Friday, January 19, 2018

EDMONTON BAN ON PRO WRESTLING OVERTUNED, PAVING WAY FOR WWE TO RETURN

A ban on all forms of combat sports in Edmonton, Alberta Canada will no longer cover professional wrestling as the City Council there agreed to pass an amendment making the genre exempt from the ban.

A scheduled World Wrestling Entertainment debut at the brand new Rogers Place arena in Edmonton, Alberta Canada on 2/9/18 had been canceled after new regulations banning combat sports were enacted by the city's council following the June death of boxer Tim Hauge following a fight card held in the city.

The Edmonton city council announced on 12/8/17 that they were placing a one year moratorium on new permits or licenses for anything that fell under the umbrella of combat sports.  The moratorium is scheduled to stand until December 2018.

In regard to making WWE and other professional wrestling companies exempt from the ban, Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson snidely commented, "My heart is broken to find out that it's a predetermined outcome.  It's like finding out that Santa Claus isn't real, but nonetheless they'll be back in business in a week."

There has been criticism of the city council for enacting the ban after UFC held an event in September 2017, with critics believing they waited until after that event instead of just immediately issuing the ban.

To read CBC coverage of the decision, click here.

No comments: