Pereira will square off with nine-time kickboxing champion and Combate Global fighter, Gisela Luna
Just over three months after her highlight reel knockout victory at Karate Combat, Brazil’s Aline Pereira (1-0 Karate Combat) will return to The Pit to face off with Argentinian kickboxing champion Gisela Luna in Miami on Friday, Jan. 24, Fajador learned today.
The 34-year-old Pereira, the youngers sister of reigning UFC light heavyweight champion and former middleweight champion Alex Pereira, is coming off a highlight reel, first round (2:26) knockout of Ireland’s Dee Begley that went viral after the two faced each other in Karate Combat on October 11.
Just midway through the first round of action, Pereira scored a left hook, which sent Begley to the mat, and finished the fight with a series of strikes while Begley was on the ground.
The fight with Begley, which marked Pereira’s first bout in over a year, was also Pereira’s debut in Karate Combat.
Fighting out of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Luna (0-0 Karate Combat, 5-3 MMA) is a 32-year-old, four-time South American kickboxing champion and a five-time national kickboxing champion.
Luna was signed to compete in MMA by Combate Global last year, and has since fought twice under the promotion.
Above: Gisela Luna (right) brings her kickboxing pedigree to Karate Combat for the first time on January 24
To date, Luna has earned four of her five MMA wins by way of TKO or submission.
Karate Combat’s rules, which do not permit two opponents to fight on the ground, will likely support the kickboxing foundation that Begley brings to The Pit.
