Combate Global returns Saturday night with a showdown in the women’s flyweight division.
Lucero “La Loba” Acosta takes on Mariel Celimen in what is being billed as a “Queen Or Nothing” match.
The event airs live on Paramount+ from Miami, Florida beginning at 11 p.m. ET.
“This fight between ‘La Loba’ and Mariel Celimen will be the most watched women’s MMA fight in history,” said Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren. “and it will be a good indicator as far as which of these reinas (queens) will eventually rule the women’s flyweight division in Combate Global.”
The showdown between the 28-year-old Acosta of Tijuana, B.C., Mexico via San Diego, Calif. and the 26-year-old Celimen of Maracaibo, Venezuela via Miami will take place approximately six months after the two faced off as training partners at the Miami-based Goat Shed Academy, which Celimen calls home.
What was going to be a routine sparring session that day quickly turned into a full-on battle in the cage at Goat Shed after Acosta, who was visiting the gym, landed a straight right hand that prompted Celimen to take down and attempt an armbar submission on Acosta.
This will be the fifth event in 2022 to feature female fighters in the headline act.
The co-main seets Javier Reyes battle Jose Estrada in a featherweight contest. Also, Erik Mendez faces Anas Azizoun and Jade Jorand fights Guilia Ghinello.