) of Pharr, Texas will take on 34-year-old Luis Luna (16-7) of Seminole, Texas at lightweight.
A 190-pound catchweight fight will see Elias Urbina (4-1) of Mercedes, Texas face off with amateur boxing star Mike Tovar (0-0) of El Paso, Texas.
Wrapping up the preliminary bout card is a 175-pound catchweight fight featuring Edmilson “Amazonian Warrior” Freitas (8-4) of Alton, Texas against Raymond “The Executioner” Banda (7-3) of Harlingen, Texas.
How to attend the free public weigh-ins
Weigh-ins take place Friday, December 6. Fighters on-scale beginning at 7:00 p.m. CT at the Payne Arena, 2600 N 10th St, Hidalgo, TX 78557.
