Televised Ultimate Fighting Championships gaining fans
It's about time again for that one glorious Saturday out of the month. The night where grown men watch other men beat the crap out of each other. The night when it's OK to drink alcohol and criticize guys who are in peak physical condition. The night that (most) girlfriends probably dread. That's right, another UFC Pay-Per-View night!
On March 1, bars throughout the suburbs will screen Ultimate Fighting Championship 82 in Ohio, an event with a stellar fight card.
The main event pits UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva against Pride Fighting Championship's 185-pound champ Dan Henderson in a fight to determine the undisputed top dog in their weight class.
The card is packed with the return of former champ Evan Tanner, the fighter you either love or hate, the unstoppable Chieck Kongo, Chris Leben and more. You know it's going to be a good PPV when the likes of Josh Koscheck and Diego Sanchez are being reduced to the un-televised fights.
Don't have any idea who any of those people are? That's fine. Plenty of drink specials tend to attract newcomers to fight night.
Unless you're willing to pay about $50 to watch the event at home, where are you going to watch the show? Your trusty local sports bar, of course. And there are a lot of bars to choose from.
"UFC has been the most popular commercial package over the last three years," says Joe Hand Jr., president of Joe Hand Promotions, the Pennsylvania-based liaison who outfits bars with their sports package of choice. "And we see this continuing down this road."
So when that first bout of fighting starts at 9 p.m., do you know where you're going to watch it? Here's a short list of bars that show the event. For more, check out UFC.com or call your favorite sports bar.
Mullen's Bar and Grill
3080 Warrenville Road, Lisle
www.mullensbarandgrill.com/lisle.html
(630) 505-0240
A newcomer to the UFC Pay-Per-View scene, Mullen's is a safe bet. The bar has a bevy of seating choices from which to enjoy the fight on 16 plasma televisions. The bar's usual $2.50 Bud and Bud Light draft Saturday night special is sadly missing on UFC nights, but that probably has something to do with Mullen's lack of a cover charge. Mullen's is also one of the safer bets for seating if you plan on showing up when the main event fight starts.
The Foundry
85 Executive Drive, Aurora
www.thefoundryonline.com (630) 978-2088
The Foundry is huge. Look up ginormous in a dictionary, and if it were actually a real word you'd see a picture of The Foundry's TV wall, one of the biggest in the suburbs. The Foundry has a ton of areas in which to sit, as well as a boatload of televisions. The whole back wall is covered with eighteen, twelve-foot screens. Don't forget about The Foundry's full menu, their infamous mug club (buy a mug, get it refilled at discount rates!) and its various specials: $4 Miller Lite, $8 Sam Adams mega mugs, etc. Heads up: Despite the $5 cover, the place gets packed. If finding a spot looks hopeless, don't forget to search the cigar lounge up top.
Paulie's Pub and Grille
444 N. Eola Road, Aurora
(630) 499-8956
Paulie's makes for a more intimate UFC viewing experience. The smaller bar shows the PPV on six HD televisions as well as a large projection screen behind the bar. The bar has no cover and will definitely be packed. Make sure to take advantage of the food menu and the bar's beer of the month. February's Longhammer India Pale Ale only us back $3.50 a pint.
Idol's Sports Bar and Grill
1601 N. Rand Road, Palatine
(847) 934-3474
Idol's television quantity is nothing to scoff at with three eight-foot projections, 30 HD televisions and 34 other tubes scattered throughout this massive sports pub. The bar's specials aren't too shabby wither: $3.50 Jack/Captain Morgan cocktails, $3.25 pints and $5 bombs, plus 16 beers on tap. Idol's institutes a $10 cover, but hey, Plainfield's own Kilo Sun is playing there that night. Kilo Sun, man!
Fox and Hound
1416 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
(847) 884-6821
Perhaps you have been to a Fox and Hound before; perhaps not. This particular Schaumburg location will be showing the PPV on five big-screen televisions as well as six other televisions throughout the bar. There's a $5 cover, so take advantage of the food menu as well as the night's special: $3 Bud and Bud Light pints.
Buffalo Wild Wings
Warrenville, Plainfield, Woodridge, Skokie, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Elmhurst
Oh, Buffalo Wild Wings, only a short time ago, you were the only establishment that seemed to regularly show the fights. Now you're just another bar in a continuing line of pubs jumping on the bandwagon. Your drink specials may vary, and it's not always the easiest to actually get a seat in the bar during the main event, but you have a lot of televisions. You've never tried to charge me a cover, but to be able to enjoy Boneless Asian Zing, a beer and UFC, I'd probably pay upwards of $30. Check with your nearest B-Dubs (as the cool kids say) to guarantee that they'll be showing the PPV.