Ultimate Fights and Ultimate Plans Last Friday I was in Vegas for UFC 40. It was the best UFC event I've ever seen. The MGM Grand was sold out and the fans were really into. Even during the prelim matches the arena was around 80 percent full. All the matches, save one (the Matt Hughes match was a tad duller than the others), were exciting and conclusive. Best of all, my two favorite fighters -- Carlos Newton and Chuck Lidell -- won their matches. It's cool watching how much the sport has grown. I remember watching tapes of the first UFC in 1993; watching the sport progress has been fun since I've been a fan from the start. This was the smoothest and most successful event the organization has thrown. Perhaps it's a turning point as it seems to be becoming more mainstream. Over the weekend I chatted a bit with two EICs of two print magazines. It's interesting throwing around ideas and getting feedback. One of them told me that he thought I was frustrated because in print you can change things and see them through in the next issues; you basically need someone to design and someone to write. With online you need designers, programmers, quality assurance, and writers; the process can take months. So even though the Internet can be more dynamic, there's a layer of complexity that I'm struggling with. Oh well, I'm throwing around lots of ideas with Jon and should have a pitch for my CEO to peruse soon. I hope he goes for it.