The year was 2010, and Sandhagen was a senior on the Smoky Hill High School hoops team. But basketball was getting stale, and he wanted a new challenge. So he decided to learn how to fight.

What followed was a daily commitment to learning jujutsu, striking and wrestling at a nearby MMA gym.

“All my teammates and coaches thought I was kind of crazy,” Sandhagen said. “MMA wasn’t as cool then as it is now. So, yeah, everyone at the time pretty much thought that I was a weirdo.”

Little did his classmates know, Sandhagen was just starting to tap into his calling.

Sandhagen (17-4-0) is fighting in the main event this weekend at UFC Abu Dhabi, a bantamweight title eliminator bout against Umar Nurmagomedov. Whoever wins will get a crack at the belt, likely sometime early in 2025, against either Sean O’Malley (the current title holder) or Merab Dvalishvili (who fights O’Malley in September at UFC 306).

For Sandhagen, a Castle Rock resident who is also a CU alum, a win over the undefeated Nurmagomedov (17-0, 5-0 in the UFC) would be the latest highlight in a strong career that’s had a few speedbumps.

“I came out the gate really hot, winning a lot, then lost one to the former champion (Aljamain Sterling in 2020), then won some more, then lost to (TJ Dillashaw) and the interim title bout (to Petr Yan),” Sandhagen said. “But I’ve been on a winning streak since. So I would say my whole career has been up and down, sort of falling and then rising again. It’s been tough, but really good.”

In the matchup against Nurmagomedov, the Coloradan’s elite striking ability will be contrasted by the Russian’s wrestling prowess. To get ready for the fight, Sandhagen worked on his grappling with his head coach, Carrington Banks, in addition to training with renowned striking coach Trevor Wittman.

“Umar has a very accoladed wrestling background that’s going to really test me,” Sandhagen said. “No one’s really seen that set of skills on me yet, so I’m going to have to use them in this fight and show people that I’m good in that aspect as well.”

Sandhagen’s current three-fight win streak includes a TKO over Song Yadong in September 2022, a split decision over Marlon Vera in March 2023 and a unanimous decision over Rob Font last August. In that latter victory, Sandhagen suffered a torn right tricep in the first round, leading him to take a wrestling-heavy approach with seven takedowns and a lot of time spent maintaining top control.

After a year off, Sandhagen is healthy again. And he has tunnel vision on beating Nurmagomedov, knowing full well from the defeat in his last fight with major implications — the loss to Yan in 2021 — that there can be no looking past the job to do in Abu Dhabi.

“It takes time and experience to get good at martial arts, and I’ve been gathering a bunch of that, working hard, and it’s coming to a head now,” Sandhagen said. “I remain steadfastly focused on this Saturday.”

With heavyweight champion Jon Jones holding out for a matchup against Stipe Miocic, does Blaydes’ interim heavyweight title bout against Tom Aspinall mean as much? Should Blaydes be mentioned in the same breath as Jones, who is perhaps the greatest fighter ever?

Blaydes, a Golden resident, doesn’t care about those storylines. He just wants to beat Aspinall on Saturday in the co-headliner of UFC 304 in Manchester, England.

“In a perfect world, it’s Aspinall vs. Jon (for a unified heavyweight title), but that’s not the world we live in,” Blaydes said. “The UFC’s had a lot of weird, wonky matchups over the years.

“… The money is title fight money, so that’s what matters to me. Everything else is going to be the same — five rounds, and I’ve had multiple five-rounders. The biggest difference is it’s going to be 4 a.m. (Manchester time), and that’s where it doesn’t feel like a real title fight to me. You wouldn’t have (Conor) McGregor fighting for a belt at 4 a.m. regardless of where it is in the world.”

Blaydes beat Aspinall two summers ago when the Englishman suffered a knee injury 15 seconds into their main-event fight in London. Since then, Aspinall’s recorded a pair of first-round knockouts, first of Marcin Tybura and then of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last November.

Jones was supposed to fight Miocic on that card, but the fight was scratched because Jones tore a pectoral tendon in training. Jones had that surgically repaired, and also had surgery on his elbow. Amid his recovery, he’s maintained his intention to fight Miocic next.

That’s kept Aspinall waiting and led to the rematch against Blaydes on Saturday.

“I’m expecting aggression, speed, (Aspinall) trying to knock me out fast and early,” Blaydes said. “… I’m just going to be organic and take whatever’s there. I’m going to be opportunistic if there’s a hole in the defense. I don’t expect there to be any holes, but if there’s a lay-up, I’ll hit the lay-up.”

Blaydes said that if he wins, he’ll consider himself the heavyweight champion without any thought to the asterisk that comes with it.

“As long as I’m getting paid like I have the belt, I have the belt. That’s all that matters,” Blaydes said. “People might not remember, but I remember, Jon got the belt off the guy who had an interim belt. So is that belt really that valid? That’s a debate. I don’t know. I don’t care.”

Jones, who is 27-1 as a pro, won the vacant heavyweight belt in 2023 with a first-round submission over Ciryl Gane, who initially claimed the interim belt against Derrick Lewis in 2021. Gane lost the belt to Francis Ngannou in 2022, and then Ngannou left the UFC, vacating the title and leading to the Jones-Gane fight last March. So as Blaydes points out, there have been a lot of moving pieces in the heavyweight title fights over the past few years.

Plus, Jones might retire after fighting Miocic. There’s a possibility that fight could happen in late fall at Madison Square Garden. That would leave the winner of Saturday’s bout between Aspinall and Blaydes in prime position to finally unify the heavyweight belt.

For Blaydes (18-4), his approach against Aspinall isn’t rewriting a new blueprint. He says he doesn’t feel any extra pressure with so much at stake as an underdog in the fight in Aspinall’s home city.

“Conditioning has been a focus,” Blaydes said. “I don’t adjust for anyone. I’ve prepared for this fight the same way I prepared for everyone. I don’t like to add to extra adjustments, extra things to think about. There’s already a whole lot (to consider). I don’t need to add anything else.”

In life, defining moments often present us with a stark choice: rise to the occasion or yield to fear. This reflection is profoundly relevant in light of the recent events surrounding President Trump, whose steadfast response to an assassination attempt has become a testament to his resolve and leadership.

When shots rang out and chaos erupted, instead of cowering or retreating, Trump defiantly pumped his fist. This simple gesture spoke volumes, symbolizing a steadfast refusal to succumb to fear. It was not just a personal reaction but a message to the nation: in the face of adversity, he would lead with strength and courage, qualities essential for guiding the country through turbulent times.

In the wake of such a harrowing experience, it is incumbent upon all of us to reflect on our own conduct and rhetoric in the political sphere. In a digital age where opinions are amplified through social media and online platforms, it’s far too easy to engage in vitriolic discourse from behind a screen. The attempted assassination serves as a chilling reminder of the consequences of inflammatory language and the need for civility in public discourse.

The events of that day were a glaring reminder of the challenges facing the nation and the need for strong, steady leadership. In the midst of an election defined by debates over age and competency, President Trump demonstrated unequivocally that he possesses the grit and capability to lead.

President Trump’s pumped fist was not just a gesture; it was a declaration that he is prepared to lead this nation forward, guided by faith in our collective strength and a determination to overcome any obstacle in our path.

Dan Nordberg, Colorado Springs  

Editor’s note: Nordberg is a former Colorado state representative and served as a regional administrator and director of the Office of Rural Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration during the Trump administration.  

Debating Thomas Friedman’s view of Trump and Biden

Re: “Anxious times — The devil may be enjoying this election season, but I am not,” July 14 commentary

After reading Thomas Friedman’s commentary, I am amazed that the man has won any awards, unless it is about Democrats telling lies. His lies about President Donald Trump are both astounding and politically bigoted. If you remove the COVID madness, this country was in better shape and better respected than during any recent presidency. Trump is a savvy businessman, which made him a savvy president. No amount of lying and bloviating will change that. Another reason the readership of most liberal papers is decreasing.

William F. Hineser, Arvada

Thomas Friedman’s political article in Sunday’s Post was spot on. Every voting American needs to read this article. It is excellent and well-written. Both parties need to wake up and see what this presidential campaign is doing to our country. Our elections should not be this divisive.

Peg Wirt, Broomfield

With all the noise about Joe Biden’s debate performance (ignoring Donald Trump’s lies and rantings, by the way) and now the understandable focus on the attempted assassination, it is easy to overlook the most important issues about the 2024 election. I was greatly relieved to finally read an opinion piece about the very real defects of Donald Trump.

I have admired Thomas Friedman for many years, and I agree 100% with what he said: Trump is not fit to be president, and Biden should be replaced by a younger, more eloquent candidate.

But wait — it’s even worse than Friedman’s opinion piece says. Specifically, he says nothing about Project 2025, the manifesto from the Heritage Foundation. It is possible that Trump knows little about Project 2025. However, the fact remains that several people who have been close to Trump are involved (e.g., ​Project 2025 director Paul Dans was chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management under Trump, and associate director Spencer Chretien was a special assistant to Trump).

It seems obvious that the Heritage Foundation and Christian Nationalists view Trump as their way to gain control of the country. And with the current makeup of the SCOTUS, we have no way to protect ourselves from a right-wing takeover of this country if Trump is reelected.

Every American should read Project 2025. I believe that a substantial majority of Americans will be horrified by what is in that document and that they will vote accordingly.

James W. Craft, Broomfield

Leaders get in the way of reviving Denver

Re: “All my favorite Denver haunts have closed or changed,” July 14 commentary

Columnist Krista Kafer misses the forest for the trees. Of course, no one cares about the 16th Street Mall or downtown, really. Colorado is just one of those states most people don’t relocate to for an urban center with its attendant misery. The suburbs are a threat, at least for now, because they’re greener, quieter, less dense, safer, cheaper, and more free.

However, Denver’s real liability is its elected leaders, who oversee one of the worst-run municipalities this side of the Mississippi. It’s like they’re stuck in pandemic times, trying to out-woke Seattle and Portland. The rest of us have moved on.

We can expect nothing from Denver Mayor Mike Johnston in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Grants Pass decision, which ruled that people can be arrested and fined for sleeping outside in public; he’s a soft touch, and the empathy industrialists have his number.

We have a police chief who takes to the press to warn drivers about the 30 days this year his people will actually enforce infractions on expired vehicle tags.

City Council last week unanimously approved a ballot initiative that asks voters to allow non-citizens to ascend to our most hallowed public position: the first responder.

Transformed beyond recognition, indeed.

Tom Medlin, Denver

The other side of the lobbyist story

Re: “Lobbyists were paid nearly $70M,” July 7 news story, “Lawmakers, push back on lobbyists,” and “The price tag on influence costs citizens dearly,” July 14 letter to the editor

I have read with interest the articles on lobbying and lobbyists. For approximately 30 years I lobbied at the state Capitol. Over the years I had different clients with different interests, so I worked with many legislators. I believe and sincerely hope that I was honest and ethical. It was my belief that honesty was the most effective tool.

