Psychic Star
Christopher “Big Black” Boykin sat front row as he waited for his favorite fight on the card, Donald Cerrone vs. Melvin Guillard. A Melvin Guillard fan, he said what he was most excited for was that the bout “won’t go to the ground.”
Afterparties
Melvin Guillard, Jake Shields and Rashad Evans hosted an afterparty at Denver hotspot Chloe attended by Gilbert Melendez, Nate Diaz and Chris Weidman… UFC 150’s Buddy Roberts and Justin Lawrence attended an MMA Elite event at Suite 200… Jackson’s teammates Cowboy Cerrone and Erik “Goyito” Perez both scored knockouts with a combined fight time of 1 minute, 33 seconds. They celebrated afterward for far longer at the Jet Hotel with MusclePharm and BodyBuilding.com sponsors… Chris Camozzi and Amir Sadollah joined Ed Herman for his afterparty at bowling alley-slash-nightclub Lucky Strike.
False Advertising
Though he told Joe Rogan he’d be having an “after-party after-party,” Submission of the Night winner Dennis Bermudez skipped the nightlife festivities, hit pads with Keith Trimble and went for a run.
Meal for a Champ
Benson Henderson celebrated his title
defense by taking his family, coaches and friends to Pho 555, a
Vietnamese restaurant open late on the south side of Denver.
Team Spirit
UFC lightweight contender Nate Diaz and Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, working the corner of Jake Shields… former WEC champ Mike Brown walking out with ATT teammate Ken Stone… another former WEC champ, Anthony Pettis, who cornered Chico Camus… UFC vet and JMMA legend Caol Uno in the corner of Eiji Mitusoka.
Strikeforce Showing
One week out from his San Diego fight on
Showtime, Lumumba Sayers donned a three-piece suit inside the Pepsi
Center. Less dressy but still representing the brand were Conor Heun,
wearing a Strikeforce tee; infamous BJJ trainer Jorge Gurgel, there cornering Tommy Hayden; and Tyler Stinson, who used his second-row
spot to photobomb shots of Diego Sanchez.
TUF King Returns
After cheering on his teammates at UFC 150, Diego Sanchez joined manager
Michael Sanchez and other members of the Insight Catch team for drinks
at 15|Fifty and a late-night meal at Yard House.
Also In the Crowd…
Denver native and UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub, middleweight contender Chris Weidman, featherweight fan favorite Leonard Garcia and middleweight-turning-welterweight Kyle Noke.
Grappler’s Best
Denver-born actor and aikido black belt Tygh Runyan had a front row seat and rooted for Erik Perez, Eiji Mitsuoka and Yushin Okami.