At least one Vancouver councillor is ready to deal with mixed martial arts once and for all.
The validity of the sport - which has been under a moratorium since 2007 - will once again go before council Thursday when the Vancouver Athletic Commission presents a report on the sport and any legal issues surrounding its approval.
Coun. Kerry Jang - who walked away pleased from an amateur MMA event at the Edgewater Casino last month - says a decision on whether to green light the sport could be made as early as this week.
"It all depends on what's in the report and how comprehensive it is," Jang said. "I want to see it dealt with very quickly. People have the right to know, we've been tinkering with this for how many years now? I think it's time for a resolution."
Before attending the Honour Combat Championship (HCC) event last month, Jang was a critic of the sport and cited serious concerns with the health and safety of the fighters.
But after attending the event - one of two "test" events Nov. 27 - Jang said he was impressed with the refereeing and medical attention fighters received.
"I still stand by those comments," he said. "The sport has come a long way."
Several organizations, from Vancouver police to HCC, are scheduled to speak at Thursday's council meeting.
Ultimate Fighting Championship, the biggest professional organization in the sport, has already booked a June 2010 date at GM Place in anticipation of a pay-per-view event - though a one-time permit is possible if the MMA moratorium isn't lifted by then.
Jang said he doesn't believe any UFC executives will attend the meeting.
