But the Vancouver City Council’s three-hour emergency session on March 30 assured the pay-per-view event, UFC 115, will remain in Canada.
While the Cincinnati rumors ran rampant, UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner cautioned the speculation was a “bit exaggerated” and that Vancouver, which quit hosting MMA shows in 2007 after lawyers determined the city was exposed to liability if a mishap occurred during an event, likely would maintain host duties.
After working with local officials, the show was saved, and the UFC officially announced the event hours later.
To date, the UFC has hosted just one show in the Queen City: UFC 77 in October 2007, when UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva rematched and defeated West Chester Twp. resident Rich Franklin at U.S. Bank Arena. The event drew 16,054 attendees for a $2.54 million gate.
So why the possible return to Cincinnati? UFC 115 is expected to feature a season-ending fight between “The Ultimate Fighter 11” coaches Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. However, Franklin is expected to take Ortiz’s spot at some point on the show, and multiple sources have hinted at a likely Liddell-vs.-Franklin fight instead.
Hazelett on the mend
UFC welterweight and West Chester Twp.’s Dustin Hazelett still is on the mend following a January knockout loss to British striker Paul Daley.
Hazelett, a 23-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, had won five of six fights and emerged as one of the 170-pound division’s fastest-rising contenders before the setback to Daley.
Hazelett, who’s medically suspended until July 2 due to facial fractures, is now giving himself time to heal and hasn’t been scheduled for a return.
“I’m not as worried about who I’m fighting next or when I’m fighting next as I am with fixing the holes in my game,” he said.
Hazelett was slow to take the Daley fight to the ground, where he had a decided edge, and paid the price. But UFC President Dana White said Hazelett and his fans shouldn’t look too deeply into the loss.
“With kids like Dustin, it’s part of the growing pains of the sport,” he said. “He’ll look back and realize it’s better to learn these lessons now than later in his career. ... He’s a tough kid. He’ll be just fine.”
Dann Stupp is editor-in-chief of MMAjunkie.com, voted best media outlet in the 2008 and 2009 World MMA Awards. For the latest mixed-martial-arts news, go to MMAjunkie.com.
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