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Foreshadow Shaky Seven-Fight UFC 50 By Loretta Hunt Some have unemphatically dubbed it the Bore of '04, and judging from the ultra-thin turnout of spectators today at its official weigh-ins at the Trump Plaza Theatre in Atlantic City, New Jersey, early signs indicate UFC 50 will come and go as one of the less memorable editions in recent memory to a fighting franchise that has gradually been on the rise. What started as a somewhat engaging 8-fight event has slowly smoldered over the last two months with the loss of fighters Phil Baroni, Paul Buentello, John Marsh, Marvin Eastman (who later returned), and Trevor Prangley, and quickly turned into a fiasco last week when the promotion lost main eventer Guy Mezger in a training accident. Yet with catastrophe comes opportunities. In the endless reshuffling, 5-0 Patrick Cote has risen from the undercard for a shot at Tito Ortiz and instant notoriety in tomorrow's main event. Tony Fryklund is back after an extended absence dating back to the summer of 2002 at UFC 37.5. Newcomer Travis Lutter is also onboard, while Tra Telligman's clash with Buentello, then Marsh, and then Miletich rep Mike Whitehead has been scrapped all together. After a week of chaos, a weary UFC president Dana White looked gratified just to get this final card weighed-in today, hovering over each fighter as New Jersey officials read out the numbers. The fighters, themselves, were subdued and almost lethargic, save for French Canadian dynamo George St. Pierre, whose general congeniality lifted the comparatively dull proceedings. His hood pulled low and hands folded inside a bright red sweat suit, former light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz kept to the corners until his call to the stage. Flanked by a select circle of training mates including recent MTV "True Life" star Kit Cope, the silent, yet focused fighter weighed-in at 205 pounds on the dot. Canadian opponent Patrick Cote was but a pound shier, his hope being to catch the fallen champion with a hard left or right before the ground-and-pounder moves in for the kill. Looking to give his career a much-needed shot in the arm following two very high profile losses to Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, it is doubtful Ortiz will give this newcomer the window he needs.
Bucking the trend of inertia with a beaming grin from ear-to-ear, French Canadian Georges St. Pierre was simply a ball of energy as he made is way to the scales to come in 169 pounds. 7-0 St. Pierre emerged a contender following two strong showings at UFC 46 and 48, once BJ Penn was stripped of the currently vacant title he wrested from Matt Hughes last January. 37-4 Hughes earned his slot tomorrow from his decision victory over fellow 50er Charuto Verissimo at UFC 48, and weighed in at 170 pounds today. In their staredown, St. Pierre greeted his far more experienced opponent with a polite bow, but later turned to the crowd and mimed the belt across his hips. Prophetic or misguided? Tomorrow will tell.
To kick off the live telecast, two of the sport's most prolific fight teams will be represented in Team Quest's Evan Tanner and Miletich Martial Arts Robbie Lawler. Both have journeyed to the division from either bookend-- 31-4 Tanner had a substantial run at light-heavyweight before dropping and clocking in a definitive victory over Baroni at UFC 48. Powerhouse puncher Lawler had his successes in the welterweight division as well, but felt the time was right to make the move up when cutting weight became an issue. Today, a stoic Tanner weighed in at 184 pounds, while a bulkier Lawler rang in at 185. For reasons unascertained, Lawler broke into a hearty laugh when he met with his opponent on the stage. Tanner returned the chuckle for what must have been an inside joke between the two.
In swing bout action, returnee Rich Franklin will make his UFC middleweight debut tomorrow night, after a few runs in the lighter digits in lower level shows and victories over both Tanner and Edwin Dewees in the light-heavyweight division. The well-rounded 17-1 Franklin is reckoned a force in what has suddenly become one of the more riveting divisions of the promotion. His first test will be Team Elite opponent Jorge Rivera, also returning to the UFC following a disappointing loss to brawling Brit Lee Murray by armbar submission a couple of shows ago. Savvy strikers both, this one could start and end on its feet, but Franklin might have the advantage with his versatile kicks. On the undercard, middleweights Tony Fryklund and Ivan Salaverry are both replacements to the 50 card. Originally considered a substitute for Eastman, Salaverry was eventually brought in for an injured Phil Baroni, while Fryklund signed on late last week when Prangley broke his ribs in final preparations. Today, AMC Pankration veteran Salaverry came in at 184 pounds. Miletich man Fryklund was a bit lighter at 180.5 pounds.
Las Vegan Marvin Eastman and Lion's Den affiliate Travis Lutter will lead-off the festivities tomorrow night, and came in today at 204.5 pounds and 199 pounds respectively. A Muay Thai champion and a decent wrestler, 7-3 Eastman has had to switch gears with the last-minute addition of 6-1 Lutter, known for a tight ground game. Ripped and defined as ever, Eastman looked a monster to Lutter's simpler physique.
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