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With an ownership stake in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Quebec’s Allrem Sports & Entertainment has a vested interest in seeing the promotion flourish in Canada.

BKFC has held two cards to date in Canada, both at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alta. — an Indigenous-owned venue on Treaty 6 territory. But it has to convince provincial regulatory bodies elsewhere to sanction the sport.

And that’s where Allrem comes in.

Allrem president Erik de Pokomandy is targeting first Quebec and then Ontario, saying there have already been discussions with Quebec’s Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux, the provincial regulatory board overseeing combat sports.

“Typically the UFC paved the way for amending regulations,” de Pokomandy said in an interview. “Since BKFC is more relatable to boxing, we think it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time.”

The UFC followed a similar path with Marc Ratner, a former executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission who is now the UFC’s senior vice-president of regulatory affairs, leading the fight for mixed martial arts to secure official sanctioning from local commissions.

“Our goal is to work with all the provinces, to make sure that we comply with the regulations. We know it’s a journey. We’re aware of that,” said de Pokomandy. “They’re doing their job.”

“We believe we have a good case,” he added, saying he expects progress in eight months to a year.

Allrem is working with a consultant who previously helped the UFC open up Canadian jurisdictions to MMA.

Clearly there is work to do, as shown by this statement from the Office of the Athletics Commissioner, which oversees pro combat sports in Ontario, when asked about the status of bare-knuckle fighting.

“There are only three professional combative sports regulated under the Athletics Control Act by the Office of the Athletics Commissioner — boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts,” said the statement, provided to The Canadian Press. “Currently, bare-knuckle boxing is illegal in Ontario.”

BKFC has held shows in 17 states, including California and New York, as well as Canada, England, Mexico, Bulgaria and Thailand.

And BKFC is on the move, having staged 23 shows already this year. Next up is an Oct. 12 card in Marbella Spain, with BKFC 67 to follow Oct. 25 in Denver.

BKFC bouts are contested in a ring with five two-minute rounds. Fighters are permitted to wrap and tape the wrist, thumb and mid-hand, but no gauze or tape can be within 2.5 centimetres of the knuckles. Punches are the only strike allowed.

Without the benefit of gloves, cuts are common. And they can lead to doctor-mandated stoppages, which prevent the losing fighter from taking more damage.

Both Canadian cards to date, in March and August, were so-called “Prospect” shows featuring new talent, although the March event featured Quebec’s Jade Masson-Wong, the No. 1 contender in the flyweight division who lost a decision to champion Christine (Misfit) Ferea earlier this month at BKFC 65 in Salt Lake City.

In August, Edmonton welterweight Drew (Wild Boy) Stuve defeated Sonny (The Savage) Smith, a former member of the United Kingdom Special Forces,by second-round TKO in the main event.

“There’s a lot of BKFC fans in Canada and they want to see it live,” said de Pokomandy.

Based in the Montreal area, Allrem is also involved in the NASCAR Canada Series, Nissan Sentra Cup, zMax CARS Tour, and has an investment in Les Pétroliers de Laval of the North American Hockey League (LNAH), a semi-pro circuit known for its pugilistic nature.

“The fan is the same,” said de Pokomandy. “The demographic of the fan is the same in NASCAR Canada, is the same in BKFC — and is the same in NASCAR U.S. — as well and is the same as the North American Hockey League.”

“We call it our eco-system of sports properties,” he added.

Evirum, a sister company involved in waste management and recycling, is a presenting partners, along with Pinty’s, of the NASCAR Canada Series.

Allrem has already began cross-promotion with the BKFC logo on the hood of its NASCAR Canada entry, which he says has proved to be popular with fans.

“Funnily enough, they want to take a picture not with the car or the driver, they want to take a picture with the hood,” said de Pokomandy.

Triller, a social media company that expanded into fight promotion, acquired a “majority stake” in BKFC in early 2022. McGregor Sports and Entertainment, run by former UFC champion Conor McGregor, subsequently became a part-owner.

