Welterweight, Giresse Tsague (SMMAC 10, Saturday)
Tsague is a physical specimen in the welterweight division. His game is built around raw power and explosiveness, while the technique is still a bit behind. That said, training out of MMA Factory should help him continue to develop.
Tsague should be 4-0, but one of his wins was overturned to a no-contest after he landed an additional big shot after the knockout. He clearly has finishing instincts, but there are moments where he needs to stay more composed and channel that aggression more cleanly between exchanges.
On the feet, Tsague carries serious power. He throws everything with bad intentions, to the point where it’s hard to see him consistently fighting deep into rounds at his current pace. Tsague can be taken down, but he’s the type who can work his way back up from the bottom position. He also has some wrestling upside in the clinch, using explosive shots to get to double legs or initiate scrambles.
He’s not particularly refined on the mat, but even there, he’s active and physical rather than passive. The concern is the typical one with heavily muscled, high-output fighters with limited experience—whether they can sustain this style over time.
Still, being at a legitimate camp like MMA Factory gives some optimism that he can round out his game as he develops.
Bantamweight, Jennah Creason (Tachi PF 36, Saturday)
Creason has no prior MMA experience, but a deep background in combat sports. She started wrestling at the age of 4 and later began branching out into other disciplines.
Creason is a multiple-time NAGA belt winner in both Gi and No-Gi jiu-jitsu. She’s also competed in Muay Thai and was a high school wrestling state champion. In 2023, she went 44-0 with 39 pins during her wrestling season, showing just how dominant she was on the mat.
She later transitioned into boxing, which is what she’s most known for. Creason is a two-time Junior Golden Gloves champion and a two-time USA Boxing National Champion, compiling a 3-0-1 record in her professional boxing career.
Despite having no amateur MMA experience, she’s done just about everything else you’d want in a foundation for a pro MMA debut, bringing a well-rounded and highly accomplished combat sports résumé into the cage.
She gets Keana Montenegro (2-0) in her debut. Montenegro has much more MMA experience than Creason, so we’re gonna get answers right away.
