source: www.mmajunkie.com
The Ultimate Fighting Championship's Toronto debut is set.
Today during a media and fan event at the Air Canada Centre, UFC president Dana White confirmed that UFC 131 takes place April 30 at the 69,000-seat Rogers Centre.
No fights were announced for the show, but UFC 131 will feature a two-day UFC Fan Expo at the Direct Energy Centre from April 29-30.
Given the size of the venue and Canada's immense MMA fan base, the show, which airs on pay-per-view, likely will shatter the North American MMA attendance and live-gate records.
Tickets are expected to go on sale in January.
One possibility for the card is UFC welterweight champion and Canadian fighter Georges St-Pierre. However, he first fights top contender and "The Ultimate Fighter 12" rival coach Josh Koscheck at this weekend's UFC 124 event in Montreal, and his status will depend on his health and the overall title picture of the division.
To date, Montreal and Vancouver are the only Canadian cities to host UFC events. Toronto, though, adopted MMA regulation back in August. The UFC then launched a Canadian division headed by former Canadian Football League Commissioner and one-time Adidas Canadian president Tom Wright, and White announced the organization's intention to host a Toronto show in 2011.
White previously has called Toronto a "mecca of MMA."
However, it's not known how many fans the Rogers Centre will be configured to hold. White previously has expressed disinterest in hosting shows with more than 20,000 seats because it takes away from the "intimate environment" and forces fans to watch the action on video screens throughout the arena. However, UFC 131 could host far more than 20,000 attendees based on the configuration that's ultimately chosen.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship's Toronto debut is set.
Today during a media and fan event at the Air Canada Centre, UFC president Dana White confirmed that UFC 131 takes place April 30 at the 69,000-seat Rogers Centre.
No fights were announced for the show, but UFC 131 will feature a two-day UFC Fan Expo at the Direct Energy Centre from April 29-30.
Given the size of the venue and Canada's immense MMA fan base, the show, which airs on pay-per-view, likely will shatter the North American MMA attendance and live-gate records.
Tickets are expected to go on sale in January.
One possibility for the card is UFC welterweight champion and Canadian fighter Georges St-Pierre. However, he first fights top contender and "The Ultimate Fighter 12" rival coach Josh Koscheck at this weekend's UFC 124 event in Montreal, and his status will depend on his health and the overall title picture of the division.
To date, Montreal and Vancouver are the only Canadian cities to host UFC events. Toronto, though, adopted MMA regulation back in August. The UFC then launched a Canadian division headed by former Canadian Football League Commissioner and one-time Adidas Canadian president Tom Wright, and White announced the organization's intention to host a Toronto show in 2011.
White previously has called Toronto a "mecca of MMA."
However, it's not known how many fans the Rogers Centre will be configured to hold. White previously has expressed disinterest in hosting shows with more than 20,000 seats because it takes away from the "intimate environment" and forces fans to watch the action on video screens throughout the arena. However, UFC 131 could host far more than 20,000 attendees based on the configuration that's ultimately chosen.