Combate Americas opts to postpone return on August 28 due to health and safety concerns over rising COVID-19 cases in the US.
On Tuesday afternoon, Combate Americas announced that they would be postponing their return to action next month. The promotion had planned their first show since February with the first of three shows on August 28 that were set to be held in Florida. The promotion cited health and safety concerns as the reason for the postponement.
In a statement, Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren wrote:
“This is not a decision we took lightly, and is based entirely on our focus to prioritize the safety of our employees, broadcast partners, fighters and the broader MMA community. We explored many alternatives to avoid this measure, including the possibility of moving our in-studio fights to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the state of California is in a similarly precarious situation with COVID outbreaks, and it seems untenable to proceed without taking into consideration the health of those we love.”
Prior to the postponement, the company had planned to kick off their return with the crowning of a new champion in the flyweight division on August 28 with a fight between Juan Puerta and David Duran. As of two weeks ago, the company had continued to announce fights for thee event with several local fighters being announced for the undercard and the addition of former title challenger Desiree Yanez in the co-main event. Further events had also been planned for September 11 and September 25.
Combate Americas had planned to hold events at a closed studio set in Miami without spectators in attendance. The promotion also stated that they had plans for their Los Angeles based staff to utilize the free testing available in Los Angeles County and to have a private physician on-site to oversee testing in Florida.
Currently, no date for a return has been announced.
