Combate Americas, a mixed martial arts promotion geared toward Hispanic fighters and fans, has brought in some well-known muscle to become the new face of the company.Professional wrestler and former MMA fighter?Alberto El Presidente Rodriguez, best known in the United States as former four-time WWE world champion Alberto Del Rio, was named president of the company on Tuesday, officials told ESPN.com.Combate Americas, which was created in 2012 by UFC co-founder Campbell McLaren, signed a multiyear deal in April to air exclusively in English on UFC Fight Pass. Rodriguez will make his public debut as president on Friday during the promotions first live event in New York at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona.The moment Campbell McLaren sent me the prospect I said yes immediately, Rodriguez told ESPN.com. As you know, I like to be in front of the camera with a microphone in my hand to tell people all about how proud I am to be Latino and to be a Mexican. I think all of the fighters who are competing for Combate Americas feel the same way.Rodriguez, 39, who mutually agreed upon his release from WWE in September, will be actively involved in all aspects of athlete relations and development for Combate Americas. He also plans to continue pro wrestling on a part-time basis until 2018, when his focus will turn exclusively to MMA.Im going to be recruiting fighters and Im going to be there to help them get to the place that they want to get, Rodriguez said. We have a lot of talent in the company. Most of that talent is Hispanic. That makes me really happy to be able to help them.Rodriguez comes from a famous family of pro wrestlers in Mexico, including his father, Dos Caras, and his uncles, Sicodelico and WWE Hall of Famer Mil Mascaras. He also has experience inside the cage as an MMA fighter, sporting a record of 9-5 between 2001 and 2010 under the name Dos Caras Jr. (often wearing a Luchador mask). His most famous bout came in 2003 against Pride and UFC veteran Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic, where he suffered a head-kick knockout defeat.Alberto brings a tremendous amount of knowledge of what it means to be in competition, coupled with an ability to communicate his passion for the sport to his new role, McLaren said. From working with Alberto in the past, we have gotten to know him very well and are thrilled to have him on our team in an executive capacity.Rodriguez said he was first approached by McLaren more than two years ago to join Combate Americas as a fighter but respectfully declined, saying, Amigo, thank you so much for the offer but I think Im too old for that. He admits he was surprised when approached recently about an executive role.Considering his career in sports entertainment, Rodriguez is looking to pass on what he has learned to the mostly Hispanic fighters who make up the Combate Americas roster.I am going to try and bring all of that experience to not just make great fighters, but great entertainers, Rodriguez said. We know Ronda [Rousey] and [Conor] McGregor are great fighters but they are also showmen. McGregor is an amazing fighter and his Octagon skills are not in debate. But the reason why he has accomplished all of those things is because he is a showman. And people want to see him winning or losing -- but they want to see him.At the end of the day this is fighting, so they are going to be fighting. But we also want them to entertain the crowd.Rodriguez says he is excited about leveraging his connections in Mexico -- hinting that Combate Americas is on the verge of closing a big deal with a new partner -- and hopes to use his celebrity to help the brand grow to a bigger platform worldwide.I know its going to be not impossible but really difficult to be bigger than the UFC, just because of all the structure in that company, Rodriguez said. But Im pretty sure were going to be the No. 2 MMA company around the world in less than two years. We have an amazing group of people behind the project. PULLMAN, Wash. -- Budda Baker was walking to the sideline in the fourth quarter when he was jostled from behind by someone in crimson, who then proceeded to chirp at Washingtons standout safety.Baker heard what was said, turned, and pointed at the closed end of Martin Stadium.All I had to do was look at the scoreboard, Baker said.It told the story of a day of dominance by No. 5 Washington in a 45-17 rout of No. 23 Washington State that put the Huskies into the Pac-12 championship game and on the cusp of a spot in the College Football Playoff.Washington (11-1, 8-1 Pac-12) rolled from the outset, using a 28-point first quarter behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Jake Browning to claim the Pac-12 North title and keep the Apple Cup in Seattle for a fourth straight yearA win in the Pac-12 title game next Friday against Colorado or Southern California would likely land the Huskies in the college football version of the final four.It doesnt matter. Im just glad the (Huskies) are there and hopefully well show up and play our best game of the year, Washington coach Chris Petersen said.Browning threw for 292 yards but it was the first quarter that set the stage. Browning tossed all three touchdown passes in the first 15 minutes, hitting Dante Pettis on plays of 18 and 61 yards and John Ross on a 6-yarder. Browning had 243 yards passing by halftime, the Huskies had 386 total yards at the break and even Washington States third-quarter rally didnt make Washington sweat.Washington tied a school record with the 28-point first quarter and the four straight over the Cougars (8-4, 7-2) is the longest streak since the Huskies won six straight between 1998-2003.Its what we expected. We expected to be off to a fast start, Washington defensive lineman Elijah Qualls said. Thats what we worked on all week. We knew we could do it.Browning completed 21 of 29 passes, becoming the third quarterback in Pac-12 history with at least 40 TD passes in a season. Ross had eight catches for 80 yards and his 16th TD catch of the season.Washington State quarterback Luke Falk was 33 of 50 passing for 269 yards and a 9-yard TD pass to Gabe Marks in the third quarter, but was intercepted three times. More damaging, the Cougars were unable to score on three drives inside the Washington 10.I thought we were too quick to press. I thought we made more out of it than it was, Washington State coach Mike Leach said.Eight years after this matchup was mocked because of how bad the two teams were, the Apple Cup was back on a stage of national relevance as the North title game and regarded by many fans as the most important matchup of the 109 meetings.ddddddddddddIt became a purple party for the Huskies that made the trip over the Cascade Mountains to the Palouse.Lavon Coleman added 82 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns. His 15-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter capped a 98-yard drive and sent many clad in crimson back to the tailgating lots.Washington rolled up 386 yards in the first half, 252 coming in the first quarter and capitalized on three mistakes by Washington State.Jamal Morrow fumbled on Washington States opening possession and eight plays later, Pettis caught an 18-yard touchdown and Washington had a 14-0 lead. Later in the half, Gerard Wicks was stopped at the 1 on fourth-and-goal on a great play by Benning Potoae. And on the final drive of the first half, Falk was intercepted by Beavers in the end zone.Down 35-17, Washington State had a chance to pull within 11 late in the third quarter, but Wicks was again stuffed on fourth-and-goal.On offense, we werent trying to do enough, Marks said. We were soft.POLL IMPLICATIONSWashington picked up another win over a ranked opponent that should impress voters and give the 1-loss Huskies a chance to leap Wisconsin and possibly the Ohio State-Michigan loser in both the AP Top 25 and the CFP rankings. Washington State is likely to fall out of the Top 25 after being ranked the past four weeks.BROKEN APPLEThe apple on top of the trophy given to the winner of the Apple Cup was missing after it broke off on Thursday night. Petersen wouldnt implicate the culprit but said it was barely touched and snapped. This doesnt appear to be the first time the apple has broken off.THE TAKEAWAYWashington: The big play was a key in Washingtons big first half. The Huskies had eight plays of 15 yards or more. That included the 61-yard touchdown to Pettis, the 22-yard touchdown run by Coleman and a mixture of other long plays like Darrell Daniels 50-yard catch on a double pass from Pettis and Ross 31-yard run.Washington State: The Cougars defense was exposed for the second straight week. After holding California and Arizona to a combined 28 points, the Cougars gave up more than 500 total yards for the second straight week.UP NEXTWashington: The Huskies will face Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game next Friday.Washington State: The Cougars will await a second straight bowl bid.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '
