ULTIMATE FIGHTING: UFC INVADES SOCAL.

Byline: DANIEL FRIAS Staff Writer

Ladies and gentleman, it has arrived. An underground sport for so long the Ultimate Fighting Championship took a step into the mainstream with it's first ever show in California Saturday night in Anaheim.

And while many in the outside world may not understand it, appreciate or even care for it. To the 17,000 plus fans that packed The Pond for UFC 59: Reality Check it as electrifying.

They screamed and yelled at the top of their lungs for fighters like Tito Ortiz and Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski-two of the sports biggest names.

The Huntington Beach Bad Boy was given a standing ovation by the sellout crowd as he made his way toward the Octagon carrying both an American and Mexican flag in the featured light heavyweight (205 lbs.) match against Forrest Griffin, the tough nosed newcomer, who was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter, Season 1 reality television series.

The cheers erupted into a crescendo as soon as Ortiz was introduced by Bruce Buffer.

Griffin escaped with 30 seconds left and the bout ended with both warriors on their feet.

Karo Parisyan (23-3-0), fighting out of North Hollywood via Yerevan, Armenia, received a thunderous roar before his match with welterweight Nick Thompson (25-9). Parisyan made Thompson tap with 17 seconds left in the first round after pummeling Thompson with countless blows to the forehead opening a deep cut over his right eye.

"I felt very comfortable in the Octagon," Parisyan said. "Nick is a great opponent, but I think my experience has a lot to do with this win. I like taking the fight to the ground and that was my game plan."