The Adventures of Saviya and Colin in Europe: June 12-15 Mega Cologne Post #2

So we got all settled in the hotel and headed over for the UFC99 Weigh-ins and autographs sessions. I chose the hotel so we could walk back and forth over the 2 days of events easily. Here we approach the Lanxess Arena

Very nice arena, well designed and modern. Looks like a bridge from top of the Dom Cathedral.

Once just the Koln Arena, now it is sponsored. Lots of glass, and sun was shinning.

Finally they let in the crowd, maybe 500 of us total. First up was the autograph sessions. These weren't the fighters on the UFC99 card, but some of their other guys. The biggest name and most popular of course was Michael Bisbing.

Bisbing is British and a talented 185lb fighter. If he can win his next fight against Dan Henderson he will likely fight Anderson Silva for the belt.

He was very personable, answered questions, asked some back even. Some people posed with the fighters, but the security was moving most of us along before we got pics with each fighter.

All of them seemed genuinely happy that the UFC was getting such good welcoming to mainland Europe in Germany.
Here Michael Bisbing shakes Saviya's hand (note the tiny pink part of her jacket :)

None of the fighters got the spelling of Saviya's name right, but it was pretty noisy...oh well!

Some people skipped passed Amir Sodallah. The euro crowd doesn't get to see the Ultimate Fighter show, so they had no idea who he was or that he won it the year he was on it. I went over and said nobody knows you, you look pretty bored. He laughed... I said I know you man, ill get a signature when i come through the line.... Here is the pic I snapped after he signed my glossy photo..UFC provided these guys some glossies to sign, which was very cool..better than the scratch paper we had.

Here is Martin Kampmann from Denmark. Very cool guy. I asked him how his knee was holding up and he said fine. He had completely blown it out a few years back, and is now back in the UFC tryin again. Good figher, nice guy.

Another of Martin

Here is another of Martin talking to me

And another...he had more time than Bisbing to talk :)

After the autograph session ended we all filed into the stadium. The UFC had about 100o seats in one end of the stadium setup for all the fans to watch the weigh ins. Once they started they were very quick. Less than 30 mins start to finish. Here Joe Rogan calls out the ring girls and the crew. Than Dana White and the Fertitta brothers (all three are the UFC owners).

Once the introductions were complete, the weigh ins began

Each pair of fighters would come out and weigh up, than pose for the fight...Two of the groups did a little pushing and shoving...unnecessary, and those aggressors both lost later the next night.