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.
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.
