The sold-out UFC 97 will go ahead as planned in Montreal on April 18.
Quebec’s boxing commission agreed yesterday to grant a licence to stage the mixed martial arts show, a day after meeting with UFC officials to iron out interpretations of provincial rules governing combat sports.
“During this meeting, the board was assured by the promoter that the safety of the participants would be assured and that rules governing combat sports will be respected,” the commission said in a statement.
UFC president Dana White said this week that UFC 97 sold out faster than UFC 83, which was held at the Bell Centre last year, and that he was determined to return to Montreal.
This time, the show was cast into doubt when the Quebec commission, which has changed its leadership in recent months, raised concerns that the UFC did not conform to its rules, particularly in regard to knee and elbow strikes, judo-style throws and the size of the cage.
But a source told The Canadian Press that UFC 97 will be conducted under the same rules as the show last April. UFC 83 drew a sellout of 20,011 fans — a record for the UFC and mixed martial arts in North America.
