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UFC headed to MTS Centre in June

The Ultimate Fighting Championship takes to the ring at the MTS Centre this June in a fight card that’s been in the works for a least three years.

Details of the June 15 event are to be released Tuesday morning by True North Sports & Entertainment, which billed it Monday as "a major sporting event."

True North’s announcement is at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, and will be broadcast live from winnipegfreepress.com.

Sources told the Free Press that the UFC, the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world, has added Winnipeg to the list of cities to host its extremely popular pay-per-view TV series.

Internet mixed martial arts news website mmafrenzy.com, quoting a Brazilian website, reported Monday that the UFC 161 card could pitch light heavyweight Dan Henderson against former UFC champion Rashad Evans. A second light heavyweight matchup between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueria may also be announced. The Saturday night fight card is also slated to pit Tyron Woodley versus Jake Shields.

UFC spokesman Steve Keogh declined to comment.

"We have nothing to confirm in terms of upcoming Canadian fights," he said in an email.

Manitoba Combative Sport Commission (MCSC) executive director Joel Fingard also declined to comment on tomorrow’s announcement. The MCSC, formerly the Manitoba Boxing Commission—it officially changed its name last year—is the MMA governing body in the province. For UFC to hold a card in the Winnipeg, it needs to obtain a licence and event permit from the MCSC.

"I don’t have a permit at this time," Fingard said Monday.

 

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