Major thanks to 24 Hours Vancouver for Trevor Dueck’s latest weekly MMA column.
Leave it to me to take a shot at my good Canadian brothers and sisters over there in the centre of the universe. Vancouver has got its fair share of “excrement” hurled this way from out east over the years, so it’s time to throw some back.
UFC 152 took place from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and this was the UFC’s third trip to TO since Ontario decided to sanction professional MMA back in 2010.
It was a solid card from top to bottom and some of the highlights included: a great showing by Canadian fighters, Cub Swanson’s crazy knockout, Michael Bisping’s technical prowess, the first flyweight champion crowned in Demetrious Johnson, and a gutsy submission win by Jon Jones over a tough Vitor Belfort. It was a very entertaining night of fights.
Yet I’m getting the sense a lot of fans in Toronto had no idea what they were watching. For a city that is supposed to be educated in the fight game and has one of the biggest pay-per-view ratios in the world, they seemed rather out-of-touch.
The co-main event was Demetrious Johnson vs. Joseph Benavidez and it was five rounds of slick striking, fast transitions and a real technical battle. Everything you expect from the top two flyweights in the world. Johnson picked up the well-deserved split decision victory and was crowned champion.
Yet boo birds filled the arena. I’m not a fan of those kinds of birds. So what’s up, Toronto? Too much, too fast? Spoiled much? How anyone can boo a fight as good as the co-main event and start chanting inappropriate things at the two athletes going to battle is completely ignorant. The booing in “The Big Smoke” was not just reserved for the co-main event.
Jon Jones got a ton of disrespect from Toronto, which was predictable. But what was rather ironic is that a lot of those fans were the same people who lined up for Jones’ autograph and picture at the open workouts. Is it safe to say that Jon Jones got the last laugh?
Maybe it’s time for the UFC to put on some big pay-per-views out here in Western Canada, as it appears Toronto needs a rest. I’ll end it with the sharp words of Dana White for the ignoramuses out there.
Don’t ever buy another one [PPV], White said. I don’t want your money. You’re a moron, you don’t like fighting, you don’t appreciate great talent, or heart, if you didn’t like that flyweight fight.
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I’m from the Toronto area (Hamilton) and I can agree with this. We’ve now had three stellar cards in the area. I think 152 was the weakest of the three, but still not worth booing.