Maldonado vs Benevidez, Sandoval vs Decourcy set for A1 Combat 18 Feb 22nd at the Tachi Palace

Urijah Faber's A1 Combat returns to the Tachi Palace Casino & Resort in Lemoore, Ca  with a stacked card for the Central Valley MMA fans. The promotion has announced a new date for the show, moving the event back a day to Thursday February 22nd, 2024. Two title fights will headline A1 Combat 18 with the women's Strawweight title on the line in the main event. While the A1 Combat lightweight title championship will be up for grabs in the co main event.

With the main card set and full of some of the best fighters the valley has to offer. We will also get to see a few of the top amateurs in California make their pro debut. A fight that has caught our attention right away is the matchup between 559 Fights veterans Martine Sandoval out of Porterville, Ca and Fountain Valley's Blake Decourcy. 

The fight will be a rematch from the 2022 amateur days, where Decourcy was able to get the decision win. Both fighters went on to do great things in the amateurs following their first encounter. This time their paths cross as professionals, making their pro debut versus each other at A1 Combat 18. 

Another fight that is bringing a familiar feel back to the Tachi Palace will be in the flyweight division. If you know Valley MMA, you would know that Tachi Palace helped develop the division in the States back in the day. At A1 Combat 18 the new generation of flyweights take the stage as (1-0) Laz "El Diablo Morado" Maldonado

welcomes Porterville's Brian "Bizkit" Benevidez to the pro ranks. Maldonado, a former 559 Fights and CAMO state champ, is fresh off a successful pro debut in Visalia at A1 Combat 16. Benevidez finished his amateur career at 6-3-1, last picking up a win at 559 Fights 101.

Also on the card, a couple of Tachi Palace MMA veterans return to mix it up when Fresno's (4-7) Art "Warhorse" Hernandez returns to action to take on Lemoore's (14-29) Sergio "Outlaw" Quinones.

The Avalos Brothers out of Parlier are back, and on the same card with (7-4) Jose "Stilmatik" Avalos taking on (5-3) Johnny Robles. Younger brother (3-1) Christian "Land Shark" Avalos will take on Gilroy's (4-0) Anthony Figueroa for the A1 Combat Lightweight title.

A1 Combat 18 goes down Thursday February 22nd, 2024 from the Tachi Palace Casino & Resort. Tickets on sale now at www.eventbrite.com/e/urijah-fabers-a1-combat-18-tachi-palace-mauldin-vs-machado-tickets-784762053427?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Urijah Faber's A1 Combat 18 Card:

A1 Combat Women's Strawweight Championship (4-0) Taylor "Machine Gun" Mauldin vs (12-4) Valesca "Tina Black" Machado

A1 Combat Lightweight Championship Parlier's (3-1) Christian "Land Shark" Avalos vs Gilroy's (4-0) Anthony Figueroa.

A1 Combat Featherweight Championship (15-8) Jacob Rosales vs (11-8) Erick Sanchez

Parlier's (7-4) Jose "Stilmatik" Avalos vs (5-3) Johnny Robles 

Tulare's (3-1) Brock Dias vs (2-1) John Buttner

(1-0) Laz Maldonado vs (0-0) Brian Benevidez

(Pro Debut) Martine Sandoval vs (Pro Debut) Blake Decourcy

(3-4) Luis Jaurequi Martinez vs (4-5) Brandon Olson

(4-7) Art Hernandez vs (13-25) Sergio Quinones

Check out A1 Combat at www.a1combat.com on Facebook@ www.facebook.com/CaliMMApromoter on IG@ www.instagram.com/a1_combat

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By: Daniel "Trip" Quintana www.noweakshitever.com