The temperature outside the National Guard Armory was comfortable both Friday and Saturday nights with the day cooling into late 50s and 60s.

But inside things were warming up rather quickly.

One by one, an endless line of chattering men, women and children made their way into a packed gym running out of seating.

In less than 10 minutes before the big thrill of the evening, there were no more seats and people were standing against walls and huddling in-between aisles of seats — waiting patiently for the main attraction.

And then it happened.

“Ladies and gentleman, I know what you came for,” an announcer said, teasing an audience of more than 700 who came to watch 40 men fight in 20 fights in the Tuff Man contest, in which amateur fighters take a jab at each other. Sanctioned by the North Carolina State Boxing Authority, the Tuff Man contest pits locals in three one-minute bouts, with a one-minute rest period between each round. The participants are divided into three weight categories for the contest.

The winner of each round on Friday, returned Saturday night for a single-elimination tournament. The round finalists would “slug it out” to win first, second, or third place, a trophy and monetary prize.

The event is sponsored by George and James Hines of Hines Promotion. The pair are brothers who travel throughout North Carolina hosting different fight nights. George sales and promotes, while James acts as the sports announcer.

“You came to see them get knocked down and dragged out,” James shouted at the audience.

Indeed they did.

“It’s time to rumble,” he said.

In mere seconds, two men were standing in a ring. One in blue gear in one corner. One in red gear in another corner. The one in blue slightly smaller than the one in red. Both were jogging, twitching their necks in excitement, chewing nervously on their mouthpieces. Each surrounded by hundreds ready for them to rip each other apart.

“Ding,” the bell rang.

It’s time to fight.

Blue gear starts out strong with a few blows to Red gear’s chin and chest, but Red Gear, a few years younger, pounces back quickly.

One blow to the chest. POW! Blue gear stumbles back.

Another blow to the jaw. BAM! Knock out.

The crowd cheered wildly including Taylor Bradley, 27, an Appalachian State University student on his spring break.

“I came to these a few years ago, and I like the competition,” he said.

But actually participating in the competition is something he would forego.

“I like to watch people get knocked out, but I don’t want to get knocked out,” he said, laughing.

His friend, Tyrell Easter, 38, nodded in agreement.

“It’s fun to watch, but I probably wouldn’t participate, don’t want to be embarrassed,” he said.

Another set of fighters entered the ring, and the men quickly returned their attention back to the fight.

“Mix it up, mix it up,” the announcer said rapidly, each word colliding into the next, making it sound as if instead of three words, it’s one whole word.

“Mixitzup, mixitzup,” he chanted, urging the men to progress from aimless swings to full on punches.

The crowd’s whoops and hollers imitated his insistence.

“Yeah!” a woman cheered from her seat, with a little girl propped on her shoulders, each pumping their fists in the air.

A few rows behind her, a line of men standing along the wall also chanted, “Go for it, go for it.”

Granville Rawley, a 59-year-old former karate competitor, stood along the wall with them.

“I’ve been coming for the last two years, and I like seeing people get hit. I come for what everybody comes to see — a knock out,” said Rawley, who admitted he was not intimidated to get into the ring. “I would participate, I used to do karate years ago.”

Michelle Gillipsie, 31, said she was impressed that her boyfriend was participating and thought the event was fun.

“I love it, it’s legal fighting, it’s just a fun guy thing,” she said.

Contact Erin C. Perkins at eperkins@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.