There is another side to this story, and that is the legislators themselves. On several occasions, legislators, including a speaker of the House, would demand money or withhold votes. My clients often did give money but not under threat. It was a big chance they took by not capitulating. There was even a “journalist ” who told me if my client would give enough money, they would write a favorable endorsement of an important bill. The client didn’t send money and the bill passed anyway. Often bills are drafted with unintended consequences. It is the lobbyist’s job to make sure their clients aren’t damaged, be it a business, group or government. Rather than killing the bill, an amendment might take care of the problem. We want, and have, a citizen legislature, warts and all.

Lynn Young, Kersey

Corporate doctors can give compassionate, consistent care

Re: “Remembering when physicians got personal with patients,” July 14 letter to the editor

I found myself somewhat in agreement with the doctor who wrote the letter but differed in his broad approach painting doctors as corporate lackeys.

Of course, I can only speak on my personal experience as a patient and a member of the Patient Advisory Board of CU Medicine Internal Medicine. I have been a patient cared for by Dr. Cindy Rakotz for over twenty years. I should add Rakotz also provides primary care for my wife, two daughters and my grandchildren.

Rakotz is not only professionally competent but also sincerely interested and committed to the well-being of her patients. CU Physicians and the affiliate UC Health can be described as a corporation of which CU Internal is a part of, but I never have felt anything other than personal interest and care from Rakotz and all the staff. When unable to arrange an appointment with my personal care physician, the office goes out of its way to arrange being cared for by another doctor on staff.

Recently, my wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and we were referred to the oncology department of Anschutz. For its size, the hospital, the medical staff and the technical support group — including desk personnel and valets — were sensitive and demonstrated personal interest in our welfare. Each medical professional must, in the end, be attentive to their oath to “first do no harm,” but also practice individual empathy despite their corporate affiliation. I believe CU Medicine and UC Health fulfill that expectation.

Philip Arreola, Denver

Too brutal to be called a sport

Re: “Let’s not wait six years for UFC to return to Denver,” July 14 sports commentary

Let’s not wait six years for UFC to return to Denver? Better still, wait a hundred years.

Ultimate Fighting is the second dumbest “sport” ever conceived. It’s referred to as “full-contact combat fighting based on striking, grappling and ground fighting.”

In other words, it’s two men or two women who try to beat each other’s brains out. That’s a sport? It’s not far off from dogfighting and cockfighting, although millions would argue otherwise.

Anyone who would appreciate a UFC bout would probably be delighted by multiple-car crashes on I-25, train wrecks and container ships ramming bridges.

The dumbest sport? Water polo. Half-naked, half-submerged players try to net a ball in urine-infused pools. Suggestion: Have them stand on dry land and aim the ball at nets that are, oh, ten feet off the ground. There’s a name for it too: basketball.

Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch

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Colorado’s Rose Namajunas defeated Tracy Cortez via unanimous decision in the main event.

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Rose Namajunas beat Tracy Cortez by unanimous decision at Ball Arena, the only one of the four local fighters on the card to win after Josh Fremd lost by unanimous decision, Cody Brundage got a no-contest and Drew Dober was TKO’d.

Cortez, who took the fight on short notice after Maycee Barber withdrew due to medical issues, held her own against Namajunas. But Namajunas, a Westminster resident by way of Milwaukee, showed her mettle while registering her second win in the flyweight division after the two-time strawweight champion moved up a weight class last year.

“I’m happy with the performance,” said Namajunas, who took a step forward toward a shot at the flyweight belt. “I’m happy with having very little injury, being able to win and I thought it was an exciting fight.”

Namajunas struck first with a knockdown two minutes into the fight, rattling Cortez with a left hook that caused one of Cortez’s fake eyelashes to fly off. In the second round, Cortez got a takedown, but the crowd roared when Namajunas got back up and then registered a takedown of her own in the waning seconds.

Then Namajunas took control of the bout in the third round, with a couple of takedowns, a ground-and-pound and a kick to the face. Cortez got more aggressive in the final two rounds, but it was too little, too late as Namajunas played good defense and landed a few more jabs of her own.

“I knew I was up three rounds to nothing (entering the fourth round), so it was all about being smart,” Namajunas said. “I knew she was going to try to make it chaotic, which she did in certain moments, but nothing was landing super solid.”

Namajunas finished with a 119-85 advantage in total strikes and a 96-58 advantage in significant strikes while snapping Cortez’s 11-fight win streak, five of which came in the UFC.

Dober vs. Silva delivers. Drew Dober’s face was bloodied as he took the mic and smiled, even in defeat to Jean Silva.

“I got these Neanderthal eyebrows that cut open very easily,” Dober said after getting TKO’d in the third round. “But Jean Silva and I, this is what I mean when I talk about being a warrior. He took (the fight) with two weeks’ notice. I will fight anybody. This is what fighting’s all about. I don’t care who, and when, and where. We throw hands and we make war.”

The two fighters did just that in Saturday’s lightweight UFC bout. Silva cut open Dober’s right eyebrow in the first round and the blood kept pouring out of Dober’s face until the fight was called one minute and 28 seconds into the final round.

Silva, who took the fight on extremely short notice — he won at UFC 303 just two weeks ago — dropped to his knees in the octagon after winning and started to cry. The 14 days between his bouts tied for the third-quickest turnaround in modern UFC history.

