Ready or not, MMA is coming to the Rock.
While most of the buzz around mixed martial arts has centred on Vancouver and its decision to green light professional events, Richmond is getting to get a taste.
Saturday night’s “MMA at the Rock” will be the city’s first chance to scope out the sport and it’ll be the first event in the Lower Mainland to feature a cage instead of a ring.
“We are looking into approving MMA in Richmond,” said Coun. Harold Steves at the RiverRock Casino Tuesday. “The city of Richmond has not embraced MMA, but that’s one reason we need an amateur event like this to show exactly how [the sport] works.”
The show is being set up by West Coast Promotions, the organization behind professional boxing matches at the RiverRock and Coquitlam’s Red Robinson Show Theatre – both of which are run by the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
Over 90 per cent of the tickets have already been sold.
“It’s going to be a packed house,” said promoter Manny Sobral, a former Olympic and pro boxer.
A lot could be riding on the success of the event, but Steves – a former boxer himself – is already dreaming big.
“I’d love to have a major title bout at the Richmond Oval after the Olympics,” the councillor said. “That would be awesome.”
The biggest MMA organization in the world – the Ultimate Fighting Championship – is planning a pay-per-view event at GM Place June 12.
