Quick Definition
Combate Global is a Hispanic-focused mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion that stages professional fights between competitors representing different countries, aimed primarily at Spanish-speaking fans.
What is Combate Global?
Combate Global is an MMA promotion built around Hispanic and Latino fighters and Spanish-speaking audiences. Campbell McLaren, a co-founder of the UFC who helped market its first eleven events, started the company in 2011 and still runs it as CEO. Based in New York City, it runs live events and a reality competition series along with mobile and streaming content.
What sets the promotion apart is who it was built for. Roughly 85 percent of its U.S. television audience does not watch the UFC, according to Nielsen data cited by the company, so Combate Global reaches fans that other MMA brands largely miss. The average viewer is about 27 years old. In 2024, Forbes ranked it the tenth most valuable combat sports property in the world at an estimated $120 million.
The name itself is worth clearing up, because the company spent its first decade as Combate Americas before rebranding in 2021. Same promotion, same founder, new name.
How Combate Global works
The signature idea is nation against nation. Instead of pairing fighters purely by ranking, Combate Global often frames bouts as one country versus another, a format the company compares to the World Cup. A card might headline Mexico against the USA, or Argentina against Colombia.
Fights happen inside La Jaula, Spanish for “the cage,” which is the promotion’s name for its competition area. Bouts run across the standard MMA weight classes, from strawweight at 115 pounds up through welterweight at 170.
The business model leans digital and studio-based rather than arena-based. McLaren has said the company stopped chasing large ticketed shows, where selling six thousand seats only breaks even, and focused instead on television and streaming reach. Events are produced from a studio and distributed across broadcast and free streaming platforms.
Combate Global vs. the UFC
Both are MMA promotions, and the two are linked through Campbell McLaren, who helped create the UFC before founding Combate. The similarities mostly end there.
| Combate Global | UFC | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary audience | Hispanic and Spanish-speaking fans | Global mainstream MMA audience |
| Core format | Country vs. country bouts | Ranking and title-driven matchups |
| Broadcast language | Primarily Spanish, plus English | Primarily English |
| Roster | Emerging Latino talent | Established international stars |
| Scale | Regional promotion, growing | Largest MMA promotion worldwide |
Combate does not position itself as a UFC rival for the same viewers. McLaren has been direct that beating the UFC is not the goal, and that the plan is to own the Spanish-speaking market rather than compete head-to-head for the same audience. The Nielsen figure showing most Combate viewers skip the UFC matches that split.
Combate Global vs. Combate Americas
These are the same organization at different points in time. The promotion launched in 2011 as Combate Americas and became Combate Global in 2021.
McLaren has explained the change plainly: the “s” in Americas confused English speakers who think of America as a single country rather than a hemisphere. “Global” signaled the wider ambition of reaching Spanish-speaking fans across North and South America and beyond. Any older reference to Combate Americas points to the same company.
Copa Combate
Copa Combate is the promotion’s marquee tournament: eight fighters competing in a single night for a $100,000 prize. Each competitor represents a country, and the bracket runs from quarterfinals to a final within one event.
The first Copa Combate took place in 2017, timed to the anniversary of UFC 1, the debut event McLaren helped produce. Levy Saúl Marroquín won that inaugural tournament. The one-night format, with fighters going through multiple bouts in a single evening, echoes the early days of the sport.
Where to watch Combate Global
Distribution has shifted over the years, so the current setup matters more than older listings. For 2026, Combate Global moved its Spanish-language U.S. programming to EstrellaTV, which holds exclusive broadcast rights and plans to carry 20 live events, streamed also on the EstrellaTV app and its free ad-supported channel.
English-language coverage runs through Fuse Media, which became the exclusive English partner in 2024, alongside free streaming on Samsung TV Plus and the promotion’s YouTube channel. Availability changes by region and platform, so the official site is the reliable place to confirm a given event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Combate Global?
Campbell McLaren founded the company in 2011 and remains its CEO. Univision acquired a significant equity stake in 2021 as part of a broadcasting partnership.
Is Combate Global still active?
Yes. The promotion announced a slate of 20 live events for 2026 through its EstrellaTV partnership.
What does La Jaula mean?
La Jaula is Spanish for “the cage.” Combate Global uses the term for its competition cage.
Is Combate Global the same as the UFC?
No. They are separate promotions. The two share a founder in Campbell McLaren, but Combate Global focuses on Hispanic fighters and Spanish-speaking fans.
What was Combate Global called before?
It was known as Combate Americas from its 2011 launch until the 2021 rebrand.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Combate Global.” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combate_Global - Teitelbaum, Justin. “The Most Valuable Combat Sports Promotions 2024.” Forbes, 2024.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/justinteitelbaum/2024/04/18/the-most-valuable-combat-sports-promotions-2024/ - Combate Global. “Combate Global to Produce 20 Live Television Events From EstrellaTV’s Studio in 2026.” November 2025.
https://combateglobal.com/en/combate-global-to-produce-20-live-television-events-from-estrellatvs-studio-in-2026 - Newsweek. “Campbell McLaren Found a Unique Way to Corner Hispanic MMA With Combate Global.” March 2026.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/mma/exclusive-campbell-mclaren-found-a-unique-way-to-corner-hispanic-mma-with-combate-global-11747981 - PRNewswire. “For First Time in TV History, Combate Global Knocks Out the UFC Competition.” August 2021.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/for-first-time-in-tv-history-combate-global-knocks-out-the-ufc-competition-301349595.html - The Hollywood Reporter. “Univision Buys Stake in MMA Firm Combate Global.” July 2021.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/univision-combate-global-equity-stake-1234988233/
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