"I'm surprised you came so quickly," Judy commented as she looked at the Styracosaur Dinotopian that had come.
"I am fairly familiar with underground fighting rings," Brett Horne answered, "though, I'm surprised you wanted me here for the immediate response after their conversions, "one would think that that sort of thing should be... well... private."
"We aren't asking you to go in with them," Judy answered, "and honestly, a few of them should be done by now... but they are rather imposing, and a few did choose to become predator species."
"Animalia's Edicts would forbid attacking you, though," Brett reminded her, "you know that."
Judy gave a small stamp of her foot before answering, "that doesn't change some of the nervousness, though. I mean... some looked pretty tough even while they were Human. Not to mention that a couple had also come with a criminal record that required that any conversion be to a SMALL animal."
Brett nodded with some understanding. Combat sports were one of the oldest sports around with sports like wrestling and boxing going all the way back to the ancient world. Growing up, Brett had often found this was part of a male's desire to compete and show of and for a time it also showed ways to get money, though it wasn't always as great as others and that was enough and that was often enough to get those that wanted more into these fighting rings and it was partially what lead to his injuries that preceded his conversion to becoming a Dinotopian. He largely saw it as a "male" thing. Though as he got older, he found that there were cases where woman got into the sport as well, though he didn't get an opportunity to really meet any until after he'd become a Dinotopian. So, when news reports of a woman, "Ela Sha" and a few others wanting to convert and having connections to some other underground fighting rings and it wasn't hard for him to figure that they likely had pasts similar to his own.
"With underground fighting rings that's understandable," Brett assured Judy, "people may always want to compete, but may not always get the opportunity. And in a world where women are taking on roles, they weren't in... say... fifty years ago, they may be more willing to advance into them because the official leagues that would allow them to box or wrestle or engage in mixed martial arts either aren't paying enough or aren't aware of them."
"I still don't understand why people fight... even some Animalians," Judy managed.
"It's part of a desire for competition," Brett answered, "some of it is to prove strength against one another... and some of it may just some natural aggression and combat sports allow for it without fights becoming something that would risk fatal injuries. Mostly because official sports leagues will have medical personnel on hand, while an underground ring is going to try to avoid attention."
"And that may be why some of them have those legal requirements to become a "smaller" Animalian?" Judy asked.
Brett nodded. He'd been in some measure of trouble after his injury, which had betrayed the ring he'd been in, and it took some time to recover from that and was initially something that made things difficult once the criminal liabilities on him were over. Thankfully, Animalia gave him a second shot and working as an organizer for the mixed martial arts matches for Animalians and the Dino Fight Club had worked out well. He also continued to train, largely in expectation of a few matchups that would want to see who could box better among Dinotopians, and potentially in some cases should there be comparable weights between a Dinotopian and some other Animalian.
They eventually came to one of the conversion room doors and Judy nodded on it, waiting for an answer from within. The door opened and a Kodiak Bear Animalian stepped out. She wore a pair of grey shorts and a black tee-shirt, and they fit fairly loosely, which Brett assumed was something that Horizon provided as part of the conversion process.
"You work for the UFC-A," the Kodiak Bear Animalian spoke to Brett pointedly, "I recognize you from some of the news reports."
"Organizing matches and promotions and so on, yes," Brett answered, "including Dino Fight Club... and though matches there are sparce and sporadic, mostly from having few participants. There are some things that will seem to pan out. They're wanting to set up a match between me and one of Dino City's BARA House residents... Styracosaurus versus Triceratops."
"Bah, I could take you," the Kodiak Bear Animalian pumped up her chest, demonstrating some rather impressive pectoral muscles beneath fairly impressive breasts beneath the shirt she was presently wearing.
"If you're wanting to join the UFC-A, you will recognize that there are rules to follow," Brett answered, "and besides being male, I'm well ABOVE your weight class. Most Animalians that would be able to even contend with Dinotopians... or at least with most of them around, would need to be those based on megafauna. There aren't many Dinotopians that have become animals in the Brown Bear's weight class that are actually interested in the competition..."
"I'd still be interested," the Kodiak Bear Animalian huffed and did her best to imitate the popping of her jaws that some bears often made to encourage rivals to back off, "you can call me Ela Sha."
"Brett Horne," Brett answered and shook her hand, "and I think there might be one Animalian that would be in your weight class and would provide a good match. Which bear is the strongest?"
"Ah, Kodiak versus Polar," Ela Sha smiled, "I accept. A way to prove things without getting in trouble."
"That's been the rule behind the UFC-A," Brett answered, "though, we will need to check on the others and see who all would want to compete and set things up from there... along with making sure that the requirements are followed."
El Sha nodded, and they then followed with the rest of the group from the wing that she'd been in. It wasn't a particularly large ring, as Brett found out and much of it was often to blow off steam from other frustrations, be it family, lovers' antics, jobs, or other things and so on. One that had become a Frilled Lizard Animalian was a bit bummed that her tattoo on her shoulder wasn't visible anymore after her conversion but seemed to accept things. Another had become a Rabbit Animalian, though Brett couldn't be sure on the specific species of rabbit. Though, he did note that she also offered to make friends with Judy, which put the Horizon worker a bit more at ease. Another became a female Spotted Hyena Animalia, not a herm like most of the Spotted Hyena Animalians were. The last became a Porcupine Animalian and wore a heavily modified outfit to allow for her quills.
"Not many Porcupine Animalians out there, eh?" she asked to him.
"There might be some," Brett said slowly, "though... I do not know for sure. Though it would make for some interesting matchups and require some measures of protection be available."
"Protection?" the Porcupine Animalian wondered.
"UFC-A rules forbid the use of natural weapons or lethal force," Brett answered, "I cannot use my horn to gore someone, predatory Animalians cannot bite or claw at someone, and you will not be allowed to deliberately hit someone with your quills."
"Spoilsport," the Porcupine Animalian answered.