Combate Americas Returns on August 28 with Flyweight Title Bout

Combate Americas
David Duran (Right) punches his opponent at a Combate Americas event. Photo: Scott Hirano/Combate Americas

Combate Americas has announced that they will return with events on August 28, September 11, and September 25 at a closed set studio in Miami.

On Tuesday morning, Combate Americas announced that the promotion will be returning with a trio of events on August 28, September 11, and September 25 respectively and crown an inaugural champion in the flyweight division.  Notably, the promotion will be using a closed set studio in Miami to broadcast events without fans in attendance.

Per a press release, the promotion will be having their Los Angeles based staff tested for COVID-19 prior to having them travel to Miami by utilizing the free testing recently made available in Los Angeles County.  The release further states that the promotion has hired a private physician who will administer and oversee testing for all athletes, staff, and officials on-site in Miami.

Regarding the studio, Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren said “As live sports return to television, Combate Americas is going to utilize this closed set studio series to deliver something that fans have never seen before and that will bring them closer than ever to the action from their screens.”  Though no further details were given, it would mean that the promotion is utilizing a unique venue compared to those being used by the UFC and LFA.  While no fans are allowed inside the UFC Apex currently being used in Vegas, the facility does have the capacity for a small audience that has been seen during past seasons of Dana White’s Contender Series.  LFA will be using the Sanford Pentagon in South Dakota that has a capacity for just over 3,000 spectators, although their upcoming events are also closed to the public.

Headlining the event on August 28 will be Atlanta’s Juan “Leadfeather” Puerta (18-6) against David “The Farmer of Destruction” Duran (8-6) of California for the inaugural flyweight championship.  Puerta will be making his promotional debut having fought previously in Titan FC and goes into the bout on an eight fight win-streak.  Duran has previously fought in both Bellator and BAMMA USA and is undefeated under the Combate banner with three victories.

Combate Americas put on two events in 2020 prior to the coronavirus pandemic cancelling sporting events across the globe.  Following the fight between Puerta and Duran, the promotion will have three champions with the winner joining featherweight champion Bruno Cannetti and strawweight champion Melissa Martinez.  No further bouts for the newly announced cards have been made official at this time.