“I’m telling you, I’m different,” Silva said.

While Dober had an edge in significant strikes (59-53), Silva’s quick hands and spinning elbows were a deciding factor as the Brazilian consistently battered Dober’s face. Both fighters showed good sportsmanship throughout the match, up to and through Dober consoling an emotional Silva after the bout was called and even raising his hand.

“The elbows, the hands, everything was planned, everything was trained,” Silva said. “But I just really want to thank Drew Dober, a guy who I’ve been following throughout my whole career. He’s always proved to people that no matter the size, you’re always going to be going to war. Thank you, Drew Dober.”

The bout was deemed the fight of the night in front of a sold-out crowd of 16,884 that featured a number of notable local fighters on hand such as Donald Cerrone, Justin Gaethje, Curtis Blaydes, Brandon Royval and Raquel Pennington.

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In the UFC’s return to Denver for the first time in six years — a period in which Petroski’s been in recovery from drug addiction — he won by unanimous decision over Englewood resident Josh Fremd in a middleweight preliminary bout. Petroski entered the night coming off consecutive losses and admitted the possibility of getting cut from the promotion with another defeat loomed in his mind.

But for someone who battled heroin addiction and came out the other side, a fighting career hanging in the balance is small potatoes.

“I really have been through so much (adversity) in my life, with the drugs and substance abuse, going through treatment and getting arrested,” Petroski said. “I’ve been through way worse positions than losing a fight or losing two fights in a row. If I don’t wake up and have to go find $10 to get high, then I’m winning at life.”

With that mindset and a well-constructed game plan, Petroski defeated Fremd 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 as the former college wrestler capitalized on his clear edge in grappling. Petroski took down Fremd in each round, and each time, the Factory X fighter was unable to get off the canvas.

“I had done some training with Josh in the past, and I knew where I had the advantage over him,” Petroski said. “I think that I’m a better striker than Josh, but I also knew my grappling was so much better than him.

“I was in a position where I’m coming off two losses and it’s not about getting a highlight or anything like that. It’s about doing what I have to do to win and keep this career going and provide for my family.”

Petroski improved to 6-2 in the UFC with the victory, while Fremd fell to 2-4. Petroski paid no mind to the deafening cheers for Fremd when the local stepped into the Octagon, nor did Petroski mind the chorus of boos that rained down on him throughout the fight and after he was declared the winner as the crowd expressed its distaste for the one-sided wrestling match.

The Philadelphia fighter held Fremd down for the majority of the first round, nearly submitted Fremd via a triangle in the second round, and then fended off a quick flurry of punches from a desperate Fremd in the final round to eventually notch another takedown.

After the victory, Petroski reveled in the win and recalled how six years ago, he was an amateur fighter who was winning on the regional scene but his body was “depleting” as he battled his intravenous heroin addiction.

Now, he’s a father of three, including a newborn son who arrived two months ago amid his training camp for Fremd.

“(In 2018), I tried really hard to kick it, and ended up getting high and overdosing and got arrested,” Petroski said. “After that, I went through treatment and was able to get clean and go pro. My life has been constantly getting better (since that point).

“Me overdosing was my act of providence. Because I couldn’t stop. I had tried a million times to stop getting high and I couldn’t, but that happening was the interference from God. … The hardest reminder for me is seeing the guys I was in treatment with, and a lot of them are still getting high. I’m so many worlds moved on from that, and I’m so grateful that I’m not there anymore.”

Lightning-quick knockout. The highlight of the preliminaries came in the bantamweight fight when Montel Jackson knocked out Da’Mon Blackshear in just 18 seconds.

Jackson, who has now won five bouts in a row, hadn’t fought in over a year. His knockout of Blackshear came on a slick one-two combo where he connected with Blackshear’s face with a straight left punch.

“(Blackshear) came out a little passive, so I knew I could get on the gas and I went for it,” Jackson said. “… A lot of these (other bantamweights), they’re ducking…. eventually, I’m going to see everybody. I want to fight again ASAP. If something comes up on short notice, if somebody drops out, I’ll say yeah, even though I’m not sure if they’d say yeah to me.”

Controversial finish. The first fight of the main card came to a controversial ending 37 seconds into the first round after Cody Brundage, a Parker resident who trains at Factory X, could not continue.

Brundage’s opponent, Abdul Razak Alhassan, landed a couple of blows to the back of Brundage’s head as the Ghanaian had Brundage on the ground. The referee stopped the fight, and Brundage appeared confused as he took several minutes to get off the canvas, repeatedly asking his corner, “What happened?”

After being evaluated by medical personnel, it was deemed Brundage could not continue. The crowd was not pleased, and a loud chorus of boos permeated the arena. Alhassan was clearly furious at the stoppage of the fight, pacing around the octagon and cursing.

The fight was deemed a no-contest.

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Sitting 15 feet from the Octagon, the vibe was palpable — a Monster Energy drink come to life. The roaring crowd at Ball Arena was told it was “about to see something it has never seen before.” The fights, as promised, blended karate, jiu-jitsu, martial arts, wrestling and boxing.

There is an urgency to the bouts that conjure memories of Marvin Hagler and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns in the 1980s. The first rounds are not methodical. They are about survival.

“Everybody is tough early,” Evan “The Phenom” Elder said. “It’s the second and third rounds you find out what you are made of.”

