UFC bouts: You can bet on it

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2002 | 9:12 a.m.

Cynics and critics arched their eyebrows Wednesday afternoon when Ken Shamrock and Tito Ortiz taunted each other on a dais at Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand.

At the podium, Shamrock took two steps to his right and stood above a seated Ortiz, repeatedly calling his foe a less-than-endearing name. Ortiz forced a laugh, flinging his arms and knocking an object over a table.

A host of officials and a police officer or two quelled the dramatics, not uncommon for any title-fight press conference. This, however, wasn't promoting a boxing match. Shamrock will try to nab Ortiz's Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight belt Friday night.

Marc Ratner, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and oddsmaker Danny Sheridan are two respected authorities who believe in the sanctity of the UFC, which combines elements of boxing, wrestling and martial arts.

"It was the real thing," said Ratner, looking concerned at the far end of the dais, of the mutual disdain between Shamrock and Ortiz. "It wasn't a fake thing. They don't like each other."

Sheridan left his home in Mobile, Ala., early Wednesday morning for a flight here so he could attend the press conference, and he said he is anticipating an exciting Friday evening at the Garden Arena.

"You will never see odds on the WWF," Sheridan said. "Maybe tongue-in-cheek, but you'll never see that in Nevada. (The UFC) has legitimacy. It's not fixed. And when something isn't fixed, via the roulette wheel or blackjack or whatever, you can bet on it. It's sanctioned.

"That's very important."

The 40th version of UFC events, dubbed "Vendetta" because of the stated hatred between Shamrock and Ortiz, will not be unique just because the MGM Grand has set odds on three of its matches. Casinos have set lines on previous matches.

But that Las Vegas Sports Consultants, Inc., the country's premier oddsmaking company, is providing odds and consulting advice on "Vendetta" -- a first for a UFC event -- raises the legitimacy of the sport.

Last week, LVSC operations manager Pete Korner said the increasing exposure, growing fan base and integrity of the UFC is what convinced his company to begin coverage for UFC major events.

Friday's card, which has eight fights and will be available to an international pay-per-view audience, begins at 5:30 p.m. inside The Octagon at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The MGM Grand made Ortiz (minus 180), welterweight Matt Hughes (minus 400 over Gil Castillo) and light heavyweight Chuck Liddell (minus 230 over "Babalu" Sobral) the favorites. Each match is scheduled for five five-minute rounds.

"When they look back in the history books, the archives, to this point ... to be a part of it now means I'll be a part of history," said English middleweight Mark Weir, who will fight Phillip Miller of Hesperia, Calif., in the night's first fight. "It's a big deal to me, yeah."

It was apparently a big deal to have Ortiz and Shamrock on the same stage, let alone in the same hotel or even same city. One official said the two had never been so close to each other as they were Wednesday afternoon, when they sat 10 feet apart.

Ortiz glared at Shamrock as Ratner and UFC president Dana White gave statements and made introductions. White soon found himself between Shamrock and Ortiz, courtesy of a three-year-old feud that supposedly started with Ortiz disrespecting Shamrock.

After the verbal sparring, a steaming Shamrock left Studio 54 with his posse.

"It's going to be a bloody mess," Ortiz said.

According to Ratner, a sport that once was a bloody mess has gotten its act together. It is now sanctioned in four states, and the participation of the LVSC boosts its credibility immeasurably. When the sport sprouted in the mid-1990s, its brutal nature got it booted from cable television.

"Maybe there were time limits, but no rules, no rounds and no judges," Ratner said. "Now, we have all that, which makes it much more legitimate ... the athletic commission is behind it, it shows we do take it seriously and we want a level playing field."

Sheridan, who posted odds on five of Friday's fights in Wednesday's edition of USA Today, predicted that the UFC matches will one day attract attention similar to championship boxing bouts.

"Ten years from now, it will. Maybe less," Sheridan said. "These guys, with mixed martial arts, are more competitive. There are more variables to winning. In boxing, you only punch. Here, you have six variables ... jujitsu, whatever.

"To be sanctioned, you don't write a check. You have to meet certain criteria. Nevada is the bell cow for the whole world. I was not a fan of this sport years ago, but I am now. In fact, to me, this is more impressive than boxing."