knock-outs gave fans what
they paid to see

BY CHUCK TUCK | JOURNAL REPORTER

MMA fans set a new Washington State attendance
record at IFL event Friday

The sellout crowd of 7,000 plus fans converged under one roof at the Everett Events Center for an electrifying evening of one on one, hand to hand and, in some cases, foot to head combat.

Last Friday saw a record crowd of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans cheer on fighters sporting names like, “The Janitor” and “Skull Crusher”. The rabid crowd was the largest ever to witness MMA in Washington State.
Like the days of Roman gladiators, the MMA fighters go head-to-head with their opponents in three five minute rounds to determine its victor by three judges and a points system, stoppage by the referee or a knock-out.

With the crowd on their feet for most of the night, fight fans were treated to what they came to see, knock-outs; of the ten schedule bouts, half ended by way of knock-out, or referee stoppage due to a fighter’s inability to continue determined by the referee for safety of the fighter.

Bruised and bloodied, these mortal enemy’s within the ring seem to hate each other, but outside of the ring, the story for many is different.
Some are friends, but most have a respect for each other and the sport they love.

Although local team the Seattle Tiger Sharks came up short, losing three of five fights, Eddie Cortez of Mixed Martial Arts Weekly said, “… the crowd was anything but disappointed in the athletic competition”. The event was also carried on Fox Sports.

With the growing number of fans in MMA sporting events worldwide, and the record attendance set at the Everett Events Center last Friday, the sport is definitely hear to stay (at least for awhile), and fans in Snohomish County are sure to see more match-ups in the near future.

Nationally, the sport has gained prominence after industry leaders regulated the contests by adding weight classes and a few strict but necessary rules - no eye gouging or biting, for example.

Much has changed since the early 90’s, when MMA fights often consisted of large, unskilled behemoths being ruthlessly pummeled by smaller yet more talented fighters. At the time, Senator John McCain of Arizona launched an inquiry, comparing the sport to “human cockfighting.”

As the sport gained legitimacy through regulation, fights were added to Las Vegas promotions, and eventually the sport gained enough credence to appear on Vegas odds maker’s lines - the sure badge of approval for any aspiring sport.

Two weeks ago, MMA was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and labeled ‘America’s Fastest Growing Sport’. USA Today reported that MMA pay-per-view receipts for the recently held Ultimate Fighting Championship 71 outpaced similar WWE and boxing buy rates by a two-to-one margin.

The IFL’s local schedule is certain to include Everett in heavy rotation after last week’s record crowd, so it appears we can add one more sporting feather into the Everett Events Center’s cap.
For more information on local MMA events, visit www.ifl.tv.

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