Does it really mean anything? I mean... I went to a UFC event about a year ago but it was a combination trip to Vegas with the wife and friends - guys went to the fight girls (plus one of one loser guy who wanted to see the show) went to some circus show. There are very few 'big' shows up in the PacNW (Oregon/Washington area) and if I had taken the poll, I probably would not have considered the amatuer events I've been to as going to an event worth counting for a poll. Who can really afford to go to Vegas more than once every couple years? THat one trip shortened my life expectancy alone... if my pocket could afford the multiple trips in a year, I don't think my liver could.

If anything... I think the poll proved the opposite of what they concluded. I think it's HUGE that 50% went to a major live event!! (keeping in mind that my UFC ticket was $300) How many NFL fans polled would say that they have been to an NFL game within the last 12 months? I DOUBT 50%...

i've never gone to a mma event...

Underboss MMAfia

Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

i doubt i'll ever round up the scratch to make it to a ufc event and i dont imagine i would be compelled to catch a different promotion, especially a small one... that said, i barely bother going to the movie theatre too, and concerts are another super-rarity

The issue for me is living in northern NJ, the only places I'd see shows would be at the Prudential Center in Neward (where UFC 78 was) or in NYC. I would've gone to UFC 78 but the card was really weak. When the initial rumors came out that Penn and GSP would be on the card I was going to go but when it turned into Evans vs. Bisbing I saved my $100.

-The Captain

If you ever have a chance to go to a small promotion show - I reccomend it! I can only speak to the ones in and around the Seattle area, but they are a lot of fun. The ones I have been to have about 10+ fights and generally are shorter rounds which helps all of the action move faster - plus since nearly all of these guys train in their spare time, most can't handle three 5 minute rounds. Well worth the $20-$30 ticket for a couple of hours of exceptional entertainment.

Agreed. Although live UFC events are easily the best MMA events out there, I went to a Ring of Combat event in Atlantic City earlier this year that was fantastic. It was held in an auditorium that was arranged like a high school auditorium. The ring was on the stage but the organizers set up a bleacher behind the ring on the stage which created a wild seating arrangement.

Anyway, the place was packed and fans were literally on top of the action. There were some name fighters on the card too so the fights were very entertaining. It felt old-school which I enjoyed.

There is a lot of value to packing the house. A lot of these promotions that rent out these large arenas don't get how deflating it is to be in an arena with 5000 people but which is only 1/3 full. ROC probably drew about 2500 but it felt like more because it was so packed and so intimate...

You hit it spot-on. Even the UFC event I went to... they called it 'sold out' but they didn't release much of the upper-level so it didn't quite feel full. (Plus I think the UFC bought out the rest of the tickets so they could say, 'sold out' because there were a lot of empty seats.) Whereas the local event I went to had about 4,000 PACKED (standing room only) in to a Jr. College gym and it felt like there must have been 20,000+ because it was so thunderous when people cheered. Entire gyms (plus family) came and sat together to cheer thier fighters. Not to mention, it was a much more respectful (i.e. people didnt 'boo' fighters or namecall - however it was every bit as loud) and 'family' atmosphere than the UFC event I went to (partially because they didnt sell alcohol) I think because it was more 'grass roots' and not the 'casual' fan who just wants to see a big KO.

Not a bad payday for the promoter either... figure 4,000 x $25 avg ticket = $100,000 plus probably another $5000 from various sponsors and they were also selling apparal, gear and concession which probably nets another $5000-$10,000. After renting the gym, cleanup crews, paying to have the EMT + ringside doctors, staff, ring girls, fighter payouts and so on... the promotion probably made $50,000. Not too bad for one nights work.

Sixtus, any chance you were watching the AX Fighting Championships at the Edmonds Community College? I've seen some of their shows and they match your description to a 'T':

http://www.axfighting.com/

We've got a great small fight scene here in the PacNW with a huge following, and of course some of the world's best MMA fighters have come from here--the Natural is probably the most well known, but I've also seen the Crippler at AX events fairly often, not to mention our boy Ivan Salaverry who will be fighting again in the next couple weeks.

I wonder why in the hell they don't try more big events up here. I saw the IFL at the Everett Events Center last year and the place was fairly packed. The crowd went into a frenzy when Chris Horodecki and Shad Lierley stood and traded for three straight rounds, it was amazing--definitely something you'd never be able to experience just watching a fight on PPV.

Maybe we just don't have a big enough venue to attract the UFC?!

That's exactly the event I had in mind when I typed that! They put on a very good show. I completly agree... there is a great fight scene up in the Seattle area and I dont know why there aren't any big events up here - the sport is really popular up here.

I missed the last AX event back in March but the one around Christmas was awsome... and I hope to go this weekend, the wife is pregnant and going to a fight is not her ideal way of spending a Saturday night even if it is mine...

Do you train up here at all?

i was watching NFL Network last night, and some guy on there said that only 2% of football fans have gone to an NFL game.
here's this guy's thoughts over on a bloody elbow
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/story/2008/5/14/105340/609

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Head of the West Coast Family
ULTIMATE CHALLENGE CHAMPION UFC 83

Not yet, I'm still just a fan, though I've gotten invitations from a few good friends to train with Marcelo Alonso & Carlson Gracie BJJ up here. How about you man? There are definitely some amazing opportunities in the Seattle area if you train MMA.

Ha, another funny thing about the AX fighting championships and the IFL event I went to: the two times that I went with this particular friend of mine there was this one chick behind us screaming at the top of her lungs, relentlessly, from the beginning to the end of the show. Said friend insisted it was the same girl at both shows, but I didn't believe him until I turned around and it was her. He's been hesitant to go to any more live events since, had a hard concentrating on the fights, heh...

HAHA good stuff!! I THINK I might recall the woman you are talking about - or at least I can think of someone LIKE her. I have this vision of a woman sitting in the stands towards the top (we were on the floor standing for the whole show back around Christmas) that was seriously the loudest person in the entire place.

Anyway, I actually live up in Everett, and I have gone to Combat Club (C3 as listed at the AX events). I have NOT been as disciplined as I should be about going religiously... I blame the wife getting pregnant and us getting ready to move... although in truth those are just excuses and I am just lazy after I get off of work. It's an awsome school with a couple of fantastic trainers. They just got a new facility too...

Here is tour of the place from the owner:
http://lockflow.com/viewtopic.php?t=12928

And thier website:
http://www.charliescombatclub.com/

That's where she *sits* or stands rather, heh, small world man...haha. Yeah and a pregnancy can kind of hinder a training schedule--just wait until you're dealing with a newborn, though it is one of the greatest joys on this earth to be a dad...

I honestly could not be more excited!! We just found out last week that it's going to be a boy... I am already reserving him a spot in the Kid's classes!! HAHA!!

I live in Ontario and MMA is not sanctioned here...Yet so I doubt I will ever get to an event in the near future. Doesn't mean we aren't fans. Hell if you can't be a fan without going to a game the Leafs would only have about 25,000 fans in all of Ontario because you can't buy a ticket here for a game season ticket holders and scalpers have them all.

Support local MMA. I've been to at least 10 shows this year so far, all local shows though. I'm going to the Adrenaline (local sort of), two UFCs, and hopefully the Affliction card.