In a February interview, BKFC founder and president David Feldman said viewership numbers in Canada have been “really good,” with BKFC looking to strike a deal for a bigger platform (a three-year worldwide broadcast deal was announced with the DAZN streaming service last week, slated to kick off with next month’s show in Spain).

“Canada’s a great market,” he said. “I think that bare-knuckle fighting can really resonate with Canadians, really probably more than anyone — I said this from when I started it — because of the hockey, because of the hockey culture. Throwing off the gloves and getting into good old-fashioned bare-knuckle fights.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024

MONTREAL – Martin St. Louis knows Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach can be difference-makers on the Montreal Canadiens’ second line.

The Canadiens head coach says his job now is to preach patience as the two towering forwards return to the ice from lengthy absences.

“It’s been a while since they’ve played, and it’s not easy to play in the NHL. When you’ve lost time, it’s hard to come back,” St. Louis said Friday, the third day of training camp at CN Sports Complex. “They’re players who have high expectations of themselves, so I’ve got to manage that day-to-day and remind them to relax, be patient.

“We all know what they can do – with time, repetition, you’ll see their game improve.”

The six-foot-five Laine, acquired a month ago from the Columbus Blue Jackets, hasn’t played since breaking his clavicle on Dec. 14. The former 40-goal scorer entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28 for mental health reasons and was cleared to return on July 26.

After a strong training camp last year, the six-foot-four Dach’s season was over only four periods into the season when the 23-year-old from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee after a hit from Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Jarred Tinordi.

Laine and Dach have formed a second line with Alex Newhook and could have the responsibility of backing up Montreal’s well-oiled top trio of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to start the 2024-25 campaign.

St. Louis highlighted Laine’s blistering shot, Dach’s ability to carry the puck – not to mention their size – and Newhook’s speed as reasons he sees the line meshing.

“I feel like they have great elements to complement each other,” St. Louis said.

Laine scored a career-high 44 goals in 2017-18, his second season, but has only reached the 30-goal plateau once since. The Finnish winger expressed during the off-season that he wants to return to a “40, 50” goal scorer this season.

And Dach and Newhook say they’re excited to line up next to a pure scorer who once buried 18 goals in 12 games in November 2018.

“Patty’s a world-class shooter, and he’s got a lot of high-end skill and can make plays,” Dach said. “Newy’s speed and my speed will open up a lot of lanes for Patty to get open and be able to shoot pucks.”

The newly formed line showed some rust from the first shift on Friday as Team White lost 6-3 to Team Red in a scrimmage.

Off the opening faceoff, Laine turned the puck over on a rush, leading to a goal by Joel Armia for Team Red. The line had the puck a lot but struggled to create dangerous chances, other than a Laine breakaway that was fended off by goalie prospect Hunter Jones.

“Now (the key) is to get in more reps, as they’ve missed a lot of time,” St. Louis said. “Just to jump right back in it at this level, I think I’ve got to be patient a little bit.”

Suzuki led the Canadiens with 77 points last season, ahead of Caufield (65), defenceman Mike Matheson (62) and Slafkovsky (50). Newhook had 34 points in 55 games, and the next-best player was Brendan Gallagher with 31 in 77.

The Canadiens are hoping the addition of Laine and the return of Dach go a long way in boosting their secondary scoring for a team that ranked 26th in goals last season.

HIGH PRAISE FOR ROY

Joshua Roy is a rookie, but St. Louis said his game is full of maturity.

The 21-year-old forward produced four goals and five assists in 23 games last season and is lined up on the projected third line with Josh Anderson and Christian Dvorak at camp.

“He’s always ready for what’s next, he’s a very intelligent player, but not just with the puck. Without the puck he’s very smart,” St. Louis said. “He doesn’t kill the play, he’s playing the game. If it’s time to chip a puck up to speed, he’ll do that. He’s got poise to buy a little time and hit the guy who was going to be free. He lets the play evolve.

“When I saw him last year, I felt, ‘you know what, he’s a hockey player.’”

