Dim the house lights, crank up the guitar music, bring out Joe Rogan and a couple of pretty girls, and the stage is set for the Ultimate Fighting Championship 133 weigh- in.
At the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, Rogan, a TV personality long associated with mixed martial arts, introduced the combatants to the crowd. Saturday is the big day for the 22 fighters scheduled to compete in the octagon.
Fans applauded and whistled for eight fighters on the preliminary card, which will be available on Facebook Saturday starting at 5:05 p.m. They cheered for four more preliminary-card combatants, who will fight on Spike TV, and they became louder for nine of the 10-man main card.
Boos mixed with cheers filled the air for former light-heavyweight champion Rashad Evans. The 31-year-old, who hasn't fought in 14 months, is in the featured match with Tito Ortiz, 36, who hasn't fought in about four weeks. Suddenly, Ortiz has been embraced again by fans who had given up on him after he failed to win a match in 41/2 years.
Ortiz's victory over Ryan Bader on July 2 put him back on a winning track. Furthermore, fans have approved of his taking on the Evans fight on short notice.
"He's a very, very tough opponent," Ortiz said. "He's crafty, fast, has good wrestling and boxing [skills]. I can't say anything bad about him because he's one of the top guys.
"I know I've got my hands full, but I'm going to give it my all. I feel really good, strong, and in shape. I'm ready to fight, and I'm going to get my hand raised."
Suddenly, the affable Evans, the No. 1 contender whose record is 10-1-1, is persona non grata to some. And Ortiz (17-8-1), who was adored when he held the UFC light-heavyweight crown longer than any other man - 31/2 years - is the good guy again.
Evans originally was supposed to fight Phil Davis, but he is out with an injured knee.
"It's been a long time, and I actually gave up on the hope that this matchup may happen again," Evans said. "But fate has shown me differently, and I'm very excited and pleased that Tito Ortiz stepped up so we can have this fight.
"I don't feel like I have to go out there and talk a lot of trash, even though I will say something to him. I don't have any doubts. I know what I can do."
"It's a great card," Rogan said. "It's the beauty of the depth of the talent pool. We have an organization where there are 300 fighters under contract. They are all the elite mixed martial artists of the world. So when things fall out, they stay in tip-top shape knowing that this is such a volatile sport. Training is so difficult that guys are constantly getting injured."
Rogan praised Ortiz for his decision to fill in for Davis.
"He takes this fight on short notice with momentum and confidence behind him because of the win over Bader," Rogan said, "and I think it's an excellent matchup because of that."
UFC 133
When: 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Wells Fargo Center
TV: Pay per viewEndText