11-20-2011, 11:09 AM
I had a ringside seat. RINGSIDE.
Cung Le lost, which was a bummer. He got a good start in Rd 1, unleashing some daring spinning kicks and punches, but Silva caught him in the 2nd with a brutal barrage to the face and the ref stopped it.
The main card, Shogun vs. Hendo, went the distance - 5 rounds of hardcore action. Dana White said it was one of the top three fights he's ever seen. There was so much blood that the photographers were wiping off their lenses and complaining about the smell.
Unfortunately, I didn't apply for a photo pass, just a reporter pass. Strikeforce would let me shoot regardless, as long as I didn't get to close to the cage, but UFC had strict regulations of who could shoot from ringside. So I didn't shoot much, but that's okay. I got to watch more. Honestly, I didn't have the hardware to shoot at ringside. I was sitting next to the photo-editor for Getty Images (it was amazing to watch him crop and tweak photos - so fast and precise). The only real bummer about that was I was seated right next to the ringgirls. That's actually the best seat in the house.
UFC's production values are fantastic. The fights started at 2:45 and went until around 9. Lots of hi-res video screens, great house DJ, well-managed, heavy police presence - just a great show all around. I can see why they are #1 in the biz. Even with my attachment to Strikeforce (being homegrown here in the Bay Area) and my friend Cung suffering a tough defeat, I had a great time. What a show!
Now to figure out how to cover this and kiss up to UFC so they let me come back and bring a photographer.
Cung Le lost, which was a bummer. He got a good start in Rd 1, unleashing some daring spinning kicks and punches, but Silva caught him in the 2nd with a brutal barrage to the face and the ref stopped it.
The main card, Shogun vs. Hendo, went the distance - 5 rounds of hardcore action. Dana White said it was one of the top three fights he's ever seen. There was so much blood that the photographers were wiping off their lenses and complaining about the smell.
Unfortunately, I didn't apply for a photo pass, just a reporter pass. Strikeforce would let me shoot regardless, as long as I didn't get to close to the cage, but UFC had strict regulations of who could shoot from ringside. So I didn't shoot much, but that's okay. I got to watch more. Honestly, I didn't have the hardware to shoot at ringside. I was sitting next to the photo-editor for Getty Images (it was amazing to watch him crop and tweak photos - so fast and precise). The only real bummer about that was I was seated right next to the ringgirls. That's actually the best seat in the house.
UFC's production values are fantastic. The fights started at 2:45 and went until around 9. Lots of hi-res video screens, great house DJ, well-managed, heavy police presence - just a great show all around. I can see why they are #1 in the biz. Even with my attachment to Strikeforce (being homegrown here in the Bay Area) and my friend Cung suffering a tough defeat, I had a great time. What a show!
Now to figure out how to cover this and kiss up to UFC so they let me come back and bring a photographer.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse