Have you ever asked yourself what happens on “Fight Night”?
What it takes to get there? The restless logistic machine that climaxes on the moment the fighters get into the ring or the cage?
Well it such a complex process which depends mostly on the promotion we talk about… if we’re talking about big worldwide promotions such as UFC, Bellator, One, it’s like the city’s been taken over by this monster logistic machine, taking over venues, hotels, restaurants, and going up and down to the airport. Instead if you talk about smaller local events, there will still be a big fuss, but the city won’t be left upside down.
It all starts months before, but the “Fight Night” prep, starts one or even two weeks before. Big promotions coming from overseas arrive 2 weeks before more or less, the organization staff which will start checking all details for the event and for the arrival of the rest of the staff and the fighters and their teams.
Once everything’s ready and set for all, slowly the rest of the staff will start coming, followed by the fighters their coaches and or teams, then the referees, photographers, cameramen, journalists etc. Before the Weigh In there’s a lot to do, photo shooting for the fighters, several interviews, first medical checks, referee meetings, a huge amount of briefings, all of this to make sure everything goes the way it should, and it’s never enough!
There are always surprises along the way!! The last crucial moments before Weigh In are the athletes weight cut… 24h straight from hell after weeks of hard dieting with dehydrated training or worse, saunas and hot baths… but these guys are fucking warriors!!!
Once they pass that, its time to take care of business!! So Weigh In Day arrived finally!! Usually the official Weigh Inn is made before, which allowed fighters that miss it to loose what they must, and start to reintegrate and recover from weight cut before the official media weigh In.
After the official weight In, for the fighter it’s a run to reintegrate what he lost on the weight cut, water, multi minerals and potions of all types, each fighter and team, have their own rituals. Everything starts to move faster after this.. you can already fell the adrenaline in the air! Nothing better than the Official Media Weigh In to taste that adrenaline! One by one, the fighters will be called for the Official Face To Face with their menacing or poker face expressions to stare at one another!
You have everybody there! The teams the doctors the referees most of the organization staff, photographers and journalists having a blast, the audience… it’s the Call to War!!! After this, it will be a calm and reflective night to everyone!! Where everyone questions themselves if they did all they had to do to prepare for the big event! For some it’s just another night…but not for these Warriors!
The sun rises and the big day arrived! Most of the staff hardly slept, the fighters and coaches also. Everyone else certainly enjoyed a good night of sleep waiting to have fun tonight. It reigns a nervous silence all day. After breakfast people disappear to their rooms, resting and preparing for this crazy night where everything can happen! Only the staff keeps going like little bees always working! In the middle of the afternoon everyone is ready to go, little shuttles back and forward from the hotel to the venue that will stop only way before everything finishes.
On the venue everything is prepared of the big night! There will be a lot of people here tonight, the bars and restaurants filling the last needs. Ticket selling and security already doing their work. Mic checks and big screen tryouts!! On the backstage the doctor is checking the athletes, and the cutmen are scheduling the hand wraps for the fighters. Ice, water, and fruit are being given to the fighters along with the personalized gloves and clothes for the fight… photographers catching every raw moment… moments that will last forever!
Everything is ready now, the doors are open! VIPs and sponsor on fancy tables close to the ring ready to taste every second of the fights! People change when they watch the fights! You can see all primordial instincts in their eyes.
On the other side some fighters doing their hand wraps, others already warming up, it all stops to come to the rules briefing, where all fighters coaches and referees are present! All rules will be revisited, in different languages when needed to make sure everyone know what they can and a can’t do! Done that, let the games begin!!!
The Presentation starts along with the crow cheering and applauding! On the VIP tables the champagne and cocktails start to put everyone in the mood! The staff runs while they work making sure everything works smoothly! Finally the first fight is announced, hardly heard on the backstage with all the laud punches and kick from the other fighters warming up!! After that is one after the other, going in and coming out giving their bodies and souls to that octagon!
A mix of sweat, blood and adrenaline while the crowd roars!!!! Coaches screaming, cutmen stopping the blood, victories and defeats, proud eyes and tears, till the end of the Card, till the end of the night…
Fight Night is this and much more!!! It’s pride…. it’s hard work, it’s dedication and determination…it’s a dream for many of us! It’s what keeps us going. When it all ends, the staff will keep on working to dismantle everything. Everyone will go back home, with another epic night to tell their friends!
Tired, wounded that’s for sure…but I can assure you one thing. All of them already can’t wait for the next one! Live to fight another day.
Till the next Fight Night!!!
WE ARE LEGION
