05.26.12 UFC 146 @ MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV

UFC 146 at the Grand Garden

Tonight is UFC 146. Nothing remarkable about the day. Same old crap. Sponsors need info the promoter didn't communicate. So-and-so is unhappy with something. Joe Schmo needs a credential. Sally Sue needs a wristband, numbnuts is missing a box because they addressed it to the wrong place. Stuff so mundane that it's mind-numbing. But after the past 2 weeks, I'll take mundane. 

Burt Watson doing his thing

I get in late, around 11.00a. I had my guy Dave in at 9.00a to babysit the kiddies though so I wasn't worried about it. I've made no secret about the fact that I'm not a big fan of the sport of UFC. I appreciate the fighters as athletes and I like doing UFC shows at the Grand Garden because they're pretty simple but would I ever buy a ticket or purposefully go to a show I wasn't working on or going to meet people at, probably not. To me the best part about UFC is Burt Watson. I get to spend a bit of quality time with my dear friend.

Quiet before the storm

So the day rolls along and before you know it it's time for doors. Our production guru on the UFC/Concom side people have said resembles Justin Timberlake so that's what I call him. I look around for JT and my colleague Zippy tells me he's actually not there this time. JT's not here? What the… So we go ringside (or octagonside as the case may be) and we see Al, one of the owners of the production conglomerate Concom. He's a fun dude. The kind of guy you want to be around. Tres handsome, personable, successful, blah blah blah. I finally say to him, "Since JT's not here I don't even know who to ask for doors." He turns around and asks someone on headset. Truthfully, I could have done the same thing. I was just lazy and wanted to keep talking to with Zippy & Al.

Best seat in the house.

I get doors open around 2.45p and the fans trickle in. I head back to my office to work on budgets, staffing, CADs & other housekeeping things for a couple hours. Tomorrow we have Van Halen so this is the perfect opportunity to get a jump on things so I'm not scrambling to do it at 11.00p tonight while I'm trying to leave.

Crowd of 13,000+

At some point I realize I should head out to see some of the show, walk the floor, feel the energy of the event, check in with staff, spot check guests to see if they're having a good time, take some ops pics. Nothing was out of the ordinary or going wrong so I head back to my office to watch the fights on TV & do a little tweeting & FBing. I never get over the palpability of a crowd totally into a show, whether it's boxing, UFC, Buffett, ACMs or hockey. For a girl who doesn't like crowds, this is a funny occupation choice but somehow it works.

Before I gutted the thing

All's well with the event so I grab Trubes & we head up to Seablue for dinner. Bill tells me the special tonight is red snapper, in the water yesterday, flown in this morning. Ok, ok. I'll get it. It was delish but a bit fussy to eat. It's a whole fish so you have to debone it yourself. Not into fussy food. I'm fussy enough. But it was delish once I figured out where the bones were. I mention to Trubes, "Christ, I'm like a surgeon over here." She laughed. "I know, I'm watching you." I wouldn't order it again. I don't mind the eyeballs looking at me, I just don't like working for my food. 

Later I head over to Zippy's office. One of the fights I catch is so brutal that blood is literally squirting from a cut over this dude's nose onto the mat, like someone severed his carotid artery. I couldn't tell you what fight it was. Google or youtube it and you'll find it. The fighter looked like a neanderthal. So gross. But the crowd loved it. 

Main event fighter walk in

Several of the fights end up as first round knockouts. Leaves for lots of dead time in between fights which is good for the bars, bad for 'code blues' which is the code what we use over the radio for when someone pukes. I feel so bad for the EVS crew who has to deal with that. First round knockouts are also great for the venue, early out - and particularly for us tonight - this is critical. We have 7 hours to load out UFC because we have Van Halen loading in @ 6.00a. It never stops here.

Fans lining the fighter tunnel

The post fight presser takes place in the media center. I didn't pop my head in once. No desire. My gal Peggy has it covered. She's amazing. She puts up with a lot of shit and I give her all the credit in the world for being the strong-willed woman she is. She's one hell of a supervisor. I know she's got everything under control so I hang out chatting with my other supervisors going thru what went well and poorly that night. We had some scanning connectivity issues & some credential issues but that was about it. All and all, an excellent night. Bring on Eddie, Alex, Wolf & David...