Underground GOAT Shed of Miami impresses at Combate Global MMA reality series debut in Miami
Combate Global MMA, producing weekly content from Miami, will help put GOAT Shed on the map.
GOAT Shed is based in Miami, and the gym is an underground type MMA training center in the hotbed of MMA training — South Florida.
Through Combate Global’s new competition reality series “Combate Global Exclusivo VIX+,” GOAT Shed will rise from the word-of-mouth into the professional MMA mainstream.
Part 2 of the six-episode series is Sept. 14.
On the Florida amateur MMA circuit, GOAT Shed is highly regarded with many champions under its belt.
When you think of MMA training in South Florida, the award winning American Top Team is a worldwide leader, based in Coconut Creek. In nearby Deerfield Beach is Sanford MMA (now Kill Cliff FC), with another strong group of coaches and fighters. MMA Masters in Miami also offers some solid coaching and competitors.
GOAT Shed wants to reach that status, and head coach/owner Asim Zaidi is the one to lead them there.
Zaidi is very passionate about his group. He can talk the talk, while they walk the walk.
When coaches say this fighter lives at the gym, Zaidi actually means it. There are fighters from other countries living at his gym, as they train to compete for a better life in and out of the octagon, cage and La Jaula. His roster includes about 30 men and women.
The outspoken Zaidi is a former two-time world kickboxing champion and Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Born and raised in Miami, he is a graduate of Miami Beach High School.
Two of his fighters performed very well for Combate Global.
During the first taping of the reality series, Dayron Carbonell Valdes (Lazaro Dayron), who starred in wrestling in Cuba, not only won his fight by KO against Jose Serral of Uppercut (Barcelona, Spain), but he received Fighter of the Night honors from Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren and a nice $5,000 cash prize. By the way, Valdes’s older brother, Yoanse, a graduate of Miami Southwest High School, is another GOAT Shed fighter to watch.
Here is my video interview with GOAT Shed leader Asim Zaidi, GOAT Shed fighter Dayron Carbonell Valdes (Lazaro Dayron) and GOAT Shed team manager and translator Laura Abril.
During the Combate Global weekly TV fights (not the reality series), Jaret Betancourt also of GOAT Shed was a unanimous decision winner last month. They are broadcast from Miami, too.
Web: https://goatshedacademy.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/goatshedacademy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@goatshedacademy
Instagram: https://www.youtube.com/user/asimmiami1
TelevisaUnivision and Combate Global Announce
Combate Global Exclusivo ViX+,
an MMA Competition Reality Series
The show follows four of the sport’s top training camps in the United States, Mexico and Spain.
MIAMI – TelevisaUnivision, the leading Spanish-language media and content company in the world, and Combate Global, the premiere Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports franchise, announced the premier of a new MMA competition reality series -- Combate Global Exclusivo VIX+ -- for TelevisaUnivision’s recently launched streaming platform, ViX+ for the United States and Mexico.
On Aug. 24, viewers watched the first of the six episodes on VIX+, which provides a deep look at the vastly different cultures that exist within the confines of each of four of the world’s most unique MMA training camps in Mexico, the U.S. and Spain, and that serve as breeding grounds for world champions in this gruelingly competitive sport.
“We are proud to have Combate Global as part of the TelevisaUnivision sports portfolio, and especially with this series, to not only show the competition inside the ring but also bring viewers the journey fighters take on, mentally and physically, ahead of each of their fights” TelevisaUnivision SVP, Sports Entertainment, Federico Larino said in a release.
Combate Global CEO Campbell McLaren noted: “Combate Global is once again making history with an unprecedented format for a combat sports competition reality series – we are excited to work with TelevesiaUnivison to bring the most real MMA viewing experience to our fans.”
Here is my video interview with Combate Global MMA leader Campbell McLaren in Miami.
With this series, McLaren, also the co-founder and creator of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), steps into the limelight as “Señor Campbell,” and inserts his natural and sometimes heavy-handed, but always vocal, demeanor into the show.
At the helm of each gym is a distinguished master trainer with a unique approach to the sport and a distinct system for preparing fighters for battle inside La Jaula, bringing an element of distinct competition to the show, as each episode will culminate with Combate Global MMA bouts that pit fighters from the different camps against one another.
The gyms competing in the series are Goat Shed from Miami; Bonebreakers from Mexico City, Mexico; Saekson’s Academy from Los Angeles, California; and Uppercut Training Center from Barcelona, Spain.
Here is the $5,000 award presentation to the Fighter of the Night (Dayron Carbonell Valdes / Lazaro Dayron of GOAT Shed Miami) during the debut episode of the series.
Points will be awarded to the gyms based on their fighters’ performances in each bout, and the gym that earns the greatest number of points over the course of the series will be awarded a $50,000 bonus prize.
Combate Global MMA
Combate Global, featuring MMA weekly fights from Miami, airs Fridays on Univision, Televisa Tijuana Oficial, TUDN USA, CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
Combate Global, previously “Combate Americas,” is rapidly becoming the number two sport after soccer for Spanish speaking fans worldwide. It is the only MMA property regularly airing on broadcast television in both the United States (Univision) and Mexico (Televisa).
In 2021, Combate Global partnered with CBS Sports to distribute its live shows in English in the U.S. on Paramount+ and, in 2022, the company partnered with Eurosport for live distribution in Spain, as well as with RMC Sport in France.
On Paramount+, the English speaking broadcast team features WWE alum Max Bretos and Miami’s own Rodolfo Roman. The Spanish speaking broadcast team includes Eduardo “El Pube” Alvarado, Lindsay Casinelli, Carlos Aguilar and Alba Galindo. The ring announcer (in English and Spanish) is the widely respected Lupe Contreras.
The company’s programming is available in more than 70 countries in Mexico, Europe, Africa and elsewhere globally.
Combate Global MMA is especially big in Mexico, as is pro wrestling (lucha libre) with AAA.
Pro wrestlers AAA Sexy Star (Dulce Garcia) and AEW Champ Thunder Rosa (Melissa Cervantes) fought on Combate Global cards as tough MMA fighters and added commentary as part of the broadcast team.
Maybe Combate Global and AAA will do business together someday.
Web: https://www.combateglobal.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/combateglobal
Instagram: @CombateGlobal
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CombateGlobal
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My Pro Wrestling & MMA Talk on the Web and Social Media
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This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 12:34 PM.
