UFC 88 Breakthrough

I took off last Friday to head up to Atlanta, the Philips Arena for UFC 88. Got there Friday afternoon just in time for weigh ins. Instead of waiting in line for hours like most did, my brother and a friend had Fight Club passes where I ended up bypassing all the lines and headed right in for the Q&A and weigh ins.

Light Heavyweight Champ Forrest Griffin was there to greet and chat with fans. Forrest is a good fighter but as a person I dont really know him. I came close to meeting him when I visited Extreme Couture in Las Vegas where I watched him train. Even back then he wasnt really friendly. I know he was training but it only takes a second to say hi. Anyways in the Q&A he just answered all the dumb red neck questions which some guy proceeded to ask him if his wife could practice her gaurd with him...which if you dont know the guard position is a defensive position on the ground where the person on the bottom wraps there legs around the opponent on top to control there weight. So you get where this redneck was going, nothing but morons with a few legitimate MMA questions being asked.

During the weigh ins I was pretty much cheering for everyone, but the ALT crowd wasnt thinking the same weigh. When Ryo Chonan came out he got nothing but boos and people asking who is Ryo. It was amazing at how much disrespect Ryo Chonan and Dong Hyun Kim got. Nothing but boos, man I was so pissed. Here is Ryo Chonan (666 T-shirt) after weigh ins doing the pre-fight stare down with Roan Carneiro. I was going bonkers for Ryo, hes a bad ass. Im just a huge fan of the Japanese MMA scene and all the Japanese organizations. I have more pictures but I dont really feel like putting them all up. I was enjoying everything, but I couldnt beleive the disrespect that alot of the fighters got and the amout of people booing and screaming racial slurs. My wife and I held up a Korean flag for the only Korean fighter in UFC Dong Hyun Kim...what ensued was boos and people going ape shit at the fact of us raising the Korean flag. True MMA fans know that its an international sport, the Georgia fans didnt seem to know that. Again, Ryo and Dong Hyun both won and were booed out the area pretty much. I was getting so angry and started yelling back at people. It all paid off when Dong Hyun pointed us out for the support and we later got to meet him where he signed my wife's flag and took pictures. A total class act.

The main event consisted of Chuck Liddell vs Rashad Evans. While everyone in the arena was going crazy for Chuck right down to several people shaving there heads sporting those crappy mohawks that Chuck is so famous for. He was definietly the crowd favorite while Rashad Evans was unfortunately being booed and trashed all thru out the arena. The vibe of the arena drastically changed when in the 2nd round Rashad delievered a powerful overhand right that would put Chuck to sleep and the fight was over. I swear Chuck looked dead it was such a poweful KO. I went bonkers when that happened and immediately people were leaving and saying it was bullshit. The rednecks were so upset there hero had lost all hopes of getting a contending shot at the Light Heavyweight Belt. Rashad was the man and proved it that night. Such an impressive knock out, it was an amazing. Over all it was a great event despite all the drunk red necks around us throwing shit and just talking out there ass.

As the sport of MMA grows there will always be UFC fans and true MMA fans. The true MMA fans know who is representing.