“THE MEXICAN JAKE PAUL” WILL COMPETE IN HIS THIRD PROFESSIONAL MMA FIGHT

 

BURBANK, CALIF. – December 17, 2025 – COMBATE GLOBAL and Jawy Mendez (1-1), have announced that the Mexican reality television star and professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter will return to COMBATE GLOBAL action in a featured bout on Thursday, February 26, live on EstrellaTV in the U.S. from Burbank, Calif.

 

Mendez, who has been likened to a Mexican version of Jake Paul, broke the news live in an on-air interview on EstrellaTV last Thursday during the television network’s Liga MX Finals pre-game show.

 

The fight, which will be a part of COMBATE GLOBAL’s first event of 2026, will be contested at a catchweight of 175 pounds against an opponent to be announced on a later date.

 

“Jawy has lived up to his nickname ‘The Mexican Jake Paul’ because he wasn’t taken seriously by the fight world when he made his professional debut at COMBATE GLOBAL, but has turned that sentiment around after winning his last fight convincingly,” said COMBATE GLOBAL CEO Campbell McLaren.

 

Mendez, indeed, proved his commitment to the sport by stopping Rafael Monterola (0=1) of The Bronx, N.Y. in the second round (3:59) of their COMBATE GLOBAL matchup, which was also contested at a 175-pound catchweight, in Miami, Fla. on April 24, 2025.

 

Mendez displayed much improvement since his first MMA start, repeatedly countering Monterola’s offense with a powerful right hand that put Monterola down for the second time in the fight’s second round.

 

From there, Mendez, from top position on the ground, overpowered his opponent and continued blasting Monterola with strikes until the referee stopped the bout.

 

Mendez was a star on nine consecutive seasons of MTV’s smash-hit reality series Acapulco Shore and a star on the Televisa runaway success reality series Hotel VIP.

 

In October, he was a cast member and competitor on La Granja VIP, another popular reality television show that streams on Disney+ in Mexico and was produced by Fremantle.

 

In 2023, he risked his television career by pursuing a second livelihood in the fight game, debuting with COMBATE GLOBAL on August 6 of that year.

 

Mendez lost the fight, but won over a lot of new fans with the grit and determination he showed against Colombian fighter Johan “The Samurai” Rodriguez.

 

Mendez has not confirmed where he will train for the February 26 bout.

 

For his fight against Monterola, he re-located to Miami, where he prepared with MMA Masters under MMA fighter and coach, Danny “The Colombian Warrior” Chavez.

 

Additional information about COMBATE GLOBAL and its athletes can be found on www.CombateGlobal.com as well as on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

 

 

 

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About Combate Global

Combate Global is the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise that is rapidly becoming the number two sport after soccer for Spanish speaking fans worldwide, and that consistently garners television ratings that are superior to those of other major, longer established sports television properties.

 

Nielsen research indicates that an astounding 91 percent of Combate Global viewers in the U.S. are not regular viewers of other MMA content, demonstrating that Combate Global has garnered a new MMA audience with its World Cup-style, country vs. country-style competition.  

 

Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren, also the co-founder and creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been described by New York Magazine as “the marketing genius behind the UFC,” while Yahoo Sports has said he “knows more about the sport than just about anyone in it today.”  Under his direction, the growth of Combate Americas’ television footprint and worldwide audience triggered a re-branding in 2021 to Combate Global.

 

 

CONTACT:

Mike Afromowitz – COMBATE GLOBAL

MikeA@CombateGlobal.com

917-566-8754