View from The Hawks Nest
An event review from a Fan's perspective
By Matthew “MMAHAWK” Hawkins
VHS to MSG
The year was 1995 and I was a 16 year old high school junior. Like many high school kids I faced a few confrontations that left me wondering how I could still defend myself or the very least convince these people I'm not the target they wanted to mess with. Being big into the Van Damme and Steven Segal movies, as well as growing up with pro wrestling and boxing, the world of combat (whether staged or real) deeply interested and entertained us. It was around this time during a random weekend that my cousin Troy came by the family house to pay a visit. Troy had just discovered an event called the Ultimate Fighting Championship which he described as “nuts”. Of course I had to see this! Off to the video store we went and 30 minutes later I put UFC 3 into the VCR (remember those?). After 30 seconds into watching a 220lb Keith Hackney drop a 660lb Manny Yarbrough (RIP) with an open palm strike that not only shocked Manny, but shocked all of those who witnessed this freak show. I still could not understand or believe something like this could be real. 21 years later I still haven't turned that player off. That day would not only open my eyes about ways to defend myself but also sparked a passion that very much helped define the last two decades of my life.
Now, as I type this, I’m sitting on a plane headed to New York city where I will witness and be a part of the largest event in the history of the UFC. This view will be about my journey as a fan from UFC on VHS to MSG.
In September of 1995 the UFC held their seventh event. It took place in Buffalo NY and introduced the world to the great MMA legend Marco Ruas. That night, Ruas would go on to win the open weight 8 man tournament but for me however it was one of the smaller fighters, Mark Hall, that caught my attention. Not only did Hall manage to win his opening fight but during his introduction I noticed he lived and trained just 35 miles north of me. A few months later I found myself at a gas station in Temecula California searching for a name and address. There it was, Mark Hall's Ultimate Fighting Training Center. This would be the answer to defending myself but unbeknownst to me would also open the door to witnessing this new passion in person.Shortly after UFC 7 there was an announcement that the next event would be called the Ultimate Ultimate. It would take place in December of 1995 and would have the best fighters at the time compete in a one night tournament. Well, at just 17 years old and with just enough money to afford gas, I stood in front of a ticketmaster kiosk and clicked on tickets while knowing a flight to Denver and a $60 ringside seat was an impossible dream.
After some time passed I became the crazy kid in school that drove a few times a week to learn how to dislocate and mangle limbs. Funny enough, this lead to not a single threat from anyone for the rest of time in school. But I also became the person that had a growing closet of UFC tapes. I showed everyone who I came in contact with this incredible sport. On many occasions I was invited to my high school football teams dinner the night before their games to bring tapes of the fights. Tank Abbott had a way of getting 40 high school guys ready to do some hitting the next night. After finishing high school, I became a bit sidetracked with other interests. I stopped training and lost touch with Mark Hall for a couple years but at no point did I miss a single fight that was ever available.As the urge to finally attend an event was growing, I saw that Sugar Shane Mosley would be boxing at the pechanga Indian Reservation in Temecula, CA. I bought a few tickets with some buddies and watched as Shane defeated Wilfredo Rivera by 10th round KO in a great fight. While exiting the event I ran into my old friend Mark Hall. Of course I had to go say “what's up?!”. It was then he handed me a flier for The Cobra Challenge, a UFC 1 rules event that he would be putting on. A ringside table would be made available if I wanted it and of course I obliged. Fast forward a couple months and the late Reggie Cardinal defeated his opponent by KO to win his bout. In a rare tape of the event, he is seen celebrating his win by running to a ring and giving a high 5 to a fan. That fan was me at my first event.
