Combate Americas Sets Main Event For Mexico Vs. USA

Combate Americas announced its return to Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico with a star-studded mixed martial arts fight card on Friday, September 27, live on television in the U.S. on both Univision (12 a.m. ET/PT) and TUDN (12 a.m. ET/9 p.m. PT) from Foro Sur.

In the featherweight (145 pounds) main event and a classic Mexico-USA showdown, Guadalajara hero Horacio “The Punisher” Gutierrez (5-3) will make his long-awaited return to La Jaula, the Combate Americas competition cage, against fellow rising star Chase “El Guero” Gibson (7-3).

“We have a lineup filled with some of the most exciting new stars in our sport and a classic Mexico vs. USA showdown in the main event that will highlight our return to Guadalajara, one of Combate Americas’ favorite cities in Mexico,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.

The 28-year-old Gutierrez is a former standout on The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America Season 2 reality competition series, and a member of trainer Mike Valle’s burgeoning Valle Flow Striking squad based in Chicago, Ill.

Horacio Gutierrez Takes On Chris Avila

Gutierrez will compete under the promotion of Combate Americas for the first time since being sidelined with a knee injury after his unanimous decision victory over Nate Diaz teammate Chris Avila on May 11, 2018.

Gibson, the 29-year-old twin brother of fellow Combate Americas standout and recent main event winner Cooper Gibson, will also see action for the first time in 2019 after sustaining a knee injury.

Chase Gibson Battles Rafa Garcia

In his last effort on November 4, 2018, Gibson scored a first round TKO (punches) on Chris Chavez.

The bantamweight (135 pounds) co-main event that Combate Americas announced today for its return to Guadalajara, will see explosive striker Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (15-6) take on the versatile Victor “El Periquito” Madrigal (8-2).

The 31-year-old Rojo of Cordoba, Argentina is looking to bounce back from a hard-fought, third round (2:37) submission (arm triangle choke) defeat at the hands of superstar John “Sexi Mexi” Castaneda that snapped Rojo’s two fight win streak achieved with back-to-back first round knockouts.

Madrigal of Guadalajara, on the other hand, is looking to collect his third consecutive victory after the 29-year-old scored a third round (2:14) submission (rear-naked choke) of Christian Quiñonez and a second round (3:50) TKO (punches) on Zebenzui Ruiz on October 26, 2018 and March 8, 2019, respectively. Related: Combate Americas Set To Crown Lightweight Champion

In a featured, strawweight (115 pounds) contest also pitting fighters from Mexico and Argentina against each other, Saray Orozco (4-3) of Guadalajara will take on Silvana “La Malvada” Gomez (6-2) of San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.

In addition to the trio of main card bouts, Combate Americas announced the fight card’s first six preliminary bouts, beginning with a flyweight (125 pounds) matchup between unbeaten upstart Axel Osuna (2-0) of Guadalajara and veteran Heinrich Wassmer (6-4) of Los Angeles.

A heavyweight showdown will pit Giovanni “Bam Bam” Sarran (6-3) of Lancaster, Calif. against Alejandro “Goliath” Solorzano (3-2) of Guadalajara.

Related: Combate Americas Reinas Results

Cristian Quiñonez (13-3) of Tijuana, B.C., Mexico will take on Mahatma “La Arana” Chit-Bala Garcia Avalos (9-8-1) of Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico at bantamweight. Unbeaten Bryan Arreaga (1-0) of Guadalajara will square off with Rafael Espino (0-0) of Guadalajara at featherweight.

Adonilton Muniz De Matos Silva (18-7) of Serrinha, Bahia, Brazil will meet Federico Bettancourt (3-6) of Guadalajara in another bantamweight contest. Making their respective, professional debuts against one another in the women’s bantamweight division, Abigail Montes (0-0) of Guadalajara will face Claudia Zamora (0-0) of Miami, Fla.

Additional preliminary bouts for the Combate Americas event in Guadalajara will be announced soon.