Vancouver loses UFC in 2012

MMA Fighting and TSN report that Vancouver is likely out of the UFC’s rotation of events for 2012. It announced 2012 events in Montreal and Toronto and another “surprise” Canadian city according to UFC’s director of operations Tom Wright.

Wright indicated that the lack of regulatory movement, not financial success was the reason that it would not return in 2012.

Via MMA Fighting:

The shows certainly weren’t financial failures. 2010’s UFC 115 did a $4.2 million gate, while UFC 131, held this past June, drew a $2.8 million gate. Instead, the problem is regulatory stalling. Both of the UFC’s events were held during a two-year test period held by the city after overturning a previous ban on MMA. That test period will end in the coming months and apparently, the prospects of sanctioned MMA will go with it.

Via TSN:

“And the disappointing thing for our sport is that after a two-year test period, they’ve had two tests — ours,” Wright said Wednesday. “Because no other promotion could afford the indemnification or the insurance costs or the other things — or actually have the perseverance to get an event to be held there.

Payout Perspective:

A disappointment to MMA fans in the Pacific Northwest. Last June’s event was set to be the return of Brock Lesnar. Unfortunately, due to Lesnar’s health issues, Lesnar’s late scratch likely affected the attendance for the show (yet, it still did pretty well). Taking Vancouver off of the schedule is a sign for the need of uniform regulation in Canada. This is something the UFC has lobbied for in Ottawa. Bloody Elbow was critical of Vancouver for granting the UFC the opportunity to hold events in its city but not doing anything to ensure a lasting relationship with the sport of MMA. BE argues that Vancouver officials made unreasonable monetary requests of the UFC to cover for insurance, extra police security, etc. while not creating laws which would regulate the sport in the province. Certainly, this would be the UFC’s point of view as well.

Notwithstanding Vancouver’s loss, there are other Canadian cities more than willing to hold a UFC event and work with the UFC regarding regulating MMA.

For Pacific Northwest MMA fans, perhaps Seattle will be a new destination for a UFC PPV. It had the highest attendance for a UFC Fight Night and the Seattle media embraced the sport. With the Key Arena dormant except the random concert and the WNBA’s Storm in the summer, Seattle has a great venue to house the sport.