Thanks to the internet, I’ve been watching the weigh-ins for a lot of the MMA events and the UFC does it big. I just saw UFC 118 and they do it right. They’ve made an event out of it and surprisingly enough — it’s like clockwork. They start on time, and they get those fighters out on those scales with the quickness. Within that 30 minute timeframe, you get to see a lot of things that prepare you for event, and I wanted to share that with you:

1. Arianny Celeste :)

Who doesn’t want to see more of Arianny Celeste? Watch for her making faces or giggling in the background. Not much else to say here…but I can’t wait for November. I just had to get that out of the way.

2. To make, or not to make, weight

Making weight is a huge part of the fight game, and if you don’t you’ve got a huge problem. The fight can be cancelled or you can lose a percentage of your purse, which is usually given to the opponent. Fighters don’t make a ton of money in MMA yet, so it’s important to make weight.

3. The fighter’s eye

Cutting weight is horrible, it sucks the life out of you when you don’t do it right.  This is a chance for you as a fan to see whether the fighters have come prepared. Do they look dehydrated? Are they in shape? Do they have a sense of confidence? You can see all of that when the fighter hits that scale.

4. The stare down

Other than the press conference, this is where the fighters finally see each other for the first time after all the hard work is put in. These stare downs can be emotional, scary, comical, or just respectful — but you’ll get an idea of what the fight is going to be in the stare down. It’s also good to see what Dana White does between the fighters.

5. Last minute smack talk

I like to see what the fighters say after they weigh in. Usually Joe Rogan interviews the Co-Main Event and Main Event fighters and get an idea of where they’re at. If there’s been some smack being said prior to the fight — this a good chance to see some ready dudes get fired up.

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QUESTION: What do you look for when watching UFC weigh-ins?