My UFC 70 experience: Ultimate Blagging Championship. *with pics* (Must Read)

Rowan · 04-22-2007, 04:57 PM

I need to post this in parts as it exceeds the limits of 1 post.

I originially bought 2 x £50 tickets for me and my friend Martin, but luckily through a contact managed to get a couple of press passes for the show. This is where my story begins...

Here's what my press pass looked like:

*Edit: press pass pic deleted* - Thanks Dannmizz

The first thing I decided to do when I got there was look like a dickhead next to a pillar with crocop on it:

So we got in the arena and decided to have a look around. We did a lap of the outside to see if there were any fighters chilling about to no avail. It looked like this:

We then went to find our seats which we were told were going to be good seats as it's a media position. When we were finally pointed to where we were sitting, we were blown away as it was the 4th row from the front!!

A few fights in on the undercard, we head off to grab a beer, come back and decided it would be a travesty to not push our luck and see how far we can go with these press passes. Just to the right of where we were sitting, there was a walkway which lead to the backstage area with an arena staff member standing there. We walked up to him and asked if we could get back there. He said "sure", we thought "bingo". So we head off backstage with big smug bastard smiles on our faces. My mate who is new to MMA had mentioned earlier that he had seen a short stocky bald guy knocking about that he recognised but couldn't pin it down. The first fighter we saw backstage was indeed that short, stocky bald guy - Matt Serra. I am a huge GSP fan, but I like Matts attitude, so congratulated him on his win against GSP. He's a really nice, genuinne guy. I got a picture with him, but my mate shut the lens on my K800i which backed out of the phone pic before it saved so that was a bit of a letdown. Either way it was great to meet the champ!

We then went into the main back area where the trucks and other random bits and bobs were and bumped into the UFC cutman, Stitch. He seemed surprised that someone recognised him and wanted to chat but, was more than happy to. He was delighted when I told him that I saw him in the latest Rocky Movie, he said he had fun doing it. I got a pic with him:

After that was taken, I told him that I thought it was funny that he's not a fighter yet we're striking the strikers pose. He agreed so we did take 2 with a fitting "stopping a cut with a cotton bud" pose:

Stitch is a really nice guy, so if you ever see him backstage, say hello!

Rowan · 04-22-2007, 04:58 PM

We were backstage just before the Bisping fight. Mike was warming up so we didn't want to disturb him. As he was getting ready to walk out we got told off by one of the UFC officials for holding beer so close to a fighter. I felt a bit bad as yeah that can be perceived as a bit disrespectful, but didn't really think at the time. Mike went out and we went back to our 4th row seats to watch the fight. Just before mike walked out I shoulted out "wolfslair" with my first up and Mike nodded in appreciation. Yes, that was also me Mike if your reading this haha. Mike walked out and we headded back to our 4th row seats to catch the fight. The atmosphere was absoloutely electric, what a great fight! Yes I am still the official driver of the Mike Bisping bandwagon, or should I now say Freight Train. Jump on board as there's still places left. Stopping at all stations to the light heavyweight championship!

We stayed out in the arena for the Arlovski fight and followed his corner backstage after the fight. Didn't get a chance to say anything to him as he was off in the distance busy with people. I saw Elvis Sinosek a bit later on coming out from his room with his girlfriend, who was a stunner for the record. The poor guys face was an absoloute mess, he looked as though he had been shedding tears. In my book thats war tears right there, I shook his hand and said "your a really tough guy man" with conviction, he said "thanks" in a really appreciative tone. I didn't really know what else to say. I didn't feel it be appropriate to be on a fighters case for a pic when he's just freshly devestated from a loss. Either way, he's got an gorgeous girl to help him get through it, and I hope to see him come back stronger.

Now we do not have any phographic evidence of what happened next, so your just going to need to take my word for it. This is the best part of my story. This is a dream come true for me.

