This may not be huge news for some but this is epic for me! Ontario is probably the biggest market for MMA in the world based off of PPV numbers and Dana has said getting it legalized in Toronto was side-by-side with New York. Now I won't have to drive to Montreal to watch a UFC card. The UFC wanted to do Koscheck vs GSP at the Rogers centre (50,000+) but with this most likely not to go through till a couple of months into the year, it probably wont happen.
TORONTO -- The Ontario government has had a change of heart and will allow mixed martial arts as of 2011.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has always dismissed the idea of allowing mixed martial arts, saying it just wasn't a priority for Ontario families.
However, the Liberal government just announced it would take steps to allow events to be staged in the province, starting next year.
The province says it will adopt the same rules for professional MMA events that are widely used across North America.
Money is apparently the motive for the reversal on MMA by the cash-strapped province, which is running a deficit of almost $20 billion.
A government news release says a major MMA event in Ontario could attract up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million in economic activity.
TORONTO -- The Ontario government has had a change of heart and will allow mixed martial arts as of 2011.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has always dismissed the idea of allowing mixed martial arts, saying it just wasn't a priority for Ontario families.
However, the Liberal government just announced it would take steps to allow events to be staged in the province, starting next year.
The province says it will adopt the same rules for professional MMA events that are widely used across North America.
Money is apparently the motive for the reversal on MMA by the cash-strapped province, which is running a deficit of almost $20 billion.
A government news release says a major MMA event in Ontario could attract up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million in economic activity.