Yahoo Sports Top prospect Maritza Sanchez stuck in limbo with Combate Global after inactive 2024: 'They haven't had any shows'
Maritza Sanchez has been shelved without injury for more than a year.
A member of the Combate Global roster since her pro debut in December 2019, Sanchez has fought seven times in the promotion to accrue a 6-1 record and become one of top flyweight prospects in the world. Unfortunately for the 26-year-old talent, Sanchez lost out on any appearances in 2024. In September, she claimed on X that Combate was done for the year and refused to release her.
"There's a lot that's [gone] into the situation that I'm in right now," Sanchez told Uncrowned.
"I'm under contract with them and they haven't been able to get me a fight all year basically. They haven't had any shows. That's kind of why I have been inactive all year. Even before that, I wasn't hearing much from them on really securing a fight for me. So it's been kind of difficult but that's the situation that I'm in right now, and there's more to it, but I'm just going to leave it as that."
Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren responded publicly to Sanchez's claims at the time, disputing them with the the following comments in a quote post.
"I don’t like doing this publicly but [Sanchez] you are not being honest," McLaren wrote. "Combate offered you a major contact increase, a boxing match that you requested and we are trying to reach [management] about the December fight. Your [manager] never responds. We invested heavily in your career."
Support for Sanchez's release quickly built throughout the MMA community, prompting McLaren to soundly reject the notion.
In July, Combate Global's broadcast deal with the Spanish TV network Univision expired, effectively ending the promotion's 2024 campaign. Combate Global's July 27 event was its last, and the upcoming schedule remains empty. Sanchez and her now-former manager at Upper Sports Management David Arvelo haven't been told when Combate Global may return or if it has a new broadcast partner.
McLaren claimed that a 2025 return is imminent for the promotion without a definitive answer. He shared the following statement with Uncrowned when asked about Sanchez's situation.
"Maritza is under contract. We have offered her three fights that she turned down which have extended her existing contract. Our attorney has messaged her each time on this. We have offered her a very upgraded new contract. We offered to get her a boxing match as she requested. We want to use her for our February Mexico City shows but we can’t really get anywhere with her management. It often takes months for her manager David Arvelo to respond. At one point, I asked Maritza if he was still alive as everyone on my team called and texted him repeatedly with no answer. Combate has invested a great deal of time and promotional effort on both TV and digital media."
Combate Global's contract with Sanchez also prevents her from participating in any competitions outside of MMA, including boxing and even jiu-jitsu matches. Other MMA promotions have inquired about Sanchez's status and whether or not she can fight for them, but can't because of the restrictions.
Arvelo spoke with Uncrowned in light of McLaren's comments. His statement can be read below.
"While Upper Sports Management no longer represents Maritza Sanchez as a client, during her time with us I dealt with some of the situations referenced by Campbell. We seem to have experienced two very different realities/recollections of 2024 and I would venture to guess this won't change going into 2025 based off of Campbell's statements for their future plans after a very quiet 2024.
"I have enjoyed a good and long-standing relationship with Combate over the years, especially when Tony Padilla was their head matchmaker. Over the course of years, I have also defended Combate both privately and publicly, as well as offered assistance to them during their immediate return during the height and then dissipation of the COVID era restrictions that ground sports to a halt for a while.
"I will always wish everyone the best. The sports needs as many promotions thriving as possible. Fighters need as many well opportunities as is possible. I sincerely hope that Combate continues on and is able to resume a more regular schedule of events in the future, and I wish them all the best in their endeavors.
"I understand there are ebbs and flows in business, especially the fight business...but that state Combate is in currently, and where they're seemingly headed, isn't a situation that we (Upper) as a company feel comfortable in continuing to put clients into going forward into the future."
Sanchez's most recent fight saw her score the biggest win of her career with a unanimous decision over Bellator veteran Elina Kallionidou in December 2023. A title bout for Combate Global's inaugural flyweight belt was expected to be Sanchez's next move as she found herself ranked No. 1 in the official Combate Global rankings.
While Sanchez has been stuck in limbo with Combate Global, she's seen others under the banner part ways. Combate Global's current No. 1-ranked atomweight fighter Ana Palacios has fought and won twice in Invicta FC since her final Combate Global appearance in June. Uncrowned confirmed with several other now-former Combate Global fighters that they were released around the same time Sanchez went public in September.
Despite the delay in her career, Sanchez holds no ill will toward the promotion and just wants to get back to active competition as soon as possible.
"I know that some of the other fighters have been released and they're active with fighting — some people that I know personally," Sanchez said.
"I have nothing against [Combate Global], really. I actually would want the greatest relationship with them, whatever has happened in the past or has been said — not that I'm saying anything really bad has been put on the table.
"I just don't want any drama," she continued. "If they were to come back and have an event, I would be more than happy. That's all that I want right now is to get back and fight. So, whatever is there for me, I'm taking it. As long as I can get a fight here soon."
