Combate Americas spent their Tuesday evening announcing that former WWE superstar Alberto ‘El Presidente’ would become the new president of their promotion, garnering mainstream attention that is a huge boon for them. The promotion’s head honcho in Campbell McLaren was ecstatic to start spreading the word a few days away from their first show in NY state.
“Whatever Dana White is doing is what Alberto is doing,” Campbell explained at a press event in Manhattan. “Alberto is our new president. I have been after this guy for over a year. I met him at our Las Vegas event last September. He is a great TV commentator, he has had fights in PRIDE, the legendary MMA organization, Pan-American amateur wrestling competitor on the highest level… and now he is our president.”
“In all seriousness, Alberto knows the fight business… some presidents of other organizations like, I don’t want to name names but Scott Coker and Dana White, have never really been inside the cage. Alberto knows what that is like, he has fought all over the world. And I think as our next year includes another huge announcement because we are going to go to Mexico, we have a great Mexican partner, and having Alberto along with that is going to be super.”
McLaren, who was extremely proud to beat the UFC in coming to New York before their UFC 205 debut in November, has apparently never heard of Bellator MMA despite knowing the name of their president. “I am not familiar with Bellator, but UFC has clearly been around for awhile because I started it 23 years ago. So I would say the UFC is probably #1… but it’s obvious ‘Combate Americas’ is the second best MMA organization in the world.”
McLaren also discusses the relationship his promotion has with RIZIN FF.
This announcement came three days ahead of their first event in New York, ‘Combate Americas: Empire Rising,” headlined by John “Sexy Mexy” Castaneda (11-2) and Gustavo Lopez (6-1) facing off in the first world championship bout in league history at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, on Friday, October 14. You can watch the event live on beIN SPORTS En Español and UFC FIGHT PASS.