Swarms of students gathered in Jaycees Pavilion Friday night as the scent of beer and anticipation filled the air.

Greek fighters filed out of a doorway shrouded in black focused and ready as “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor roared through the room.

Knuckles were clenched into tight fists as the fifth annual Sigma Chi Battle of the Greeks went into its championship rounds.

All proceeds were donated to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sigma Chi’s primary national philanthropic organization along with the Children’s Miracle Network.

Sigma Chi President Reece Schenkenfelder estimated that they raised more money than in the past, though the exact count hasn’t been calculated.

“Nothing else compares to this Greek event,” said Duke Laha, a Virginia Beach, Va., junior.

About 300 people attended the fights last Thursday and Friday, Schenkenfelder said.

As the night progressed and fights became more intense the crowds did too, cheering even through the thick heat inside the dome.

“Everybody is well behaved,” said Fredie Boges of the ring crew. “I know college kids want to have fun and we don’t have to tell them more than twice.”

The ring crew is hired to make sure the event is safe and no one gets hurt, Boges said.

“We make sure all the rules are the same for the fighters,” he said.

The most anticipated fight was the middleweight division fight between Pi Kappa Alpha’s Evan Goddard and Sigma Nu’s Dane Rodriguez, Schenkenfelder said.

They opposed each other last year in the same competition. This year Goddard took the title of middleweight champion.

Other champions of the night were featherweight Josh Smith of Pi Kappa Alpha, lightweight Clay Goodman of Sigma Chi and heavyweight Larry Taugher of Sigma Chi.

Kaitlin Gardner and Whitney Allen of Alpha Omicron Pi won first division. This was the first year sororities participated as boxers.

“I was really pleased with how everything turned out,” Schenkenfelder said. “(We were) left with a great event for a good cause.”