Tuff-N-Uff was founded by Barry Meyer in 1994 for the purpose of promoting combat sports. He left a career as an alternative investment consultant to pursue his dream of working in the mixed martial arts industry. Barry successfully lobbied the Nevada State Athletic Commission in order to legalize amateur MMA in Nevada and he was able to conduct the first all amateur MMA event in the state in 2008.
Since 2013, Barry’s brother Jeff Meyer has been at the helm to Tuff-N-Uff, courageously and aggressively growing the platform for Amateur MMA fighters to showcase their skills at the highest level of competition globally.
With over 30 years in the industry, Tuff-N-Uff is the second longest running MMA promotion in the US; behind only the UFC, with over 150 live events and over 3,000 athletes. Tuff-N-Uff has and continues to develop thousands of fighters, over 60 of which have gone onto the UFC including: Felicia Spencer, Tracy Cortez, Khalil Rountree Jr., #10 Women’s Pound-for-Pound Aspen Ladd, former Women’s Bantamweight Champion and UFC Hall-of-Famer Ronda Rousey and many more.
2ND LONGEST RUNNING MMA PRODUCTION
TO THE UFC
A Legacy Built Over 30 Years
For more than three decades, Tuff-N-Uff has helped launch the careers of future MMA stars. From grassroots beginnings to becoming one of the most respected amateur MMA promotions in the country, our journey has been built on passion, perseverance, and purpose.
This PBS feature highlights the history, impact, and legacy of Tuff-N-Uff — and the role it has played in shaping the future of mixed martial arts.
In recognition of its 30-year impact on combat sports and athlete development, Tuff-N-Uff received an official proclamation from Nevada Assemblyman Howard Watts.
This honor acknowledges Tuff-N-Uff’s contribution to the growth of amateur mixed martial arts and its role in developing future professional athletes while positively impacting the Las Vegas community.
Tuff-N-Uff has been featured at UFC Fight Week five years in a row and provided a platform for the IMMAF finals and semi-finals. Tuff-N-Uff has been featured on ESPN, HBO, Spike TV, Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, CNN Presents, Inside MMA, MMA Uncensored, FightZone, The Fight Network, BlackBelt TV, Bad Girls Club on Oxygen and Inside MMA on AXS TV.
Tuff-N-Uff has co-promoted events with Chuck Norris’ World Combat League, Randy Couture’s Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada, Glory Kickboxing, Bellator MMA, RFA and Combate Americas. Tuff-N-Uff’s after school program “MMA:101” was voted “Most Innovative After School Program” by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.