On April 14th, it was announced that the state of NY would be fully legalizing and regulating the sport of MMA. After a several years battle the UFC announced on November 12th (the 23rd anniversary of UFC 1) they would be holding their first regulated show in New York at the legendary Madison Square Garden. Fifteen minutes later a friend called and said, “let's do it!”. Thirty minutes later (and seven months before the event) flights and hotel rooms were booked. In September the UFC released the fight card. Three championship fights and the UFC money maker, Conor McGregor, on the card meant that getting event tickets themselves was going to be a tough and expensive battle. Luckily, what seemed like just one second after the pre sale began, I pulled off the seemingly impossible, I snagged two of the (relatively) cheaper tickets that were briefly made available. While it was still three times the cost of a usual Vegas ticket (as tough of a pill that was to swallow) 10 seconds into the sale this dream trip could have been derailed quicker than former NFL player Johnny Morton’s fighting career. So as my plane touches down in NYC, the anticipation is rising for the biggest event in UFC history.On the eve of the event the weigh-ins are held. The changes in the rules by allowing fighters to weigh in early makes the actual ceremony more of a spectacle than an official weigh-in since we already know the results. Because of the anticipation for this huge event the UFC decided to have fans require a free ticket for admission. Previously they were usually open to the public on a free first come first serve basis. Unfortunately, like the tickets for the actual fight, these sold out in minutes. Leaving many fans that had spent thousands on an event ticket wondering why they wouldn't be able to attend or why brokers were allowed to grab several thousand tickets only to flip them for anywhere from $5 - $200 online. All of this despite the fact they were free. This coincidentally lead to some empty seats that surely fans would have loved to fill! While I was lucky enough to come across a couple free tickets thanks to a few of my generous fellow MMA fans. Perhaps the UFC should look into ways they can avoid the paying fans from getting locked out. A voucher or even a $5 add on to the event ticket would be more than a reasonable way to make sure the fans that help pay the bills can truly experience a UFC fight week!
McGregor eyes Alvarez as he steps on the scale at the UFC 205 weigh ins
Sadly fight week held a few disappointments. Earlier in the week we learned that the Tim Kennedy vs Rashad Evans bout had to be pulled due to some medical reasons. This removed Kennedy, a former Army Ranger, from the opportunity to fight on veterans day weekend in the Big Apple. While disappointing, the big blow came on the morning of the weigh-ins. That is when we learned that while the always entertaining and fan favorite Donald Cowboy Cerrone made weight, his opponent, Kelvin Gastelum, was having severe issues with the cut and wouldn't even attempt to step on the scale. At that moment a fight and fighter (Cerrone) that many fans bought tickets and pre-ordered the Pay per view to watch, was also pulled from the fight leaving fans across the world angry and disappointed. While this may be one of the more high profile occasions due to the event, changes to fight cards is not a rare occurrence and something that the UFC needs to address in the future. Backup fighters should be on hand and properly prepared and paid as a standby. Both original fighters should be aware of the alternate and previously agree to accept the possible late change. The fans are paying way too much money to not have a contingency plan in place. I can only imagine the chaos if McGregor was pulled the same way Cerrone was. The new York presidential protests would have looked like a parade compared to what the thousand's of Irish fans that traveled into town would have done. Fortunately that didn't happen and after the weights were official, the largest event in UFC history was 24 hours from taking place on its biggest stage.
Madison square garden being setup for the UFC 205 weigh ins
As fight time approached fans flocked to Madison Square Garden. The historic arena that has hosted dozens of classic boxing and sporting events including Ali vs Frazier 1, was the only place this could take place. The Garden was set to seat roughly 21,000 and didn't seem to have a bad seat in the house. Add that to the four sided high definition screens over the cage and four additional screens added to each corner of the arena and the fans perspective for this event would be as good as any large venue I've ever attended.While the actual event may have started off a tad slow with a close 3 round fairly uneventful win for Liz Carmouche, it wasn't long before Tim Boetsch and Vicente Luque would be bouncing heads on the canvas and bring the crowd alive. These bouts were followed by one of the greatest grappling performances that I've seen in a long time, if not ever. The skill that Khabib Nurmagomedov showed was beautiful to the fight fans eyes. Yet he also showed the brutality that one could end up facing the second that cage door is locked. I very much look forward to his future bouts. If he's able to avoid further serious injury at 24-0, he very well may become a future great.It was now time for the main card to kick off. As the lights dimmed and Baba O'Riley blasted throughout MSG there was no longer an open seat in the house. While the opener of the PPV didn't blow anyone's socks off, Raquel Pennington deserves accolades for a career defining performance against former women's champion Miesha Tate. After the bouts, Tate announced her retirement from the sport. As one of the pioneers of women's MMA, and from my few interactions, she is one of the fan friendliest fighters there has ever been. I wish her all the best and thank her for years of entertainment while always keeping things classy and respectful.
