It's well known that UFC events held around the world vary in many ways. The size of the arena, the vibe of the crowd and the pre-fight facilities / locker rooms are all variables that can positively or negatively affect a fighter heading into the Octagon.
In the world of the Combat Codes, a Grievar faces an even stauncher test when stepping into the Circle. Every Circle messes with a Grievar's head differently: Auralite amplifies a crowd's boos and cheers, Rubellium makes a fighter feel cocky, Emeralyis inspires unforeseen creativity in a combatant.
Do any UFC venues remind you of specific Circle classes from the Combat Codes?
Here are a few off the top of my head:
- Saitama Super Arena, Toyko Japan: Japanese crowds are notoriously quiet, almost never booing a fighter like western crowds. They are also very knowledgeable of the intricacies of MMA. I can still vividly remember watching the fans at Saitama cheering on Minotauro in Pride, whenever he hit a technical sweep or attacked a submission from the bottom. We almost never see the same enthusiasm for technique in most UFC bouts held in the US or Europe.
For this reason, I'd say fighting at Saitama would be the equivalent of fighting within a Emeralyis Circle. Because the Japanese fans appreciate technique in a way most fans do not, fighters at Saitama often were more creative with their attacks, prompting some of the first rolling leg attacks, spinning TKD kicks, and leaping punches that have since become legendary (see Ryo Chonan vs. Anderson Silva).
- Rio Arena (HSBC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: One unforgettable moment in MMA history was Jose Aldo's win over Chad Mendes at Rio Arena at UFC 142. The Brazilian crowd was booming that day for every fight on the main card, and for Aldo, they were thunderous, reaching their crescendo when the champ jumped into the stands to celebrate with the fans.
This is why Rio Arena would likely possess the crowd-push effect of an Auralite Circle. Auralite amplifies the cheers or jeers of a crowd, sinking into the head of a Grievar and making them feel like a puppet at the strings of the fans. This crowd-push is nowhere more apparent that in Brazil, where the crowd nearly works as an active participant in every bout due to its tremendous energy.