Tito Ortiz Topples Alberto El Patron at Combate Americas 51

Combate Americas 51 emanated from the Payne Arena in McAllen, Texas, with an interesting night of fights where MMA and Pro Wrestling collided. Former UFC Champion Tito Ortiz finished former WWE Champion Alberto (Del Rio) El Patron with a rear-naked choke at 3:10 of the 1st round. The bout was contested at a catchweight of 210 lbs.

The pro wrestling flair fired on all cylinders as El Patron came out with host of luchadores, including WWE’s Sin Cara. Ortiz made his way to the cage to the blaring sounds of Rick Derringer’s iconic song Real American while wearing a “Living the Dream” shirt in the font of WWE’s popular 80’s tv special Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Alberto got the first move of the fight with a lateral drop throw but lost position, and Tito gained top control. Tito passed Alberto’s half guard, but Alberto got to his feet. Alberto was already tired as Tito landed a few punches. Tito took him down and worked top position. Tito got Alberto’s back, flattened him out, hooked in a rear-naked choke, and Alberto’s face turned red as he was forced to tap out.

Tito wore a U.S. Border Patrol hat and a Trump 2020 shirt during his post-fight interview. Tito asked for Alberto’s WWE Title (spinner) belt, which Alberto said he would surrender to Tito if he lost. Tito gave the belt to his two sons and said it was his dream to be the WWE Champion as a kid and can share that with his children.

Other action on the evening saw another pro wrestler take to the cage as former Lucha Underground Champion Sexy Starr made quick work of Anali Lopez Hernandez via guillotine choke at 2:47 of round one. Starr’s boxing was too much for the MMA newcomer Hernandez. Starr walked her down at will with strikes until she found the opening for the choke in what was a total mismatch.

Combate Americas crowned their first women’s strawweight champion in the co-main event as Melissa Martinez defeated Desiree Yanez via split decision. Martinez is a homegrown star of Combate Americas and proved her toughness by coming back from adversity as Yanez dominated her in the second round. Martinez has star potential, but Yanez will be back in the hunt.

There was a lot of competition for the Mexican based promotion on Saturday. DAZN aired the boxing heavyweight title rematch between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz while ESPN aired a big UFC heavyweight bout between Alistair Overeem and Jair Rozenstruik. Combate Americas aired on Fite.tv and had an entertaining presentation of fights with a headline-grabbing battle and some good prospects on the undercard.

Alberto El Patron’s record falls to 9-6 while Tito Ortiz improves to 22-12 with four wins in his last five fights.

-Quick Event Results

Preliminary Bouts

Jose Flores over Clarence Brown via submission (rear-naked choke) – Rd 1

Victor Martinez stopped Luis Luna via TKO (strikes) – Rd 1

Edmilson Freitas and Raymond Banda was declared a majority draw

Elias Urbina knocked out Mike Tovar via head kick at 3:14 of Rd 1

-Main Card PPV

Gaston Reyno defeated Rey Trujillo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). This was fought at a catchweight of 150 lbs.

Dulce Garcia (Lucha Underground’s Sexy Star) defeated

Dani Barez defeated Joao Camilo via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)

Levy Marroquin defeated Enrique Gonzalez via guillotine choke at 4;53 of Rd 1

Melissa Martinez defeated Desiree Yanez via split decision to become the inaugural Combate Americas Women’s Strawweight Championship

Tito Ortiz defeated Albero El Patron via rear-naked choke at 3:10 of the 1st Round

Tito Ortiz vs. Alberto El Patron set for Combate Americas on 12/7

Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz will fight former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Alberto El Patron in an MMA bout on Saturday, December 7.

I’ll be covering the event live at http://www.gerweck.net.

Below is the press release for the big fight.

COMBATE AMERICAS, the world’s premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts sports and media franchise and FITE, the global digital platform specializing in premium combat sports, announced today a joint distribution agreement for the Pay Per View event.

