As the dust settles, I’m finally working in a few days of rest — of course, that doesn’t mean much.  Resting just means doing work in a fifty mile radius of home.  But I don’t mind.  Whenever I get more than a few days off, I get restless.

I’ve had a crazy run, let’s start with the most recent and go backwards —

UFC 121 — Strikeforce Challengers Fresno — Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange in Tokyo (Casey at UFC 120 London) — Strikeforce: Diaz vs Noons — New York Trip — DREAM.16 in Nagoya (Casey at UFC 119) — Production on Collision Course: Diaz vs Noons (Houston, Stockton, and Tijuana) — Shark Fights — More production on Collision Course — UFC 118 — Strikeforce: Houston — Strikeforce Challengers Phoenix — UFC 117 — UFC on Versus — Strikeforce Challengers: Everett (video too).

Back to back like effin’ champs.

This past Saturday went by fast as I rushed around alternate paths to the Honda Center (always the Pond to me), from the second I picked up my pass to the moment we packed up and left MMAWeekly’s Ken Pishna and Scott Petersen the last ones in the room.  Normally, Ariel, Ben, Casey and I are the last to leave but the amazing upload speeds made it possible for us to wrap out early.

My most amusing moment was entering the elevator down to the press level to be asked by someone on the Pay-Per-View crew, “Are you here for the music video?”  I can assume my all black attire and pelican made me look like a musician of some type.  “What music video?” I asked.  “The Arianny video.”  I laughed and told the two guys I was there to shoot for AOL Fanhouse.

My position was about the worst position I’d ever shot from besides overhead but I think I still did fair. I missed a lot of the kinds of shots I love to get, the split second after victory/defeat as I was nearly kicked in the face each time the cage door opened.  But I think that as long as I’m on the floor, I’m always able to kick ass in some capacity.

Most amazing was the crowd during Velasquez/Lesnar.  The electricity, the noise, the overwhelming joy the crowd and Cain’s corners felt.  Over the last few months, I’ve been running on empty but still hustling, still going.  And this is why I do it.  Because of weekends like this where I get to shoot two back-to-back nights of great fights.  Because this is my thrill.  Now that I’m home with my Ethiopian coffee and my pups, I’m already itching after only one day to feel the shutter release under my finger as my mind finds its focus in the roaring sea of voices.

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You can see the full gallery here on AOL Fanhouse.