The UFC returned to Toronto for the first time since June 2018 with many Canadian fighters getting a chance to fight infront of their friends and family.
In June 2023, Canada celebrated an undefeated performance by its fighters at UFC 289 in Vancouver, setting high expectations for Canadian fighters fighting on Canadian soil. Fast forward to Jan. 20, UFC 297 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, where Canadian fans packed the venue to support their homegrown talents. However, the evening, marked by dominant victories from Jasmine Jasudavicius and Gillian Robertson, painted a mixed picture compared to the previous event. Canadian fighters finished the night 2-7, 0-7 for all male fighters.
To recap the wins, Jasudavicius, who had showcased dominance in her previous outing at UFC 289, faced a challenging fight week as her opponent, Priscila Cachoeira, struggled with the weight limit. Despite the poor sportsmanship from Cachoeira in missing weight, Jasudavicius still accepted the fight and delivered the most lopsided striking performance in women’s UFC history. Jasmine outstruck Cachoeira 316-26, with 93 significant strikes to her 24. She also scored just the fifth-ever 10-7 round in women’s UFC history.
Jasudavicius did everything in her power to make a statement before submitting Cachoeira in the third round with just 39 seconds left. This earned Canada their first win of the night.
The second win for a Canadian came just two fights later when Gillian Robertson, known for her grappling prowess, faced Polyana Viana in a strawweight clash. The jiu-jitsu black belt lived up to her reputation, securing takedowns and landing strikes through the first round.
In the second round Robertson dominated the striking and took the fight to the ground where she eventually forced the official to stop the contest at 3:12, winning via TKO. The TKO now makes Jasmine top two in both submissions (first) and finishes (second) in women’s UFC history.
The most anticpated Canadian fight of the night featured Mike ‘Proper’ Malott, hailed as Canada’s rising star after his previous win in Vancouver, facing off against Neil Magny. Malott’s strong start, fueled by crowd chants, saw him dominate the first two rounds with calf kicks and a strong ground game. However, in the final round, Magny turned the tables with a takedown, leading to a stoppage in his favour due to submission.
Malott was in disbelief after he dominated the first two and half rounds of the fight. All three judges scored the contest 10-9 Mallot in the first two rounds before he was evenutally submitted in the third.
Marc-André Barriault, aiming to break into the top 15, faced 14th-ranked Chris Curtis. The lacklustre first two rounds disappointed the crowd, but a heated exchange in the final round left the outcome uncertain. The judges ultimately scored the contest in favour of Chris Curtis, leading to another disappointing outcome for the Canadian fighter.
Serhiy Sidey, Charles Jourdain and Brad Katona also lost their fights at UFC 297, leaving many UFC fans in disbelief.
While the night presented challenges for most Canadian fighters, the performances of Jasudavicius and Robertson showcased the strength of Canadian women’s UFC. Both fighters earned the Performance of The Night award, emphasizing the bright future for Canadian MMA.
Dana White even stated that despite the losses, UFC will return to Canada in 2024. “Canada has been good to us for many, many years. I love this place… We will be coming up here from Toronto to Vancouver; get back to business as usual as it was back in the day with Canadian fights,” said Dana in the post-UFC 297 press conference.
With fighters like Mike Mallot and Jasmine Jasudavicius continuing to make a name for themselves, the UFC may finally get back to the glory days in Canada.
