UFC fans: It's exciting to watch this level of violence

It's been called "barbaric" and "blood thirsty", but on Saturday night 16,000 people packed inside the O2 Arena for a night at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

London's Jimi Manuwa headlined an 11-fight card and sent the sell-out crowd home happy with a first round knock out of American Corey Anderson.

It was also an emotional night for MMA fans as one of the legends of the sport, British fighter Brad "One Punch" Pickett was beaten in his final ever bout.

Newsbeat spent the evening with both fighters and fans at the O2, asking what it is about the often brutal sport of UFC they love and why it's becoming so popular in the UK.

"My friend introduced me to UFC about the same time that Conor McGregor started and I've been following it since then," Joe, 22, told us from his front-row seat.

"We're having a great time, we've seen all the fighters, spotted a few celebrities, it's brilliant."

His friend Rob sitting next to him adds: "I love watching the UFC (on TV), but being here live is a whole different experience.

"It's exciting to watch this level of violence, everything's so calculated, it's beautiful I think."

'Cup of tea, dressing gown, fight'

Charlotte, 20, and her boyfriend Ben, 22, have been UFC fans for years and came to the O2 together on a date.

"We get up on a Sunday morning after it's been recorded on a Saturday night, have a cup of tea in our dressing gowns and watch it all," says Charlotte.

"It's unbelievable and to finally see it live is amazing."

When asked what she specifically likes about the sport Charlotte pauses before answering - "the violence".

The Ultimate price

Joao Carvalho died after a fight in 2016

Critics of the UFC say the fighting is just too extreme and point to five deaths in sanctioned MMA (mixed martial arts) bouts in the last ten years.

The latest of those was last year when Portuguese fighter Joao Carvalho died of a brain haemorrhage 48 hours after losing his "Total Extreme Fighting" contest in Dublin.

"You just need to understand the competitiveness," Charlotte says when asked about the level of violence in the Octogan.

"I've served in the armed forces," adds Ben, "and this is not too violent, believe me.

"People who say it is are just outside the spectrum."

Highs and lows

The defeated former champion Brad Pickett, retiring after 12 years in the sport, repeated the uncomfortable link between MMA and fatalities when he told the crowd "I'd rather have been carried out of the ring dead than lose this fight".

The victorious Jimi Manuwa was more upbeat though after his impressive win in the final contest of the night, saying the capacity crowd of British UFC fans was "the best crowd I've ever fought in front of."

"That was one of the great moments for me, getting a knockout in front of my home crowd in London.

"This is going to be one of the highlights of my career. The crowd was amazing, I soaked it all in as I walked out to the Octagon. The fans were just so supportive."

Value for money?

Tickets for the first European UFC event of 2017 were not cheap.

Tony and Phil from Essex were sitting three rows back from the Octagon and paid £800 to be so close to the action.

"It's definitely worth it," Tony told us. "These are the best fighters in the world challenging each other. It's a very good standard."

Phil also took issue with those who say UFC is more violent than other combat sports;

"When you look back at how it used to be it probably was too violent, but now there's a higher standard.

"If you actually look at boxers they take more hits than these guys (UFC fighters). There's more ways to get injured in boxing."

"Basically, if they're happy doing it, then I'm happy watching it."

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