The next bout would be the absolute shock of the night. New Yorker Chris Weidman, the hometown (and my) personal favorite, would square off with Olympic silver medalist, Cuban wrestling monster, Yoel Romero. Unfortunately for Chris, his walkout would be the highlight of his night. Shortly into the 3rd round of the fight, Chris attempted to shoot for a takedown. Unfortunately for him, a perfectly timed flying knee by Romero landed on his temple, flattening Weidman, and opening a giant gash on the side of his head. Seconds later the fight was called as an unconscious and bloody Weidman laid on the mat. Fortunately he was able to leave to arena with no serious injury and only needing several stitches.
Yoel Romero thanks God after his shocking KO of local favorite Chris Weidman
It was now time for the three headline championship fights. The first of them was a Polish battle of two undefeated strawweight women. The champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and her opponent, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, battle it out in a 5 round fight that seemed closer than the scorecards would show. Joanna would be awarded a unanimous decision despite being put in serious danger for the first time in her career. After the fight both women were loudly cheered but the surprise was Karolina seemed to receive the louder cheers of the two. Perhaps a new star was made even despite the loss. Something that us old school MMA fans would appreciate.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk land a head kick in her UFC 205 title defense
The co main event featured newly crowned welterweight champion Tyron Woodley facing off with the surging Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Woodley came out strong, busting up Thompson's nose early into round 1 with an elbow on the ground following a takedown. The next few rounds were very close. It wasn't till the 4th when Woodley rocked Thompson sending him to the mat. Woodley then locked on what appeared to be a fight ending guillotine choke but Thompson fought off the hold. As the crowd was chanting his name, Thompson managed to escape. The fans roared with excitement. The two would fight a very close round five and the judges would be naming the winner. When the time came to announce the winner, Bruce Buffer read the scores: 47-47,47-47,and 48-47 declaring Woodley the winner by split decision. Unfortunately for Bruce and Tyrone, the final result was read in error. To win a decision you must be favored on two of the three scorecards and as clearly read, that was not the case. So as the confusion surrounded Joe Rogan's post fight interview, the correction was made and the fight was declared a majority draw. While Woodley retained his championship belt, a rematch with “Wonderboy” seems to undoubtedly be in his future.
After some confusion Woodley vs Wonderboy is declared a draw
The time had finally arrived for the main event! A historic match up that would see the UFC's featherweight king, Conor McGregor, attempt to become the first UFC fighter to ever hold two championship belts in two divisions simultaneously. In order to make this happen he would have to face long time MMA veteran and the newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, a man coming off of the destruction of Raphael Dos Anjos at UFC fight night 90 this past July. The Irish colors filled the arena as Conor made his appearance to the loud cheers and chants of his loyal Irish fans. Much respect to them for their unwavering support of their countryman and for traveling thousands of miles to show it. Eddie, like Conor and his colors, entered the cage with red white and blue engulfing the venue. After the introductions it was time to see if Mcgregor could make some history. It only took a few seconds but it soon became blatantly clear this was going to be his night. He dropped Alvarez almost immediately. Eddie managed to survive the shot and a few more knockdowns before the first round was over. The second round would be the final round of this fight as McGregor would again flatten Alvarez with a beautiful four punch combination. After a strong follow up punch on the ground Big John McCarthy would step in and wave the fight off. At that moment it felt like NYC had become Dublin. As Conor made history, his fans erupted, sending beer flying through the air as the wild celebration began. This continued throughout the night as the the Irish fans took over what seemed like the entire city.
Conor McGregor entering the octagon at UFC 205
After an amazing week of events, I couldn't help but think about how that small event I watched on VHS in 1995 would lead to anything like I had just witnessed. From that VHS tape to my first live UFC event (UFC 33); 200 live events over 17 years; family deaths and terrible breakups;MMA has always been my getaway. The sport that I always felt I was a small part of, even by just paying for every available pay per view or live ticket. So as my plane makes its way from the Big Apple back to my southern California home, I think about how the sport has evolved and become globally accepted and how lucky I've been to be a part of much of the ride.
