Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive, News
As you may recall, much of the talk surrounding UFC 115 was whether the organization would ever return to Vancouver following its first show. High insurance rates and a lack of provincial support, led many to believe that until things changed for MMA in Western Canada, the UFC (or another professional organization, for that matter) would think long and hard before holding another event at GM Place or any other arena in British Columbia.
A month later, the MMA scene in Vancouver became a little hazier, as Vancouver Athletic Commission chairman Mirko Mladenovic, a supporter of MMA, was impeached and replaced by Dave Rudberg. Why was he fired? Well, The Vancouver Sun reported that “city staff and others complained about his conduct during the recent debate over allowing an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.”
Moreover, there is a growing concern among MMA supporters in Vancouver that the two-year trial period for MMA in Vancover, which began in December 2009, might expire with only one major MMA event ever taking place in the Olympic city.
No one has been covering this story better than The Score’s Paul Lazenby, and MMA Fighting spoke to the fighting analyst about some of the issues surrounding MMA in Vancouver and the sport’s future in Western Canada. The interview is below.