Elder took the first fight to Darrius “Beastmode” Flowers, delighting the crowd in the UFC’s first card in Denver since 2018. Elder kicked, punched — one was deemed below the equator, causing a near-five minute delay — and won by submission over Flowers. Elder on the mic was even better than Elder in the fight.

“I am trying to break necks and cash checks. UFC, Dana White, put me back in here,” said Elder after his welterweight victory. “I want to make some moneeeeeeeey!”

UFC has come a long way since holding its first two championship events in Denver in November 1993 and March 1994. It’s a coed sport now. Ball Arena featured entertaining women’s fights — Rose Namajunas and Tracy Cortez were the headliners — and “U-S-A!” chants for flyweight Fatima Kline. She lost to Jasmine Jasudavicius, who told the heckling crowd to “shut up!”

UFC has figured out how to entertain, how to market, how to deliver. It has done an amazing job branding itself as a reality show, and Elder’s post-fight address is exactly the type of moment that resonates with the audience on screen and in the arena. There is candor, bravado, vulgarity and vulnerability rarely seen at the podium following an NFL, NBA or MLB game.

The UFC feels everywhere. It is omnipresent on ESPN through classic highlights, contender shows and “The Ultimate Fighter.” And the sport’s best rarely, if ever, duck each other. UFC soared in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many sports struggled to survive, UFC thrived, matching the NFL in its desire to move forward against an avalanche of criticism. The draw is undeniable based on sold-out bouts, and eyeballs on TVs. It features fights locally, globally and the product is endlessly and easily available through streaming.

In-person, the raw appeal possesses a pull that makes me hope there is not another six-year pause between UFC events at Ball Arena. There is a gladiator nature with these men and women. These fighters do what we can’t do and won’t do. They train with the discipline of a monk. They eat like a jockey and compete like they are on a ledge with only one cushion available on the ground below.

There is accountability to how it plays. No teammates to blame. No fingers to point at officials. We know they are great athletes. But who is the toughest?

It is a loaded question because it requires such a diverse skill set. The first eight fights included three submissions, two decisions, a no contest — Cody Brundage was illegally elbowed multiple times in the head; not cool — and a pair of knockouts, one 18 seconds into the bout.

When Josh Fremd entered the arena in the second preliminary fight, he was embraced like a long, lost friend, showered in applause. He is from Pittsburgh but has trained in Denver for more than a decade. This night provided an opportunity “to make a statement.” Instead, the only appropriate description 15 minutes later was buzzkill. His opponent Andre Petroski took the fight to the mat, laying on and outmuscling Fremd.

He blocked out the merciless boos to win a decision that featured few memorable snapshots beyond Fremd’s running knee to Petroski’s ribs. Fans entertained themselves with Rick Flair “Woooooo!” chants throughout the final two rounds.

The bout required an appreciation for the science of winning on the mat and provided the first negative feedback about the Mile High City.

“There’s no (bleeping) air up here,” said Petroski in the ring afterward. “(Wrestling) was the only game plan to win. It sucks. But, you have to do what you have to do to get the win. I couldn’t take risks.”

Part of the charm of the UFC is that the next fight can be the fight of the night, and can leave jaws agape. Bantamweight Montel Jackson delighted the packed arena, living up to his “Quik” nickname. Eighteen seconds into the first round, he floored Da’Mon Blackshear, catching him flush in the face with a straight left. Blackshear required medical attention before leaving the ring. Jackson thanked Blackshear for taking the fight on short notice, saying too many “chumps” don’t.

The crowd was not as familiar with his game, but they appreciated the jolt.

UFC is not for everyone. It is violent. It is dangerous. But that has always been the fight game, whether it was Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson, Chuck Liddell or Anderson Silva.

It makes no apologies. The “oohs!” when kicks smashed into chests and “aahs!” when punches slammed into chins offered a reminder of why it was hard to find any empty seats when the lights turned on.

There were fighters who left needing to practice getting up. There were fighters who needed practice in shutting up.

But there were UFC fighters, based on the attendance and reaction, who should be back in Denver.

“Denver, Colorado is amazing,” said featherweight Julian “Juicy J” Erosa. “Thank you so much.”

Then you watch his highlights, and wonder how long his opponents take nourishment through a straw after his bouts.

Dober is helping headline UFC’s first card in Denver since 2018. He is known for knockouts. He competes as if everything is personal, like the person across from him is not only trying to beat him but devour him.

Dober finishes take on a common theme. Straight left. Right hook. Left hook. Opponent’s knees buckle. Head bounces off the mat. Dober leaps into the air in jubilation.

While it’s not his focus leading into Saturday’s fight vs. Jean Silva at Ball Arena, Dober understands the fascination with his power. He sits tied with Dustin Poirier for the most KOs in UFC lightweight division history with nine.

Reaching double figures in Denver, the place he’s long called home, matters.

“Truthfully, it snuck up on me,” Dober told The Post. “I am just out here working hard and having fun and a couple of fights ago I learned I was tied. It’s not something I think about like a lot of other people apparently do. But it means a lot to be part of a UFC world record.”

Dober is not from Colorado, but he might as well be. He shifted from training in Nebraska to the Centennial State in 2012. His career was gaining traction. From April of 2012 to October of 2013, he posted a 6-1 record. He found his sweet spot.

“The guys in Denver were tougher. I was already kind of training out here on my vacations. So eventually I just wanted to make the move,” Dober said. “I could have gone to New York, Florida and California. But Colorado was just calling me out.”

Dober, who is now  27-13, takes pride in being part of this event. Then again, at 35, he embraces every opportunity to step foot into the octagon. He was so determined to stay on this card, that Dober agreed to five different names after Mike Davis suffered an injury in training. Jean Silva took the bout just two weeks after registering a TKO versus Charles Jourdain. Silva is 13-2 with a 10-fight win streak.

“It can be hard because of the uncertainty because you don’t know what you are going to get when they replace a fighter (last minute). But luckily, I train in a way where I don’t focus on the opponent,” Dober said. “I am ready. And I don’t care who stares across at me in the ring.”

Styles make fights and the crowd is already rubbing their hands together in anticipation of this one. Silva is not boring. He will take chances. That means Dober could finish on his feet.

“He’s not going to try and lay on me for 15 minutes,” Dober said during his pre-fight presser. “So, I think this match is made for me, made for Denver, Colorado, and it’s going to be the fight of the night.”

While there are many stories of boxers and wrestlers finding homes in mixed martial arts by function or desperation, Dober’s path was more linear. He gravitated toward Muay Thai training at the age of 14. He became a two-time amateur national champion. But when he saw Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture compete, his mind was made up.

“I recognized that it was a physical chess match. Seeing them, I was dumbfounded. I saw the art and the beauty,” Dober said. “And I wanted to be part of it.”

Dober’s passion has not dulled. Most fighters his age are not capable of or interested in getting hit anymore. But Dober believes he’s aging like Benjamin Button. And inspiration comes easily with young daughter Sonya now attending the fights. That is his why?

“Yeah, because you only live once, these careers are short and you never know when it will be over,” Dober said. “I stay active. And it’s kind of hard to explain, but I feel better at 35 than I did at 25. When you are in your 20s, you live on piss and vinegar. You are a bad driver of a sports car. Now, I have mellowed. I am wiser and I think you see that in my performances.”

He hasn’t lost the thump in his fists. They should come with obligatory ice packs and health insurance co-payments. This will be Dober’s 41st UFC bout, but this one feels different. He’s home. And it figures to pack a punch. Maybe even a knockout.

“Oh man, I haven’t been in front of the Denver crowd in over 10 years. That energy and that love from the crowd, it’s going to be exciting,” Dober said. “I can’t wait to hear that song walking to the ring. It’s going to be a special night.”

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Brundage, one of four locals on the UFC Fight Night card in the promotion’s return to Denver at Ball Arena, has gained strength from watching 3-year-old Kingsley battle ALG13-CDG — a rare disease caused by a genetic mutation.

“This (fighting) life is pretty hard in terms of balance because it demands everything of you, and a lot of times it doesn’t really give that much back,” Brundage said. “At one point fighting was the most important, biggest thing in my life. But with kids, that changes, and especially with Kingsley and the care she needs.

“I know as long as I’m being a good dad and good husband and partner, I’ll check the boxes with fighting and that will take care of itself. I didn’t really have that perspective before.”

Doctors initially told Brundage and his wife, ex-UFC fighter Amanda Bobby Brundage, that Kingsley would likely never be able to use her hands, sit up or feed herself. But Kingsley has already met those milestones, and though she remains nonverbal, the Brundages feel fortunate with where she is now.

That includes getting Kingsley’s seizures under control over the past couple of years. When she was an infant, she was having roughly 130 seizures a day.

“Imagine trying to go off to training when you know your baby at 6 months old is going through that many seizures a day,” Amanda Brundage said. “You’re trying to fight for your dreams, which is what Cody’s been doing, and that’s going on at home. It makes it hard (to focus).”

Amanda, who fought in the UFC from 2016 to ’18 and was on the cusp of returning to the promotion when she got pregnant with Kingsley, gave up her professional MMA career to be a mom. While Cody trains at Factory X in Englewood, she stays home with Kingsley and the couple’s other daughter, 1-year-old Millie.

“People can view living through someone else as kind of a negative thing, but for me, it’s a positive,” Amanda said. “I’m living through Cody. I’m supporting him, watching him train. I want him to go to the top, to reach all his dreams and potential. I still get to go to the gym to train. So I still get my feel for the sport, I still learn stuff, and he’s teaching me now.”

That latter part has been a role reversal for the couple, who initially met at an MMA gym in Michigan where Amanda was an instructor. She became the first MMA coach for Cody, an ex-college wrestler searching for his next step in life.

“She was in there doing private lessons and she came up to me and was like, ‘You have no idea what you’re doing,'” Cody recalled with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Thanks for that.’ And in my mind, I was like, ‘Who is this little woman telling me I don’t know what I’m doing?’ Turns out she’s in the UFC.

“She would always tell me, ‘You’re just going to owe me 2% (of future earnings). I’m not ever going to charge you anything now for coaching.’ I’ve been chasing that 2% deal ever since.”

On Saturday, Brundage (4-5 in the UFC) will look to get back into the win column after losing his last fight by submission to Bo Nickal in April.

Brundage’s middleweight opponent at Ball Arena is Ghanaian fighter Abdul Razak Alhassan. Brundage, a 30-year-old Parker resident, is expecting “chaos and fireworks” in a bout between two fighters capable of big finishes. All six of Alhassan’s UFC wins have come by KO/TKO.

“We know Razak is a tough opponent, and we also know that Cody’s skill set could be Razak’s kryptonite,” Factory X head coach Marc Montoya said. “We think this is a fight he can win. Now, he just needs to go prove it. … Cody’s skill set is very well-rounded. Razak’s obviously a good striker, super powerful and explosive. Can Cody’s well-roundedness on the feet and defensively negate what he’s doing?