Together, they will offer the much-anticipated, ‘Winner Take All’ showdown between two iconic combat sports legends – Tito Ortiz and Alberto “El Patrón” Rodriguez (formerly “Alberto Del Rio” of the WWE) – live from Payne Arena in McAllen, Texas, next to the U.S.-Mexico border, on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 8pm EST to audiences worldwide with English and Spanish commentary feeds.

The Combate Americas live pay per view television event ‘Tito vs. Alberto – What Side Are You On?‘ pits two iconic superstars from some of the industry’s biggest fight franchises – UFC Hall of Famer and former world light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz , who will face multiple-time WWE Heavyweight Champion and former PRIDE and DEEP MMA star Rodriguez of San Antonio, Texas by way of San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico.

The content partnership between FITE and COMBATE AMERICAS was a natural fit to deliver a world-class event. FITE CEO Kosta Jordanov said, “we’ve long admired the content that Combate Americas delivers to massive audiences and wanted to be their distribution partner when they announced this stellar attraction.”

Campbell McClaren, CEO of Combate Americas said, “Combate Americas has been consistently delivering millions of global viewers to its live streams with every one of our events, so we immediately thought of FITE when we decided to offer this premium event via global pay per view.”

COMBATE AMERICAS: ‘TITO VS. ALBERTO – WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON?’
PPV FIGHT CARD – DEC. 7TH – LIVE AT 9PM EST

CATCHWEIGHT (210 LBS.) MAIN EVENT:
Tito Ortiz (20-12-1) vs. Alberto “El Patrón” Rodriguez (9-5)

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STRAWWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT:
Melissa “Super Mely” Martinez (6-0) vs. Desiree “Dirty Dez” Yanez (5-1)

FEATURED FLYWEIGHT BOUT:
Dani Barez (11-4) vs. Joby Sanchez (13-5)

FEATURED FEATHERWEIGHT BOUT:
Levy “El Negro” Marroquin (12-3) vs. Enrique “Baby Bull” Gonzalez (8-3)

FEATURED CATCHWEIGHT (150 LBS.) BOUT:
Gaston “Tonga” Reyno (8-2, 2 NC) vs. Angel “Tito” Cruz (6-4)

FEATURED CATCHWEIGHT (118 LBS.) BOUT:
“Sexy” Dulce Garcia (1-0) vs. Marisol Ruelas (1-2)

FREE PRELIM FIGHT CARD
DEC. 7TH – LIVE AT 8PM EST (ADDITIONAL BOUTS TO BE ANNOUNCED)

LIGHTWEIGHT:
Jose “Luke” Flores (8-1) vs. Ismael “Marreta” Bonfim (13-3)

FEATHERWEIGHT:
Ricky “El Gallero” Palacios (11-2) vs. Jose “The Ghost” Ceja (4-5)

The WEIGH-IN for the ‘Tito vs. Alberto’ event will be streamed live on Friday, Dec. 6th AT 8pm EST from the venue via FITE, immediately following the free and global FITE in FOCUS show, starting at 6pm EST with exclusive interviews with the fighters, promoters, and surprise guests.

To ORDER the Dec. 7th PPV Event Worldwide via FITE – Click HERE – Also available via cable and satellite PPV. Check your local listings.

About FITE

FITE is the premium digital streaming platform for combat sports featuring over 1,000 premium live events per year. FITE is available globally through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU and Amazon Fire TV. In addition, FITE supports Chromecast, PS4, Xbox, and 7,000 models of TV sets, streaming MMA, Pro Wrestling, Boxing, Bare Knuckle and Traditional Martial Arts live events to its 2.2M registered viewers. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram and on Facebook at https://facebook.com/fitetv.

About Combate Americas

Combate Americas is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, rapidly becoming the number two sport after soccer, for Spanish speaking fans worldwide. The Combate Americas franchise includes live event and original shoulder programming on some of the biggest television, OTT and digital platforms in Spanish and English, including Univision and Univision Deportes Network (UDN), DAZN, ESPN, GOL, Pluto TV and Facebook Watch worldwide. The company also owns and operates a multi-platform media studio, La Jaula Studios. This event is not sponsored or affiliated with WWE or UFC.

Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren, also the co-founder/co-creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been described by New York Magazine as “the marketing genius behind the UFC,” while Yahoo Sports has said he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.” With an unprecedented and cutting-edge 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.

Zeus: America’s First Mixed Martial Artist

The UFC has been lying to you for twenty-six years. The first American Mixed Martial Arts event didn’t occur on November 12, 1993, in Denver, Colorado. It wasn’t the first televised card, and Royce Gracie wasn’t the sports first champion.

On June 2, 1989, the World Television Network broadcasted a no-hold-barred competition called ‘The Battle of the Tough Guys. The inaugural champion was a six-foot-eight-inch ex-con named Zeus.

The proud practitioner of Gracie Ju-jitsu is, without question, a legend. However, his accomplishments pale in comparison to the “Human Wrecking Machine.”

Royce Gracie won the first UFC tournament by beating Art Jimmerson, Ken Shamrock, and Gerard Gordeau, in three separate bouts, in the same evening, with a break in-between bouts, and all inside the comfortable climate-controlled McNichols Arena.

However, on that hot June evening four years earlier, Zeus defeated Bulldog McPherson, Brock Chisler, Klondike Kramer, and Neanderthal, all at the same time. This occurred within the humid and unsanitary confines of Tootsies Bar.

Rorion Gracie, Royce’s older brother, founded the Ultimate Fighting Championship and booked its first five events while WTN President, who merely went by the name, Brell, organized the Battle of the Tough Guys.

Brell, the controversial figure whose name spread “Keyser Söze” like fear in the television industry, was unapologetic in his pursuit of Nielsen rating dominance. Brell often uttered the phrase “Jock-Ass” when expressing his disdain towards individuals.

Royce won $50,000 for his win at UFC 1, while Zeus won twice that amount for his victory at BOTG 1, which means Brell pays better than Rorion.

Zeus is the first fighter to reign supreme inside the Octagon. Rorion deserves credit for updating the design from ropes and tires to steel posts and chain length fence.

UFC has always had a referee for their events, but there wasn’t a zebra in sight during Battle of the Tough Guys. Zeus’ life was actually on the line in every bout while Gracie could have been saved at any time.

Zeus was also the more well-rounded fighter of the two. Gracie could only fight on the ground and was battered in his bout with Kimo at UFC 3. Zeus displayed a wide array of striking skills by punching through concrete cinder blocks with his bare hands. At Battle of the Tough Guys 3, Zeus exhibited Floyd Mayweather like head movement to dodge the oversized crescent wrench of Lugwrench Perkins.

Again, Gracie fought comfortably inside an arena while Zeus fought for his life inside an active industrial plant.

After a few more shows, the two athletes all but retired from the fight game and embarked on similar journeys in scripted entertainment. Royce Gracie went on to become a stunt and fight choreographer for the critically acclaimed film, Lethal Weapon 4.

Zeus transitioned to the circus-like environment of professional wrestling. As a legitimate fighter, his background landed him a high dollar contract with the genre’s top organization, the World Wrestling Federation.

If history is written by the winners, then UFC and the Gracie family are the victors in Mixed Martial Arts’s convoluted origin story. Royce Gracie gained the glory, but those who frequented that little dive bar on that faithful 1989 evening know that Zeus will forever be the sport’s original pioneer.

The New UFC Legacy Championship Belt

The UFC unveiled their new Legacy Championship belt, which will be awarded to those who win title bouts and used for the duration of their career inside the octagon. The belt is customized for each individual champion by the athlete’s country and weight class. The red stones on the side plates represent each title defense.

The women’s championship belt will be slightly smaller. However, identical to the men’s belt in every other detail. Each belt comes with a plate on the backside with a unique serial number assigned to the specific champion. UFC President Dana White’s engraved signature is also included for authenticity.

