Putting on one MMA show is a huge undertaking involving multiple fighters, trainers and officials, and putting on two shows on the same night makes it twice as difficult.
But Unified MMA is planning to hold Unified 57 in Toronto on Friday, followed by Unified 58 outside Edmonton.
In the double feature screening of “Unified National,” necessity seems to be the mother of invention.
“This is not something we wanted to do … but given the number of shows we have going on, given the mandates, given the venues, given the availability of (broadcaster) UFC Fight Pass, we are limited in the dates we can do it,” Unified president and founder Sunny Sareen said.
He said that was a blessing, given the number of players Unified has under contract (now at 50 and growing) and the number of players wanting to play in games.
Ten games are scheduled for Unified 57 at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto, while nine games are scheduled for Unified 58 at River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta.
Sareen calls it “the biggest night in the history of Canadian provincial combat sports.”
Cody Chovancek (6-0-0) of St. Catharines, Ontario will face America’s Gaige (The Gremlin) Gill (6-0-O) for the Unified MMA bantamweight title in the main event of Unified 57. Tom (Big Nasty) O’Connor (13-2-0) of Lethbridge, Alberta will face lightweight Ramir (Mr. Real Deal) Kamilov (7-0-0) of Calgary in the headline bout of Unified 58.
The Alberta main card will take place following the Toronto event, with both bouts airing on UFC Fight Pass. The broadcast will feature five bouts from Unified 57 and six bouts from Unified 58.
Unified publishes pre-show performances on their YouTube channel or OnlyFans page after the fact.
The organization has two cages, and Sareen said some members of the team have taken on new roles to make the job happen. It's a challenge just to get 38 fighters and their cornermen together, but it's also a challenge to make sure the shows finish and start on time.
But he says the promotion is ready to pivot if needed on fight day.
“When you have a schedule as tight as we are trying to get things done, naturally some issues arise,” said Sareen, who will be attending the Toronto show.
While there is no title on the line in the main event of Unified 58, Saleen believes that given the calibre of O'Connor and Kamilov, the winner could potentially earn a UFC contract.
“My opinion as a promoter is that the winner will definitely be in (UFC),” said Sareen, who believes the fight is worthy of a UFC card.
He believes the winner of the Unified 57 main event could also make it to the UFC.
“The (two) events drew a lot of potential customers,” Sareen added.
UFC president Dana White, who is in Japan for UFC 297 at Scotiabank Arena on January 20, presented an episode of “Lookin' for a Fight,” an online series that combines talent scouting and travel writing, at Unified 55 in Toronto the night before.
UFC reached out to Unified for content during the pandemic, starting with four Unified shows a year on its streaming service Fight Pass, but has since grown to 10 with plans for more.
Sareen said UFC is helping Unified improve its broadcast production, and the Canadian promotion will continue to produce shows the night before UFC meets in Ontario and Alberta.
Unified started as a hobby for Sareen, 39, in 2009, but has now become his business.
“As support has grown, we've grown,” he said.
Unified has 18 to 20 shows scheduled this year and next. Enoch is the main venue for the promotion, with Toronto recently added. Unified plans to return to Calgary and visit Red Deer in the coming months, as well as add Quebec.
Saleen's company, which now also hosts boxing matches, has come a long way from the days of sticking flyers on cars.
“The first four or five shows, we weren't making any money,” he said.
But while others left, he stayed.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2024.
