Report: UFC will debut in Melbourne with huge stadium show in November

The UFC is apparently set to make a big splash in Melbourne next year.

The Daily Telegraph in Australia is reporting that the UFC will debut in the city on Nov. 15, 2015 at Etihad Stadium, which holds north of 50,000 people. UFC stars like Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor are all being considered to headline what would be UFC 193, according to the paper.

The event has not been made official by the UFC. The Telegraph reported that it will likely be announced in the coming weeks. UFC officials were not immediately available to confirm or deny the report when reached Sunday evening by MMAFighting.com.

MMA is legal in Melbourne’s state of Victoria. But holding mixed martial arts fights in a cage is strictly prohibited — competition is only allowed inside of a ring. However, the Labor party has come into power through recent elections and one of its promises is to make the Octagon legal.

Tom Wright, the UFC’s executive in charge of Canada and Australia, told the Telegraph this week that at least one title — and possibly two — would be on the line when the UFC comes to Melbourne for the first time.

“We only get one chance to make a first impression,” Wright told the paper. “I remember when we first went into Toronto, Canada, and (UFC owner) Lorenzo Fertita said ‘this is going to be our Super Bowl’. It’s the same with Melbourne. That will be our mandate. It’s why this card has to be headlined with a world title fight. We cannot do an event of this magnitude without putting a belt on the line.”

A 2006 boxing match between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green attracted more than 30,000 to the Sydney Football Stadium and it was arguably the biggest combat sports event in Australian history. The UFC’s largest attendance figure was 55,724 for UFC 129 on April 30, 2011 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. That marked the UFC’s debut in Ontario. UFC on FOX 14 on Jan. 14 in Stockholm will take place at Tele2 Arena, which holds more than 30,000 people.

The Telegraph reported that in addition to potentially two title fights, the main card will also feature top heavyweight Mark Hunt and welterweight contender Hector Lombard. Hunt is from New Zealand, but has lived in Australia for years. Lombard, a Cuban, also spent many years in the country.

Wright told MMA Kanvas that he will speak with the new government this coming week before heading back to Las Vegas to begin planning the UFC’s huge Melbourne card. A UFC Fan Expo is also a possibility, the site reported.

The official results of the Australian elections are not yet finalized, so there has been no official comment on the Labor party lifting the current ban on fights inside of a cage.

The UFC is apparently set to make a big splash in Melbourne next year.

The Daily Telegraph in Australia is reporting that the UFC will debut in the city on Nov. 15, 2015 at Etihad Stadium, which holds north of 50,000 people. UFC stars like Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor are all being considered to headline what would be UFC 193, according to the paper.

The event has not been made official by the UFC. The Telegraph reported that it will likely be announced in the coming weeks. UFC officials were not immediately available to confirm or deny the report when reached Sunday evening by MMAFighting.com.

MMA is legal in Melbourne’s state of Victoria. But holding mixed martial arts fights in a cage is strictly prohibited — competition is only allowed inside of a ring. However, the Labor party has come into power through recent elections and one of its promises is to make the Octagon legal.

Tom Wright, the UFC’s executive in charge of Canada and Australia, told the Telegraph this week that at least one title — and possibly two — would be on the line when the UFC comes to Melbourne for the first time.

“We only get one chance to make a first impression,” Wright told the paper. “I remember when we first went into Toronto, Canada, and (UFC owner) Lorenzo Fertita said ‘this is going to be our Super Bowl’. It’s the same with Melbourne. That will be our mandate. It’s why this card has to be headlined with a world title fight. We cannot do an event of this magnitude without putting a belt on the line.”

A 2006 boxing match between Anthony Mundine and Danny Green attracted more than 30,000 to the Sydney Football Stadium and it was arguably the biggest combat sports event in Australian history. The UFC’s largest attendance figure was 55,724 for UFC 129 on April 30, 2011 at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. That marked the UFC’s debut in Ontario. UFC on FOX 14 on Jan. 14 in Stockholm will take place at Tele2 Arena, which holds more than 30,000 people.

The Telegraph reported that in addition to potentially two title fights, the main card will also feature top heavyweight Mark Hunt and welterweight contender Hector Lombard. Hunt is from New Zealand, but has lived in Australia for years. Lombard, a Cuban, also spent many years in the country.

Wright told MMA Kanvas that he will speak with the new government this coming week before heading back to Las Vegas to begin planning the UFC’s huge Melbourne card. A UFC Fan Expo is also a possibility, the site reported.

The official results of the Australian elections are not yet finalized, so there has been no official comment on the Labor party lifting the current ban on fights inside of a cage.