Tuff-N-Uff announces four-woman strawweight tournament, winner to earn pro contract with Invicta FC

LAS VEGAS – The nation's premier amateur mixed martial arts promotion is happy to announce an exciting new venture with the sport's top all-female organization. "Tuff-N-Uff: The Future Stars of Mixed Martial Arts" will host a four-woman strawweight tournament, and the winner will be rewarded with a professional fight contract with Invicta Fighting Championships. "Tuff-N-Uff has long supported women's martial arts, and we've been fortunate enough to have some of the best ladies in the game compete in our cage," Tuff-N-Uff Vice President Jeff Meyer said. "The chance to partner with the best all-women's MMA organization in the sport for this unique opportunity was a natural fit for us, and I'm looking forward to seeing this tournament play out." The four women involved in the tournament include Texas' Jianna Denizard (5-2), Las Vegas' own Jamie Moyle (3-2), Arkansas' Laura Uyeda (5-0) and California's Molly Wren-Holmes (4-0). The opening round of the bracket takes place at Tuff-N-Uff's April 11 fight card at The Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Tickets for the event, which start at just $25, are available at Tuff-N-Uff's official website, tuffnuff.com. Denizard comes to the tournament on the strength of her quality striking. However, she also boasts two submission wins on her record, proving she's a threat wherever the fight takes place. At 5-foot-7, Denizard will be the tallest of the four competitors; and she knows how to use every inch of her reach to her advantage, utilizing her range to force opponents to over-extend themselves and fall prey to counters. Moyle has already faced the likes of undefeated four-time Invicta FC veteran Tecia Torres during her time in the amateur ranks, and she comes from one of the best camps in the world in Syndicate MMA. Moyle possesses some of the sharpest techniques in amateur MMA today, and her ability to put pressure on opponents is her strongest asset. Despite being the smallest competitor out of the four, no opponent will be able to take her lightly. Uyeda is probably the best all-around athlete in the tournament. She earned a bronze medal in the No-Gi Worlds 2012, and in college earned a full athletic scholarship to New Orleans University at Monroe. Her ground game is clearly her strength. However, she also possesses a knockout win on her record and has taken two victories by decision. Wren-Holmes is the craftiest MMA practitioner in the tournament, earning comparisons to a former Tuff-N-Uff competitor, Mike Pyle. No matter what position or situation Wren-Holmes is in, she'll find a way to use it to inflict some pain on her opponent. The Californian is adept at landing the first and last punch of any exchange, as well. This helps her gain advantages over opponents not only physically, but mentally. She's finished three of her four bouts by knockout. The winners of the two April 11 semifinal bouts will meet in the tournament final on June 7 at Thomas and Mack Center. About Tuff-N-Uff: Tuff-N-Uff Productions, Inc. (www.tuffnuff.com) is the nation’s premier amateur mixed martial arts promotion. Founded in 1994, Tuff-N-Uff has helped many amateur fighters gain the experience needed to pursue professional fight careers.  Tuff-N-Uff is proud to have helped groom the following professional fighters: Ronda Rousey, Ryan Couture, Marina Shafir, Chris Holdsworth and Jessamyn Duke. About Invicta Fighting Championships: Invicta Fighting Championships (www.invictafc.com) is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis.  Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.

Strikeforce Announcer Mauro Ranallo and Chad Dawson Trainer Iceman John Scully on FigthRadio.Info Thursday Night

Former Pro Boxer and Current Trainer John Scully and Strikeforce Commentator Mauro Ranallo join the Fight News Unlimited Combat Sports show this week. We'll also discuss the blockbuster UFC fight card coming up Saturday headlined by the light heavyweight title fight between Rashad Evans and Jon Jones. "The Iceman" John Scully (38-11, 21 KOs) will be giving us a bit of insight into his work with a star pupil, Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs), who will face off against Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs) next Saturday. Ranallo will discuss the upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and how the acquisition of the league by Zuffa is working out so far.

Join "Rabble Rousin'" Rich Bergeron and Tony "The Tornado" Penecale at 8PM EST for what promises to be an amazing 2-hour show. Click here to visit the show page.

This show is sponsored by http://www.milifidel.com/ . To sponsor us or find out more about the show, email info@unlimitedfightnews.com .