“I don’t think Razak’s game plan is to come out and try to finish Cody on the ground. The hardest part for our opponent is figuring out what Cody is going to do because he’s very well-rounded.”

Fremd’s “coming-out party.” Another 30-year-old Factory X middleweight on Saturday’s card is Josh Fremd, who will fight Andre Petroski in the evening’s second preliminary bout.

Fremd is 2-3 in the UFC and coming off a KO loss to Roman Kopylov via a body blow last September. The Connellsville, Pa., native and current Englewood resident said he’s underperformed in his five big-show bouts so far.

“This one’s going to be my coming-out party for the UFC,” Fremd said. “Coming up through the regional scene, I was having viral knockouts and performing great, and then when I got to the UFC it’s been a whirlwind. Even my two wins, they weren’t my best performances. I want to do better and show everyone what I’m actually capable of.”

Like a lot of fighters, Fremd’s road to the UFC was underscored by a rough upbringing. He was in and out of juvenile detention centers, halfway homes and foster care before his grandparents took him and his five siblings in.

But Fremd came out the other side, then developed his will to fight on the regional scene, where he dealt with various injuries and worked as a bartender/bouncer to make ends meet.

“There’s been so many times I could’ve quit, took the easy route out, got a (9-to-5) job, and said, ‘To hell with it.’ But I’ve fought through a lot and it’s taught me work ethic,” Fremd said. “… My boxing and my cardio are my strengths, but at the end of the day, I’m just a fighter. I’m not going to cave, give in or wilt under pressure. I’m okay to get beat up for a little bit just to turn it around and finish a fight.”

Montoya believes Petroski is going to want to capitalize on his grappling ability against Fremd.

“Josh and Cody are in a very similar spot where they’re young in the UFC and they have a high, high ceiling,” Montoya said. “Josh just needs to go out and perform. When you see a confident Josh Fremd, he is scary to fight. And what I’ve seen in the build-up to this fight is that it seems like Josh has found a lot of the swagger he had pre-UFC, and that’s a big deal.”

While Fremd and Brundage fight, Factory X’s top UFC fighter, flyweight Brandon Royval, will be in the stands watching. The Denver native and top-ranked contender in his division had an offer to take on an unranked fighter Saturday but turned it down.

Montoya said the fight didn’t make sense considering Royval is waiting for another shot at a title fight against Alexandre Pantoja, whom he lost to in December before beating then-No. 1 contender Brandon Moreno in February.

“That’s the man of the city right there,” Fremd said of Rovyal, “so in honor of him, I’m going to go out and knock this fool out.”

Main event preview. The night will conclude with one of the state’s all-time fighters in the main event.

Westminster resident Rose Namajunas, a former two-time strawweight champion, fights Tracy Cortez in Namajunas’ third flyweight bout since moving up a weight class. Namajunas was originally supposed to fight Greeley native Maycee Barber, but Barber withdrew a few weeks ago due to medical issues.

Namajunas is No. 6 in the UFC flyweight rankings, and Cortez is No. 11. A win will inch Namajunas closer to an eventual title shot and a chance to become a two-division champion. Alexa Grasso currently holds the belt and is the No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound female fighter.

“I’m feeling lots of excitement, nerves, gratitude for this chance to fight here,” said Namajunas, a Milwaukee native who moved to Colorado about a decade ago. “I’ve had such a great career so far, with some ups and downs, so to get to this point of my first time fighting in Denver, there’s a lot to take in and a lot to process.

“If my heart is right, and my spirit is right … I’m the best for a reason, and (Cortez) will have to find that out.”

Cortez is riding an 11-fight win streak coming into Saturday — with five of those triumphs coming in the UFC — and is eager to hold on to her status as one of the promotion’s intriguing up-and-comers.

“I know right now (Namajunas) is a veteran, and we’re in her home, we’re in her backyard,” Cortez said. “All of that doesn’t really intimidate me. She was an amazing champion at 115 (pounds), but I don’t think she’s yet to face a true 125er like myself in her career. This is going to put both of us to a good test to see if, one, if she belongs in the flyweight division, and two, if I’m really as talented as I believe I am.”

During Namajunas’ training leading into Saturday, she worked with other local UFC fighters, including reigning bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington as well as flyweights Miranda Maverick and JJ Aldrich.

With Namajunas headlining alongside the trio of local men — UFC veteran lightweight and Colorado resident Drew Dober faces Brazilian Jean Silva in the third-to-last bout — Brundage believes Saturday will be a marquee night for the Centennial State’s MMA scene. The last time the UFC held a card in Denver was Nov. 10, 2018, at the then-named Pepsi Center.

“Hopefully we make enough of a statement that it doesn’t take six years to come back,” Brundage said. “This is where the UFC started (with UFC 1 in 1993 at McNichols Sports Arena), and there’s a ton of great MMA culture here. The fans here are awesome, they understand the sport. There’s a ton of jiujitsu gyms here with a lot of high-level UFC fighters who have fought for world titles, won world titles.

“I feel like with the history of this place with MMA, especially UFC, it’s crazy they haven’t been back sooner. … (We local fighters) are all going to go out, push a hard pace and show them what’s up.”

UFC Fight Night

Saturday at Ball Arena

Preliminaries — 5 p.m.

