Tommy Lane of Let’s Get It On Promotions would never say of Mixed Martial Arts fighters Josh Turner and Adam Albright, “These are two handsome fellas who could double as Chippendales dancers.”

But he didn’t hesitate to go there when describing female fighters Nicole Johnson and Jenny Trujillo in a news release.

“It will look like the ring-card girls are fighting,” said Lane, who along with his brother, Terry, is promoting Reno Xtreme Fights III, the Friday night boxing/MMA card at the Grand Sierra Resort. “They may be good looking, but, trust me, they can fight.”

A double standard? Sure. Worth getting riled up over? Depends on who you ask.

“I was kind of angry when I read that,” Trujillo of San Jose, Calif., said. “(Women in MMA) work so hard. If you go in there and you’re a good-looking woman, the other girl’s not going to care if you’re good looking or not. It’s all about skill.”

“I think it’s OK to be called a good-looking girl who is also a fighter,” Johnson of Roseville, Calif., said. “It’s what gets fans out to watch. Unfortunately, (fan interest) can’t all be based on skill.”

Trujillo did acknowledge that more fans would likely turn out to see a fight between women who are being promoted as attractive.

“I think (fans) like to see girls in general fight,” she said. “If you’re good looking it gives it a plus. It could bring more incentive for fans.”

For his part, Tommy Lane said he wished he had found another way to get his point across.

“I didn’t mean for it to be offensive at all,” he said Wednesday. “I could have worded it way less tacky and less offensive. I take responsibility for that. I probably was not respectful to the girls, and I apologize if they’re offended. It could have been done in a classier form.”

Neither fighter will be giving any thought to this when the bell rings. They’re just going to focus on making their opponent a little less attractive.

Johnson and Trujillo, both of whom will be around 135 pounds for the featherweight (145 pounds) bout, live only a couple hours apart but they have never met.

“Nobody’s really told me much about her,” said Johnson, who fights out of Marinobles Kickboxing Gym in Roseville, a Sacramento suburb.

The 22-year-old Trujillo, who fights out of San Jose’s Nor Cal Fight Factory, got her start through kick-boxing classes.

“I wanted to fight,” she said. “I’ve always done sports growing up. It’s one of the most physically challenging sports there is. There’s so many different aspects to it.”

Johnson, 23, was into wrestling when at the age of 17 she saw the movie, “Bloodsport,” a 1988 martial arts film in which antagonists fight to the death.

“I really wanted to get into (MMA) but my parents wouldn’t let me,” she said.

Johnson said she expects a tough fight Friday.

“I’ve been training hard,” Johnson said. “I expect to win.”

“I’m going to go for the knockout,” Trujillo said.

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