Combate Global today announced its first-ever European Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament, featuring four fighters representing four different European countries, live on Paramount+ on Sunday, Aug. 1
The one-day, four-man lightweight (155 pounds) tournament will feature fighters representing Spain, France, Italy and Ireland, respectively. The winner of the tournament will earn an entry for his country into the annual “COPA COMBATE” one-night, eight-man, $100,000 grand prize tournament in December.
Paramount+ live coverage will begin with a Combate Global pre-show at 11:00 p.m. ET/10:00 p.m. CT, and will continue with the live fight action, beginning at 11:30 p.m. ET/10:30 p.m. CT.
Special guest Valerie Loureda will join play-by-play announcer Max Bretos and color commentator Julianna Peña and to call all the action live on Paramount+.
In addition, this week’s Combate coverage is complemented on CBS Sports Network with the one-hour recap show on Thursday July 29 (9:00 p.m. ET) highlighting last week’s action.
“This tournament is a milestone for our company and the beginning of our global expansion to reach even more fans with our brand of Much More Action,” said Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren.
Representing Spain in the tournament will be 26-year-old Sebastian Santana Guedes (8-3-1) of Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
Santana Guedes is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has earned five of his eight career wins by way of submission. He also holds a record of 2-0 in professional kickboxing as well as a record of 2-0 in professional boxing.
Twenty-five-year-old Maxime “L’Animaux” Giacalone (5-5-1) will represent France.
Fighting out of Marseille, the aggressive-minded Giacalone reeled off five straight wins between 2016 and 2018, after a rocky start to his career that saw him lose each of his first four fights.
Undefeated Gianluca “Django” Rocca (6-0) will fly the Italian flag in La Jaula, the Combate Global competition cage.
A furious striker, Rocca, who fights out of Santarcangelo di Romagna, has notched four of his six career victories via TKO.
Ireland will be represented by hard-hitting, 21-year-old Patrick “The Leech” Lehane (0-0) of Cork.
The youngest competitor in the tournament field, Lehane will make his professional debut at the event following a lengthy amateur career spanning 19 bouts, including a highlight reel, second round (1:19) knockout of Shane Geraghty with a vicious uppercut in November 2019.
The tournament event will also feature a “reserve bout” between Tommy “The Spaniard” Aaron (8-5), representing Spain, and Jean Marc “Kokito” Howell (13-5), representing The Netherlands.
Should either of the semifinal stage bout winners be physically unable to advance to the championship stage of the tournament due to injury sustained en route to victory, the winner of the matchup between Aaron and Howell will replace the injured winner in the championship bout.
The semifinal stage bouts as well as the tournament reserve bout will be comprised of one, five-minute round each. The championship stage fight will be comprised of three, five-minute rounds.
In addition to the tournament, the fight card will feature three single bouts pitting competitors from the U.S. against adversaries from Mexico.
In a strawweight (115 pounds) contest, unbeaten Maraya Miller (1-0) will take on 18-year-old upstart Irlanda Galindo (0-0) of Mexico City, Mexico.
Roberto Romero Hernandez (2-2) of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico via Irvine, Calif. will collide with Michael Martinez (1-1) of San Antonio, Texas at featherweight (145 pounds).
Jimmy “Sandstorm” Sandlin (4-2) of Carlisle, Ohio will meet Carlos “Goku” Arana (2-1) of Guadalajara, J.L., Mexico at lightweight.
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