In the words of legendary ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.: "It's Showtime!"
Mixed martial arts will be in the spotlight for one night only as two separate events will be held in Vancouver tonight.
The controversial sport has been banned in Vancouver since September 2007 but with the Ultimate Fighting Championship beckoning, the city has issued two special-events permits to test the waters.
Honour Combat Championships will host a sold-out night of amateur MMA at the Edgewater Casino tonight while another event, Fight Night at the View (featuring amateur MMA and kickboxing), is close to capacity at Fraserview Hall.
Amateur bouts don't fall under the stringent regulatory process that the UFC would require as a professional organization, but HCC president TJ Wozencroft knows all eyes will be on him.
"We're so thrilled but there is so much pressure," the promoter said. "That's why we're taking all these extra steps to show the sport in the best light possible. We want to do the sport justice and have a totally professional event."
All the security, medical personnel and rules of a city-sanctioned event will be adhered to even though they're not required at an amateur event and several city councillors have confirmed they'll attend.
"I have some concerns about the health and safety of the fighters," said Coun. Kerry Jang. "There is a huge interest in MMA and if we're going to approve the sport, I want to see it for myself."
Council are expected to make a decision on whether to lift a moratorium on professional MMA next month.
The ultra-popular UFC is waiting for the green light before going ahead with a planned pay-per-view event at GM Place in June.
