You might think it all started in August, when that little modular stage groaned under the anger of the planet's two baddest light heavyweights, one steaming toward the other, with only a goggle-eyed PR rep and the restrictions of civilian clothing holding them back.
But the history of this beef between Jon Jones, the champion, and Daniel Cormier, the undefeated challenger, runs much deeper. It's personal, it's physical, it's emotional and, yeah, it's even a little racial.
MMA fans, casual and otherwise, are on a razor's edge as they wait for these two to mix it up this Saturday at UFC 182, for real and in the cage and with nothing much in place this time to stop the violence.
If you're not stoked for this one, you're not paying much attention. Let me help you with that. Here's a full timeline of the history between these two, chronologically displayed in six easy slides.