Edited by
@lueVelvet
An event review from a Fan's perspective
By Matthew “MMAHAWK” Hawkins
VHS to MSG
The year was 1995 and I was a 16 year old high school junior. Like many high school kids I faced a few confrontations that left me wondering how I could still defend myself or the very least convince these people I'm not the target they wanted to mess with. Being big into the Van Damme and Steven Segal movies, as well as growing up with pro wrestling and boxing, the world of combat (whether staged or real) deeply interested and entertained us. It was around this time during a random weekend that my cousin Troy came by the family house to pay a visit. Troy had just discovered an event called the Ultimate Fighting Championship which he described as “nuts”. Of course I had to see this! Off to the video store we went and 30 minutes later I put UFC 3 into the VCR (remember those?). After 30 seconds into watching a 220lb Keith Hackney drop a 660lb Manny Yarbrough (RIP) with an open palm strike that not only shocked Manny, but shocked all of those who witnessed this freak show. I still could not understand or believe something like this could be real. 21 years later I still haven't turned that player off. That day would not only open my eyes about ways to defend myself but also sparked a passion that very much helped define the last two decades of my life.
Now, as I type this, I’m sitting on a plane headed to New York city where I will witness and be a part of the largest event in the history of the UFC. This view will be about my journey as a fan from UFC on VHS to MSG.
In September of 1995 the UFC held their seventh event. It took place in Buffalo NY and introduced the world to the great MMA legend Marco Ruas. That night, Ruas would go on to win the open weight 8 man tournament but for me however it was one of the smaller fighters, Mark Hall, that caught my attention. Not only did Hall manage to win his opening fight but during his introduction I noticed he lived and trained just 35 miles north of me. A few months later I found myself at a gas station in Temecula California searching for a name and address. There it was, Mark Hall's Ultimate Fighting Training Center. This would be the answer to defending myself but unbeknownst to me would also open the door to witnessing this new passion in person.Shortly after UFC 7 there was an announcement that the next event would be called the Ultimate Ultimate. It would take place in December of 1995 and would have the best fighters at the time compete in a one night tournament. Well, at just 17 years old and with just enough money to afford gas, I stood in front of a ticketmaster kiosk and clicked on tickets while knowing a flight to Denver and a $60 ringside seat was an impossible dream.
After some time passed I became the crazy kid in school that drove a few times a week to learn how to dislocate and mangle limbs. Funny enough, this lead to not a single threat from anyone for the rest of time in school. But I also became the person that had a growing closet of UFC tapes. I showed everyone who I came in contact with this incredible sport. On many occasions I was invited to my high school football teams dinner the night before their games to bring tapes of the fights. Tank Abbott had a way of getting 40 high school guys ready to do some hitting the next night. After finishing high school, I became a bit sidetracked with other interests. I stopped training and lost touch with Mark Hall for a couple years but at no point did I miss a single fight that was ever available.As the urge to finally attend an event was growing, I saw that Sugar Shane Mosley would be boxing at the pechanga Indian Reservation in Temecula, CA. I bought a few tickets with some buddies and watched as Shane defeated Wilfredo Rivera by 10th round KO in a great fight. While exiting the event I ran into my old friend Mark Hall. Of course I had to go say “what's up?!”. It was then he handed me a flier for The Cobra Challenge, a UFC 1 rules event that he would be putting on. A ringside table would be made available if I wanted it and of course I obliged. Fast forward a couple months and the late Reggie Cardinal defeated his opponent by KO to win his bout. In a rare tape of the event, he is seen celebrating his win by running to a ring and giving a high 5 to a fan. That fan was me at my first event.
