UFC in Vancouver, Will it happen??

LotusLand · #1 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 5:38 AM**

I came across this post on Joe Rogan wanting to bring UFC to Vancouver on VCB (good vancouver based site btw)

http://vancitybuzz.blogspot.com/2009...vancouver.html

I think it is about time that Vancouver city council review this and figure out a way to bring UFC to Vancouver. Every time there is a PPV event the bars are absolutely packed. I went to the Schanks in New West and it was standing room only.

With the GSP and BJ Penn fight coming up I can't help but wonder what it would be like to host MMA event here. I think we had bodog a few years back but that was it. I also hear that there are a lot of underground fights that are now taking place. Why won't the city just allow this and besides we could use the extra revenue these types of events bring

agrant · #2 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 6:35 AM**

It would be a huge event here. They'd have no problem selling out. I think we all know why the city wouldn't allow it.

Distill3d · #3 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 7:43 AM**

we're really trying to push for more pro sports in this city if we're looking at UFC

Rusty Gull · #4 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 7:44 AM**

Sooner or later, Vancouver must drop its guard and let in the UFC

John Martin
The Province

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Millions of sports fans set the Beijing Summer Olympics aside for a few hours last Saturday evening -- and instead tuned to the fast growing world of mixed martial arts.

Canadian Georges St. Pierre successfully defended his title in the Ultimate Fighting Championship ring before a capacity crowd in Minneapolis.

Unless someone has been living in a cave these past few years, it's been difficult not to notice the rising popularity of MMA competitions.

Pay-per-view events eclipse the combined audiences of both professional wrestling and boxing.

A recent UFC event in Montreal sold out instantly with some 21,000 fans cheering hometown hero St. Pierre, who reclaimed the championship.

But don't expect the UFC or any other major promotion to host an MMA show in Vancouver anytime soon.

While major cities throughout North America and Europe are literally begging the UFC to come to town, Vancouver has clearly laid out the "not welcome" mat.

Vancouver city council voted last year against sanctioning MMA events, citing insurance and liability issues.

But there was much more to it than those mealy-mouth excuses. There were numerous voices likening MMA bouts to human cock-fighting.

Vancouver city council's stalling tactics are little more than a crass exhibition of denial. MMA is huge; it's here to stay.

It's bizarre that, with Vancouver a world-class city in so many respects, successive city councils can't get past their nanny instincts.

True, Vancouver is not the only city to make life difficult for MMA fans and promoters.

Chilliwack recently voted to deny the sport access to city-owned facilities and stressed the negative social impact of MMA. Mind you, as a resident of Chilliwack, I'm sure there are councillors who would ban dancing, given half a chance.

MMA continues struggling to live down its early days when contests were hyped as no-holds-barred bloodfests.

Critics profess their own ignorance by failing to acknowledge how regulated, professional and safe the sport has since become.

Ultimately, MMA is a combination of kickboxing, wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu and a handful of other combat arts.

Organizations promoting each of these regularly hold events with no controversy whatsoever. So why all the fuss over MMA? All too often we see influential voices parroting this attack on one form of entertainment or another.

Unable or unwilling to address a host of social problems, they single out various segments of popular culture as the latest culprits. Whether its video games, rap music or MMA, there always seems to be a new bogeyman with which to divert attention.

Vancouver city council will have to tap out sooner or later during this scrap. So they may as well throw in the towel and get it over with.

John Martin, a criminologist at the University of the Fraser Valley, can be reached at John.Martin@ucfv.ca

Vancity · #5 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 8:56 AM**

Vancouver's not going to "un-ban" their banning of the UFC. It's really quite strange that Vancouver is so "backward" in allowing major sporting events to come to the city. Joe Rogan wants to bring the UFC to Vancouver. He may have better luck going to other municipalities (i.e. Burnaby, Richmond, etc). I don't know why city council is so against the UFC. Hockey has a lot of fighting, and if I'm not mistaken, recently a young player who was fighting died (not in the NHL). But even in the NHL, there are quite a lot of hits, and fighting (part of the game), and this isn't violent? If the UFC is a type of MMA (a mixture of wrestling, jiu jitsu, kickboxing, etc), it should be a regulated sporting event. Fans want the UFC here, why does city council have to be so closed minded?

With everything being said, I hope Richmond gets it at the RiverRock. What an event that would be for the city of Richmond!

Vancity · #6 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 8:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

we're really trying to push for more pro sports in this city if we're looking at UFC

Vancouver needs more sporting events

In my personal view, I think this would be a good thing for Vancouver. Just curious why city council banned the sport, when so many other cities in North America/Europe want the UFC to come to their cities. I don't understand the reasoning behind the decisions that city council makes sometimes...

Distill3d · #7 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 9:41 AM**

i think its good a sport that violent is banned in this city. i mean seriously, this is a sport where two men are allowed to go in and beat the snot out of each other any which way they can. essentially, it is human cockfighting.

EastVanMark · #8 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 9:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancity

Vancouver's not going to "un-ban" their banning of the UFC. It's really quite strange that Vancouver is so "backward" in allowing major sporting events to come to the city. Joe Rogan wants to bring the UFC to Vancouver. He may have better luck going to other municipalities (i.e. Burnaby, Richmond, etc). I don't know why city council is so against the UFC. Hockey has a lot of fighting, and if I'm not mistaken, recently a young player who was fighting died (not in the NHL). But even in the NHL, there are quite a lot of hits, and fighting (part of the game), and this isn't violent? If the UFC is a type of MMA (a mixture of wrestling, jiu jitsu, kickboxing, etc), it should be a regulated sporting event. Fans want the UFC here, why does city council have to be so closed minded?

