Joe Ferraro of Sportsnet.ca is reporting that UFC 115 in Vancouver is looking like less and less of a possibility due to insurance and other issues brought up by the Vancouver City Council and its conditional license.
A planned UFC show in Vancouver in June is on the ropes, apparently due to insurance and other issues.
A source told The Canadian Press that the show has been called off and the mixed martial arts promoter is looking at Cincinnati as a possible replacement city.
The UFC has not officially announced the Vancouver card, other than to say that it planned to go there in June. The show had been pegged for June 15 at GM Place.
UFC president Dana White said he could not comment on any issues affecting Vancouver. But a second source said the two sides had yet to resolve insurance and other indemnification matters.
Payout Perspective:
This is just the latest twist in the see-saw battle to get the UFC into a Canadian city other than Montreal. Despite the news last week that the UFC had been given a conditional license to host the show in June, more recent reports indicated the UFC was considering the idea of scrapping its Vancouver plans in favor of less complex event preparation in the neighboring province of Alberta.
It’s known that the WEC has booked several June dates at Calgary’s Saddledome in anticipation of its Canadian debut. If Cincinnati doesn’t work, it’s possible Calgary could be a back-up for the UFC.
Stay tuned.
Kelsey: Here is a great article on the the problems Vancouver is dishing out to promoters, including the onerous amount of insurance PNE was requesting, though noted it is a different venue.
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/mma/Council+dithering+puts+pressure+Vancouver+event+promoters+getting+antsy/2641750/story.html
Another good source to read regarding Vancouver issues:
http://www.paullazenby.com/2010/03/mma_under_siege_in_british_col.php
The last even in Cicy didnt do that well. It was Franklins home town and a rematch verses Silva but it still wasnt as successful as the Columbus shows. Of course the columbus shows had the Arnold Fitness expo bringing in tons of people to the city not to mention NAGA being part of the Expo.Things may have changed in the last few years but i dont know why they would pass on the Fitness Expo week this year and put WEC in its place then go to cincy. Maybe it was a ploy to push WEC but right now Columbus should be the home of the UFC in Ohio. IMO.
When i went to the UFC in Columbus and Cincy there were wuite a few canadian flags in the stands. Cheering for MacDonald and maybe a few others. BUt if the UFC dont get to pull off a Canadian show wouldnt it be better to go to Cleveland which is more accessable to canadians. It is a major city big enough for the UFC but also still draw Canadian fans.
Here was the latest from yesterday, which I covered on the MMAterial Facts segment.
“The Vancouver Athletic Commission gave conditional approval Wednesday for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at GM Place on June 12.
The mixed martial arts event at the 19,000-seat venue would be the UFC’s first in B.C.
Commission chairman Mirko Mladenovic said the approval is contingent on insurance and indemnity issues with the city being resolved. Those issues are expected to be addressed at a city council meeting April 6.
The commission also tentatively approved a promoter’s licence for UFC. ”
http://mmapayout.com/2010/03/mmaterial-facts-032610-alves-update-details-on-ultimatefighter-website/
Thanks for the additions, Jose.
I wanted to add all those links, but I got this news and then had to jump into class.