Combate Americas on Friday announced the completion of a stellar, 11-bout card for its debut in Tijuana, Mexico on Thursday, March 30, live on Azteca America in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m from the Auditorio Municipal.
TV Azteca will broadcast “Combate12” in Mexico on Friday at 11:00 p.m., and UFC Fight Pass® will distribute an English-language version of the event as a video on demand (VOD).
“Combate12” will be headlined by a bantamweight (135 pound) showdown between Argentinean Marcelo “Pitbull” Rojo (10-4) and Monterrey, Mexico native Iván “El Brasil” Flores (8-1-1).
Rojo, a veteran of season three of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, will look to make a statement in his first start in La Jaula, the Combate Americas cage, when he faces Flores, who will be on a mission to defend the honor of his house.
Rojo will fight for the first time in Mexico after an extensive career in South American arenas where he has become one of the most popular fighters in the region. Flores, meanwhile, will look to rebound from a second round (3:11) submission (arm-triangle choke) defeat at the hands of Mark “The Bumblebee” Delarosaat “Combate10” in Mexico City, Mexico in January.
Another contestant from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, Costa Rican Walter Zamora (9-2), will face Monterrey native Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1) in the “Combate12” co-main event; the Mexican fighter has one goal only, and that is to defend the honor of his country in the featherweight (145 pounds) bout.
In one of the most anticipated Combate Americas battles of 2017, Erick “The Ghost Pepper” González (5-2) of Los Angeles, California returns to action less than two months after his “Fight of the Night” performance against Danny “The Realist” Ramírez in the main event of “Combate11.”
Gonzalez will collide with Marco Antonio “La Roca” Elpidio (7-1) of Mexico City. Elpidio was victorious by way of split decision over Rodrigo “Kazula” Vargas at “Combate10.”
After sustaining a broken nose in training, Joey “El Cazador” Ruquet of Las Vegas, Nev. has been replaced by Jose “El Pochito” Alday (9-2) of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
Alday, whose last start on October 15 against Mahatma Chit-Bala Garcia Avalos resulted in a draw, will square off with Irving “Moreno” Hernandez (4-2) of Tijuana. Hernandez is a winner of his last three bouts, two by (T)KO.
In addition, two of UFC star Nate Diaz’s Stockton, Calif.-based, undefeated protégés, José Aguayo (2-0) and Christian Giovannie (1-0), will make their respective promotional debuts.
Aguayo will face Gilbert Santos (1-2) Ensenada, Mexico in a featherweight matchup, while Giovannie will fight Angel Gonzalez (0-0), also of Ensenada, in a bantamweight tilt.
COMBATE 12 FIGHT CARD
Marcelo Rojo (10-4) vs. Iván Hernández Flores (8-1-1)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)
Walter Zamora (9-2) vs. Alex “Gallito” Flores (8-1)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)
Marco Antonio Elpidio (7-1) vs. Erick González (5-2)
Division: 155 lbs. (Lightweight)
Christopher Ramírez (5-1) vs. Alex Velasco (6-1)
Division: 170 lbs. (Welterweight)
Pablo Sabori (6-3) vs. Levy Saúl Marroquín (7-1)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)
José Aguayo (2-0) vs. Gilbert Santos (1-2)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)
Ramón Lopez (1-2) vs. Marcos Bonilla (4-3)
Division: 155 lbs. (Lightweight)
José Alday (9-2) vs. Irving Hernández (4-2)
Division: 145 lbs. (Featherweight)
Pablo Olea (5-5) vs. Eduardo Varela Soto (2-1)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)
Christian Giovannie (1-0) vs. Ángel González (0-0)
Division: 135 lbs. (Bantamweight)
Oscar Quintero (2-1) vs. Oscar Chairez (1-0)
Division: 125 lbs. (Flyweight)
