UFC fight not interrupted by parachuter

On Saturday night the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its first ever visit to Philadelphia when it erected the famous octagon on the Wachovia Center floor. The sell-out, salivating crowd came from all over to see firsthand the brutal hits, KO's, submissions and decisions (yes, even decisions are brutal) normally caught on Pay-Per-View.

The revved up crowd was treated to the swift Anderson Silva who seemed to toy with opponent Forrest Griffin and, eventually, knocked him out—in the first round. In the last fight of the evening lightweight champion BJ Penn outlasted Kenny Florian by submission in the 4th round. The audience was almost treated to another event as well.

Steven Van Brod, 28, of Hammonton, NJ, attempted to crash Philly's inaugural UFC event by parachuting into the arena a la November 1993 when, during the Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield fight (video above), a man parachuted into the outdoor stadium landing at the the edge of the ring where he was then tackled by spectators.

The skydive instructor neglected to take into account one factor ... the Wachovia Center has a roof.

"I really don't know what I was thinking. I've been planning the jump ever since they [the UFC] set the Philadelphia date and I just never thought about the roof," said Van Brod, who was shocked when informed that his rough landing above didn't register any reaction inside.

"So there wasn't any thud on the roof that the fans inside could hear?" asked a disappointed Van Brod. "All that work and planning and all those blueprints ... for nothing. I even bought a protractor."

It is not clear when the parachuter realized that he would not be entering the stadium, but the moment must have occurred before coming into contact with the roof. Van Brod claims he landed on the roof at 12:37 AM around the time Anderson Silva was defending his title against Forrest Griffin.

The arena's security on the outside did not noticed Van Brod on the first jump and, after calling friends who refused to help, repacked his parachute and jumped again, this time into the parking lot. It was here that he was apprehended by security and police and quickly taken into custody.

Officials are speculating that Van Brod had been in communication with one or many individuals inside the arena to better time his jump in the hopes of landing during one of the final two headline fights.

The fight that erupted in the lower level seating area between several fans, and drew the attention of the entire stadium, may have been related to the planned jump.

"We believe that Van Brod's inside guys, after looking up and seeing the roof, began blaming each other at the embarrassing oversight and the argument quickly erupted into a full-scale physical altercation," said Officer Paul Bride of the Philadelphia Police Department. "They were upset that the plan had been foiled by the above covering."

Van Brod and his accomplices can face up to six months in jail and significant community service if convicted.

Asked by reporters if he would ever parachute into an outdoor sporting event Van Brod replied, "Not if it was inside I wouldn't."