On April 14th, it was announced that the state of NY would be fully legalizing and regulating the sport of MMA. After a several years battle the UFC announced on November 12th (the 23rd anniversary of UFC 1) they would be holding their first regulated show in New York at the legendary Madison Square Garden. Fifteen minutes later a friend called and said, “let's do it!”. Thirty minutes later (and seven months before the event) flights and hotel rooms were booked. In September the UFC released the fight card. Three championship fights and the UFC money maker, Conor McGregor, on the card meant that getting event tickets themselves was going to be a tough and expensive battle. Luckily, what seemed like just one second after the pre sale began, I pulled off the seemingly impossible, I snagged two of the (relatively) cheaper tickets that were briefly made available. While it was still three times the cost of a usual Vegas ticket (as tough of a pill that was to swallow) 10 seconds into the sale this dream trip could have been derailed quicker than former NFL player Johnny Morton’s fighting career. So as my plane touches down in NYC, the anticipation is rising for the biggest event in UFC history.On the eve of the event the weigh-ins are held. The changes in the rules by allowing fighters to weigh in early makes the actual ceremony more of a spectacle than an official weigh-in since we already know the results. Because of the anticipation for this huge event the UFC decided to have fans require a free ticket for admission. Previously they were usually open to the public on a free first come first serve basis. Unfortunately, like the tickets for the actual fight, these sold out in minutes. Leaving many fans that had spent thousands on an event ticket wondering why they wouldn't be able to attend or why brokers were allowed to grab several thousand tickets only to flip them for anywhere from $5 - $200 online. All of this despite the fact they were free. This coincidentally lead to some empty seats that surely fans would have loved to fill! While I was lucky enough to come across a couple free tickets thanks to a few of my generous fellow MMA fans. Perhaps the UFC should look into ways they can avoid the paying fans from getting locked out. A voucher or even a $5 add on to the event ticket would be more than a reasonable way to make sure the fans that help pay the bills can truly experience a UFC fight week!
Sadly fight week held a few disappointments. Earlier in the week we learned that the Tim Kennedy vs Rashad Evans bout had to be pulled due to some medical reasons. This removed Kennedy, a former Army Ranger, from the opportunity to fight on veterans day weekend in the Big Apple. While disappointing, the big blow came on the morning of the weigh-ins. That is when we learned that while the always entertaining and fan favorite Donald Cowboy Cerrone made weight, his opponent, Kelvin Gastelum, was having severe issues with the cut and wouldn't even attempt to step on the scale. At that moment a fight and fighter (Cerrone) that many fans bought tickets and pre-ordered the Pay per view to watch, was also pulled from the fight leaving fans across the world angry and disappointed. While this may be one of the more high profile occasions due to the event, changes to fight cards is not a rare occurrence and something that the UFC needs to address in the future. Backup fighters should be on hand and properly prepared and paid as a standby. Both original fighters should be aware of the alternate and previously agree to accept the possible late change. The fans are paying way too much money to not have a contingency plan in place. I can only imagine the chaos if McGregor was pulled the same way Cerrone was. The new York presidential protests would have looked like a parade compared to what the thousand's of Irish fans that traveled into town would have done. Fortunately that didn't happen and after the weights were official, the largest event in UFC history was 24 hours from taking place on its biggest stage.
Madison square garden being setup for the UFC 205 weigh ins
As fight time approached fans flocked to Madison Square Garden. The historic arena that has hosted dozens of classic boxing and sporting events including Ali vs Frazier 1, was the only place this could take place. The Garden was set to seat roughly 21,000 and didn't seem to have a bad seat in the house. Add that to the four sided high definition screens over the cage and four additional screens added to each corner of the arena and the fans perspective for this event would be as good as any large venue I've ever attended.While the actual event may have started off a tad slow with a close 3 round fairly uneventful win for Liz Carmouche, it wasn't long before Tim Boetsch and Vicente Luque would be bouncing heads on the canvas and bring the crowd alive. These bouts were followed by one of the greatest grappling performances that I've seen in a long time, if not ever. The skill that Khabib Nurmagomedov showed was beautiful to the fight fans eyes. Yet he also showed the brutality that one could end up facing the second that cage door is locked. I very much look forward to his future bouts. If he's able to avoid further serious injury at 24-0, he very well may become a future great.It was now time for the main card to kick off. As the lights dimmed and Baba O'Riley blasted throughout MSG there was no longer an open seat in the house. While the opener of the PPV didn't blow anyone's socks off, Raquel Pennington deserves accolades for a career defining performance against former women's champion Miesha Tate. After the bouts, Tate announced her retirement from the sport. As one of the pioneers of women's MMA, and from my few interactions, she is one of the fan friendliest fighters there has ever been. I wish her all the best and thank her for years of entertainment while always keeping things classy and respectful.
