Colin
04-26-2007, 01:54 AM
Longish read...
Me and my 2 brothers made the trip from Ireland to this event and, it being out first event, we loved every minute of it!
It started off a little crazy…we were to fly out at 1pm that day (1 hour flight), but to our horror the flight was delayed 2hours 40 minutes. Things were getting tight, and it was further delayed and looking grim…was looking like we’d only make the main card if it was any later.
Luckily it ended up a bit earlier than the proposed delay and we arrived at the MEN for about 6pm. Our B+B turned out to be one of the most dangerous spots of Manchester but that’s a different story!!
Our seats were £200 ones and were pretty darn good ones (Block 114, Row P). What did piss me off was the people who kept getting up, a certain guy in particular must have got up about every 10-15 minutes and it drove me up the fecking wall. The view was good, but i noticed that regardless of what seat in the house u have, theres a few blind spots due to a camera guy on top of each 1/4 of the octagon which can block your view at times. I think its a bit of a problem that should be looked at.
As for the main card, I picked Kongo and was glad to see him win. Silva dry humped him big style. To add interest I had bet £20 on David Heath so was watching his fight avidely much to my disappointment; this fight turned me against Machida – he literally moved away every time Heath tried to engage. It was pathetic even if he did eventually win you get the feeling he would happy to win Tim Sylvia style by coasting it out. Ugh, I was glad the fight was taken of the US broadcast – Machida promised the fight of the night too, what an arse.
As for the Arloski fight, I was sure in my mind it was one round each heading into the third!! And I actually had thought Werdum edged the 3rd (it was lifeless but he moved forward more!!). I was surprised AA won easily, but looking again I think he won (but far from convincingly). I got pissed off with the fans booing though, although in general the fans were much better than the Americans imo.
Bisping got a deafening reception, I think it almost pumped him up too much!lol.
As for the CC fight, me and my bro’s stood in shock after that RHK, we just couldn’t believe it. And to see CC not move for what felt like 10minutes, we got really concerned (noobs :D)
Anyway, afterwards we did what we had planned to and hang about as long as possible. I think we were among the last 10 to leave.
We got to see Randy walk by and Bisping but the guards pushed them past us which was pretty annoying because the guys themselves seems to be happy to interact.
We walked around to the back in hope to find some of the fighters leaving…the ring girls etc left in a bus first and waved (there was about 8 of us standing there).
After a while Rogan came out and we got a quick chat with him. Eddie Bravo was with him, none of the other guys recognised him, I felt like I was the most knowledgeable fan about but im sure there was others.
I asked Rogan what he thought of the CC KO, he just said it was ‘some crazy shit man’. I then asked him what he thought about all UFC’s poster boys getting KTFO’s and suggested that it was bad for the sport and hard to market with that happening. Of course he went the other way on that one and said ‘that’s how you market it man….anything can happen…its crazy and unpredictable’. Although theres merit to what he said, I think he’s been a loyal employee to flatly disagree with my point.
Anyway that was it really, all in all great night and I cannot wait to Belfast show. I know it aint as gooda card but I look at it like top UFN. This time im gona be a fight club member and try to meet the guys the day beforehand!!
Heres the pics (ive got loads but you get the idea I guess). I was all pretty sureal seeing all these guys in the flesh. You feel the punches ALOT more when you are watching it for rea thats for sure!!
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1610/15906401ob3.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1831/37017399xv3.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3460/47046617wn6.jpg
Mid show, our view:
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7595/94027269vs6.jpg
Rogan, with Eddie behind him getting no attention lol:
http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/479/21386505fi2.jpg
EDIT - I forgot to mention, after leaving the MEN, we walked up the the nearby Subway. There was a guy there, he looked like one of the Nogs and was wearing a hat. He eye was swollen and he looked a bit beaten up. It turns out it was Edilberto "Crocota" de Oliveira who fought Taylor in the first bout (the one i missed!). He looked either drunk of just dosey and was just a few people in front of me getting a subbers. We just said hey but didnt chat as i only realised afterwards who he was (i knew i seen him before because of the hat he was wearing - it was the same one he wore at the weighins!).
