Count Dana White among those happy to see the UFC return to Canada, via UFC 289 in Vancouver.
B次元官网网址淚 love Canada. I love that place. I love doing events there,B次元官网网址� White said in an interview Thursday. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 wait to get back to Toronto. As a city, itB次元官网网址檚 one of my favourite in the world. I love Toronto.
B次元官网网址淚 love the people in Canada. Believe it or not, I really like the media there in Canada too,B次元官网网址� he added with a trademark F-bomb. B次元官网网址淭here ainB次元官网网址檛 much about Canada I donB次元官网网址檛 like. If I had to pick something that I donB次元官网网址檛 like about Canada, itB次元官网网址檇 probably be the snow and thatB次元官网网址檚 about it.B次元官网网址�
Canada was one of the UFCB次元官网网址檚 early breakthrough markets, thanks in large part to the success of welterweight star Gerges St-Pierre.
The June 10 show at VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Rogers Arena is the UFCB次元官网网址檚 first in Canada since Sept. 14, 2019, at the same Vancouver venue. Justin (The Highlight) Gaethje stopped fellow American Donald (Cowboy) Cerrone in the first round in the main event before an announced crowd of 15,114.
The UFC has held 150 events since then in the U.S. and 11 other countries.
Asked about the delay in returning to Canada, White pointed to the number of places clamouring for shows and CanadaB次元官网网址檚 strict regulations during the pandemic.
B次元官网网址淥ther than Australia, you guys are probably the nuttiest out of the entire world other than them, so it was a little rough to do business up there. But now it looks like everythingB次元官网网址檚 getting back to normal,B次元官网网址� he said.
The previously announced UFC 289 main event sees BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Amanda Nunes defend her bantamweight title against American Julianna (The Venezuelan Vixen) Pena. The two have met twice already with Pena dethroning Nunes at UFC 269 in December 2021 and losing the 135-pound title back to Nunes at UFC 277 last July.
B次元官网网址淎manda Nunes is the greatest female fighter of all time,B次元官网网址� said White. B次元官网网址淛ulianna Pena is a little savage. SheB次元官网网址檚 hungry. She always goes after what she wants and she wants this fight bad.
B次元官网网址淧lus as far the trilogy goes, this one needs a payoff. You need to see whoB次元官网网址檚 going to win the best-of-three.B次元官网网址�
The UFC added a heavy dose of Canadian talent to the card on Thursday.
Canadians competing are flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius, bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi, featherweights Kyle (The Monster) Nelson and (Mean) Hakeem Dawodu, welterweight (Proper) Mike Malott and middleweight Marc-Andre (Power Bar) Barriault.
Strawweight Diana (Warrior Princess) Belbita, who was born in Romania but trains out of Stoney Creek, Ont., is also on the card.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a ton of talent coming out of Canada,B次元官网网址� said White, speaking on the eve of tickets going on sale for the Vancouver show Friday. B次元官网网址淎nd obviously the no-brainers right now B次元官网网址� Mike Malott. HeB次元官网网址檚 probably the hottest prospect coming out of Canada now. And I like Zahabi too.B次元官网网址�
The UFC has more than 600 fighters on its active roster. Fifteen of those are Canadian plus Belbita and Mexican-born Loopy Godinez who are both based in Canada.
Other UFC 289 fights include FranceB次元官网网址檚 Nassourdine Imavov, ranked 12th among middleweights contenders, against No. 15 Chris (The Action Man) Curtis of the U.S., and Dan (50K) Ige, ranked 13th among featherweight contenders against fellow American Nate (The Train) Landwehr.
Khalil (The War Horse) Rountree Jr., ranked 13th among light-heavyweight contenders, faces fellow American Chris Daukas, the 13th-ranked heavyweight making his debut at 205 pounds. And American Matt (Danger) Schnell, ranked No. 8 among flyweight contenders, meets No. 10 David (The Undertaker) Dvorak of Czechia.
Nelson (13-5-1) takes on American Blake (El Animal) Bilder (8-0-1). Barriault (15-6-O with one no-contest) faces American Eryk (Ya Boi) Anders (15-7-0 with one no-contest).
Nelson calls Huntsville, Ont., home but spends Monday to Thursday at his training base in Stoney Creek. Barriault is a native of Gatineau, Que., who now makes his home in South Florida where he trains.
CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Dawodu (13-3-1) meets BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Lucas Almeida (14-1-0).
Jasudavicius, a native of St. Catharines, Ont., who trains in Niagara Falls, Ont., fights American Miranda (Fear The) Maverick (13-4-0). MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Zahabi (9-2-0) takes on ChinaB次元官网网址檚 Qileng (Mongolian Murderer) Aori (24-9-0).
Belbita (14-7-0) meets BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Maria (Spider-Girl) Oliveira (13-6-0) while Malott (9-1-1), from Burlington, Ont., tackles American Adam Fugitt (9-3-0).
B次元官网网址擭eil Davidson, The Canadian Press
READ MORE:
