THUNDER BAY – Ontario is taking steps to allow professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events in the province. After years of Premier Dalton McGuinty saying that making a decision on this widely popular sport, the announcement that the province will now allow the sport almost comes as a surprise.
Ontario will adopt the same rules for professional MMA that are widely used across North America. This announcement paves the way for the first regulated professional MMA event to be held in Ontario in 2011.
As MMA has grown in popularity throughout the world, many cities have reaped the economic rewards of hosting events. A major MMA event in Ontario could attract up to 30,000 fans and generate up to $6 million in local economic activity – everything from hotel rooms to restaurants and other stores and services.