Hope you like it
Me and my 2 brothers made the trip from Ireland to this event and, it being out first event, we loved every minute of it!
It started off a little crazy…we were to fly out at 1pm that day (1 hour flight), but to our horror the flight was delayed 2hours 40 minutes. Things were getting tight, and it was further delayed and looking grim…was looking like we’d only make the main card if it was any later.
Luckily it ended up a bit earlier than the proposed delay and we arrived at the MEN for about 6pm. Our B+B turned out to be one of the most dangerous spots of Manchester but that’s a different story!!
Our seats were £200 ones and were pretty darn good ones (Block 114, Row P). What did piss me off was the people who kept getting up, a certain guy in particular must have got up about every 10-15 minutes and it drove me up the fecking wall. The view was good, but i noticed that regardless of what seat in the house u have, theres a few blind spots due to a camera guy on top of each 1/4 of the octagon which can block your view at times. I think its a bit of a problem that should be looked at.
As for the main card, I picked Kongo and was glad to see him win. Silva dry humped him big style. To add interest I had bet £20 on David Heath so was watching his fight avidely much to my disappointment; this fight turned me against Machida – he literally moved away every time Heath tried to engage. It was pathetic even if he did eventually win you get the feeling he would happy to win Tim Sylvia style by coasting it out. Ugh, I was glad the fight was taken of the US broadcast – Machida promised the fight of the night too, what an arse.
As for the Arloski fight, I was sure in my mind it was one round each heading into the third!! And I actually had thought Werdum edged the 3rd (it was lifeless but he moved forward more!!). I was surprised AA won easily, but looking again I think he won (but far from convincingly). I got pissed off with the fans booing though, although in general the fans were much better than the Americans imo.
Bisping got a deafening reception, I think it almost pumped him up too much!lol.
As for the CC fight, me and my bro’s stood in shock after that RHK, we just couldn’t believe it. And to see CC not move for what felt like 10minutes, we got really concerned (noobs :D)
Anyway, afterwards we did what we had planned to and hang about as long as possible. I think we were among the last 10 to leave.
We got to see Randy walk by and Bisping but the guards pushed them past us which was pretty annoying because the guys themselves seems to be happy to interact.
We walked around to the back in hope to find some of the fighters leaving…the ring girls etc left in a bus first and waved (there was about 8 of us standing there).
After a while Rogan came out and we got a quick chat with him. Eddie Bravo was with him, none of the other guys recognised him, I felt like I was the most knowledgeable fan about but im sure there was others.
I asked Rogan what he thought of the CC KO, he just said it was ‘some crazy shit man’. I then asked him what he thought about all UFC’s poster boys getting KTFO’s and suggested that it was bad for the sport and hard to market with that happening. Of course he went the other way on that one and said ‘that’s how you market it man….anything can happen…its crazy and unpredictable’. Although theres merit to what he said, I think he’s been a loyal employee to flatly disagree with my point.
Anyway that was it really, all in all great night and I cannot wait to Belfast show. I know it aint as gooda card but I look at it like top UFN. This time im gona be a fight club member and try to meet the guys the day beforehand!!
Heres the pics (ive got loads but you get the idea I guess). I was all pretty sureal seeing all these guys in the flesh. You feel the punches ALOT more when you are watching it for rea thats for sure!!
http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1610/15906401ob3.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1831/37017399xv3.jpg
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3460/47046617wn6.jpg
Mid show, our view:
http://img264.imageshack.us/img264/7595/94027269vs6.jpg
Rogan, with Eddie behind him getting no attention lol:
http://img473.imageshack.us/img473/479/21386505fi2.jpg
EDIT - I forgot to mention, after leaving the MEN, we walked up the the nearby Subway. There was a guy there, he looked like one of the Nogs and was wearing a hat. He eye was swollen and he looked a bit beaten up. It turns out it was Edilberto "Crocota" de Oliveira who fought Taylor in the first bout (the one i missed!). He looked either drunk of just dosey and was just a few people in front of me getting a subbers. We just said hey but didnt chat as i only realised afterwards who he was (i knew i seen him before because of the hat he was wearing - it was the same one he wore at the weighins!).
Hope you like it