Las Vegas Weekly

May 20, 2009 · 8:17 AM

100 MMA fighters to battle in Tuff-N-Uff event at Orleans Arena

By Robin Leach

Tuff-N-Uff fighters Latasha Marzolla and Christy Tada.

Photo: Ray Kasprowicz/www.ultravista.com

More than 100 mixed martial arts fighters from 14 states are registered to fight in the Tuff-N-Uff Open Invitational at The Orleans Arena on May 30, positioning it to be one of the largest amateur MMA events in the world. Men and women will be going into the ring, including Christy Tada and Las Vegas beauty and former Playboy centerfold Latasha Marzolla.

It’s an all-day and all-night event and will include fighters from Mexico. “We are excited to bring an amateur mixed martial arts event of this magnitude to Las Vegas and The Orleans Arena,” said Barry Meyer, president and founder of Tuff-N-Uff. “The dozens of male and female fighters squaring off in this event represent the true future stars of MMA.”

A little more than a year ago, Tuff-N-Uff set the standard in sanctioned amateur MMA events showcasing the future stars of MMA in sold-out Orleans ballroom events, but it’s now grown in such numbers that the organization has had to book The Orleans Arena.

The main event “Future Stars of MMA: USA vs. Mexico” begins at 8 p.m. Headlining is an international battle for MMA supremacy, with a team of up-and-coming fighters from Mexican-based Team Combate Extremo squaring off against America’s best amateur MMA fighters.

Tickets are on sale for $25, with a portion benefiting St. Jude, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The Shade Tree and other local charities.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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