WHEN AN Ultimate Fighting Championship event cranks up, there's a definite surge of electricity in the air, and that unmistakable buzz is attracting a growing number of fans. One recent convert is Carmen Electra.
When the movie and TV star added "UFC Spokesperson" to her resume, she quickly found out why the sport is becoming so appealing, especially to women.
"Well, the guys are pretty handsome, first off," Electra says, "And you know it's real -- it's a real fight. It's really raw and edgy and in your face -- just my style. And they say it's safer than boxing, which probably makes more women accept it."
Electra wasn't so sure about the exploits of Tito Ortiz and company when she accepted the UFC's offer to join the fun. She knew that the organization had revamped it's rules to make its blend of boxing, wrestling and martial arts safer, but she didn't understand the attraction until watching videos of recent bouts.
"I come from a family of martial artists, "Electra says, noting that her late mother, Patricia Patrick, was a third-degree black belt in karate. "I always wanted to compete, but my mom, wouldn't let me. I used to watch her compete in tournaments, and I realized that it takes a real athlete to do that."
A photo shoot with some of the fighters sealed the deal.
"I was very intimidated at first because they're so big and scary," says Electra, best known for her roles in the series Baywatch and the film Scary Movie. "But once I met everyone, they were so sweet and nice, all of them. They're just incredible. You don't expect someone who fights for a living to be so sensitive."
Maybe it's best no one else knows about that.

-- Tom Hoffarth