Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

By Andy Cotterill (andy@mm-eh.ca)

It looks like Edmonton’s Nick ‘The Quiet Assassin’ Penner (11-2) will be getting his second kick at the UFC can, as it is being reported by the Score’s MMA Blog that he will be facing Tom DeBlass (7-1) at UFC on FUEL TV 4: Munoz vs. Weidman on July 11 in San Jose, California.

Penner made his UFC debut in Australia in March, but fell short to Aussie Anthony Perosh via TKO with only one second remaining in the first round.

New Jersey’s DeBlass is also coming off a loss, his first ever, against Cyrille Diabate at UFC on Fuel TV 2 in April.

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Photo by Al Bello/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

By Andy Cotterill (andy@mm-eh.ca)

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced that Canadian John ‘The Natural’ Alessio (34-15) and Oklahoma’s Shane Roller (10-6) have verbally agreed to a lightweight matchup at UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II  in Las Vegas on July 7.

This is Alessio’s third stint in the UFC.  His introduction to the world’s most popular organization came in the form of a lightweight title fight against then champion Pat Miletich at UFC 26 in 2000, when Alessio was only 19 years old.  He rejoined the promotion in 2006 but dropped both of his bouts against Diego Sanchez and Thiago Alves — both by unanimous decision.

Alessio spent the next six years fighting in the WEC and other regional organizations and came to be considered one of the top welterweights outside of the UFC.  But in an interview with MM-eh last year, Alessio lamented that he was frustrated because he felt that he was a better fighter than many of the other Canadians who were currently fighting there.

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Press Release

Photo from UFC.com

UFC^® COMES TO CALGARY WITH CHAMPIONSHIP CARD

UFC^® 149: ALDO VS. KOCH

Saturday, July 21 from Scotiabank Saddledome – Tickets on sale May 12

PRESS CONFERENCE, STAMPEDER TRAINING AND AUTOGRAPH SESSION

SET FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 

UFC^® FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSE ALDO AND CONTENDERERIK KOCH ARE JOINED BY NICK RING AND UFC^® DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS TOM WRIGHT AT SHAW COURT IN CALGARY 

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By Andy Cotterill (andy@mm-eh.ca)

British Columbia’s Minister of Community, Sport, and Cultural Development, Ida Chong, introduced Bill 50 – Athletic Commissioner Act – in the legislature today.

The mandate of the Commissioner would be to regulate and supervise professional contests such as boxing, kick-boxing and mixed martial arts.

“The benefit of having a provincial athletic commissioner would be that every professional contest would be subject to the same rules and regulations, whether it was being held in Vancouver, Nanaimo or Vernon.” Chong said.

This is a welcome and timely initiative, considering that right now there are at least nine different municipal commissions in BC, each with somewhat differing rules and regulations.  Also, the City of Vernon recently denied a request from the City of Cranbrook for Vernon’s athletic commission to sanction a planned event there during Sam Steele Days on June 17.

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