The buzz word around the UFC for years, especially from president Dana White, has been “global.”
With its first stadium show, UFC 129 in Toronto on April 30, the promotion may have hit that word harder than it ever has before.
UFC 129 will shatter North American mixed martial arts gate and attendance records with an expected 55,000 fans at the Rogers Centre for a gate of more than $10 million. And the UFC Fan Expo being held in conjunction with the fight card has opened the doors for more fans at one MMA event than any other in history.
But Tom Wright, the UFC’s director of Canadian operations, said Tuesday that for UFC 129, “global” will be more than just a buzz word. It will be quite literal.