Live on Paramount+ This Friday: Combate Global Announces 5-Fight Card

Javier “Blair” Reyes (left) of Bogota, Colombia will aim for his fourth consecutive win when he collides with Luis “El Tigre” Gomez of Ciego de Avila, Cuba via Miami, Fla. in a Combate Global featherweight main event on Friday, May 20.
Photo credit: Scott Hirano/Combate Global

NEW YORK – May 17, 2022 – Combate Global today announced a five-bout Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight card headlined by a featherweight (145 pounds) contest between Javier “Blair” Reyes (13-3) and Luis “El Tigre” Gomez (9-5) on Friday, May 20, live on Paramount+ from Miami, Fla.

Paramount+ live coverage will begin with a Combate Global pre-show at 10:30 p.m. ET/9:30 p.m. CT, and will continue with the live fight action, beginning at 11:00 p.m. ET/10:00 p.m. CT.

The 28-year-old Reyes of Bogota, Colombia is a top featherweight from his country and has been on fire of late, winning his last three fights, all by way of (T)KO or submission.

Reyes, whose early MMA education consisted primarily of watching YouTube videos, went on to amass a perfect 25-0 record as an amateur before turning professional in 2014 and reeling off nine consecutive victories in his first nine starts.

Above: Luis “El Tigre” Gomez (left) will compete in his first Combate Global main event bout on Friday, May 20

Gomez, a 27-year-old native of Ciego de Avila, Cuba and resident of Miami, holds a black belt in Judo and is the only fighter in history to defeat two opponents by way of “ippon seo nage,” a Judo throwing technique.

Gomez, who has never been knocked out since he began his professional career in 2015, will look for his second straight win after defeating Michael Garcia in Combate Global action last October 15.

In a featured flyweight (125 pounds) clash, rising star Ernesto “The Stallion” Ibarra (6-1) of Ensenada, B.C., Mexico will battle the always entertaining and gutsy striker Pablo Caballero (8-8) of Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina via Cape Coral, Fla.

Caballero has won his last four bouts, three of which were contested under bare knuckle boxing rules and the fourth, a Combate Global matchup with Michael Reyes that Caballero emerged victorious in via guillotine choke submission on June 25, 2021.

In featured women’s atomweight (105 pounds) action, Jharely Reyes (0-0) of Ensenada and Melissa Gomez Espinoza (0-0) of Santiago, Chile will make their respective professional debuts against each other.

As an amateur competitor, Reyes made a name for herself when she was 17-years-old by defeating a male competitor via rear-naked choke submission in just 22 seconds, on September 22, 2018.

The preliminary bout card will be highlighted by a bantamweight (135 pounds) matchup between Jose Zarauz (22-9-1) from Lima, Peru and Jordan “The Gamer” Espinoza (15-9) of Albuquerque, N.M.

Also on tap for the undercard is a 168-pound catchweight fight between Ivan “Choko” Castillo (22-14) of Ensenada, BC, Mexico and Jimmy “Sandstorm” Sandlin (5-4) of Carlisle, Ohio.