Women’s World ranked No. 1 faces No. 2 as Bellator Returns to L’Auberge Casino Resort May 18 for Bellator 69

World’s No. 1 ranked woman (Megumi Fujii) faces World’s No. 2 Jessica Aguilar
Plus, Heavyweight KO artists Sparks and Asplund face off in $100,000 Tourney Qualifier


CHICAGO, Ill. (April 9, 2012) — The focus of the mixed martial arts world will be on the Bellator cage on Friday, May 18 as the long-awaited battle between No. 1 ranked women’s 115-pound fighter Megumi Fujii takes on No. 2 ranked Jessica Aguilar at Bellator 69 LIVE from L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The night will also feature the finals of the $100,000 Bellator Lightweight Tournament, as well as a Heavyweight Tournament qualifier as knockout specialist Ron Sparks takes on rising star Kevin Asplund, who is currently riding a 15-fight win streak.

“Jessica vs. Megumi is a fight between the two best female fighters in the world and we wanted to schedule it for quite some time,” said Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney. “L’Auberge has been a tremendous host for us in the past, and with a fight of this magnitude on the card, I expect fireworks on May 18.”

Tickets for the event are now on sale and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting The L’Auberge Casino Resort Box Office. Tickets are priced from $40-$65. The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 7 p.m. CST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. CST, with the first fight scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CST. The preliminary card, featuring the area’s top talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 6 p.m. CST. Fans must be 21 years or older to enter the Event Center.

Bellator 69 will also host the finals of the Bellator Season 6 Lightweight Tournament. Currently four men still stand in the tournament field as Brent Weedman, Rick Hawn, Lloyd “Cupcake” Woodard and Thiago Michel all look to earn their title shot against reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler.
Currently riding a four-fight win streak that includes victories over Lisa Ellis-Ward and Carla Esparza, Aguilar has had her sights set on Fujii for quite some time. Fight fans have been clamoring for this fight for nearly two years, which is a fact not lost on Aguilar.

“I am completely focused on becoming the best 115-pound female fighter in the world, and this fight with Fujii is going to go a long way in proving that,” Aguilar said. “I can’t fully put into words how excited I am to get into the cage with Fujii, and show everyone that I am one of the best female fighters in the sport.”

For “Mega Megu”, the Japanese-born submission ace is still looking for closure after her hotly debated split-decision loss at the hands of reigning Bellator Champion Zoila Gurgel. With three victories since the defeat, Fujii is looking to keep the momentum going with a dominating win against Aguilar at Bellator 69.

The night also features a tournament qualifier for Bellator’s $100,000 Heavyweight Tournament when fan favorite Ron Sparks and the 15-1 Kevin Asplund meet in the Bellator cage. L’Auberge fans should be familiar with Sparks, as the massive heavyweight delivered a brutal knockout to Mark Holata at Bellator 52 early last year (Watch Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwx6ZSRLiM4). Spark’s knockout power will be on full display at Bellator 69, as the Louisville native looks to punch his ticket into Bellator’s next Heavyweight Tournament.

Local favorite and Lake Charles native Josh Quayhagen will also be back in action, looking to stay perfect with Bellator when he faces the red-hot Cliff Wright, Jr., who is riding a four-fight win streak. Quayhagen shocked the MMA world with a convincing win against one of the best kickboxers in the world in Cosmo Alexander, and will continue his ascent up the lightweight ranks with another win.

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About L’Auberge Lake Charles

L’Auberge Casino Resort is located on 242 acres of land in Lake Charles, La., two hours from the Houston metropolitan area. This premier facility is ideal for the business traveler or guest looking for the ultimate in hospitality and dining experiences, plus non-stop gaming action. The property includes a 26-story hotel complex with approximately 1,000 spacious rooms and suites; an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio; 26,000 gross square feet of meeting space, including a full-service business center and landscaped terrace space plus outdoor poolside lawn; two resort swimming pools, lazy river and private cabana courtyard; full-service barber shop, salon, spa and cardio fitness center; retail stores; ten innovative dining outlets; beachside bar, grill and marina; and top-name entertainment. The expansive 70,000 square foot casino features Vegas-like gaming action with 70 table games and approximately 1,600 slot machines, including a luxurious 7-table Poker Room, VIP Lounge and elegant High Limit Salon.

To learn more about L’Auberge, call reservations at (866) 580-7444; visit www.ldlcasino.com; find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/laubergedulac  ; or follow us on Twitter: @LAubergeLC .

About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator, Latin for Warrior, is partnered with entertainment industry leaders Viacom and Fremantle Entertainment, and is the world’s leading tournament-based mixed martial arts organization. Bellator’s Founder, Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships’ executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.

