Post by Lk™ on Dec 7, 2010 20:10:29 GMT -5
courtesy of the toronto sun,
i can't wait for this, ive been pumped since it announced that it will be legal in ontario. i'll be making a weekend out of it, with the expo. laugh at me for this, but my dream match for this is gsp vs jose aldo
The Rogers Centre will play host to UFC 131 on April 30, 2011.
UFC president Dana White and director of Canadian operations Tom Wright made the announcement at a press conference at the Air Canada Centr Tuesday morning. The fight card has yet to be assembled.
“Finally,” White began. “This January, it will have been 10 years that we’ve (parent company Zuffa, LLC) owned the UFC. Throughout my career, there have been some memorable events. I have a feeling that this will be the most memorable event of my career.”
The UFC has long lobbied the Ontario government to sanction mixed martial arts before getting the green light this past summer. As of January 1, 2011, the province will begin accepting event applications. White, who refers to Toronto as the Mecca of MMA, said UFC 131 will shatter the North American MMA record for people in attendance, and world best for money earned at the gate.
The provincial government expects that a major UFC event in Ontario would draw up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million for the local economy, including cash from hotel rooms rentals, restaurant meal expenditures and retail purchases.
A spokesman for Mayor Rob Ford welcomed the UFC announcement and news the first fight in Ontario would be held in Hogtown.
"It's very exciting," Adrienne Batra, Ford's press secretary, told the Sun Tuesday. "It's good news."
While Ford has always said he's not a huge ultimate fighting fan, on the campaign trail he touted the UFC as an economic boom for the province and the city.
Back in January, Ford told the Sun he doesn't get the appeal of UFC but the then-councillor cited potential economic benefits and said the city and province should be open to allowing it here - provided it be restricted to adults 18 and over.
As a mayoral candidate, Ford vowed in May that if he was elected mayor, he would welcome and encourage the UFC and other MMA organizations to do business in Toronto and do everything to convince Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government that it would be, in his words, a "win, win for everybody."
"What are we talking about here?" Ford said at that time. "We're talking about bringing business to Toronto. It's good business and it will bring in big money to the city.
"I'm not promoting violence here. That's not what this is about. This is an entertainment product. You may like it, you may not like it. That's your choice. People who don't like it don't have to watch it. It's not like we're playing it in the middle of the Gardner or anything.
"In my mind, we have to be open to business ideas that bring money and excitement to the city. This will generate millions of dollars for the city. I don't know how you can be against this."
It’s a no brainer to have Canada’s biggest MMA star, Georges St. Pierre, headline UFC 131. However, St. Pierre defends his title this weekend in Montreal against Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 and even if he wins, he may not be medically fit to compete in April.
White said he’d love to have St. Pierre in the UFC 131 main event, but that the card will be a success with or without him.
“Georges St. Pierre is loved here and all over the world, but we have a ton of stars,” White said. “That’s the great thing about mixed martial arts, it’s not all about one guy. "
UFC president Dana White and director of Canadian operations Tom Wright made the announcement at a press conference at the Air Canada Centr Tuesday morning. The fight card has yet to be assembled.
“Finally,” White began. “This January, it will have been 10 years that we’ve (parent company Zuffa, LLC) owned the UFC. Throughout my career, there have been some memorable events. I have a feeling that this will be the most memorable event of my career.”
The UFC has long lobbied the Ontario government to sanction mixed martial arts before getting the green light this past summer. As of January 1, 2011, the province will begin accepting event applications. White, who refers to Toronto as the Mecca of MMA, said UFC 131 will shatter the North American MMA record for people in attendance, and world best for money earned at the gate.
The provincial government expects that a major UFC event in Ontario would draw up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million for the local economy, including cash from hotel rooms rentals, restaurant meal expenditures and retail purchases.
A spokesman for Mayor Rob Ford welcomed the UFC announcement and news the first fight in Ontario would be held in Hogtown.
"It's very exciting," Adrienne Batra, Ford's press secretary, told the Sun Tuesday. "It's good news."
While Ford has always said he's not a huge ultimate fighting fan, on the campaign trail he touted the UFC as an economic boom for the province and the city.
Back in January, Ford told the Sun he doesn't get the appeal of UFC but the then-councillor cited potential economic benefits and said the city and province should be open to allowing it here - provided it be restricted to adults 18 and over.
As a mayoral candidate, Ford vowed in May that if he was elected mayor, he would welcome and encourage the UFC and other MMA organizations to do business in Toronto and do everything to convince Dalton McGuinty's Liberal government that it would be, in his words, a "win, win for everybody."
"What are we talking about here?" Ford said at that time. "We're talking about bringing business to Toronto. It's good business and it will bring in big money to the city.
"I'm not promoting violence here. That's not what this is about. This is an entertainment product. You may like it, you may not like it. That's your choice. People who don't like it don't have to watch it. It's not like we're playing it in the middle of the Gardner or anything.
"In my mind, we have to be open to business ideas that bring money and excitement to the city. This will generate millions of dollars for the city. I don't know how you can be against this."
It’s a no brainer to have Canada’s biggest MMA star, Georges St. Pierre, headline UFC 131. However, St. Pierre defends his title this weekend in Montreal against Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 and even if he wins, he may not be medically fit to compete in April.
White said he’d love to have St. Pierre in the UFC 131 main event, but that the card will be a success with or without him.
“Georges St. Pierre is loved here and all over the world, but we have a ton of stars,” White said. “That’s the great thing about mixed martial arts, it’s not all about one guy. "
i can't wait for this, ive been pumped since it announced that it will be legal in ontario. i'll be making a weekend out of it, with the expo. laugh at me for this, but my dream match for this is gsp vs jose aldo