One hell of a night. The event came a long way from its debut back in 2008-ish at a random warehouse-ish type space in Chinatown (just for the record, all the facts used here are retrieved from memory, since doing research is not the C2D approach to journalism).
Somehow a few years and good half dozen Friday Night Throwdowns has happened while we were away, and this one was a big number 10. Seems like everything was a bit cranked up. Better location, better sound, better fights, same exact Pabst Blue Ribbon but somehow it felt better (perhaps because there was more of it, and faster).
Upon our arrival at the location we almost decided to turn right around. Fancy gym seems like a foul choice for the kind of event that I remember from years past. Music too loud, beer cans lining the edges of the ring, serving as ash trays for hastily rolled Dutchies right there and then, young hiphop and bass kids out-cooling each other in any way possible surrounded by fancy folk in furs and diamonds. There was no way all that was to happen at this "new" space - but oh yes it did, and then some.
"PEOPLE, PLEASE keep your beer cans off the ring AND SMOKE YOUR WEED OUTSIDE, the fighters need FRESH AIR!" was announced between every other round and fight, as a well shaped dame wiggled her business district around about the perimeter in focus while heavy bass rattled the whole facility along with a one block radius.
A fresh and new addition, a belly dancer of sorts, was way welcomed. After her half time performance the MC wittily exclaimed "I bet all you dudes who are hitched or brought your ladies here tonight are saying "UGH, FUCK MY LIFE"" - and he was right.
Add that to unlimited brew, unlimited energy, music, fun, post fight conversations with the triumphant pugilis and beautiful ladies with red hair, right things and sweet sweet Brooklyn way to party - anyone and everyone walked away with a unmistakable feeling of being at the right place at the right time in the Capital of the World, NYC. New York fuckin City doesn't josh about, kids. Next time you hear this lil shinding is in town, you show up. Boom.
