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UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 4:43 am
by Blame Rasho
http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/cagewr ... mma-292735The UFC will stage its first fight in Ontario on April 30 at the Rogers Centre, president Dana White said Tuesday morning. White told media at a press conference at the Air Canada Centre that he expects the UFC 131 event will be the most attended of all time.
"It looks like we're going to try and do the Rogers Centre [...] We looked at the [Air Canada Centre] too, but we want to break the record for attendance to MMA... We'll try to get about 40,000 to 50,000 people in there."
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:23 am
by spykelee
Huge news! I for one will be amongst the first in line for tickets to that show... Gonna be interesting to see how they set it up though... White gurantee's that people won't be watching ants fight, but I'm not sure if there's any way around that...
Card wise, I suspect if Hominick wins his next fight, he very well could get Aldo on that card, and ofcourse assuming GSP comes out healthy after demolishing Koschek, Shields vs GSP would probably be fairly likely too. Either way
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:28 am
by singh_shady
If the crowd is anything like Montreal it will be an insane atmosphere. Closest thing we've seen to Pride since it went under (in terms of shear spectacle).
I might look at going to this card if I can free up some time around then
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 8:36 am
by singh_shady
spykelee wrote:Huge news! I for one will be amongst the first in line for tickets to that show... Gonna be interesting to see how they set it up though... White gurantee's that people won't be watching ants fight, but I'm not sure if there's any way around that...
Card wise, I suspect if Hominick wins his next fight, he very well could get Aldo on that card, and ofcourse assuming GSP comes out healthy after demolishing Koschek, Shields vs GSP would probably be fairly likely too. Either way
If both are healthy, GSP-Shields will headline this card guaranteed. I have a feeling the UFC will want this to be a monster event, ie. two title fights. The schedule might align itself perfectly to have Brock fighting on the card as well but it wouldn't make sense for both of them to be on it. Maybe Shogun or Aldo?
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 2:17 pm
by SDM
I don't think Rua will be available. His next fight is in February. Will Sonnen be available to fight in April? I think so, right?
GSP/Shields for title
Silva/Sonnen II (could be tricky, depending on Belfort fight... If Silva loses...)
Aldo/Hominick (assuming he gets past Roop) for title
Winner of Jones/Bader vs. winner of Forrest/Ace for next title shot
Fisher/Stout III
GOAT UFC card ever.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 3:05 pm
by K1NG
This might be in the heart of my exam period, but I'm still going to see this live regardless. Two title fights are a must.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 4:49 pm
by 2009NBAChamps
I still hate the idea that it's in Rogers Centre, but I'll reserve judgment til I actually attend the event.
Going to the UFC in MTL was easily the best sports experience I've gone to and I've gone to quite a few. However, view of the cage will definitely be a problem, and one of the major reasons for attending an event live is to actually see the fighters instead of on a jumbotron. Surely, they'll break every attendance and gate record as the prices will likely be astronomical for a good view.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 4:58 pm
by SDM
The cage and cageside takes up a small amount of the floor space at RC. I could see it playing out like some concerts there, close off the 500s and bring in tiered bleachers to the floor level... Could do 10K just on floor level, with the rest in the stands.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 5:29 pm
by singh_shady
SDM wrote:I don't think Rua will be available. His next fight is in February. Will Sonnen be available to fight in April? I think so, right?
Dana said the Shogun fight might be scheduled for March (possibly for their return to Abu-Dhabi) but who knows, Shogun may not be ready by then and might need the fight pushed back a month. Silva is fighting in February, I doubt he takes a rematch with Sonnen for April. Aldo vs Hominick makes a lot of sense though
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 5:34 pm
by 2009NBAChamps
SDM wrote:The cage and cageside takes up a small amount of the floor space at RC. I could see it playing out like some concerts there, close off the 500s and bring in tiered bleachers to the floor level... Could do 10K just on floor level, with the rest in the stands.
Yeah, but even at the 100 level in Bell Centre it's not an ideal view and any close there will cost $300+, so it'll be interesting to see their price levels for the RC.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Wed Dec 8, 2010 6:16 pm
by SDM
singh_shady wrote:SDM wrote:I don't think Rua will be available. His next fight is in February. Will Sonnen be available to fight in April? I think so, right?
Dana said the Shogun fight might be scheduled for March (possibly for their return to Abu-Dhabi) but who knows, Shogun may not be ready by then and might need the fight pushed back a month. Silva is fighting in February, I doubt he takes a rematch with Sonnen for April. Aldo vs Hominick makes a lot of sense though
For some reason, I thought the Silva fight was in January. Yeah, he won't make this card.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Thu Dec 9, 2010 12:37 am
by Posey H8er
It's still possible. Silva is fighting Feb 5, this is April 30. That's nearly 3 months.
This is huge milestone for the growth of MMA.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 4:17 am
by spykelee
Nothing official to site, but apparently Aldo is tentativly scheduled to fight in March...
For T-Dot it's likely GSP vs Shields and Cain vs JDS...
Personally I would have liked to see Aldo, but tough to sneeze at a heavyweight championship tilt should that come to fruition.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:46 pm
by Gold Chain
A co-worker's sister sister works in a field that sees her sitting pretty much 10 feet away from the octagon any time a fight is in Vegas.
She says the view from there is horrible and has no idea how bad the view will be from the 500's at the Dome.
I'm going to go and will have decent tickets I hope, but I've been told by a few people now that you pretty much haver to watch the video screens unless you are very close.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 3:58 pm
by 2009NBAChamps
Dana mentioned on Twitter that it's likely Cain vs. JDS in Toronto. If that's the main event I wouldn't mind, but clearly, if GSP is on the card then that will take precedence.
Just from an electricity standpoint a GSP fight would be amazing to be there in person. Would love seeing Aldo too, although I don't if the quality of anyone they would have him matchup against would be worth it.
Re: UFC 131 headed to Toronto.
Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 4:57 pm
by K1NG
Gold Chain wrote:A co-worker's sister sister works in a field that sees her sitting pretty much 10 feet away from the octagon any time a fight is in Vegas.
She says the view from there is horrible and has no idea how bad the view will be from the 500's at the Dome.
I'm going to go and will have decent tickets I hope, but I've been told by a few people now that you pretty much haver to watch the video screens unless you are very close.
Don't buy 500 level tickets. The fighters will look like ants. And unless the UFC brings their own jumbotron, the Rogers Centre's jumbotron isn't viewable from all angles, depending on where you're seated.