OTHER NEWS: Ontario government to begin accepting MMA event applications on January 1, 2011

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The next step for getting the UFC into Ontario, Canada, is now in place, as the Ontario government announced on Monday that they will begin accepting applications for MMA events beginning on January 1, 2011, according to Canada's National Post.

The Ontario government announced in August that they would begin regulating the sport, which had previously been banned in the province. With their infrastructure being put into place, they'll now be able to begin taking the applications, opening the door for the UFC to make their long awaited entrance into Toronto.

The organization is hoping to bring a major event in mid-2011, and with the right card could be looking to run at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. An event at that venue, home to Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays, would likely break the North American attendance record, currently held by Montreal's Bell Centre.

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Penick's Analysis: It's likely that news of the UFC's first trip to Toronto will hit the internet early next month, as they're sure to secure a venue and a date as soon as they're able. They've been waiting to break into the Toronto market, and with regulation nearing a reality in the province it's now just a matter of time. If Georges St. Pierre bests Josh Koscheck a second time on Saturday night in Montreal, expect him to be a major, major part of whatever event the UFC brings to Toronto. Whether it's the expected bout with Jake Shields, or if GSP moves up to middleweight for the first time, it's almost a guaranteed headliner for the Toronto card.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_7742.shtml

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