The next bout would be the absolute shock of the night. New Yorker Chris Weidman, the hometown (and my) personal favorite, would square off with Olympic silver medalist, Cuban wrestling monster, Yoel Romero. Unfortunately for Chris, his walkout would be the highlight of his night. Shortly into the 3rd round of the fight, Chris attempted to shoot for a takedown. Unfortunately for him, a perfectly timed flying knee by Romero landed on his temple, flattening Weidman, and opening a giant gash on the side of his head. Seconds later the fight was called as an unconscious and bloody Weidman laid on the mat. Fortunately he was able to leave to arena with no serious injury and only needing several stitches.
It was now time for the three headline championship fights. The first of them was a Polish battle of two undefeated strawweight women. The champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and her opponent, Karolina Kowalkiewicz, battle it out in a 5 round fight that seemed closer than the scorecards would show. Joanna would be awarded a unanimous decision despite being put in serious danger for the first time in her career. After the fight both women were loudly cheered but the surprise was Karolina seemed to receive the louder cheers of the two. Perhaps a new star was made even despite the loss. Something that us old school MMA fans would appreciate.
The co main event featured newly crowned welterweight champion Tyron Woodley facing off with the surging Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Woodley came out strong, busting up Thompson's nose early into round 1 with an elbow on the ground following a takedown. The next few rounds were very close. It wasn't till the 4th when Woodley rocked Thompson sending him to the mat. Woodley then locked on what appeared to be a fight ending guillotine choke but Thompson fought off the hold. As the crowd was chanting his name, Thompson managed to escape. The fans roared with excitement. The two would fight a very close round five and the judges would be naming the winner. When the time came to announce the winner, Bruce Buffer read the scores: 47-47,47-47,and 48-47 declaring Woodley the winner by split decision. Unfortunately for Bruce and Tyrone, the final result was read in error. To win a decision you must be favored on two of the three scorecards and as clearly read, that was not the case. So as the confusion surrounded Joe Rogan's post fight interview, the correction was made and the fight was declared a majority draw. While Woodley retained his championship belt, a rematch with “Wonderboy” seems to undoubtedly be in his future.
The time had finally arrived for the main event! A historic match up that would see the UFC's featherweight king, Conor McGregor, attempt to become the first UFC fighter to ever hold two championship belts in two divisions simultaneously. In order to make this happen he would have to face long time MMA veteran and the newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, a man coming off of the destruction of Raphael Dos Anjos at UFC fight night 90 this past July. The Irish colors filled the arena as Conor made his appearance to the loud cheers and chants of his loyal Irish fans. Much respect to them for their unwavering support of their countryman and for traveling thousands of miles to show it. Eddie, like Conor and his colors, entered the cage with red white and blue engulfing the venue. After the introductions it was time to see if Mcgregor could make some history. It only took a few seconds but it soon became blatantly clear this was going to be his night. He dropped Alvarez almost immediately. Eddie managed to survive the shot and a few more knockdowns before the first round was over. The second round would be the final round of this fight as McGregor would again flatten Alvarez with a beautiful four punch combination. After a strong follow up punch on the ground Big John McCarthy would step in and wave the fight off. At that moment it felt like NYC had become Dublin. As Conor made history, his fans erupted, sending beer flying through the air as the wild celebration began. This continued throughout the night as the the Irish fans took over what seemed like the entire city.
Conor McGregor entering the octagon at UFC 205
After an amazing week of events, I couldn't help but think about how that small event I watched on VHS in 1995 would lead to anything like I had just witnessed. From that VHS tape to my first live UFC event (UFC 33); 200 live events over 17 years; family deaths and terrible breakups;MMA has always been my getaway. The sport that I always felt I was a small part of, even by just paying for every available pay per view or live ticket. So as my plane makes its way from the Big Apple back to my southern California home, I think about how the sport has evolved and become globally accepted and how lucky I've been to be a part of much of the ride.
Edited by
@lueVelvet
