Welcome to Fightful.com's live viewing party for Combates Americas 9: Empire Rising. We'll be bringing you full, round-by-round coverage of every fight on the card. You can also send in your feedback on our Disqus boards below!
You can see the full results below.
Combates Americas Featherweight Title Decision Fight: John Castaneda def. Gustavo Lopez by TKO via strikes (2:24, R4), but does not win the title due to missing weight
Paulina Granados def. Jenna Serio by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Julian Marquez def. Matt Hamill by TKO via strikes (1:22, R1)
Matt Almy def. Freddy Arteaga by TKO via strikes (2:59, R1)
Marc Stevens def. Victor Reyna by unanimous decision (No Scores Announced)
James Rodriguez def. Alex Henry by submission via rear naked choke (2:03, R1)
Jose Ceja def. Irwin Rivera by KO via strikes (4:22, R1)
Round By Round Recap
Matt Almy vs. Freddy Arteaga
Round One: The round begins with Almy attacking Arteaga with leg kicks, Arteaga is quick to nail Almy with an overhand right. Arteaga then hits Almy with a straight right to the midsection, Almy keeps Arteaga at bay by throwing a few jabs. Almy comes forward and he attacks Arteaga with a knee strike, Almy nails a swinging Arteaga with a counter left hook. Almy follows that up by nailing Arteaga with a pair of two punch combinations, Almy drops Arteaga with a spinning heel kick. Almy pounces on a downed Arteaga with a ton of strikes until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Matt Almy def. Freddy Arteaga by TKO via strikes (2:59, R1)
James Rodriguez vs. Alex Henry
Round One: The round begins with the fighters taking some swings at each other, Henry then hits Rodriguez with a right to the midsection. Rodriguez scores a takedown on Henry and he gets back control, Rodriguez goes for the rear naked choke and a tap out follows.
Official Result: James Rodriguez def. Alex Henry by submission via rear naked choke (2:03, R1)
Paulina Granados vs. Jenna Serio
Round One: The round begins with Granados nailing Serio with a knee strike to the midsection, Granados attacks Serio with more knee strikes while looking for the takedown. The fighters break away from each other and Serio nails Granados with a left hook, Granados responds by hitting Serio with a head kick. Granados follows that up by kicking Serio in the midsection, the two have a striking exchange at the center of the cage. Serio starts hitting Granados with a few leg kicks, Serio lands a combination on Granados before getting taken down. Granados transitions to the half guard on Serio, Serio wall walks to her feet with Granados holding onto her. The fighters break away from each other and Serio lands some more leg kicks, Serio eats a kick before hitting Granados with a right hook. Granados nails a punching combination on Serio before landing a high kick, Serio backs up Granados with a push kick. The women just have a wild striking exchange and Granados scores a takedown as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Granados
Round Two: The round begins with Serio attacking Granados with leg kicks, the fighters start to just take some swings at each other. Granados scores a takedown and she gets the open guard on Serio, Serio scrambles and she catches Granados in a guillotine choke, Granados eventually escapes to maintain top position. Granados transitions to side control while attacking Serio with strikes, Granados gains the half guard while landing more strikes. Serio finds a way to shake Granados off of her and to get the fight standing again, Granados holds Serio against the cage wall while looking for the takedown. Serio breaks away from Granados and she eats a right, Serio chases Granados around the cage while throwing strikes and the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Granados (Overall Score: 20-18 for Granados)
Round Three: The round begins with the fighters taking a few swings at each other, Granados scores a takedown on Serio and she gets side control. Granados transitions to the north/south position on Serio, Serio wall walks to her feet to get the fight standing again. The fighters break away from each other and the fighters swinging away at each other, Granados nails Serio with a spinning back fist. Serio nails Granados with a push kick before attacking her with a punching combination, Granados grabs Serio and she holds her against the cage wall. The fighters separate and Granados pops Serio with a few jabs, Serio attacks Granados with another combination. Granados scores another takedown on Serio as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Serio (Final Score: 29-28 for Granados)
Official Result: Paulina Granados def. Jenna Serio by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jose Ceja vs. Irwin Rivera
Round One: The round begins with Ceja dropping Rivera with a combination, Rivera gets up and avoids a flying knee strike from Ceja. Rivera recovers and he hits Ceja with a right hook, Rivera also starts popping Ceja with a few jabs. Ceja attacks a bending Rivera with a kick to the midsection, Ceja backs Rivera into the cage wall with a multiple punch combination. Ceja drops a swinging Rivera with a counter right, Ceja pounds on a standing Rivera with every strike he can throw. Rivera recovers and he drops a swinging Ceja with a counter strike of his own, Ceja backs up Rivera by kicking him in the midsection. Rivera charges and Ceja nails him with a combination, Rivera then hits Ceja with a spinning back fist to the face. Ceja charges at Rivera and he hits him with a two punch combo, Ceja drops a siwnging Rivera with a counter right and he pounces on him with strikes until he goes out cold.
Official Result: Jose Ceja def. Irwin Rivera by KO via strikes (4:22, R1)
The action from this event will be continuing on Page Two...
