Combate Global to send 2 fighters to represent MMA in Shoot Boxing Federation event in Tokyo
COMBATE GLOBAL has announced that it has partnered with the Japan-based Shoot Boxing Federation for a live event in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, Feb. 10. As part of the agreement, COMBATE GLOBAL will send two of its roster fighters – Patrick “The Leech” Lehane (6-2 MMA) and “Malicious” Michael Reyes (9-6 MMA) – to represent the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization in bouts that will be contested at Korakuen Hall under shoot boxing rules. “COMBATE GLOBAL is looking forward to returning to Japan with two exciting fighters in Patrick Lehane and Michael Reyes and is appreciative of the opportunity to partner with the Shoot Boxing Federation,” said Mike Afromowitz, COMBATE GLOBAL Senior Vice President, Operations and Communications. Shoot boxing bouts take place in a boxing ring, and permit throws and standing submissions in addition to kickboxing, without ground fighting. The 24-year-old Lehane of Cork, Ireland will square off with Ryoga “Volcano” Imoto (13-9, 4 KO’s Shoot Boxing) of Aichi, Japan at 143 pounds (65 kilograms), and Reyes of Oxnard, Calif. will collide with 22-year-old Shota Tezuka (12-8, 4 KO’s Shoot Boxing) of Saitama, Japan at 132 pounds (60 kilograms).
Lehane is coming off a stellar victory over fellow striking sensation Roberto “El Gallo Negro” Romero at COMBATE GLOBAL’s first-ever ‘Ireland vs. Mexico’ event on December 17. After being sidelined with an injury throughout the year, Lehane came back in top form, slugging it out with Colina Oyama-trained Romero, eventually earning a unanimous decision victory after the third round that was arguably the best round of the year in La Jaula, the COMBATE GLOBAL cage. Lehane burst onto the professional fight scene in 2021, defeating two opponents in one night to win the first-ever COMBATE GLOBAL European tournament. Reyes, 31 years of age, was also victorious in his last effort in La Jaula, putting on a display of striking and scoring a first round (2:19) TKO on Carlos Reyes with a body punch on September 2, 2023. The event in Tokyo marks the latest instance of COMBATE GLOBAL fighters taking on Japanese fighters from other organizations. Last year, the promotion produced a ‘Mexico vs. Japan’ event in Miami, Fla., while also twice sending French women’s MMA standout Claire Lopez to compete under the promotion of RIZIN FF. Lopez notably defeated Japanese star Rena Kubota by way of submission with a knee bar in the third round (4:21) of their matchup last April 29.
