Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland Obviously, it's a little different. Guys spend decades devoting their lives to mastering wrestling, jiujitsu, karate, judo, etc. They're amazing athletes at the peak of physical condition, practicing arts that have been evolving around the world for centuries. That's a little different than a couple of drunks or chickens going at it in a parking lot. That's what MMA was about 15 years ago (and what pro wrestling still is).
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland I'd rather watch Jean Claude Van Damme kick Chong Li's ass in the Kumite.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland I've been to a couple of events but before attending I had the same concerns as you. Like any sporting event it boils down to how close you are to the action. Cheap seats are still cheap seats. (But seeing as how the UFC charges primo dollars for their show sometimes expensive seats wind up being cheap seats.) That being said, the Octagon is considerably larger than you'd expect. In a basketball/hockey arena, or a square arena like the MGM Grand Garden Arena, it takes up a significant portion of the floor space. The lighting is done in a way to make it very visible. Probably more visible than a basketball game because they are on an elevated stage, albeit behind cage. You can see what is going on but only from your own viewing angle--when watching on television they use six or eight cameras to make sure you see ground work. Thankfully the UFC brings six or so large screens and they simulcast the show on the screens inside the arena. If your view is blocked by the cage or the ref or the other fighter, you can glance up at the screen and see it. What you don't get on television is the live sound experience. It's hard to appreciate how hard a fighter throws punches and kicks until you hear the thuds and cracks echo through a packed arena. Obviously they light up the cage with microphones but if you're sitting close enough you can hear a leg kick and understand how devastating some of these guys really are. If you're sitting really close you can feel slams and hard ground-and-pound vibrate cage side. 265-lbs crusher Shane Carwin supposedly shakes the whole ring when he is punching someone on the ground. The best part is the crowd. The energy at a UFC live event is intense. It isn't like a ball game because the crowd is split and they can switch allegiances mid-fight depending on what is happening. Since there are ten to thirteen fights you're guaranteed at least a handful of memorable fights as well, whereas if you go to a ball game or a boxing show you're odds of seeing something you like go way down. Generally the fans are happy to be with like-minded people, seeing as how MMA is still a fringe sport and thus fans are used to watching with just a few friends or at the bar. Obviously alcohol fuels dickish behaviour but that is the case in any setting.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland He totally nailed it. The build up and anxiety you get before the first fight starts. Just wondering what it's going to be like. At least at my show I went too (UFC 87).. theres no big announcement or bell or anything that tells you when the first fight starts. You're just sititng there and all of the sudden two faces pop up on the big screen with the typical entrance music you hear at the very start of each fight on tv. The crowd just erupted when those two faces popped up. Then in the first round Ben Saunders threw a head kick and Ryan Thomas blocked it with his arms. You heard the slap of his leg hitting Ryan's arms from up in the upper deck. It was crazy. When you see a guy get knocked out on tv it's awesome. But when its right there in front of you, and you are watching two guys who trained for months and months and this fight is so important to them, maybe one of the most important fights they've ever had, and then you see them get destroyed, or you see them do the destroying, its awesome. The fighting can be lackluster in person if it goes to the ground, especially if you don't know anything about Jiu Jitsu and you can't hear the commentators. The Demian Maia vs Jason MacDonald fight I saw was one of the best fights of the night, but it was nearly a pure BJJ match that we all mostly watched on the big screens instead of the cage. But it's an awesome experience and I'm waiting for them to announce another show here in Minneapolis.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland ^ Yeah, dpc makes a good point about the commentary. They don't pipe Rogan/Goldberg during the show and it is a bit strange watching a fight without it for the first time. But it is nice to hear the corners yelling at their fighters and enjoy the crowd noise (and chants).
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland [video=youtube;5EE2FCsZJEA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EE2FCsZJEA[/video]
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland I want to go just sucks tickets are so expensive, hard for me to accept paying triple the cost of Blazer playoff tickets.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland Main Card Bouts: - Randy Couture (16-9) -200 vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1) +160 - Keith Jardine (14-5-1) -180 vs. Thiago Silva (13-1) +150 - Chris Leben (18-7) -170 vs. Jake Rosholt (5-1) +140 - Nate Marquardt (28-8-2) -165 vs. Demian Maia (10-0) +140 - Brandon Vera (10-3) -190 vs. Krzysztof Soszynski (18-8-1) +150 Preliminary Bouts: - Gabe Gonzaga (10-4) -360 vs. Chris Tuchscherer (17-1) +305 - Mike Russo (11-1) -250 vs. Justin McCully (9-4) +210 - Todd Duffee (4-0) -130 vs. Tim Hague (10-1) -105 - Mark Munoz (5-1) -190 vs. Nick Catone (6-1) +150 - Marcus Aurelio (18-7) -165 vs. Evan Dunham (8-0) +135 - Ed Herman (15-7) -165 vs. Aaron Simpson (5-0) +135
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland http://mmapayout.com/2009/08/ufc-102-far-from-sold-out-economy-taxes-problematic/
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland Any word on if the PPV will be blacked out if its not sold out at the RG?
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland Damn, tix for this is expensive. I'm sure people are more likely to just want to stay at home with friends, split the cost of the PPV and watch it, or just go to the bars. Bars are freakin' packed when they show UFC around here.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland http://mmamania.com/2009/08/19/ufc-...-and-details-for-rose-garden-arena-on-aug-28/
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland http://mmajunkie.com/news/15958/dan...-qa-duties-at-ufc-102-couture-vs-nogueira.mma Don't miss out on your chance to meet UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYTqhOfY5lY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWTcAJnm9xQ
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland [video=youtube;VvRCXYIB_90]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvRCXYIB_90[/video]
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland I agree with most I wish prices were not so high to watch fights. I love the UFC but man they are taxed tickets, because on top of there high prices you get about $20 in ticket fees too. Oh well just watch on PPV like I do every other time.
Re: The UFC is finally coming to Portland Compared to tickets to the event I went too... this events tickets are cheaper.
