The joys of covering a UFC event in Las Vegas are something I always consider a privilege.
I am one of the lucky ones to do what I do, but sometimes you get to see so many others forget how blessed they truly are.
Wednesday is a day generally dedicated to the media.
The UFC provides us with fighter availability whereby the top athletes on the card showcase some of their skills followed by a round of interviews. It’s often a big day for the various media outlets to get their stories out with many articles and columns spawning out different storylines.
We got there early today so we could set-up our camera for a few sit-down interviews for MMA Connected and some other content for Sportsnet Connected.
When we arrived, I could already hear noise coming out of the media room and when I popped my head in to see what the ruckus was all about, low and behold, it was a who’s who of MMA royalty.
On one side was Sean Sherk, working with Greg Nelson and his crew. In the middle was Strikeforce middleweight Robbie Lawler, while Matt Hughes looked on.
Demarques Johnson (from Team USE on this season’s Ultimate Fighter) was also getting a workout in.
As more media showed up, nearly all of them looked at their watches wondering if they were late or had missed the memo that all these fighters were going to be there.
After some inquisitive thoughts, the UFC PR staff stated all would still be running according to schedule and that the room was opened for them to train before the media workouts began.
I was looking forward to speaking with Matt Hughes, but we were then told he would return later for his scheduled timeslot, but the truth of the matter is, he never did comeback.
After eyebrows were raised as to why he wasn’t showing up, we were told that he wanted everyone to go up to his room.
In all my time covering the UFC, this was a first.
In the meantime, Frankie Edgar showed up and started wrestling and hitting the mats with his team. As I sat there and spoke with one of his coaches, it was amazing to see just how far Edgar’s striking has come.
I’ve always enjoyed Edgar’s stand-up game as it is a wonderful compliment to his wrestling, but to see how smoothly he was slipping punches and landing combinations was incredible.
Sherk will definitely have his hands full with the young up and comer.
Speaking of Sherk, he joined me for our sit-down section to give us his thoughts on Edgar as well as for another installment of "Getting to Know."
Sherk is as candid as they come and is genuinely a cool cat. He calls it like it is, but doesn’t do it by forcing his thoughts or opinions down your throat. Above all, his analysis of breaking down some upcoming UFC bouts has me thinking this guy is going to be a world class coach one day.
Moments later, Matt Serra showed up. The media flocked to the Long Island native and it was worth every second. Serra is always golden for a sound bite or two, but this time it was different. He had his fair share of pot shots to Hughes, but today he seemed focused. He appeared ready to rumble and oozed a sense of calm and appreciation that the long awaited grudge match is almost here.
Speaking of great audio, when the champ showed up, it was a free for all.
First, Rashad Evans did some sparring followed by some mitt work but when it comes time to answer some questions, he knows how to use his charm.
Many of the media were just as impressed, but when he joined us in our sit-down area, I was blown away. This guy gets it. He knows how to act when the camera lights are on and the mics are hot.
He doesn’t freeze up or see it as a chore. He lets his personality shine.
One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is that some fighters get it, while some don’t. I’ve also noticed that there are some fighters who were once accessible by a simple phone call are nearly unreachable or unapproachable now. Everything goes through their agents and managers, many of which are very difficult to deal with.
As the sport continues to grow, I can’t help but feel that we are in the midst of a sad evolution. While anyone can currently stop a fighter at anytime and chit chat with them about fights, their careers and catching up with their personal life, this personal touch is on its way to extinction.
To be a fighter, an agent, a manager or a member of the media in the world of MMA should be a blessing, not a contest where many feel they should one up the other.
I saw this today and it simply offers me a foreshadowing of things to come. As sad as it may seem, it’s a reality that fans will also have to deal with.
MMA is no longer what it used to be.
After the media workout, we packed our gear and headed to Xtreme Couture. To say it was a refreshing change of atmosphere may be an understatement. As we walked in to meet with Martin Kampmann and Gray Maynard, we were greeted with smiles at the front desk. We were directed to where we could set up our gear and low and behold, Gina Carano was getting ready for some boxing work.
Speaking with Gina nearly erased all of what happened earlier today. Her honesty and care-free attitude is what makes her the superstar that she is today. She gave everyone that was there free reign to shoot, take pictures and ask questions in between rounds.
In due time, Kampmann showed up as did Coach Shawn Tompkins, who was running the pro practice.
In the house were Phil Baroni, Jon "War Machine" Koppenhaver, Jan Nortje and many others. Eventually "The Bully" showed up and gave us a great segment to work with. He may be nicknamed "The Bully," but Maynard was all smiles throughout the process.
This was just one day in Las Vegas and we have three more to go.
I’ll have a variety of UFC 98 content for Connected and of course, check back here on Thursday for my thoughts on what will go down at the pre-fight press conference.
