With UFC 111 just days away, The Ultimate Fighting Championship made a pit stop at Toronto’s Eaton Centre on Tuesday, where thousands of fans turned out for a Q+A session with UFC President Dana White and an autograph session featuring Canadian fighters Sam ‘Hands of Stone’ Stout and Krzysztof ‘The Polish Experiment’ Soszynski.
First order on tap for the UFC on the day? To spread the word of Canada’s own Georges St-Pierre’s upcoming Welterweight Title defense Saturday night vs. ‘The Outlaw’ Dan Hardy on Viewer’s Choice Pay-Per-View in Canada. The second order of business? To continue to drum up local support in the organization’s attempt to get the sport of MMA sanctioned in the Province of Ontario, a place where the UFC Prez has long considered ‘The Mecca for Mixed Martial Arts’.
Canadians' Stout and Soszynski Are Proof Of The UFC's Popularity North Of The Border
The biggest roadblock standing in the way of bringing UFC events to Ontario continues to be the reluctance of Premier Dalton McGuinty to put the sanctioning of the sport on his province’s political agenda. Despite the UFC’s public push on Tuesday, McGuinty dodged reporters’ questions by proclaiming ‘I’m tapping out on this’, when further pressed on the issue of legalizing MMA at Queen’s Park today.
TSJ’s had the opportunity to attend numerous UFC events over the years, so trust me when I say – I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a turnout as big for a promotional event (let alone an actual Pre-Fight Press Conference) that rivaled the enthusiasm and passion I saw Tuesday in Toronto. Dana’s bang on. Fans in the UFC’s biggest market deserve the chance to see this sport live in their own backyard.
So McGuinty and the rest of the provincial government need to wake up. The people have spoken. The time to legalize MMA in Ontario is now.
Great interview… I love Dana’s approach and that he is willing to be patient with Ontario. It may take some time but I believe it will happen here.
Dana… don’t be modest buddy. God like status is not overdoing it. WE NEED SOME MMA. Legalize it now! What grown men do in an octagon is their business. If I want to pay to watch it let me. I don’t need a government to wipe my butt and tuck me in at night. Come on! I can buy cigarettes to kill me but I can’t watch two grown men fight each other. Let’s go McGuinty, maybe you can actually get reelected with this concession because otherwise you and your harmonized sales tax are cooked. We’ll wait for UFC Dana as long as it takes. Ontario loves MMA, UFC and TSJ (Quebec too).
Maybe we can open up an MMA roster spot on NHL teams and get head shots legalized.
Dana, I have an idea for UFC 112. You can fight Vince McMahon from WWE. Maybe you can get around the sanction rules in Ontario since WWE can run events here. Food for thought Dana
You should have asked him about the James Toney signing. Light up the fireworks TSJ. Although, looking at the size of Dana’s pythons and the people he hangs out with perhaps a confrontational approach was not the way to go. I think you have the reach advantage though TSJ, how’s your ground game?
Junkie you have officially made it to the show.
Something’s going on behind the scenes with McGuinty that’s not adding up. Giving MMA the green light in Ontario should be an obvious slam dunk — it helps stimulate the economy (create jobs, inject money, etc) to the tune of $4 million per event. What gives? I think McGuinty’s holding on to this as an ace in the hole come election time in October 2011. By then, it just might be too late to save him with the 18-35 male vote.
McGuinty is a liar. Flat out. And regardless of what he does with MMA running a $24 billion deficit will be enough to get him tossed if people ever wake up and realize what that means. That’s 3000 for every man woman and child put on a credit card to be paid off thanks to the McGuinty government. The “prosperity” we all see is going to be paid for by our kids “with interest”. If you work out the hit per taxpayer the amount goes up well north of $10,000. I didn’t vote for that. And when exactly will the budget be balanced Mr. McGuinty? And without raising taxes. I can’t wait to see you pull off that magic act pal. You aren’t fooling anyone Dalton McGuinty and your days in power are numbered regardless of what you decide on MMA.