^^^ Ya I think the preview for the Fight Network is ending this month. I'm getting it forsure, awesome channel!
Petes a good guy Im sure his presentation to get mma legal in Ontario will be top notch
I live in the Toronto area. I'd have to guess its on par with the States as far as its popularity goes. We did have the same cable black out back in the day.
TUF has really helped it though. A few guys around my office have become fans in the past year or so becasue of the show. My little cousin started asking me a bunch of stuff about MMA one day, and it turns about a lot of the young guys in his high school watch TUF. (They all think Forest and Leben are the shit)
The edge 102.1 had a contest to win a fully paid trip to see UFC 58 as part of their adventure series. They had a pretty big spot they kept running for it.
The guys on Q107's morning show have mentioned The UFC a couple times.
So culturally it is becoming more and more visable lately.
Very popular here, Chuck was here in Vancouver over the weekend hitting some of the clubs. Everyone knows who he is up here. With Kalib being from here locally I think the scene will grow even more.
centre = the Queens English, my friend
I'd say MMA popularity in Canada is proportionately larger in Canada than the US right now. We had the advantage of beating the PPV ban years before the US and it allowed the grass roots to grow.
Its getting pretty big. Nobody except the hardcore fans know what TKO is unless they live in Quebec, but everybody seems to love the UFC.
I live in Montreal and the UFC is huge over here, of Course TKO is a major player because we can attend the events and we have a good base of fighters. The popularity of GSP, Loiseau, Menjivar Coté, Goulet etc. is incredible for the sport.
The Fightnetwork is offered on StarChoice (satellite).. hopefully Bell ExpressVu follows suit.
^^^ It's also available on Videotron Illico.