Combate Americas will return to Tucson next month, when local star Jose "Pochito" Alday takes on Andre Barquero in a mixed martial arts fight card at Casino del Sol's AVA Amphitheater.
The Oct. 11 fights will be shown live on both Univision and TUDN starting at 9 p.m.
Alday, a bantamweight who is 13-4-1, will be the main event. The 27-year-old was born in Sonora before moving to Tucson. He attended Ironwood Ridge High School before being deported back to Mexico in 2011. He has since returned, becoming one of the region's top fighters. A year ago, Alday became the first Mexican-born fighter to win the Combate Americas Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) World Championship. He last fought here in June, beating Juan Pablo Gonzalez in three rounds.
Barquero, a 24-year-old native of San Pedro, Costa Rica, won five straight matches before losing to Sean Santella on June 14.
“The men’s bantamweight division is arguably the most competitive and cutthroat within our entire roster, and this main event between former world champion, Jose Alday, and Andre Barquero, a young, but seasoned competitor that recently joined our ranks, has the makings of another epic battle in Tucson, where we have produced some of our most memorable action yet,” said Combate Americas CEO Campbell McLaren.
Other fights include a bantamweight showdown between Anthony “El Toro” Birchak (15-6)and Jose Luis “Puppy” Calvo (8-2). Birchak, a 33-year-old Tucsonan, has won his last two fights in the first round. Guillermo “Memo” Torres (3-0) will square off against Orlando Jimenez (2-0) of Phoenix in another bantamweight fight.
Additional bouts will be announced soon.
