The world of mixed martial arts is abuzz with excitement as Combate Global announces a star-studded, all-female lineup for its upcoming event, “Combate Female,” set to take place on Thursday, March 13, at the TelevisaUnivision studios in Miami. This highly anticipated event will feature six thrilling fights, showcasing the talents of some of the most skilled female fighters in the sport. According to Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren, “The global interest in women’s sports is exploding, and ‘Combate Female’ is the most explosive version of women competing.” This sentiment echoes the growing enthusiasm for women’s MMA, and “Combate Female” is poised to be at the forefront of this movement.
A Stellar Main Event
The main event of the evening promises to be an electrifying showdown between Maritza Sánchez (6-1) and Kate “Queen of the South” Bacik (5-2) in a catchweight bout at 130 pounds. Sánchez, a 27-year-old native of Placerville, California, and member of the Alpha Male Team led by MMA veteran Urijah Faber, has been on a tear, boasting six consecutive victories since February 2020. Her impressive winning streak has been marked by astring of knockout performances, cementing her position as one of the most exciting new stars in women’s MMA.
Bacik, hailing from London, England, and representing the Great Britain Top Team, is looking to bounce back from a loss to Thalita Soares in December, which snapped her five-fight winning streak. The 31-year-old amateur champion is determined to prove herself against the formidable Sánchez.
Co-Main Event: García vs. Geraldo
In the co-main event, an intriguing matchup is set to unfold in the atomweight division (105 pounds) as undefeated Janet García (3-0) faces off against Mexico’s Nicole Geraldo (6-1). García, a 33-year-old San José, California resident of Mexican descent and member of the AKA team led by Javier Méndez, brings a wealth of experience from her Muay Thai background and has been perfect in her MMA career so far. Her last outing in Combate Global saw her secure a technical knockout victory over Andrea Meneses with a devastating display of elbow and knee strikes.
Geraldo, a 26-year-old from Mexico City, is also coming off a win, having defeated Solángel Vera via unanimous decision in November 2024. Notably, Geraldo has never been knocked out or submitted in either her professional or amateur MMA career, making this bout against García a compelling clash of styles and skill.
More Exciting Matchups
Other notable fights on the “Combate Female” card include the highly anticipated MMA debut of professional boxing champion Kenia Enríquez (0-0 MMA; 28-1, 11 KO’s boxing) against Hayley “Bloody” Valentine (5-0) in a strawweight (115 pounds) bout. Enríquez, a three-time professional boxing champion from Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, looks to translate her success in the boxing ring to the MMA world.
Additionally, Yazmín “La Niña Árbol” Nájera (4-1) from Mexico City will face Wiktoria Wojciechowska (3-2) from Mosina, Poland in a flyweight (125 pounds) matchup. The undefeated Sayury Cañón (4-1) from Bogotá, Colombia, will also make her appearance in the strawweight division against veteran and former world title challenger Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (10-11) from Boca Ratón, Florida. Rounding out the card is a battle between the undefeated strawweight fighters Sharon Martínez (1-0) from Managua, Nicaragua, and Claudia “La Lobita” Pizarro (1-0) from Santiago, Chile.
Live Broadcast Details
The “Combate Female” event will be broadcast live worldwide for free on March 13, starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, on its Spanish-language YouTube channel. With its diverse lineup of talented fighters and highly anticipated matchups, “Combate Female” is shaping up to be an unforgettable night of mixed martial arts action.