Victor Reyna vs. Marc Stevens
Round One: The round begins with Stevens attacking Reyna with leg kicks, Stevens looks for the takedown as Reyna nails him with a left. Stevens scores a takedown on Reyna and Reyna pops right back up to his feet, Stevens holds onto Reyna while looking for another takedown. Reyna spins Stevens into the cage wall while still grappling and looking for takedowns, Stevens lands a knee strike before they separate. Reyna starts attacking Stevens with some leg kicks, Stevens again grabs Reyna and he holds him against the cage wall. Reyna spins Stevens into the cage wall again before separating, Reyna then lands a kick to the midsection of Stevens. Stevens looks for the takedown as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Stevens
Round Two: The round begins with Reyna nailing Stevens with a kick the midsection, Stevens scores a takedown and Reyna pops right back up to his feet. Stevens then holds Reyna up against the cage wall, the fighters separate and Stevens nails Reyna with a leg kick. Reyna nails Stevens with a leg kick and right hook before holding him against the cage wall, Stevens scores a takedown on Reyna and he gets the half guard. Reyna scrambles to his feet to get the fight standing again, Reyna charges at Stevens while throwing strikes. Reyna holds Stevens against the cage wall while looking for a takedown, the fighters grapple until the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Stevens (Overall Score: 20-18 for Stevens)
Round Three: The round begins with Reyna grabbing Stevens and holding him against the cage wall, the fighters exchange a few strikes while in the clinch. Stevens scores a takedown and Reyna gets right back to his feet, the fighters grapple along the cage wall while looking for the takedown. Stevens scores another takedown on Reyna and he gets the half guard, Reyna wall walks back to his feet and the fighters break away from each other. Reyna grabs Stevens and he holds him against the cage wall, Reyna scores a takedown on Stevens and Stevens gets right back to his feet. The fighters continue grappling as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Stevens (Final Score: 30-27 for Stevens)
Official Result: Marc Stevens def. Victor Reyna by unanimous decision (No Scores Announced)
Matt Hamill vs. Julian Marquez
Round One: The round begins with Hamill nailing Marquez with a few leg kicks, the fighters attack each other with front kicks as well. Marquez then hits an incoming Hamill with a multi-strike combination, Hamill responds by landing a two punch combo. Marquez drops Hamill with a right hook, Marquez pounces on a downed Hamill until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: Julian Marquez def. Matt Hamill by TKO via strikes (1:22, R1)
John Castaneda vs. Gustavo Lopez
Round One: The round begins with Lopez nailing Castaneda with a kick to the midsection, Lopez also starts attacking Castaneda with leg kicks. Lopez also hits a moving Castaneda with a left hook, Castaneda starts nailing Lopez with a few leg kicks of his own. Lopez then pops Castaneda with a two punch combination, Lopez charges at Castaneda and he nails him with a few rights. Castaneda backs up Lopez with a kick followed by a two punch combination, Lopez nails a kicking Castaneda with a counter right. Castaneda backs away from Lopez while landing a few rights on him, Castaneda dances around Lopez before cracking him with a right. Lopez then catches Castaneda with a three punch combination, Lopez drops Castaneda and he goes for the d’arce choke as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Lopez
Round Two: The round begins with both fighters catching the other with a right, Castaneda nails Lopez with some leg kicks. Castaneda follows that up by attempting a flying knee strike on Lopez, Castaneda catches Lopez with a few more rights. Lopez does his best to attack Castaneda with some punching combinations, Lopez backs up Castaneda by kicking him in the midsection. Lopez backs up Castaneda after landing a three strike combination, Castaneda responds by landing a straight left. Castaneda lands a leg kick before popping Lopez with a right, Lopez charges at Castaneda while throwing a combination. Lopez scores a takedown on Castaneda and he gets the open guard, Lopez transitions to side control on Castaneda. Castaneda scrambles to his feet and Lopez nails him with a few knee strikes, Castaneda scores a takedown on Lopez and he gets the half guard. Castaneda postures up and he eats a few up kicks as the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Lopez (Overall Score: 20-18 for Lopez)
Round Three: The round begins with Castaneda attacking Lopez with leg kicks, Lopez looks for a takedown and Castaneda attempts a knee strike. Lopez accidentally nails Castaneda low and the fight is halted, the fight resumes with the referee deducting a point from Lopez. The action resumes with Castaneda attacks Lopez with more leg kicks, Castaneda also pepper Lopez with some jabs as well. Lopez scores a takedown and Castaneda scrambles back to his feet, Lopez looks for the takedown and Castaneda easily stuffs it. Castaneda lands another leg kick before hitting Lopez with a two punch combination, Lopez pops a kicking Castaneda with a counter right. Lopez nails Castaneda with a kick to the midsection followed by a right hook, Lopez charges at Castaneda while throwing a few right hooks. Castaneda backs up Lopez by attempting several kicks, Castaneda follows those up by landing a pair of left hooks. Castaneda accidentally nails Lopez low and the fight is halted, the fight resumes with the fighters taking swings at each other until the round ends.
Fightful scores the round 10-9 for Castaneda (Overall Score: 28-28 for Draw) (Lopez had a 1 point deduction)
Round Four: The round begins with Castaneda eating a right as he attacks Lopez with leg kicks, Castaneda then pops Lopez with a straight right. Lopez then attacks a kicking Castaneda with a counter strike combination, Castaneda scores a takedown and catches Lopez in a guillotine choke. Lopez scrambles to escape the choke, Lopez gets to his feet and Castaneda nails him with a right to put him back on the ground. Castaneda pounces on a downed Lopez with a plethora of strikes before gaining back control, Castaneda nails Lopez with a lot of ground and pound until the referee jumps in.
Official Result: John Castaneda def. Gustavo Lopez by TKO via strikes (2:24, R4) to win the bantamweight title