With everything being said, I hope Richmond gets it at the RiverRock. What an event that would be for the city of Richmond!

Cause City Council is always closeminded. BTW, Joe Rogan isn't the one who decides where the UFC will hold events. He just works for the company. Also, none of the other municipalities you mentioned have a venue suitable for hosting the event.

EastVanMark · #9 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

i think its good a sport that violent is banned in this city. i mean seriously, this is a sport where two men are allowed to go in and beat the snot out of each other any which way they can. essentially, it is human cockfighting.

Is boxing any different? Cause its allowed and it has been PROVEN to be much more dangerous to human bodies than MMA is.

Distill3d · #10 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:02 AM**

^not a big fan of boxing either. it lost its flair when Ali quit fighting. i agree with your point though.

agrant · #11 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:21 AM**

The use of "cock fighting" is from the negative point of view, it doesn't mean it's fact. Sort of the same as saying hockey is a swarm of bees bashing into each other. When people say things like that, obviously there's something they don't like about the sport. If you're a fan of the sport, you certainly don't see it that way.

Distill3d · #12 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:33 AM**

i just don't see what, in a civilized culture, is entertaining about two grown men beating the snot out of each other? and i use that termination with boxing and other so called "sports" (WWE, UFC).

i mean i can appreciate and admire any athlete's determination and dedication without enjoying the sport.

agrant · #13 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

i just don't see what, in a civilized culture, is entertaining about two grown men beating the snot out of each other? and i use that termination with boxing and other so called "sports" (WWE, UFC).

i mean i can appreciate and admire any athlete's determination and dedication without enjoying the sport.

Tee hee. Call it cock fighting, it's easier. That's ok though. Not everyone has to like a sport. I'm not the biggest fan of UFC either, but I have been known to watch with other guys and had a blast everytime. WWE is fake btw.

Vancity · #14 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

i just don't see what, in a civilized culture, is entertaining about two grown men beating the snot out of each other? and i use that termination with boxing and other so called "sports" (WWE, UFC).

i mean i can appreciate and admire any athlete's determination and dedication without enjoying the sport.

Some people just appreciate the sport. It is considered a combatitive sport. I don't see why city council would ban MMA, but not ban boxing

Vancity · #15 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 10:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Cause City Council is always closeminded. BTW, Joe Rogan isn't the one who decides where the UFC will hold events. He just works for the company. Also, none of the other municipalities you mentioned have a venue suitable for hosting the event.

Richmond has RiverRock - couldn't they hold the UFC there?

Distill3d · #16 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 11:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancity

Some people just appreciate the sport. It is considered a combatitive sport. I don't see why city council would ban MMA, but not ban boxing

i think it may have to do with the "safety equipment" boxers are required to wear in some weight classes and its recognized as an Olympic sport. i agree though, if you are going to ban one, why not ban the other.

what i would rather enjoy seeing is a resurgence of Greco-Roman and/or Sumo wrestling. i mean, there's two sports that showcase the best of human strength without being violent. why isn't that on TV?

EastVanMark · #17 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 11:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancity

Richmond has RiverRock - couldn't they hold the UFC there?

Where? in the theatre? On a good day it can be configured to seat just under 1000. Now all we need to do is come up with about 17,000 other seats and we're good to go.

Vancity · #18 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 4:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

Where? in the theatre? On a good day it can be configured to seat just under 1000. Now all we need to do is come up with about 17,000 other seats and we're good to go.

Why would Joe Rogan go to the city council of Richmond, if there's no adequate facility for them to handle such a sporting event in the city? To me, that doesn't make any sense. Richmond isn't going to build a stadium only for the UFC. I can't see that happening at all.

Most of the stadiums capable of holding the UFC are probably all in Vancouver. If Vancouver says no to the UFC (which they already have), then they're probably not going to be coming to the lower mainland for a long time. Unless there's a solution - can't see the UFC coming here

CoryHolmes · #19 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 4:34 PM**

The hint that I got from that article is that the councellors are also concerned about the type of people that come out of the woodwork for this sport.

As a former martial artist and casual fan of the UFC, I would really enjoy it coming here and seeing it live. I understand the rules and safety measures the showrunners have put in place. But I also recognize the other types of fans it attracts. See the recent mob hit from a UFC-type event where one of the fighters was a member of the UN Soldier's gang.

Vancity · #20 Posted **Jan 18, 2009, 4:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

i think it may have to do with the "safety equipment" boxers are required to wear in some weight classes and its recognized as an Olympic sport. i agree though, if you are going to ban one, why not ban the other.

what i would rather enjoy seeing is a resurgence of Greco-Roman and/or Sumo wrestling. i mean, there's two sports that showcase the best of human strength without being violent. why isn't that on TV?

I'm not sure Sumo wrestling here in North America would do very well? It's almost the same reason why when you attend an NHL game (Vancouver or elsewhere), and two players drop the gloves, the crowd goes nuts. They're all into the fight, you can hear the audience get excited, and pumped when the players drop the gloves to "go and dance"

same thing with MMA. What would the Greco-Roman sport would you be alluding to?