UFC Makes its Way to Montreal.

Rewritten Article:

Fans braved the chill and waiting lines outside the Centre Bell on a rainy Thursday, eager to catch a glimpse of MMA superstars Belal Muhammad, José Aldo, and others at the UFC 315 press conference ahead of the weekend's main card. But this wasn't your typical hockey arena affair—the Montreal Canadiens were nowhere in sight.

UFC President Dana White was thrilled with the fan energy, remarking in an interview with La Presse Canadienne, "You heard the energy! This place will be packed and sold out on Saturday. Canadian fans are unreal, providing an incredible atmosphere. The event in Montreal is going to be a blast."

The last time Montreal hosted a UFC event, organized by the American promotion, was over a decade ago during UFC 186. With a title fight for the flyweight championship between Demetrious Johnson and Kyoji Horiguchi on April 25, 2015.

White acknowledged the long gap between that spring night ten years ago and Saturday's UFC 315 card, which boasts title fights for the welterweight championship between Muhammad and fifth-ranked Jack Della Maddalena, as well as between flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko and Frenchwoman Manon Fiorot.

Although it's been quite some time since UFC events were held in Montreal, Canada continues to hold a special place for White. "Canada remains one of my favorites. Some of the most significant moments in my career happened during our legalization efforts and expansion into new markets, such as Ontario in 2010," White said.

However, it's been a challenging journey since that April night in 2015. 415 UFC fight cards and 3668 days have passed, marking a stark contrast to the six UFC events held at the Centre Bell over a five-year period between April 2008 and March 2013, where Canadian mixed martial arts legend Georges St-Pierre often flew high as the main event.

White believes that the impact of St-Pierre on the UFC cannot be understated. "St-Pierre was crucial in our efforts to penetrate new markets. I don't know if we'll ever find someone with an impact here like St-Pierre had," White shared.

Saturday's card will be the first to be held on Canadian soil since Donald Trump became the U.S. President in November 2016. With tensions rising between the U.S. and Canada, some have speculated the political climate might seep into the octagon. American fighter Charles Radtke, for one, claimed he wouldn’t let the boos during the U.S. national anthem at Canadian events go unpunished.

Aiemann Zahabi, a Montreal native, will be on the Canadian side of the octagon against former two-time featherweight champion José Aldo from Brazil. Zahabi expressed pride at the opportunity to fight both Aldo and at the Centre Bell. "I'm honored to take on José Aldo, a legend in the MMA sphere," Zahabi said Thursday. "Fighting here, in my hometown of Montreal, makes it even more special. I've prepared extensively for the challenge Aldo poses, excited for the fight."

Georges St-Pierre will be in Zahabi's corner, offering advice and support for the Montreal native's adventure against Aldo. "It's a dream come true to have Georges here with me," Zahabi confided.

Enrichment Data:During the 2008 to 2013 era, Georges St-Pierre headlined numerous UFC events held in Montreal, significantly impacting the MMA community in Canada, particularly the welterweight division. The events were typically held at venues with large seating capacities, with UFC 129 in Toronto breaking attendance and gate revenue records, demonstrating the captured audience that the UFC aimed to impress.

Some of the notable UFC main events featuring Georges St-Pierre during the Montreal era were:

UFC 83 (April 19, 2008): St-Pierre vs. Matt Serra for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 97 (April 18, 2009): St-Pierre vs. Dan Hardy for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 100 (July 11, 2009): St-Pierre vs. Thiago Alves for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 124 (December 11, 2010): St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 129 (April 30, 2011): St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 154 (November 17, 2012): St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit for the UFC Welterweight Championship
UFC 158 (March 16, 2013): St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz for the UFC Welterweight Championship

The following title fights for the welterweight and flyweight championships are part of the upcoming UFC 315 card at the Centre Bell, marking the return of the UFC to Montreal's sports scene since Georges St-Pierre's era of headlining numerous mixed-martial-arts events in Canada. The mixed-martial-arts bout between Aiemann Zahabi and José Aldo promises to be a significant event in the Montreal MMA sphere.