ATHLETES DELIVER AS ELITE COMBAT SPORTS HITS THE BAY AREA WITH “HYBRID 3”

Fox Theatre filled with knockouts, submissions, and action



San Francisco, California (USA): It was a night of destiny as Elite Combat Sports all-amateur “Hybrid 3” fight card emanated live from the historic Fox Theatre in downtown Redwood City on Saturday, March 17th. St. Patrick's Day was filled with beastly brawls, slick submissions, and electrifying action for those in attendance. Many young fighters distinguished themselves with performances that brought the fans to their feet.



The Marines kicked things off with a presentation, before giving way to some hot mixed martial arts action. With respected MMA fighter Dominique “Fallen Angel” Robinson and well-known California MMA personality “Mots” calling the action, “Hybrid 3” featured some electrifying action!



“What a great night of action it was for all the Bay area fight fans in attendance!” exclaimed ECS Promoter Dave Madsen. “ECS took some big steps as a promotion, and I can’t wait for the next event.”



Here’s a rundown of the results:



MMA



- Scot Davenport vs. Vincent Bardi (exhibition): It was complete domination for Berdi, who had several slams and submission attempts.



- Javier Gomez vs. Adam Galiste ends in a split-draw: Great first round of action for both fighters. Gomez threw an extremely quick triangle choke in the first round, which ended with a good reversal/escape for Galiste. The bout featured great grappling from both sides, though Gomez seemed more experienced. It was a good matchup, but unfortunately, the bout ended in a controversial split-draw.



- Isaiah Batin-Gonzalez defeated JT Donaldson via unanimous decision: Donaldson was coming off a great performance in Gilroy at the last ECS event. In this one, Batin-Gonzalez seemed to have the standup edge while Donaldson is the better grappler. The 1st round featured great action from both competitors. Batin-Gonzalez landed some heavy blows in the second round, and in the end, he took the fight by unanimous decision.



- JJ Okanovich defeated Ronnie McCoy via submission in the 1st round: This scrap featured good back and forth action, but Okanovich grabbed an armbar and the submission win early in the first round.



- Joshua San Diego defeated Michael De Jesus via split-decision: De Jesus was able to get close to a kimura submission in the first round, and went for a spinning back-fist in the second, but neither fighter was really able to establish a clear advantage. It was a close fight. San Diego won via split-decision after some initial confusion where the announcer proclaimed the fight for De Jesus.



- Charlie Seang defeated Jaime Rios via TKO in the 1st round: This was a quick fight. Seang landed some questionable shots that may have connected with the back of the head, but got a quick TKO victory after some ground and pound.



- Ashton Pierce defeated Marcello Dasalla via submission in the 1st round: Pierce and Dasalla engaged in a firefight before Dasalla got a big slam takedown. Pierce persevered and slapped on a slick armbar sub.



- Robert Abbott defeated Brandon Umipig via majority decision: It was clearly a huge reach advantage for Abbott in this one, and he was almost able to get a triangle/straight armbar combo at the end of the first round. However, the bell sounded before he could cinch it. In the second, Abbott landed some kicks to the face from his back. It was awesome action! The taller fighter landed more heavy strikes in the final round and almost got a rear-naked choke. Umipig was able to reverse and get top position at the end, but it was too little, too late. In the end, Abbott won via majority decision.



- Nikko Jackson defeated Keith Cutrone via submission in the 1st round for the CAMO West Coast Welterweight Championship: Nikko came out to the ring accompanied by his father, former UFC/Strikeforce fighter Eugene “The Wolf” Jackson. After surviving a big slam from Cutrone, Jackson was able to get an armbar and torque it. After fighting it, the referee ruled Cutrone submitted verbally.



- Radames Garcia defeated Ashton Crow via TKO in the 2nd round for the CAMO State Bantamweight Championship: UFC fighter and Bay Area legend Cung Le was in Garcia's corner as the action got underway. There was lots of clinch work between the two in the first round. In the second, Garcia avoided an armbar with several spike slams that drew a big reaction from the crowd. Garcia followed up the last one with some hammer fists that elicited the TKO stoppage.



Kickboxing



- John Cabrido defeated Cameron Daniels via TKO in the 2nd round: In what was unquestionably the weirdest fight of the night, Daniels didn’t seem to offer much against Cabrido, who was able to put together some good combos. Daniels made a bit of a comeback in the second round, but wasn't able to do much damage. In the end, his choice of lunch came back to bite him, as he threw up in the ring, forcing the referee to stop the fight and award the TKO victory to Cabrido.



- Jimmy Machado vs. Phil Devera ended in a split-draw: Both fighters let it all hang out, absolutely throwing bombs throughout the fight! Despite the resulting exhaustion, it was great fight action. In the end, neither fight had his hand raised, as it was ruled a split-draw.



