COMBATE AMERICAS
KICKS OFF ALL-NEW EVENT SERIES
“ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP”
LIVE ON NBC UNIVERSO
FROM DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS EVENTS CENTER
ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
MAIN EVENT: RAMIRO “JUNIOR” HERNANDEZ
VS. MAX CENICEROS
NICDALI RIVERA-CALANOC,
“SEXY MEXY,” OZZIE ALVAREZ AND
REALITY TV STARS JC LLAMAS AND RICKY PALACIOS
ALL SLATED FOR ACTION
Combate Americas, the first-ever U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) franchise founded by UFC co-creator Campbell McLaren, announced today the kick-off of “Road To The Championship,” an all-new, multi-year live event series on NBC Universo, beginning Thursday, September 17 at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT from the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.
The groundbreaking new series, which will be comprised of Thursday night live events on NBC Universo, comes one year after Combate Americas produced the first reality series in history to win a major television award – “Best Variety or Reality Series” at the 29th annual Imagen Awards – besting Mark Burnett’s The Voice for the coveted honor.
Priced from just $14.99, tickets for the Combate Americas “Road To The Championship” kick-off event, which will take place during Mexican Independence Day celebration week, are on sale now and can be purchased by phone: 800-745-3000, and online at Ticketmaster.com.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with NBC Universo, and look forward to delivering action-packed fight cards featuring some of the best Latino fighters on the planet,” said McLaren, who created Combate Americas two years ago to serve the fastest-growing U.S. demographic – Hispanic millennials.
“We are thrilled to welcome Combate Americas to the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center,” said Derek Stevens, CEO of the D Las Vegas and DLVEC. “This is a testament to DLVEC’s evolution into one of the top new fight hubs in the country, as the night will present incredible bouts and an unrivaled energy.”
In the featherweight (145 pounds) main event of the six-bout, live NBC Universo telecast, two-time UFC Veteran Ramiro “Junior” Hernandez (17-6) of Muscatine, Iowa will square off with hard-hitting KO artist Max Ceniceros (7-2) of La Mirada, Calif. Ceniceros is seeking his seventh consecutive victory, after finishing four of his last six opponents by way of (T)KO or submission.
In other action on the telecast, Combate Americas reality series stars J.C. Llamas (5-5) and Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (3-1) will make their respective, second starts in the Combate Americas cage.
The runner-up in the reality series competition, Llamas of Bakersfield, Calif. will square off with aggressive-minded finisher Ozzie “The Outlaw” Alvarez (6-2) of Brea, Calif. via Miami, Fla. in a welterweight (170 pounds) contest, and Palacios of Mission, Texas will face Benji “The Brawler” Gomez (4-4) of Ventura, Calif. in a bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup.
In a featured women’s strawweight (115 pounds) bout, Invicta FC veteran Nicdali “The Night Queen” Rivera-Calanoc (8-8) of Tulsa, Okla. will collide with power puncher Katy “Red Dragon” Collins (2-1) of Branson, Mo.
Rising star John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (6-2) of Mankato, Minn. will meet an opponent to be announced, at bantamweight.
In the opening bout on the live telecast, undefeated KO artist Jonathan Martinez (7-0) will battle an opponent to be announced, at flyweight (125 pounds).
A complete preliminary bout card will be announced soon.
Doors at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center will open at 5 p.m. PT, and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m.
About Combate Americas
Combate Americas, LLC. is the first U.S. Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise in history, designed to build Latino fighting champions and serve Hispanic fans, one of the world’s most avid groups of prize fighting enthusiasts. The Combate Americas franchise includes reality TV programming, live events and mobile programming. The company’s CEO, Campbell McLaren, is universally recognized as the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). New York Magazine described McLaren as “the marketing genius behind the UFC” and Yahoo! Sports proclaimed that he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented product and a blue-chip ownership and management team, Combate Americas is poised to break new ground and bring about a new era in world championship level MMA competition.
About NBC UNIVERSO
NBC UNIVERSO (www.nbcuniverso.com) is a modern sports and entertainment cable channel for Latinos, bringing the world’s top sports franchises and edgy programming to more than 40 million households in the U.S. As one of the most widely available modern cable channels for U.S. Latinos, NBC UNIVERSO delivers a thrilling mix of exclusive sports action – including FIFA World Cup™, Liga MX, Premier League, NASCAR Mexico Series, NFL and The 2016 Rio Olympics – along with signature series, blockbuster movies, music, must-see live events and strategic acquisitions, on TV, online and mobile devices. NBC UNIVERSO is part of Hispanic Enterprises and Content, a division of NBCUniversal (www.nbcuniversal.com), one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation (www.comcastcorporation.com). To find the NBC UNIVERSO channel number in your area, please visit www.nbcuniverso.com/encuentralo.
About Downtown Las Vegas Events Center
Located at the corner of Third St. and Carson Ave. across from the D Las Vegas, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center can accommodate up to 11,000 guests and features state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting. The open-air design is inviting to both tourists and locals and offers the perfect spot for concerts, conventions and other large-scale events. Embracing the uninhibited spirit of Downtown Las Vegas, the new venue plays host to a line-up of curated events including premier concerts, food festivals and more. The venue is also the first entertainment arena in Las Vegas to accept Bitcoin as currency. For more information, visit www.dlvec.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @DLVEC.