MARTY’S WAY

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella is famous for physically intense training camps, with players skating around the ice in gruelling drills. St. Louis, who won a Stanley Cup while playing for Tortorella on the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2004, has a different approach than his former head coach.

“I try not to just ‘work hard’. You can work hard, but I think we’ve evolved,” St. Louis said. “I know Torts’s camps were every difficult physically, but I think in the last 10-15 years, guys are showing up to camp in great shape. It’s not how it was.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024.

OTTAWA – Playoff hopes are on the line as the Ottawa Redblacks host the Montreal Alouettes on Saturday.

The Alouettes (10-2-1) have already secured a playoff berth, but a win, coupled with a Toronto loss, would lock up a home playoff game for the defending Grey Cup champions. Meanwhile, the Redblacks (8-4-1) are eager to clinch their first postseason appearance since 2018.

Ottawa (6-0-1) is the league’s only undefeated team at home, but the challenge will be steep at TD Place Stadium, with the Alouettes also unbeaten on the road (5-0-1), setting up a solid test on both sides.\

Despite the playoff implications, Alouettes coach Jason Maas emphasized the importance of staying focused on the task at hand this Saturday.

“You want to make the playoffs, you’d like to have a home game, you’d like to finish in first,” Alouettes coach Jason Maas told reporters this week. “All those things are goals at the beginning of the year but ultimately they all happen by doing the daily work and staying in the process rather than thinking too much about the outcome of every week. Our focus is always going to be on where we are right now and that’s playing Ottawa this week. They’re tough and they’re proving it. They’re playing well in all three phases. We’re expecting a battle.”

The two teams haven’t met since Week 3, when the Alouettes secured a 47-21 victory, but much has changed since then.

The Redblacks are facing significant personnel challenges after linebacker Adarius Pickett, the East Division’s top defensive player last season, suffered a season-ending Achilles injury last weekend. With Frankie Griffin (ankle) and Jovan Santos-Knox (knee) also sidelined, Ottawa will be without its entire starting linebacker group.

The offence didn’t escape unscathed either, with starting left tackle Dino Boyd (bicep) placed on the six-game injured list.

“One of the things we talked about at the beginning of the week was communication on both sides of the ball and special teams,” said Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce. “We do have a few new people in there and we’ve got to make sure to talk more and know that everybody is on the same page. We’re more than comfortable with the guys who are playing, we just need to make sure all 12 are on the same page.”

The Alouettes are facing their own injury challenges, as Canadian receiver Tyson Philpot has been ruled out for the season with a foot injury while veteran defensive back Marc-Antoine Dequoy will miss the game due to a head injury.

Bennett Williams will move up from the defensive backfield to take over for Pickett. While strongside linebacker is a natural position for the 25-year-old, he knows he can’t replace the CFL All-Star.

“I’ve got to play my game and fit into the system,” said Wiliams. “It’s going to be a whole collective effort as a defence. We’ve all got to pick it up and we all need to communicate and talk.”

The Redblacks realize the challenge ahead of them but are confident in their abilities.

“You know, we’ve got to play together,” said Redblacks receiver Justin Hardy. “Special teams, defence, offence has to play together. That’s really what winning teams do.”

Despite splitting duties between Dru Brown and Jeremiah Masoli last week the Redblacks will turn to Brown to lead the way this week.

Brown has shown this season that he can rebound following a sub-par outing and that’s exactly what the Redblacks will be counting on.

“They’re a tough team,” admitted Brown. “They play hard, they’ve got great players, they’re well coached and they do what they’re going to do and do it well. We’ve got to be able to match their physicality and exceed it as well. Our execution just has to be on point.”

ALOUETTES (10-2-1) AT REDBLACKS (8-4-1)

STREAKING: Montreal has won six straight games in this rivalry and their last nine visits to Ottawa.

FIRST IS BEST: The Redblacks have opened the scoring six times in 2024 and have not lost any of those games (5-0-1). When Montreal has scored first this season they are 7-1.

BEASTS OF THE EAST: The Alouettes are 4-1 against Eastern Division foes while Ottawa is 2-2.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 20, 2024.

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