Mixed Martial Arts

I'm not exactly sure where it is on my list of things not to do, but 'Participating in a Mixed Martial Arts Match' has got to be pretty close to the top. Spectating, on the other hand, is quite fun. J hipped me to an amateur event that featured a guy from his gym, so I checked it out on Saturday.

Although it was held at a community college, it was impressive how hard the organizers worked to replicate the experience of going to a professional event. Dozens of Domino's Pizzas were ordered to sell at a concession stand. 'VIP's sat on chairs on the gym floor in front of general admission fans in the bleachers. Zip Fizz promoted their product, complete with a sample booth and giveaways. The fights featured an announcer, intro music, ring girls, and 18" trophies for the winner. Heck, there was even a scalper at the door.

The actual fights were exciting as well. It began slowly with a couple of skinny short guys scrapping. However, as the evening progressed, the fighters got bigger, more skilled, and more intense. For the championship fight, I could tell the difference between the guys in the ring and combatants in Pride Fighting or Ultimate fFghting.

Probably the most interesting bout was between two Muay Thai kickboxers. Probably the quickest was the one featuring the dude from J's gym. Check it out. Trust me, it won't take long.