We were hanging around 1 of the bits where the fighters walk out into the main arena. My friend tapped me on the shoulder and said "Rowan, look behind you". I turned around to a view of a gang of "Crocop Team" T-shirts. I gazed further into the small crowd and saw Crocop himself warming up. Now being one of the hugest Crocop fans out there, I wanted to just go up to him and excitedly wish him luck, but like the Bisping situation, I kept my cool and let him get on with preparing himself for the fight. He was pacing up and down, stretching and doing some shadow boxing. At one point he took a deep breath in held it, then slowly let his air out. He was definitely nervous, but he's only human, most people are. I'm exactly the same before a gig to a big crowd, the difference being i'm not getting punched in the face as soon as I get out there.

As Crocop was getting ready to go, my friend jokingly said how it would be cool if we walked out with crocop team into the arena. I laughed, then started to think about it for a minute. Whats the worst that could happen? They're hardly going to throw us out with our press passes if we play stupid and said we didn't know it wouldn't be okay. They'd probably just redirect us to our seats. "10 seconds" said the camera man standing in front of crocop. I was certainly not going to pass on this once in a lifetime opportunity, so said "fuck it lets do it" and stood right behind all the Crocop Team guys, making ourselves look all mentally pumped up for going out there. On came the 'Wild Boys' theme tune, out we went into the arena as part of Crocop Team all the way to the ring. Once we got to the ring, my adrenaline was pumping, but the only thing to do now was go back to our seats.

So yeah you guys know what went down. I was devestated to the point of wanting to cry. All that emotion built up with coming out with him, I felt that I WAS in Crocop team. The feeling was similar to a hardcore football/soccer fan seeing their country getting knocked out of the world cup in the final. Tough luck, suck it up, he will be back.

At the end of the event the only thing left to do was go backstage again. I had the obvious brainwave of seeming that we had press passes, where's the post fight press conference at?! I spoke to an official lady who led us through some doors into another backstage secret area into the press conference room. There was some food at the side left out for us guys, we helped ourselves as we barely ate all day. The front row was empty so we sat there:

Rowan · 04-22-2007, 04:59 PM

Here's some images from the press conference itself:

The press conference itself was a great experience. Dana and the rest of the fighters came off really well. I asked Dana 2 questions: One was in relation to the closure of the HBO Deal and his thoughts on not having control of the production side of things. Dana said that nothing had been officially signed (mma weekly and sherdog reported on the contrary) but hypotheitically if the deal was closed, he simply said that Joe Rogan and Goldberg Wouldn't be commentating. I also asked Dana if they would in future have a unified pride/ufc actual "of the world" belt. He said that they would be having a yearly superbowl type event.

We also got a few videos of the conference on our phones. I'll be posting the link to that in this first post in the next few hours hopefully so keep checking back. you will need either Quicktime or Realplayer to play the vids.

After the conference I briefly got to chat to Mike Bisping. It was the end of the night so I didn't want to keep him long. I said with a smirk I was Rowan, the official driver of the Michael Bisping Bandwagon. He laughed said "is that you?!". Congratulated him on the fight and shook his hand, let him be on his way to relax and enjoy the W. Congrats to Mike once again.

Rowan · 04-22-2007, 04:59 PM

It was time to leave so we made our way back to the main arena first of all to get our bearings. They were almost already fully packed away. Damn, those guys are quick! We took a final pic:

We headded into the back again to find the exit. I saw Lyoto Machida limping on his own with an icepack wrapped around his leg. Congratulated him on the win, and he said thanks. On our quest to find the exit, my friend Martin went up to this big black guy in a hoody standing on his own looking sad and bruised and said "MATE, DO YOU KNOW HOW THE HELL TO GET OUT OF THIS PLACE?!". He only just asked Assuerio Silva for directions... Who didn't understand a word of what he said. I promptly shook his hand then gave the universal thumbs up and said in very basic english "You fight well, you will be back fight again". He understood and appreciated the comment.

That was the end of our epic journey of Nations Collide.

Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!!

EDIT: Here's me circled walking out with Crocop Team. Spotted it in UFC 75 Countdown show. Really crappy quality, but thats me alright!!