Miami, FL — To say there was excitement for UFC 299 among both fans and media members coming into last week would be a massive understatement. The journey to cover the card was a two-and-a-half for this Canadian MMA reporter.
Sometimes things just happen. Miami was on the agenda, no matter what. I had booked my flight in December. As it turned out, high water did happen— a storm this past Wednesday apparently flooded a termite nest, termites who proceeded to take refuge in the room I’d rented out through AirBNB. After a series phone calls and a refund I was relocated to a Motel 6. A few days later another AirBNB room was rented.
The MMA beats are tough.
There seem to be hiccups on every trip. (Hello, dead rental vehicle in Vancouver). That doesn’t take away from the events themselves of course. UFC 299 had a stacked card, and booking a plane ticket was deemed a good decision as soon as it was made. As the card developed, it became clear that it would rival UFC 300 in terms of depth the following month. Many fans actually preferred it.
I was in that group. UFC 300 was good, but never lived up to the hype. UFC 299 didn’t meet my expectations, and I knew it.
