TUFF-N-UFF RETURNS TO THE COX PAVILION ON MAY 2 WITH SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT

Heavy-hitting champ Charles Williams puts his belt on the line in rematch with Minnesota’s Jeremy Umland LAS VEGAS (April 17, 2014) - The big boys will rule the cage on May 2, as the nation's premier amateur mixed martial arts promotion returns to Las Vegas' Cox Pavilion. "Tuff-N-Uff: The Future Stars of MMA" sees Las Vegas' own Charles "Chucky" Williams (5-0), the promotion's reigning super heavyweight champion, put his belt on the line in a rematch with Michigan's Jeremy Umland (3-1). "As always, we've got fantastic matchups on this card from top to bottom, and we'll see some of the absolute best prospects in the sport compete in our cage," Tuff-N-Uff exec and co-founder Jeff Meyer said. "But I'm really looking forward to this main event. There's something special about two massive opponents squaring off that gets you excited, and both of these super heavyweights are capable of ending the bout with just one punch. As their first matchup proved, these two are always in exciting matchups." Located on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Cox Pavilion is perhaps best known to MMA fans as the home of the live finale of the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter," where future UFC Hall of Famers Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar helped launch the sport into mainstream consciousness. The first Tuff-N-Uff fight is at 7 p.m., and doors to the venue open one hour earlier. Williams and Umland first met in August 2012, with the champ needing just 10 seconds to score a first-round TKO. It was Umland who rushed forward with power at the opening bell, but Williams dropped him with a stiff counter right and finished the fight with a barrage of strikes on the floor. For Umland, who protested the stoppage at the time, the loss remains the only blemish on his amateur record, and he now looks to avenge that result. In addition to the night's main event, "Tuff-N-Uff: The Future Stars of MMA" will feature a full lineup of bouts featuring top amateur talent from Las Vegas and around the nation. Top camps represented on the card include 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, One Kick's Gym, Robert Drysdale Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Syndicate MMA and Xtreme Couture. Tickets for the May 2 event, which start at just $28 and are available now at the Thomas & Mack Center box office, online at www.UNLVtickets.com, by phone at 702-739-FANS, or at UNLVtickets outlets Town Square Las Vegas Concierge and La Bonita Supermarkets. The full fight card is available for viewing at TuffNUff.com. Come see the future stars of mixed martial arts.