A taste of culture

TOKYO, Japan -- My third day in Tokyo was a mixture of humility and reality. I was overcome with a sense of carpe diem, as items were checked off on my bucket list. I make no bones about the fact that I am one of the luckiest people on this planet, who lives his dream every single day. But today I truly realized how lucky I am.

7:30 AM

My alarm went off only five and a half hours after I finally went to sleep. Yesterday was a long day capped off with a long session in one of the UFC's post-production studios in Tokyo. But I had to get up early as I was scheduled to be a guest on "Knockout Radio" in Tampa, Fla.

8:00 AM

We went live with host Randy Harris and his crew at Knockout Radio, where for 60 minutes we broke down UFC 144 and all things MMA related. Randy and I also shared our experiences thus far in Tokyo.

9:30 AM

What was supposed to be a quick breakfast turned into one of the highlights of my trip. As I was wrapping up, Roy Nelson and his lovely wife Jesse were seated at the table next to me. Well, history has proven that when you put us three close to one another time flies. After an hour of various conversations and life theories, I left smiling ear to ear. Roy, Jesse and I shared our experiences and discussed how our pasts will help mold our future. Should Roy take my advice, be ready MMA world ... be very, very ready.

11:30 PM

My media pals and I boarded the bus for the Ritz Carlton, where the official UFC 144 pre-fight press conference was to take place.

1:00 PM

The press conference gets underway in front of an absolutely jam packed room of local media, sprinkled with the international contingent. UFC president Dana White fielded a wide variety of questions and every time any of us international folks had a question, he referred to us by name. I asked every member on stage a question or two and received different responses.

Yoshihiro Akiyama was short and succinct. Quinton Jackson (as always) ripped me. Frankie Edgar was all business while Dana was a typical quote machine. Ben Henderson, dressed in a slick suit, was cordial in his replies, as was Ryan Bader and Jake Shields.

2:00 PM

The media engaged in a scrum with Dana where we threw out questions that were not necessarily related to the event. This is often the best time to discuss the business of the UFC and fighters not on the card. Joining Dana was the UFC's Japanese translator, who awed all of us with her skill at nailing everything he said all in one breath. If Dana went on a two minute diatribe listing three names, four cities and anything else, she nailed it. Incredible.

4:00 PM

We boarded the shuttle back to our Hotel and when we got back it was time for me to record my stand-ups for Connected.

5:00 PM

We hit the streets of Tokyo to record the stand ups, then headed back to get ready for the evening's media mixer.

6:00 PM

I made it back to my room where I wrote yesterday's blog and column. But before I knew it, it was 7:30 p.m. and I had thirty minutes to freshen up and make my way downstairs to board the bus for the media mixer.

8:00 PM

Twenty seven of us boarded the bus. It was a mixture of UFC staff and media, with the latter unaware of what was in store for us. The 20-minute ride took us to a restaurant called Robataya, where my humility began taking shape.

Upon entering the restaurant, we found out the UFC had booked the whole place for a few hours, and I will be forever grateful. It was a quaint establishment that had just enough seats for all of us. It was a square set-up, with seats around the left, bottom and right sides of two grills. Two chefs cooked for us while kneeling the whole time, elevated so they were at the same height as our plates. They served our dinner plates by extending paddles and loudly expressing whenever anything was served or ordered. Every time one chef or waiter would yell, all the others would repeat even louder.

It was a sight to behold and an experience that had me searching internally. "Who am I to be here?" I thought. "Why do I deserve to be here?" "What did I do in life to deserve this royal treatment and to be lucky enough to experience a Japanese tradition in culture that dated back centuries?"

In awe, I began savouring what can only be described as some of the most unbelievable Japanese cuisine I have ever tasted. I'm a sushi kind of guy. I enjoy raw fish. I love vegetables and do my best to eat as healthy as possible; but this fare was unreal. Everything was natural and melted in your mouth. All items were cooked right before our eyes. The sake -- warmed right in front of you. The green tea -- steeped in front of your eyes. The fish, beef and vegetables -- cut, garnished, salted and cooked for you to admire.

Make sure you watch Connected this weekend and UFC CENTRAL on Monday, as some of the pictures and videos I shot will hopefully make it to air.

10:45 PM

Our time at the restaurant had come to an end and it was time to board the bus. Some of us decided it was best to head back to the hotel, while the majority of others decided to continue the night in one of the higher-end districts of Tokyo. After we dropped off those who still had energy, we departed back to the hotel. Not five minutes in, I was already asleep. Next thing I know, we are turning into the hotel driveway.

11:20 PM

Finally back in my room, I set my alarm for 7:00 a.m., and laid my head down to rest. I remember laying there, smiling ear to ear, thankful for everyone who has helped me on this journey over the years. I may never again experience what I went through tonight, and that's perfectly fine. I'm gracious to have been given the opportunity to live out my dream, and visiting one of the countries that is described as the birthplace of martial arts, with centuries of tradition. Today, I realized that Japan was everything I dreamed of, and more. My expectations weren't just met, they were surpassed in a way, perhaps, only I can truly understand and appreciate.