CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ become the English-language home for Combate Global MMA
Axel Osuna delivers a kick to Edgar Chairez during a Combate Americas event in 2018. Credit: Combate Global/Scott Hirano
Combate Global, a mixed martial arts promotion focused on Latin fighters, will now get an opportunity to grow its brand and audience with a new audience.
The promotion, led by one of the original creators of the UFC in Campbell McLaren, announced a broadcast deal Tuesday that makes CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ the English-language home of Combate Global events in the U.S.
"We are thrilled to partner with CBS Sports and bring Combate Global action to the Paramount+ platform," McLaren said in a news release. "Millions of combat sports fans have heard about Combate Global’s fast and furious version of MMA and can now see for themselves."
The first event will air on CBS Sports on Friday. It then shifts to Paramount+ from July 9 through the rest of 2021. No details were released on Friday's card, or the remainder of the Combate Global schedule for the year.
Combate Global is expected to put on 30 live events in both 2022 and 2023 for Paramount+. CBS Sports Network also will do a weekly recap show.
"The addition of Combate Global’s exciting MMA action is a tremendous opportunity for Paramount+ to further expand its reach to a young and diverse fan base," Jeffrey Gerttula, executive vice president and general manager of CBS Sports Digital, said in the release. "We believe Combate events will complement the expansive live soccer programming that is now a cornerstone of our industry-leading sports coverage on the service and deliver even more unique sports content across CBS Sports platforms."
The fights will take place at the Univision studios in Miami through the end of this year. Univision televises Combate Global's Spanish broadcast.
Mark La Monica is a deputy sports editor at Newsday. He also covers mixed martial arts.
