There was still a light rain in the air, enough to ward off the heat of the day and keep the ground nice and uneven.  The crowds couldn't be happier.  After all, they wanted mud wrestling.<br/><br/>Though the throng of people crowding their way into the stands was unimaginable, the throng of fighters crowding their way into the pits was only slightly less so.  Combatants of all ages, sizes, and styles were milling about, while tournament directors mingled around checking Certificates of Entry.  There was no telling when a person's fight could come up, but after decades of practice, the tournament was run well enough to allow everyone a match on the first day.<br/><br/>Meanwhile, there was lots of time to mingle.