All-black main event a milestone for UFC

When you grow to this point, from one guy wearing a boxing glove and another wearing a jiujitsu kimono to producing some of the world's most recognizable fighters, from media gatherings of three reporters asking questions to conference calls with more than 100, from childhood buddies spending $2 million on a struggling company and turning it into a billion-dollar venture, significant moments aren't lacking.

Another arrives for the Ultimate Fighting Championship tonight.

It could prove quite important.

If you can sidestep all the trash talking, and there has been enough of it to fill octagons from here to Buffalo, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson fighting Rashad Evans could open a valuable door for the sport.

It is the first time two black fighters will oppose each other in a main event, a light heavyweight match to culminate UFC 114 at the MGM Grand Garden.

"I definitely think this fight can open up the sport to a whole new demographic, one that to this point has been untapped in the UFC," Evans said. "It's about time. The part of the black community that has followed Rampage and myself and all that has gone on can finally see us fight.

"I'm not sure many in the black community understood the sport or wanted to before. People would always tell me, 'Why all the wrestling? Why don't you just stand up and fight?' But the more educated they become about the sport, about mixed martial arts as a whole, the more involved I think they will be. That's why this fight is so historic, one of (the most important) if not the most important in UFC history."

It was one of the few recent moments when either Evans or Jackson allowed himself to talk about the big picture rather than their supposed contempt for one another. Every fight is defined by some level of hype, of orchestrated news conferences and staged theatrics and people with nothing to do acting important.

This one has been no different with one exception.

These dudes really hate each other or deserve Academy Awards for their efforts.

Jackson knows a little about acting, soon to hit the big screen as B.A. Baracus in "The A-Team." But even if the fight hasn't been promoted around a racial theme, those about to go at it in the cage have done their part to stoke such fires.

Jackson has a few times after fights used the term "black-on-black crime," which has led to Evans and others accusing him of re-enforcing negative stereotypes about the black community.

Evans: "Sometimes, he does it for laughs, and that's part of his sense of humor. But to me, it kind of comes off like some Uncle Tom (bleep)."

Jackson: "Basically, I don't care about race. I never think about race when I say things. My main objective is to entertain people. If you've followed my career, my whole career, I've tried to entertain people ... You can't make everyone happy. You can make a race issue out of it. I still don't care what color the guy is in front of me. He still gets his ass whipped."

For his part, UFC president Dana White loves every ounce of this. White likes to say that the only thing better than a great fight is a great fight between two guys who hate each other.

As the UFC attempts to remain relevant to mainstream sports fans, the idea of welcoming new fan bases intrigues even the most successful companies. Whether Jackson vs. Evans in a main event will truly draw more fans from the black community to future fights is unknown, but this isn't: One reason White has been so successful building the UFC brand is an ability to think outside the box and turn such thoughts into massive profits.

"You have to realize that as big as (UFC) is, we really haven't hit the Hispanic or urban markets at all yet," White said. "There are so many more people out there to bring to the sport, and this fight certainly won't hurt that.

"Listen, now that the money is so big and kids see they can become multimillionaires in this, you're going to see more Hispanics and blacks and people of all colors and demographics from all over the world fighting in the UFC."

There was a time not long ago when Evans was riding an elevator with a young woman in Brooklyn. The doors opened, and as he was about to step out, the woman said, "I really like the way you fight."

"I was floored," Evans said. "I had no idea she knew who I was, a young black woman who knew all about me and (the UFC)."

Tonight, the UFC hopes to build on that.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618.