Evan Elder vs. Darrius Flowers (Welterweight)

Josh Fremd vs. Andre Petroski (Middleweight)

Luana Santos vs. Mariya Agapova (Flyweight)

Montel Jackson vs. Da’mon Blackshear (Bantamweight)

Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Fatima Kline (Flyweight)

Joshua Van vs. Charles Johnson (Flyweight)

Main Card — 8 p.m.

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage (Middleweight)

Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez (Featherweight)

Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa (Welterweight)

Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva (Lightweight)

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov (Welterweight)

Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez (Flyweight, Main Event)

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But you know what’s crazy? For a dog whose default mode is sprinting with reckless abandon, Rose Namajunas’ most cherished memory might be the time when Mishka lay perfectly still.

“Let’s just say I spent the night in my car, sleeping with her, and just her,” Namajunas, the Westminster-based UFC fighter recalled as we walked the lush, blustery Westminster Hills Open Space off-leash zone this past Friday. “Like a ‘What are we going to do’ kind of a thing, you know?”

Sunshine draws a crowd. Your best friends are the ones who stick around through the lowest of lows, when the skies are darkest, when the rain tastes like salty tears.

For Namajunas, the headliner for the UFC’s return to Denver on July 13, that low came eight years ago. Drugs and wrong turns left the flyweight contender in her car, on her knees, praying, head bobbing in fog, her heart rolling onto the floor.

“She was there and she was comforting me the whole time,” Namajunas said, giving Mishka a loving scratch behind a pair of golden ears. “She helped me through that. She kept me safe, you know?

“She’s me in a dog form, really. If there’s anybody that’s gonna try to mess with me, she’s definitely gonna do her best. She’s small, but she doesn’t mess around.”

Neither does Mom. Namajunas has been keeping herself busy preparing for two tussles in early July. She’ll top the UFC card at Ball Arena in a fortnight, looking to build off a victory over Amanda Ribas this past March. But every dog has its day, and for Namajunas’ pups, Mishka and 2-year-old Rosco, it’s July 8. That’s when Westminster’s city council is expected to vote on the fate of the Westminster Hills Open Space, including a proposal that would reduce its open-leash zone by more than 90%.

“This space is really special to me because I’m willing to do whatever it takes in order to improve it and keep it nice,” Namajunas said. “Some people don’t have capable (space) and they maybe ended up with a really high-energy dog. And this is a good way for them to exercise them. I know how much it means to so many other people. That’s why I’m willing to do what I’m doing for this place.”

At 32, Namajunas has fought in at least four countries, won two UFC strawweight titles and got nominated for a pair of ESPY awards. But she said none of it compared to the butterflies she felt earlier this year when addressing the city council, to publicly defend keeping the off-leash zone — the largest in metro Denver — at 420 acres.

“The first time I spoke (to them), it was comparable,” Rose laughed, waving a small stick, then flinging it into a clump of thick pasture for Mishka to chase.

“It was definitely nerve-wracking, for sure. The second time wasn’t so bad, because I had already done it.”

Namajunas has aligned with the Westy Dog Park Guardians, an advocacy group seeking to maintain the status quo. She’s trained at the open space for a decade now, pets sprinting at her side. Rosco learned to swim here. For all the times Mishka was there for her, Namajunas is hell-bent on being there for Mishka.

The city, meanwhile, has discussed shrinking the off-leash zone to 33 acres. Proponents of the latter cite concerns over parking, foot traffic, dog waste, wildlife, and the risks of encounters between random runners, bikers or hikers with unfamiliar, unleashed dogs.

On this Friday afternoon, Rose and I found ourselves with plenty of elbow room. Yet weekends have seen parking lots fill up and an overflow of cars extending into adjacent streets and neighborhoods.

As we stopped to sit on a bench, next to a tree Mishka used to love climbing in her younger days, a woman called out from across the creek.

“I just wanted to say thank you for being so vocal about the park,” she shouted.

“You’re welcome,” Namajunas replied.

Cards on the table: Like Rose, I’m a dog person, reared by a pet-loving dad and a pet-wary mom. Over about an hour of walking and talking, we must’ve been greeted, unprompted, by a half-dozen four-legged friends, loveable pups just checking us out, then bounding on their merry way. Most of them were sopping wet. All of them were grinning, thrilled and well-behaved. But as the father of a child frightened by jumpy dogs, I could also understand some of the city’s concerns.

Namajunas gets that part, too. She just wants a fair fight. When the Guardians filed an open records request recently, they found that an early draft of the report filed by an evaluator for Westminster was less focused on the impact of dogs than the version eventually released.

“They were like, ‘Hey, can we change (the report) to this?'” Namajunas said. “But (the city) didn’t have that recommendation, originally. And so the superintendent who’s been promoting this is the one that made that recommendation. So why are you spending (thousands) on this study of taxpayer money to act like it’s independent, and it’s not?”

Namajunas cracked that she’d be a farmer if she wasn’t a professional fighter. She’s especially well-read on soil and agronomy, having been bit by the gardening bug ages ago.

“And I would like to see (the city) not spray pesticides here because that’s what they say is part of their plan,” Rose continued. “And as much as it’s an EPA-approved thing, it’s kind of outdated and it shows to not be effective because you’re disturbing the soil even more.

“People assume that the dog owners don’t care about the environment. And I care just as much as anybody else.”

As if on cue, Mishka ran up to her mom, dropping a gnarled stick at Rose’s feet. The same stick. As Namajunas smiled and bent over to retrieve it, Mishka looked up, lovingly, staring with eyes that never leave. Eyes that never judge.

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