Three years ago I was given a sight that not everyone in their lifetime can experience and this was the front row to a UFC event. Being an MMA practitioner myself, I had believed I was ready for all the outrageous emotions coming from the crowd and the liveliness of the announcer and the fight itself. Not only was I completely wrong, but I had no clue what I had gotten myself into. Being in the moment, or seeing and feeling everything the octagon and the crowd gives off is much more fascinating than watching the event on tv or training in the gym.
The people around me were not only excited, but they were bouncing up and down out of their seats showing the true fondness for the event. I knew the feeling of being in the octagon feeling the eyes of everyone and hearing positive and negative things shouted at yourself, but having someone else feel my eyes up front, live is something I could never be prepared for. UFC 184 and its audience changed my life. Being in that crowd making friends with complete strangers, sharing laughs, having radiant lights beam down on you while your parents sit amazed at how you come to life is something I don't think anyone could possibly prepare for.

Music so loud you could barely hear yourself talk and then all of a sudden everything changes. The lights dim, the cheering, laughing and talking among the people all fade as these huge lights centered on one side of the arena. Next thing you know a fighter comes walking out and the crowd goes nuts! Screaming, shouts of “I love you!” to “Boo!” take over and you become lost in one side. As the other fighter comes out it feels you are living through a Déjà vu because everything was almost the same, jumping up and down with a smile so bright my cheeks began to hurt.

As the fight comes to an end and the event is near over there was one thing the same. Very strong support and cheering from anyone young, old, sober or not had changed so little I stood in complete shot seeing how much this event truly meant to people. Seeing it over the television or hearing about it, you truly never understand how vividly people care for who or what they support. Being able to witness first hand up front with people ten to twenty years older than me how much the fighter influenced them, to what they wore to how they would speak took my breath away.

Walking out of that stadium really made me realize what I wanted to do with my life. By training in the gym with a very small audience and only being able to watch or hear about sporting events didn't allow me to truly realize how much people cared for certain things. Along with not realizing how this had an impact on people’s lives I also didn't know how much I wanted to be that person giving the influence to others and being that person to put smiles on the crowds face and hearing that cheering while walking down that aisle to the octagon. 

Being up front in that UFC event deeply affected me for many reasons, not only did I see an amazing fight, but I also saw the deep-rooted affection that people had for these fighters. Understanding that you are only able to truly understand by being there in that moment right next to them living through it all.