Tuff-N-Uff MMA is taking over San Diego's historic The Observatory North Park Theater for the first time. Tickets for Tuff-N-Uff 144 are available online, and promo code SDVILLE offers 20% savings - just click the 'Unlock' button when selecting your tickets on LiveNation.com to activate the discount. The event’s main card will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS, while preliminary bouts will air on the Tuff-N-Uff YouTube channel.
Headlining the night is a lightweight showdown between Mongolia's Tsogookhuu "The Mongol" Amarsanaa (10-3) and Ecuador's Cesar Abad (8-1), a rising star from the famed Entram Gym. Amarsanaa returns to the Tuff-N-Uff cage after a dominant first-round TKO over UFC veteran Justin Jaynes. He brings a three-fight win streak that includes a victory over another UFC alum, Steven Siler. Abad, meanwhile, is making his U.S. debut after stringing together three consecutive knockout wins across Latin America.
Also on the card, viral sensation and former college football standout Joel "King Bau" Bauman (7-3) faces off against battle-tested MMA veteran Jesse "JT Money" Taylor (33-17), a competitor with past stints in the UFC, Strikeforce, and World Series of Fighting. Mexican featherweight standout Santiago Luna (5-0) will take on Desmond "The Matrix" Manabat (4-6) in a high-paced matchup.
San Diego’s own Angel "Superman" Ramirez (2-2) will step into the cage against Brazil’s Luis "Blackzilian" Conde-Navarro (1-3), giving local fans a homegrown fighter to root for. Additionally, top Russian bantamweight Khuseyn "Shy" Shaykhaev (12-1) is slated to compete, with his opponent to be announced.
"This incredibly historic year for our organization now features another amazing milestone with our first event in San Diego, kicking off a major expansion into California," said Tuff-N-Uff CEO Jeff Meyer. "We've built our reputation in Las Vegas with decades of unforgettable fight cards, and now we're thrilled to bring that energy to Southern California."
San Diego’s own Angel "Superman" Ramirez (2-2) will step into the cage against Brazil’s Luis "Blackzilian" Conde-Navarro (1-3), giving local fans a homegrown fighter to root for. Additionally, top Russian bantamweight Khuseyn "Shy" Shaykhaev (12-1) is slated to compete, with his opponent to be announced.
"This incredibly historic year for our organization now features another amazing milestone with our first event in San Diego, kicking off a major expansion into California," said Tuff-N-Uff CEO Jeff Meyer. "We've built our reputation in Las Vegas with decades of unforgettable fight cards, and now we're thrilled to bring that energy to Southern California."
The commentary team includes KSNV Sports anchor Bryan Salmond, former Tuff-N-Uff amateur champion and "The Ultimate Fighter 29" cast member Ryder "Rhino" Newman, and veteran fighter Justin "Guitar Hero" Jaynes. UFC FIGHT PASS and Power Slap veteran Justin Bernard will serve as the event’s in-cage announcer.
With San Diego increasingly becoming a hub for combat sports, Tuff-N-Uff’s debut signals a promising future for MMA fans in the region. The May 22 event marks the beginning of a broader California expansion, with more events planned in both San Diego and Los Angeles later this year.
With San Diego increasingly becoming a hub for combat sports, Tuff-N-Uff’s debut signals a promising future for MMA fans in the region. The May 22 event marks the beginning of a broader California expansion, with more events planned in both San Diego and Los Angeles later this year.
For more information and to purchase tickets to the May 22 San Diego event, visit tuffnuff.com/2025/04/10/tuff-n-uff-144-2.
Originally published on May 9, 2025.