Originally Posted by MMAJunkie

Dana White on UFC's European plans: "We're coming to France definitely"


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Add France to the growing list of countries that will soon host its first Ultimate Fighting Championship event.

UFC President Dana White on Thursday said emphatically the organization will soon hold an event in the country, which is home to current UFC fighters such as Cheick Kongo and UFC 97 competitor Xavier Foupa-Pokam.

"We're coming to France," White said at Thursday's UFC 97 pre-event press conference when questioned by a French reporter. "There's no doubt about it."

France currently doesn't regulate the sport, but as with the organization's U.K. shows, the UFC itself could oversee a show in France. UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner, the former head of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, regulates drug testing, officiating and other aspects of the U.K. shows that are traditionally sanctioned by U.S. athletic commissions during domestic events.

MMA had long been barred in France, though an official ban was lifted in 2008.

In addition to Kongo and Foupa-Pokam, the country has produced former UFC fighter Jess Liaudin and PRIDE/EliteXC veteran Cyrille "The Snake" Diabate. As MMA continues its explosive growth throughout Europe, France continues developing top talent, though fighters have been forced to leave the country to compete professionally.

White, though, is confident a French event would only spur continued growth and possibly open the door for a booming French MMA scene.

"I've been talking to people here in Montreal since I got here (on Wednesday)," White said. "They're saying, 'Since you did the first event here in Montreal, mixed-martial-arts awareness has grown so much. There's so many more gyms now, and so many more people are talking about it, covering it.'

"I think that's what happens when we go in a (new) area."

As MMAjunkie.com (
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) reported in February, the UFC recently inked a deal with the French TV station RTL9, which now airs a variety of UFC-related programming.

"It's doing very, very well on TV," White said.

France would become eighth country, after Germany (for UFC 99), to host a UFC event. The current list includes the U.S., Japan, Brazil, the U.K., Canada and Ireland.

White didn't share a specific date but said it'd come after the organization's June debut in Germany.

"We're in Germany now, and France is next," White said.

Originally Posted by Dmac
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I'm taking it that you're French, LVL?

Only reason I have actually heard of Lille is because I am a football/soccer fan.

Originally Posted by Suffy
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Just to go on with this but Dana White also said at the UFC 97 conference and Silva vs GSP was a possibility for next december in Toronto.

This is big for Canada because Ontario currently has mma banned.

So lets go MMA sweeping the global world!!!!!