Vancouver UFC Still in Planning Stages
Loretta Hunt Nov 13, 2009
UFC President Dana White said Friday that the promotion still has
an event on the table for Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada,
though logistics haven’t been decided.
“Yes, we are coming to Vancouver,” said White during a teleconference call. “I don’t know if June is the exact month, but the answer is yes.”
When asked, White said the promotion wouldn’t necessarily utilize
its biggest Canadian star, UFC welterweight champion Georges
St. Pierre, for its debut in the city.
St. Pierre is currently on the mend after suffering a groin injury during his commanding decision victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 100 last July in Las Vegas. The promotion has earmarked Saturday’s matchup between Mike Swick and Dan Hardy at UFC 105 in Manchester, England, as a title eliminator bout. St. Pierre has said he’d like to return in February or March.
“The first time we went to Montreal, I wasn’t even going to use Georges St. Pierre for that fight, but he really wanted to fight in Montreal. It was his hometown,” said White. “Canada is crazy. We could go there with anyone headlining and it’s going to be big. People in Canada obviously love Georges St. Pierre, but people in Canada are UFC fans, period.”
The UFC’s two Canadian events, both held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, have been well received. UFC 83 drew 21,390 attendees in April 2008 and UFC 97 had 21,451 spectators, which is the current North American record.
“Yes, we are coming to Vancouver,” said White during a teleconference call. “I don’t know if June is the exact month, but the answer is yes.”
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St. Pierre is currently on the mend after suffering a groin injury during his commanding decision victory over Thiago Alves at UFC 100 last July in Las Vegas. The promotion has earmarked Saturday’s matchup between Mike Swick and Dan Hardy at UFC 105 in Manchester, England, as a title eliminator bout. St. Pierre has said he’d like to return in February or March.
“The first time we went to Montreal, I wasn’t even going to use Georges St. Pierre for that fight, but he really wanted to fight in Montreal. It was his hometown,” said White. “Canada is crazy. We could go there with anyone headlining and it’s going to be big. People in Canada obviously love Georges St. Pierre, but people in Canada are UFC fans, period.”
The UFC’s two Canadian events, both held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, have been well received. UFC 83 drew 21,390 attendees in April 2008 and UFC 97 had 21,451 spectators, which is the current North American record.
