BY NICK RUBEK
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
UFC Fight Night
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When: 4:45 Wednesday
Where: Omaha Civic Auditorium
TV: Spike TV from 7 to 9 p.m. Ryan Jensen and Jason Brilz didn't necessarily have to sell themselves to get on Wednesday night's UFC Fight Night card.
But you could definitely say the two Omaha-area fighters did their fair share of convincing to find their way into the event.
Both asked their way on to Wednesday's sold-out show at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, Jensen with an e-mail and Brilz a phone call to Joe Silva, UFC's vice president of talent relations, a.k.a. the match maker.
Jensen, 30, found out exactly two weeks before Wednesday's fight that he would be on the card after a spot opened up due to an injury to Jeremy Horn, another Omahan. Jensen will fight Wilson Gouveia at 185 pounds.
"I really wanted to be on this card," Jensen said. "I started training five, six weeks ago hoping that something would go my way. I couldn't be happier that it did.
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Brilz also got on Wednesday's card by initiating contact with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. After talks about possibly getting on the organization's reality show "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV, Brilz used the contacts he had built with the company to get himself into a 205-pound match with Brad Morris.
"It's my first time fighting for this organization, which is always exciting," the Omaha firefighter said. "But this is sort of like the major leagues of the fighting organizations. It's a lot more than just signing your name to a contract.
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Jensen, the 185-pound title holder in two separate organizations — including the Omaha-based Victory Fighting Championship — has fought in the bigs before. An 0-2 showing is reason enough to be back, he said.
Brilz, on the other hand, is making his UFC debut after nine years of fighting despite a pro record of 15-1-0 and a light heavyweight title in the VFC.
Jensen got his start in the sport from Omaha fighter Steve Jennum, the winner of the UFC 3 tournament in 1994. Neighborhood training sessions with the former champ and Omaha police officer piqued Jensen's interest.
"It was the closest we could get to MMA," Jensen said of his roots in the sport. "And that's who I started with.
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Jensen's not only fighting in the top organization again, he's rubbing elbows in the face with some of the biggest names in the sport. Before going to Chicago to train with Clay Guida — a headliner scheduled to fight in Omaha — Jensen was working with Team Quest out of Portland, Ore.
That group, started by legendary fighter Randy Couture, includes Olympic wrestling medalist Matt Lindland, also a big name in MMA circles.
Jensen and Brilz have another connection. Both train at Mid-America Martial Arts in Omaha. The gym, considered a top MMA spot in the Metro, will have its members in attendance.
"I love the hometown crowd," Jensen said. "It energizes me.
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Brilz, who is an assistant with the University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling team in addition to being a firefighter, sees it a bit differently. The Omaha Central graduate said he's treating Wednesday's match like any other fight.
"That's really how I'm approaching it," Brilz said. "I'll get up and get dressed like I normally do.
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Brilz's parents will be in town from Wisconsin for the fight and UNO wrestling coach Mike Denney will be in his corner.
It is about time these guys get some press!
Great Job to both Jason and Ryan! I was cheering for Red:)