When Hall and Severn hooked up, they set an unofficial record for combined age of combatants at 110. And while Hall has taken on – and beaten – men in their 20s and 30s, he and Rundle will break that record this weekend. Together, it's 111 years of life experience in the cage.

Both men are primarily standup fighters, and Hall says they both expect the bout to be a standup war. When it ends, however it ends, he probably won't look back. He says he watches each fight just once afterwards.

"It's like an out-of-body experience when I see it," he says. "I feel blessed and fortunate. And quite frankly it's very humbling. I'm not very deserving of attention. I feel like I'm doing something I love. I'm an average fighter. I just happen to be old."

We celebrate athletes for many reasons. Because of their talent, their dedication, their envy-inducing abilities. And sometimes for their longevity.

Sports at its essence, is a man's test of himself. In the world of MMA, the courage isn't always in the fight; it's in the ability to endure rigorous training, to face the possibility of injury and push past it.

Hall is 63 in a sport where your only protection is the training you bring with you, where your body is your weapon. That's not only inspiring, it's downright amazing.

People have told him to stop, that he's too old or that his injuries are too much to overcome. He's had people tell him they have gotten on their knees and prayed for him to quit. But it had to be on his terms.

"You can get hurt doing anything," he says. "This sport is extremely good in the protection that good referees offer the fighters. You're going to get hit. As long as you're OK with that, and you're prepared, go fight."

It's hard to find anyone in the sports world to even compare Hall with. Just days ago, Billy Crystal had a single spring training at-bat with the Yankees, but it was a publicity stunt for his 60^th birthday. Last year, Mike Flynt was 59 when he played Division III football at Sul Ross State University. But Hall is a pro fighter, and therein lies the distinction.

Aforementioned MMA pioneer Severn is believed to be the next oldest competitor in the sport, and even though Hall is ready to hand over the mantle, the UFC veteran doesn't anticipate making a run at the record. Remember, he's 14 years away.

"I think I'll simply bow down and relinquish that to him," says Severn, who just recently fought and defeated UFC veteran Colin Robinson. "It's very impressive. I know I'm not the same person I was just five years ago. And 10? Heck, no. No matter how good you've been, father time erodes you. I can't imagine how often people ask him when he's going to quit, because I get asked all the time."

So Hall can rest easy in retirement knowing no imminent challenge exists. But what will a man so full of life do in retirement?

Plenty, it turns out. He bought a house two years ago and still has much to finish. He lives three minutes from a lake but hasn't fished since moving. He's a licensed pilot but hasn't flown in a while. He'd like to spend more time with his wife and family; the baddest grandfather on the planet has a soft spot for his granddaughter Taylor. And he likes to climb.

Everest anyone?

"You never know," he says, laughing.

Who'd doubt him?

"But there's other things I need to do, and want to do," he says. "I'll still stay involved with the sport, but when it comes to fighting, it's time. It's been good but it sure occupied a tremendous amount of my personal time."

So like the rest of us, he'll watch from his couch as the younger generation continues to evolve the sport. He enjoys watching Randy Couture, Georges St. Pierre, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, among others.

But not on March 22.

On that day, in front of around 2,000 fans including most of his family, Hall will walk to the ring, wait for the opening bell and step up to his final fighting challenge. There won't be the bright lights of a UFC production illuminating his face, tens of thousands filling a cavernous arena or TV crews recording whether he wins or loses.

But while the lack of fanfare may not bother him, on the other hand, his story can teach us all something about possibilities. The limits of the human body get pushed further every day and people like Skip Hall will redefine our preconceptions of what it can do.

He may describe himself as an average fighter, but at 63 years old, that makes him an extraordinary person.

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