THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL — Thousands of charged-up cage fighting fans, many who travelled from the far reaches of Canada, converged on Montreal Saturday to grab a piece of the country’s first Ultimate Fighting Championship.
A record crowd of about 22,000 packed the Bell Centre to watch the premier event of mixed martial arts.
“I like (to see) the Canadian fighters beating the crap out of the Americans, that’s what I like,” said Rich Cowan of Niagara Falls, Ont., as he shuffled in line with his buddies outside the arena.
Cowan says the “violence” and “blood” of ultimate fighting has made him an enthusiast, but it was Georges (Rush) St. Pierre who drew him to UFC 83 in Montreal.
St. Pierre, a Montreal native, was set to square off against Matt (The Terror) Serra in a rematch for the welterweight championship in the card’s main event.
“I’m here to see St. Pierre kick the crap out of Serra,” said Cowan, who had a Canadian flag tied around his neck and wore a Karate Kid-like headband with the initials GSP — for Georges St. Pierre.
Asked if he thought his hero would be victorious, Cowan was confident.
“You better believe it buddy, why would I be here I didn’t think that?” Cowan said with a grin.
Some fans, anxious to see the mayhem inside the Bell Centre, engaged in play fights on the sidewalk with friends to show off they’re own moves.
Inside, the buzz grew with each bout. The boisterous crowd erupted each time a fighter drove a kick or punch into their opponent.
But it was the Canadian combatants — eight battled in the octagon Saturday — who easily drew the loudest cheers.
“First time it’s in Canada, we had to be here,” said Phil DeAtley of Edmonton, as he made his way into the building.
For the occasion, DeAtley painted his face blue and sketched a fleur-de-lis on the bridge of his nose. He wore the initials “GSP” and the word “Rush” on his cheeks.
“It’s all about our Canadian boy GSP,” he said.
Barry Nerling has been hooked on ultimate fighting ever since he watched UFC 6 in 1995.
Nerling, who celebrated his birthday Saturday, travelled from Vernon, B.C. for his first visit to Montreal.
“I just like the fact that it’s raw,” he said of mixed martial arts.
“It’s very unpredictable and you get good energy from it. They’re still sportsmen about it, yet it’s such a brutal sport.”
One of Nerling’s travelling partners, Sarah Draht, says she can’t wait to see women in UFC.
Draht, who competes in pro fights as a kickboxer and stand-up boxer, says she’s adding Brazilian jiu-jitsu to her repertoire.
“You’re constantly challenging yourself, constantly learning,” she said.
“When you go out on the mat you’re putting everything on the line — win or lose.”
Tickets for UFC 83 went on pre-sale to the UFC’s fan Fight Club in February and members snapped up 13,000 stubs in the first 24 hours.
A few days later, the rest sold one minute after the box office opened to the public.
Face value ranged from $50 to $550, but asking prices on EBay climbed above $2,000 a seat on the floor and to $12,000 for a private box that holds 10.
But inflated prices and long travelling distances didn’t scare away fight fans, who broke the record for a UFC event.
The UFC’s former attendance record was 19,049, set in 2007 at UFC 68 in Columbus, Ohio.
Brian Enright, a 27-year-old master’s student at University of Toronto, used his Fight Club membership to buy two $225 tickets.
He took a midnight bus Thursday from Toronto, getting to the station four hours head of time to make sure he got on.
Enright rolled into Montreal at 7:05 a.m., checked into his hotel and then was in front of the line at the Bell Centre at 8 a.m. for the weigh-in Friday.
“All worth it and then some,” he said. “I feel like a kid again.”
Montreal Canadiens fan Peter Prevel, meanwhile, was “crushed” he had to miss the Habs-Boston Bruins playoff game.
“I’m supporting them because I can’t see them tonight,” Prevel said of the Canadiens, who fell 5-4 to the Bruins.
But the Montreal resident said UFC is worth it.
“It’s the excitement, the result at the end, there’s never a tie there’s always a winner,” he said.
