Photographer On The Go

On April 23rd 2010 Coquitlam hosted the first BC MMA contest at The Red Robinson Theater. When I purchased my tickets I asked the Manager to check with the Promoters if I could take some pictures using a long lens without flash. Well the next day the manager telephoned saying it was fine but I couldn’t stand up. I couldn’t believe it.

Well fight night arrived and my son-in-law entered but security wasn’t going to let me take the camera in which is the usual policy there. I asked them to get a promoter and double check. After meeting a promoter she wanted me to go to ringside. get out, ringside! I said I am hear with my son -in-law and she hesitated. I said I would be fine, I wasn’t leaving him behind and that I had picked good seats to take some pictures. She looked at some sheets of paper and said “ok, both of you” and put these press bracelets on us and she took us ringside. I thought I was excited, Bryan was grinning from ear to ear. They were pretty good seats.

This was a conventional ring, not the cage and a few times I jumped back as the karate guy was coming through the ropes kung foo-ing and was about to land in my lap.

“I ain’t afraid ah no MMA guy. Nah, he didn’t hurt me”

That is how I felt and Bryan was farther back than I was. Neither of wanted a judo chop in the forehead. I was more worried about my camera. NOT. But as much, really.

The night went off without a hitch. The crowd and fighters were great, with no troubles inside. The fighters were all very professional and fought their hardest. there were minimal injuries and not a blood bath as I am sure many anticipated. The card girls did an excellent job as did the ring announcer Scott Alan from CFOX radio.

The Promotion Team of Don Arnott from So You Wanna Fight and John Kenchenten from ECO Digital Video Institute (ECO DV-I). Dons lovely wife and son were both there working at the event. Don’s son is a boxer and is thinking of Martial Arts training to expand his career. He currently has 30 wins. You can see both Don and John regularly on the Fight Network if you haven’t seen them already.

Extreme M.M.A.

Canadian Amateur MMA Championships

ARE YOU READY

FIGHT

See more photographs at my Flickr site. (this will become the link when photographs are uploaded)

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