A1 Combat 10 Main Event Breakdown

This Friday night is another fight night for Urijah Faber‘s A1 Combat and it’s also a momentous evening for the promotion. While its actual first anniversary will still be three days away by the time the show happens, A1 Combat’s paper anniversary will be commemorated with A1 Combat 10 and the A1 Combat 10 main event.

Absent of any late cancellations between now and Friday night, A1 Combat 10 features a nine-fight card. Live coverage of the show begins on UFC Fight Pass at 10 pm ET/ 7 pm PT from Tachi Palace in Lemoore, CA.

A1 Combat Lightweight Championship Up For Grabs in A1 Combat 10 Main Event

Highlighting the night’s itinerary is the back end of a championship doubleheader in the A1 Combat 10 main event. Immediately following the battle for the Vacant A1 Combat Strawweight Championship, your headlining bout sees the lightweight championship on the line.

Bellator and Cage Warriors veteran Erick Sanchez (11-6 MMA, A1 Combat promotional debut) seeks to become the top dog at 155 lbs. when he faces off against Ayadi Majdeddine (11-4, 1 NC MMA, A1 Combat promotional debut). Unlike championship fights in other organizations, the A1 Combat 10 main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.

A1 Combat 10 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the A1 Combat 10 main event on Friday night, Ayadi Majdeddine stands as the taller contender at 5-foot-11, compared to the 5-foot-10 frame of Erick Sanchez. In addition, Majdeddine owns a six-inch reach advantage (75 inches to 69 inches) over Sanchez.

Ordinarily, at this point in the breakdown, we’d mention who has the edge on the money line as per the oddsmakers, but no such information exists for this fight at press time. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening over the weekend, please wager responsibly.

Erick Sanchez Seeks to Build Off of Knockout Win From September

Erick Sanchez enters the A1 Combat 10 main event having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. Most recently, he scored a first-round knockout (punches) over James Lynch (6-3 MMA, 4-2 CWFC) on Sept. 23 in Cage Warriors 143.

However, he’s had some misfortune with keeping fights on the schedule in recent times. Out of his last five scheduled fights, four have gotten postponed before the shows have taken place, including a contest that would have occurred the night of Feb. 3 in A1 Combat 8 against Salvador Becerra (8-3-1 MMA).

The subject of canceled fights came up in an interview with The JJc2C Podcast ahead of the fight versus Becerra getting called off.

“I just look at the bigger picture, bro,” Sanchez said. “I have a goal, I have it set, so everything is just part of the process. At the end of the day, all of that won’t matter. We’re going to make it there regardless. My motivation is that the big picture, just keep getting after it.”

For Erick Sanchez, the big picture includes a title shot in the A1 Combat 10 main event on Friday night. Can he walk away with the lightweight strap? Tune in and find out.

Ayadi Majdeddine Looks to Get Back in the Win Column

In the other corner, Ayadi Majdeddine has posted a 2-1 record with one no-contest in his last five MMA fights. Most recently, he sustained a first-round knockout loss (punches) in just 40 seconds against Mitch Ramirez (6-0 MMA) during Tuff-N-Uff 129 on UFC Fight Pass.

Much like Erick Sanchez, Majdeddine has also had trouble with canceled bouts, even though it’s happened with less frequency than the former. Majdeddine was slated to have faced off on Feb. 11 with Tsogookhuu Amarsanaa in Fierce FC 24 in Idaho Falls.

This fight was postponed ahead of the show, meaning that Ayadi Majdeddine hasn’t gotten in the ring since Aug. 12 of last year. Thus, the question of ring rust has popped up once again.

How much training has he done with a layoff of over eight months? Will his time away from the cage factor into his performance this time around?

We’ll know soon enough.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

The A1 Combat 10 main event looks to be a toss-up. While both of these men have been known to get the stoppage in the past, Majdeddine has transitioned to fighting on his feet in recent years.

Erick Sanchez Can Score a Vicious Knockout

Erick Sanchez has the potential to land the knockout on Friday night as he did against Lynch last fall. During the first round of a scheduled three, he came out of the gates firing with right-handed punches before giving Lynch a cut within 45 seconds.

It was only a matter of time before the fight was over, and although Lynch countered with leg kicks, Sanchez was too much for him to handle. A guillotine choke attempt was expertly thwarted by Sanchez thanks to his sprawling.

Another right ended the contest halfway through the period. If Sanchez can land punches in bunches, he’ll walk away as the champion.

Watch For Majdeddine’s Ground and Pound Shots

In the other corner, look for Ayadi Majdeddine to unload on Sanchez if the fight gets to the ground in the A1 Combat 10 main event. His 2017 fight versus Mikael Nyyssonen was a textbook example. Round two began with Majdeddine dumping Nyyssonen and landing a few punches to the head before Nyyssonen returned to his feet and transitioned to the clinch.

It would be a recurring theme throughout the round, but Majdeddine became the aggressor, taking his opponent down a second time, assuming back mount. At that point, it would just be a formality, with Majdeddine scoring with repeated punches to the head. The referee had no other option but to stop the fight.

If Ayadi Majdeddine can take Erick Sanchez down just once, it could be a wrap on Friday.

Final Thoughts and Happy Anniversary, A1 Combat!

A1 Combat has a great championship doubleheader on the slate this Friday night. A very happy anniversary to the promotion!

Prediction: Erick Sanchez by Unanimous Decision.

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