There is something special about European UFC events. They reliably forge enduring memories for those in attendance, and the UFC’s debut in Scotland did a wonderful job of maintaining that trend. Indeed, there were moments during UFC Fight Night 72 that shook the SSE Hydro arena.
As one would expect, the night’s biggest pops were reserved for the Scots. However, the English and Irish fighters were greeted with warmth and enthusiasm from the Glasgow crowd.
There was an abundance of Celtic solidarity for Ireland’s Paddy Holohan and Joseph Duffy. The pantomime rivalry between England and Scotland is often overstated, so the audience’s obvious affection for Michael Bisping and Ross Pearson was enough to melt this cold, black heart o’ mine.
The night undoubtedly belonged to the home fighters, though. From the moment Robert Whiteford slept Paul Redmond and dove into the adoring Glasgow crowd, à la Jose Aldo, the UFC was onto a winner. The decibel level and the endearingly expletive-laden chants—none of which would survive the scrutiny of content standards—only grew from there.
The crowd’s response to Stevie Ray’s first-round KO of Leonardo Mafra threatened to turn the SSE Hydro into an outdoor venue. And by the time Joanne Calderwood had gutted her way past Cortney Casey-Sanchez in the fight of the night, comparisons to UFC Dublin were almost inevitable.
Though it does pain me to concede this, the UFC’s debut in Scotland didn’t quite hit those heights. Of course, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. We’ll be waiting quite a while before Dublin’s atmosphere is surpassed.
Then again, Scotland doesn’t boast a transcendent figure like Conor McGregor. Neither the event nor its participants rode that kind of fanfare in the build-up. Instead, Scotland showcased talented fighters with typically introverted personalities and still managed to produce something remarkable.
What is it that makes these European events so special? There is no single factor, but the fans’ passion is the tide that lifts all boats. Even when stakes are almost entirely provincial, the emotional investment of the crowd provides meaning and engages the neutral observer. It galvanizes the home fighters and inspires defiance in the visitors.
The outcome and quality of the fights are obviously crucial. No amount of patriotism will survive an evening of lay ‘n’ prays, nor will it weather repeated visions of local talent getting starched. All of these elements must combine to produce something memorable, and the UFC is adept at creating its own luck in that regard.
These cards also benefit from the novelty factor. They are few and far between, which instantly grants them additional value. Moreover, an explicitly nationalistic narrative isn’t required in order to generate passionate home support, which isn’t necessarily true for US audiences.
In smaller countries like Scotland and Ireland, special athletes are a rare breed. We cling to their successes and squeeze every drop of patriotic joy out of them right up until they retire. Even then, we’ll patiently subsist on past successes until we can hang our nation’s hat on someone new.
This scarcity means Scotland has never had the opportunity to take its sporting heroes for granted, which was made obvious from the crowd’s response on Saturday. There were no Anderson Silvas or Georges St-Pierres draped in the Saltire. We have a few good fighters with the potential to do something more, and sometimes that’s all a small nation needs to get invested.
The Scottish fans did themselves proud. And if there’s any justice, they will be rewarded with another visit from the sport’s premier organization in the very near future. Who knows? A regular spot on the UFC calendar might not be out of question, either.
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