Team Combat League (TCL) has announced the nominees for its year-end awards, recognizing their accomplishments throughout the league’s second regular season. Fighters will be recognized for the Most Valuable Fighter Award, the Most Entertaining Fighter Award, the Rookie of the Year Award and the Most Resilient Fighter Award. The sophomore season of Team Combat League saw the team boxing concept continue to grow and branch out onto the DAZN platform. The Most Valuable Fighter Award recognizes the most outstanding Fighter in the league who had the greatest impact on Team Combat League action in the regular season (pro boxing records listed after fighters’ TCL records). The nominees are lightweight Alejandro "El Abusador" Paulino (TCL 11-1, 5 KOs/17-0, 13 KOs) of the Boston Butchers, featherweight Brittany "Eagle Flex" Sims (TCL 10-0, 2 KOs/6-3, 3 KOs) of the Philadelphia Smoke, heavyweight Patrick Mailata (TCL 7-1, 3 KOs/6-2, 3 KOs) of the Las Vegas Hustle, light heavyweight Brayan Leon (TCL 10-0, 2 KOs/5-0, 5 KOs) of the Los Angeles Elite and heavyweight Devon Young (TCL 8-0, 3 KOs/4-0, 3 KOs) of the Atlanta Attack.
“Our slate of nominees for the Most Valuable Fighter Award are not only outstanding fighters, but also role models both in and out of the ring,” said Dewey Cooper, President of Team Combat League. “Any one of them is worthy of winning.”
The nominees for the Most Entertaining Fighter Award are Mailata, middleweight “Speedy” Rashidi Ellis (TCL 10-1, 2 KOs/24-1, 15 KOs) of the Boston Butchers, welterweight Ryan Zempoaltecatl (TCL 4-4) of the NYC Attitude, lightweight Doctress “Doc The Giant” Robinson (TCL 3-3) of the Atlanta Attack, welterweight AJ Graham (TCL 8-2, 2 KOs/10-0, 6 KOs) of the Dallas Enforcers and light heavyweight Raul Salomon (TCL 6-0/12-3, 10 KOs) of the Los Angeles Elite.
“Team Combat League is, above all, about entertaining the fans,” said Cooper. “Our nominees this year for the Most Entertaining Fighter Award gave maximum effort every time they stepped in the ring and, as a result, every fight they participated in was electrifying to watch.”
The Rookie of the Year Award is given to the most outstanding fighter who made their pro debut during the season with Team Combat League. The nominees are welterweight Zempoaltecatl, Amelia Moore (TCL 8-0, 1 KO) of the Boston Butchers, welterweight Samantha Ginithan (TCL 8-0, 1 KO) of the Houston Hitmen, featherweight Enrique Leon (TCL 4-1) of the New York City Attitude and welterweight Ariele Davis (TCL 5-1/10-0, 6 KOs) of the Atlanta Attack.
The Most Resilient Fighter Award will be awarded to the outstanding fighter of the season, age 38 years and older. The nominees include a trio from the New York City Attitude, featherweight “Queen” Ronica Jeffrey (TCL 5-4, 17-1-1, 1 KO), welterweight Melissa “Little Miss Tyson” St Vil (TCL 6-4, 1 KO/15-4-4, 1 KO), and former champion Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (TCL 3-1/12-2, 7 KOs) as well as former champion Jamie “The Miracle” Mitchell (TCL 2-1/9-1-2, 5 KOs) of the DC Destroyers, Ray “The New Ray Robinson” Robinson (TCL 5-5/25-3-2, 13 KOs) of the Philadelphia Smoke, who reinvented himself as a light heavyweight with TCL after spending much of his career as an accomplished welterweight and Miami Stealth light heavyweight Yunieski Gonzalez (TCL 3-6, 1 KO, 21-6, 17 KOs) who’s faced a slate of the league’s best throughout the season.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to recognize both fighters beginning their careers and inspirational fighters who continue to exhibit commitment, dedication and excellence into their late thirties,” said Cooper. “The beauty of the one-round-at-a-time concept of TCL is that fighters of all ages can adapt, compete and excel, whether it be an amateur turning pro or a seasoned professional transitioning to our new format.”
The Team Combat League MegaBrawl 2 championship match and the USA vs World All Star match will take place on Thursday Night August 1st from the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles, California.