UFC Expo Knocks It Out of Cage
Loretta Hunt Jul 11, 2009
The UFC’s inaugural expo is upon us, and I have to say that the
folks of Zuffa have really outdone themselves.
I’ve been to the mecca of all expos with the Arnolds and a couple of other MMA-related spin-offs in the last couple of years, but this one is where it’s at in terms of bang for your buck.
For $40, a two-day pass will allow you to wander through a
warehouse-size labyrinth of supplements, gear, and clothing
vendors, who have exhausted every possible adjective that could be
remotely related to fighting at this point.
There’s plenty to see and do. You can spend your day playing the UFC’s new Undisputed video game, watch fights all day at Spike TV’s sit-in lounge area, drink unlimited protein shake shots made by scantily-clad booth assistants (ah, lunch), or get accosted by a life-size Brock Lesnar cutout (complete with cranium-sized hole for authentic-looking headlock) while your girlfriend snaps off the shot. Heck, you can do all four if you really want to.
Most of all, there’s opportunities galore to get an item signed by your favorite fighters, as long as you can brave the Disney World-caliber lines. Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Forrest Griffin, and Kimbo Slice were among the most in-demand that I saw as I made the rounds.
Other than a need for map displays placed throughout the rows (I couldn’t find anything without a fight) and an announcement system that visitors can actually hear, there wasn’t much more this operation could improve on.
I’d be surprised if the UFC doesn’t host another one of these within the next year –- one security guard said the first fans were lined up as early as 5 a.m. for the doors to open at 9. They must have been joined by at least 10,000 others today. Now, that’s demand.
I’ve been to the mecca of all expos with the Arnolds and a couple of other MMA-related spin-offs in the last couple of years, but this one is where it’s at in terms of bang for your buck.
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There’s plenty to see and do. You can spend your day playing the UFC’s new Undisputed video game, watch fights all day at Spike TV’s sit-in lounge area, drink unlimited protein shake shots made by scantily-clad booth assistants (ah, lunch), or get accosted by a life-size Brock Lesnar cutout (complete with cranium-sized hole for authentic-looking headlock) while your girlfriend snaps off the shot. Heck, you can do all four if you really want to.
Most of all, there’s opportunities galore to get an item signed by your favorite fighters, as long as you can brave the Disney World-caliber lines. Royce Gracie, Randy Couture, Forrest Griffin, and Kimbo Slice were among the most in-demand that I saw as I made the rounds.
Other than a need for map displays placed throughout the rows (I couldn’t find anything without a fight) and an announcement system that visitors can actually hear, there wasn’t much more this operation could improve on.
I’d be surprised if the UFC doesn’t host another one of these within the next year –- one security guard said the first fans were lined up as early as 5 a.m. for the doors to open at 9. They must have been joined by at least 10,000 others today. Now, that’s demand.
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