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Former Playboy Model LaTasha Marzolla Headlines Tuff-N-Uff’s Return to Las Vegas Oct. 22

Former kickboxer and Playboy’s 2004 Special Editions Model of the Year LaTasha Marzolla (2-0) headlines Tuff-N-Uff’s return to Las Vegas (Photo courtesy of Tuff-N-Uff). 

The 31-year-old Las Vegas native meets fellow 125-pounder Nikki Rae Lowe (1-1) in the co-main event of Tuff-N-Uff’s recently announced Oct. 22 event, which takes place at the Orleans Hotel & Casino’s Mardi Gras Ballroom in Las Vegas and airs live on www.GoFightLive.tv.

Marzolla and Lowe head a talent-laden 16-bout fight card that also sees the organization crown a welterweight champion and welcome a U.S. Olympian to the ring.

Tickets for Tuff-N-Uff’s Oct. 22 event, which start at just $25, are available at the Orleans Hotel & Casino’s box office or online at www.OrleansCasino.com and www.TuffNUff.net. Fans from around the globe can watch the fights live at www.GoFightLive.com or www.TuffNUff.net, while highlights of the action air in Las Vegas on Tuff-N-Uff’s weekly highlights show on KTUD-TV Saturday nights at 10:30 pm.

Marzolla fights for the third time under the Tuff-N-Uff banner, and the undefeated striking ace looks to keep her MMA record unblemished against the tough Texan Lowe, who makes her debut for Las Vegas’ premier amateur fight promotion.

Marzolla is perhaps best known for her lengthy stint as a Playboy employee, where she graced the cover of four separate special editions of the publication, but the potent striker now fights out of Wand Fight Team following previous stints with Xtreme Couture and Team Tompkins.

Meanwhile, the co-feature sees recent U.S. Olympic Tae Kwon Do Team qualifier Jessica Martinez (1-1) face four-fight veteran Autumn Richardson (3-1).

A striking specialist who will soon represent her country in the London 2012 Olympic Games, Martinez trains in Virginia at Henry’s Tae Kwon Do and Combative Training Center. In Richardson, Martinez meets a Team Quest fighter and three-time Tuff-N-Uff veteran who is currently riding a two-fight win streak.

In addition to the two female features, Tuff-N-Uff’s vacant welterweight title will also be on the line when Legend MMA’s Eddie Jackson (4-2) meets TapouT Las Vegas’ Joey Angelo (3-2).

Jackson had a shot at the belt once before when he qualified for the finals of Tuff-N-Uff’s 2009 8-man welterweight tournament with wins over Joshua Morgan and Johnny Batres. But in the finals of the tourney with the championship on the line, Jackson was stunned by Kenny Marzola, who needed just six seconds to win the belt via head-kick knockout. Marzola recently vacated the belt to compete professionally, and Jackson will get a second shot at glory.

Of course, Angelo has different plans. The 25-year-old suffered two consecutive losses to open his career but has since stormed back with three-straight wins via stoppage and now has his eyes focused on the title.

In other notable contests, undefeated bantamweights clash as Xtreme Couture’s Jesse Romero (3-0) meets Joseph Viola (1-0) of the fast-rising Fasi/Drysdale Team, while Viola’s teammate, Greg Gifford (2-0) meets fellow lightweight prospect Steven Williams (3-1) of Wand Fight Team. Another undefeated Fasi/Drysdale disciple, Dustin Bredwick (2-0), meets Legends MMA’s Tommy Gavin (2-1) earlier in the evening.

In addition to the night’s featured matchups, a full lineup of aspiring amateur fighters from some of the world’s top academies – including 10th Planet Riverside, Fasi/Drysdale, Filipino MMA, Greg Jackson’s MMA, Legends MMA, Striking Unlimited, TapouT Las Vegas and Xtreme Couture – will compete at Tuff-N-Uff’s Oct. 22 event.

The full fight card is available for viewing at TuffNUff.net, and the entire event will stream live on www.GoFightLive.tv.