- Alexander Naumaski defeated Drvaughn Underwood via TKO in the 3rd round: Naumaski featured great leg-kicks in the first round, and was able to get a knockdown via elbows from the clinch. He got another knockdown in the second round. Underwood almost quit on the stool before the third round started, but headed back out there. Exhaustion was surely a factor in the end, as Naumaski got the TKO victory via head-kick, but Underwood had to take oxygen before leaving the ring.



- Gaston Bolanos defeated Daniel Recinos via KO in the 3rd round: It was a great first round for Bolanos, who fought Brad McDonald at a WCSC show at Kezar a couple years ago. It was a dominant second round for Bolanos, too, and more of the same in the third. In the end, Bolanos landed a devastating elbow and knocked Recinos out cold.



- TJ Archangel defeated Tyler Cronin via TKO before the start of the 4th round: In what many felt should have been the Muay Thai main event, Archangel put on a striking display that had the crowd oohing and aahing. Utilizing some flashy strikes, he had Cronin on his heels almost from the outset. He showed his toughness, but Cronin came up short, and the towel was thrown in before the start of the fourth round.



- Armin Safiari defeated Eric Vargas via unanimous decision: Safiari utilized a huge experience advantage to grab the unanimous decision win.



Stay tuned to EliteCombatSports.com for news on upcoming ECS events!



For more information, please visit our website at http://www.elitecombatsports.com/



About Elite Combat Sports

Owned and managed by a consortium headed up by decorated former amateur wrestler Dave Madsen, ECS is an industry leader in providing exciting combat sports matchups for fight fans. The group has been promoting martial arts in the Bay Area for over 20 years. ECS plans to hold several Bay Area fight events in 2012.

World Champion Michael Chandler vs. Akihiro Gono Headlines Bellator’s Return to Casino Rama

Bellator’s lightweight champion back in action on May 4 against former UFC lightweight



CHICAGO, Ill. (March 7, 2012) — On the heels of his title-winning fight of the year performance against the world’s top lightweight Eddie Alvarez, Bellator Lightweight Champion Michael Chandler returns to face one of his greatest tests to date as the Las Vegas-trained fighter takes on former UFC lightweight Akihiro Gono LIVE on Friday, May 4 at Bellator 67 in the always electric Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada.

Tickets for this event are on sale now and are available at Ticketmaster.com and in-person at the Casino Rama Box Office. Tickets are priced from $25-$175 Canadian.

After Chandler’s amazing fourth-round submission victory against then champion Eddie Alvarez at Bellator 58, the undefeated champion knows that he’s the one now with the target on his back.

“I’m just excited to get back into the cage,” Chandler said. “I fought four times in 2011 and I’m ready to get back to work. Gono has beaten some of the best fighters in the sport and this should be a good test for me.”

With 32 career wins, Gono has fought some of the world’s best. And with wins over reigning Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard and world-class middleweight Gegard Mousasi, Gono has beaten some of the world’s best. Known for jumping weight classes, Gono has a solid reputation of never turning down a fight, and he will have his hands full when he takes on Bellator’s Lightweight Champion on May 4.

Edmonton native and Canadian fan favorite Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford will make his Bellator debut against 12-year MMA veteran Luis “Sapo” Santos, who enters the fight with an incredible 50-7 professional record. The two welterweights will square off in non-tournament action, and should provide fireworks.

The event will also be broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring the area’s top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST.

“Casino Rama has been a spectacular home to Bellator over the last year, so bringing our Lightweight Champion and the man who provided 2011’s Fight of the Year to Rama was an easy decision to make”. Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “As always our fight card will be stacked from top to bottom with many of the world’s best fighters, so I expect nothing less than a packed house once again on May 4.”

Bellator 67 will mark the third-time ever the organization has hosted an event at Casino Rama and the fourth time the promotion has visited Canada for an event.

“Bellator’s world-class fighting series provides Ontario fans with exactly the edge-of-your-set excitement Casino Rama is already known for, “ said Jeff Craik, Vice-President of Marketing, Casino Rama. “Being able to have Canadian fighters make their debuts before a home crowd is one more reason fans are going to want to be in their seats to see this event live in May!”

For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

About Casino Rama

Operating since July 31, 1996, Casino Rama is Ontario's only First Nations commercial casino. The Casino offers a complete entertainment experience with over 2,500 slot machines, more than 110 gaming tables, 10 unique restaurants, a world-class 5,000 seat Entertainment Centre, and a 300-room all-suite, full-service hotel, featuring spa and health club facilities. Casino Rama is operated by Penn National Gaming, Inc.

STRIKEFORCE: Tate vs. Rousey Recap