The first eight countries that were home to UFC champions will represent flag iconography on the belt. USA, Canada, Brazil, Netherlands, Poland, Belarus, UK, and Ireland. Mark Coleman (USA) was the inaugural heavyweight champion.

The first belt will be presented at the UFC’s debut on ESPN+ streaming service when Henry Cejudo defends the flyweight title (125 lbs.) against bantamweight king (135 lbs.) T.J. Dillashaw. Both fighters will enter the octagon with the proceeding title belt, which the new legacy design and awarded to the winner.

The global motif of the belt is representative of a true world championship. The belt actually says “world champion,” unlike the previous incarnation. The center plate looks clunky and lacks a certain sleekness.

Overall, the new title looks very 2019 and carries an ambitious exhibit of accomplishment and celebration.

UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero II Review

269_Robert_Whittaker_vs_Yoel_Romero — Photo by Esther Lin of MMAFighting.com

Over the last couple of years, I have found MMA, and more specifically, the UFC to be a complete bore. The lack of stars and divisional relevance along with the oversaturation of events has made the majority of the fights a standard affair as opposed to something special. That all changes, at least for one night, as UFC 225 from the United Center in Chicago, produced meaningful fights from top to bottom. Continue reading “UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero II Review” →

WrestleMania 34 Begins to Take Shape

While there are still two more pay-per-view events to go, the card for this year’s WrestleMania is starting to take shape. Rumors and storylines on television lend credence to the matches that might transpire on Sunday, April 8 in New Orleans, LA. Let’s look at the scenarios that will officially occur on the grandest stage followed by those that are possible.

Continue reading “WrestleMania 34 Begins to Take Shape” →

UFC 211 Preview: Miocic vs. Dos Santos 2

MMA content on my website has been few and far between as of late. I still follow the sport on a regular basis. Still, it’s become difficult to get excited about the fights due to an oversaturation of events that carry a decreasing amount of divisional relevance.

This Saturday will serve as a different story as UFC 211 presents a stellar main card. Two title fights, a welterweight bout that will solidify a #1 contender along with two great pairings will round out what could be the best show in years.

Continue reading “UFC 211 Preview: Miocic vs. Dos Santos 2” →

Brock Lesnar: Fined, Suspended, and it Stinks

Former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE superstar Brock Lesnar received a one-year suspension earlier today by the Nevada Athletic Commission due to two failed drug tests for his fight with Mark Hunt at UFC 200 this past July.

Lesnar also agreed to pay a fine of $250,000 in a settlement, which equals to 10% of his disclosed $2.5 million purse for the fight. His unanimous decision victory over Hunt has been officially overturned into a no contest. Continue reading “Brock Lesnar: Fined, Suspended, and it Stinks” →

Alvarez fell into the Trap at UFC 205

Featherweight champion Conor McGregor made history last Saturday when he walloped Eddie Alvarez to become the Lightweight Champion, making him the first fighter in UFC history to hold two titles in two weight classes simultaneously.

The fight capped off a monumental night of fights as UFC 205 was the first event in New York since the statewide ban was lifted after a nearly 20-year political battle.

Eddie Alvarez was the test to prove once and for all whether Conor McGregor was fact or fiction. McGregor aced the exam with relative ease, but Alvarez didn’t execute the best game plan. Continue reading “Alvarez fell into the Trap at UFC 205” →

Ortiz vs. Sonnen Announced for Bellator 170

If you ever wondered what it would look like if two professional wrestlers fought each other in an MMA bout, Bellator will deliver the closest thing to it on January 21 when Tito Ortiz squares off against Chael Sonnen in a light heavyweight main event. They both grew up as wrestling fans and have nicknames that firmly pronounce their colorful personalities.

The bravado of Ortiz’s fiery clad “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” is the perfect foil to the boisterous Midwesterner in Sonnen aka “The American Gangster.” If that’s not enough, the nucleus of their combative arsenal is a grinding wrestling style to punish their opponents against the cage. Continue reading “Ortiz vs. Sonnen Announced for Bellator 170” →