Cageside at UFC's Historic Debut in San Jose

When I step away from my car, anxiety jolts through my veins as I start walking towards the HP Pavilion. I see the Pavilion organizers wearing some credentials around their neck, so I approach and politely ask them where the press entrance is. They tell me to go straight to the arena from the parking lot, down the stairs to a small entrance. So I follow the directions and come to a door that stated, "Warning - not a public entrance, do not enter without proper credentials.” I take a deep breath and then open the door. I go down a hallway to arrive at a table with two women sitting down. One lady asks me for my last name, I answer, and she hands me a press kit and UFC (Ultimate FIghting Championship) official program. I have just been give a press pass for San Jose’s first UFC fight ever, and what has also been heralded as the best UFC fight in history.

San Jose has always been one of the leading front runners for the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). If you look at the beginning of the UFC, you'll notice a lot of fighters are from San Jose. American Kickboxing Academy, one of the most popular, top-notch training academy in the world, is located right here in San Jose. And the first crowned UFC middleweight champion ever, Frank Shamrock, is also, you guessed it, from San Jose. Strikeforce, another MMA promotion company has had several fights in San Jose, but the UFC is by far the most popular of all MMA promotions, having just aired a fight on Fox in a display of its growing mainstream appeal. So when Zuffa, the company that owns the UFC acquired Strikeforce, I knew that UFC coming to SJ was inevitable.

With credentials around my neck and my backpack around my shoulder, I walk down a long hallway to an elevator. I go down a floor to the pressroom and pass two doorless rooms with tables, filled with monitors, and enter the main room. As I look to my right, I see a buffet of food, so I proceed to hook myself up. After eating, I follow the "Octagon" signs to arena floor. As I walk down the arena floor, the excitement fills my body from head to toe. While I go through two more ushers, I look around at the sold-out crowd beginning to fill the seats. Finally, I get to my seat, literally like seven feet away from the Octagon.

UFC 139 featured six former world champions. A wealth of international celebrities and MMA fighters were also in attendance peppered around the cage.

The co-main event consisted of PRIDE Middleweight champion, Wanderlei Silva and former Strikeforce champ, and San Jose sensation, Cung Le. Le is an IKF Light Heavyweight San Shou World Champion with a professional San Shou record of 16-0 before moving to MMA (he also held an undefeated kickboxing record of 17-0), making his UFC debut.

Fans were in a frenzy, going crazy for every big strike. First round both fighters - sluggers, feel each other out aggressively. All of sudden, Le lands a harsh short right hook, and the crowd explodes. As fight goes on, Wanderli gains composure and starts to land ferocious punches and leg kicks the rest of the round. In second round, both Le and Wanderi throw a fury of punches and kicks with few landing. A minute in the second the crowd starts a "Cung Le" chant. Both fighters are slugging it out and countering each other. With 40 seconds left on the clock, fans go nuts when Wanderi storms in with a barrage of brutal punches, getting a clinch, where he starts to land ruthless knees forcing the ref to stop the fight.

The main event was a MMA fan dream match-up, which featured former UFC and PRIDE Light Heavyweight winner Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, against PRIDE and Strikeforce world title winner Dan Henderson. Their records reflect wins over the biggest names of MMA's top fighters from around the world. Their match did not disappoint, and is already being called one of the best fights in MMA history by some commentators.

The first round, they meet in the middle of the cage and Henderson lands a short strong right hook and Shogun begins to bleeds above his left eye. Then Shogun lands his own right hook, sending Henderson to stagger to one knee. In the second round, Henderson hits Shogun with a leaning right, they grapple, and Henderson holds Shogun against the fence. In the third round, Shogun lands a right, left, kick combo connecting with force. Henderson hits Shogun with a vicious punch and swarms in to finish Shogun, and fans go absolutely insane. Thank God the ref didn't stop the remarkable fight.

Shogun ends up getting to his feet and makes Henderson pay with punches. In the fourth round, Shogun takes Henderson to the ground, but as the fourth ends, Henderson gains top position with the crowd exploding. In the fifth and final round, Shogun manages a take down and gains full mount. Henderson tries to slip in a choke, but Shogun regains full mount. Shogun maintains full mount position for a minute and as the crowd starts a "USA" chant, Henderson then flips Shogun over to gain control, and entire crowd erupts again.

The fight ends with a bloody Shogun and a pulverized Henderson. Judges give the extremely close fight to Henderson in a unanimous decision.

As I walked out of the arena I heard a lot of satisfied fans talking about how amazing the outcome of the event was. I've seen almost every UFC and Pride event, and this ranks up there as one of the best cards ever. Even though I was sad to see our own SJ's Cung Le lose, it was good to see Silva take the win, or it would have been his last fight in UFC. Cung Le got to display his striking skills against one of the most vicious strikers in the history of MMA.

In the opening statement of the UFC official program, Dana White said, "This city has been a huge supporter of MMA over the years, and now its time for us to put on a great event." He was on point. I saw a lot of great fights in San Jose, and with the UFC platform, San Jose got to show to the world, how a crowd can show respect for the fighters during a match without boo chants. The future definitely looks bright for the world of MMA in San Jose.