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DENVER – The metronome sounds of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter, Mike Perry, hitting punches on the pads resonate in the Exdo Event Center in Denver, CO on the evening of Wednesday, November 7.
Until an isolated voice of the crowd of spectators breaks the routine. "Cowboy will take a look at you, Perry, and I'll catch him!"
The muffled laughter of more than 100 spectators who attended the open training session before the UFC Fight Night 139 event in the Mile High City on Saturday, November 10th.
But hardly a reaction from Perry, who faces Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, of Denver, at Fight Night, which also marks the 25th anniversary of the first UFC show.
A few minutes later, while Perry was playing his game on the ground, quickly blocking his training partner in a choke in the back, he was interrupted again.
"You will not do that to Cowboy … he's so good!" the same rowdy shrieked, this time he laughed louder.
At the end of his 10 minutes of training, Perry showed that he was not too worried by taking a microphone and thanking the crowd, jokingly enjoying it "except for this guy".
Later, he told the media fray with a smile, "It goes to the showman, this guy was good for fans heckling me like that, he gave me my energy. "
The rowdy Zach Whetstine, 36, said his jokes for Perry were all very amusing.
"I'm just here to support Cowboy," said the animal control officer. "Since I have been here, I have the chance to dazzle his opponent too, but everything revolves around him (Cerrone)."
Whetstine clearly had a good time. After all, the principle of open UFC workouts is simple: give a show to local fans.
Free and open to the public, the sessions – which take place even when Fight Night travels to places like Singapore where Cerrone hosted on June 23 – have allowed athletes to engage their fans.
During Wednesday's training session, Mexican fighter Yair Rodriguez – who will face South Korean Jung "Korean Zombie" Chan-sung at the main event on Saturday – invited a fellow countryman to meet him. he had seen an El Tri jersey on stage and challenged him to throw kicks.
Finally, Raquel Pennington – who will face Germaine de Randamie – chose two young children from the crowd and taught them the basics of the technique to kick and kick.
This level of close interaction between athlete and ardent admirer is unusual for top sport and its accessibility has undoubtedly helped to popularize the UFC over the years.
Most fighters undergo a regular routine of striking and attacking exercises, but with a weighing usually a day or two later and with reduced weight – some up to 15 kg – to meet their weight class limits, some decide to change tactics.
Cerrone recognized him when he chose not to exercise, but rather to talk, take photos and sign autographs for fans.
"Just being lazy, that's all … Nothing to do," explained the 35-year-old, tied with George St Pierre and Michael Bisping, for the most wins in the UFC (20).
Whatever they get from their favorite fighters, there is no doubt that open workouts are a hit with fans.
Even an hour before the start of the training sessions, some thirty people had already formed outside the site, despite the dry desert air of Colorado and the cold temperatures of 6 degrees Celsius.
Brandon Lynn, 23, from Denver, said, "It's always a pleasure for the UFC to be in town and we can watch the fighters up close to things like open workouts.
"So, whenever the UFC is in Denver, I'm here, and I'm going to some of their events in Texas if I can."
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