TKO Major League MMA
TKO Major League MMA was a Canadian mixed martial arts promotion established in 2000, it was originally broadcast on RDS and later on Fight Network. Formerly known as the Universal Combat Challenge , it was the first mixed martial arts promotion in Canada, before eventually rebranding to TKO Major League MMA in 2003. For years it was the largest MMA promotion in Canada, before eventually going on hiatus for 8 years. Returning in 2016, since then it has signed a deal with the UFC to be broadcast on the promotion's streaming service UFC Fight Pass. The promotion was dissolved, as per Quebec Enterprise Register concluding fiscal year 2019.
History
Founded in early 2000 by Stephane Patry and Universal Combat Challenge would allow wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, grappling, their bouts consisted of two 10 minute rounds. The rules at the beginning also allowed for knee's and kick's to the head of a downed opponent. Following the success of the first event they would announce that the promotion wouldbe instituting Canadian Championship titles as well as the World Championship titles beginning at UCC 2 due to international interest, this would last until 2005 when the promotion unified the titles. TKO/UCC started off with 6 weight classes, 265 lb, formerly unlimited), Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, Welterweight, Lightweight and Super Lightweight. Bantamweight would be added in 2007 and following the promotions return from hiatus, Flyweight and 2 female weight classes were introduced, Woman's Flyweight and Woman's Straw-weight.
TKO/UCC was the first promotion of its kind in Canada and was host to an abundance of Canada's top MMA talent for close to two decades, in 2003 the organization would be rebranded as TKO Major League MMA. In the promotions early days they used a boxing-style ring for their contests, before eventually being one of the first to adopt the UFC-spec octagon. The promotion has organized 62 events involving over 620 matches.
Universal Combat Challenge
On June 2, 2000, UCC would hold their first event in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The promotion ran 21 events under the UCC banner before rebranding to TKO Major League MMA in 2003.TKO Major League MMA
On September 6, 2003, TKO had its first show under the new brand name. 41 events have been held under the TKO banner with the previous UCC events being added onto TKO.Return
The company's return to action would be announced with TKO 36: Resurrection on November 4, 2016. This coming after 8 years of inactivity. With founder Stephane Patry returning it quickly regained its status as one of the top Mixed Martial Arts promotions in Canada. Since then it has held 14 event's all in Quebec, the return would see the introduction of new weight classes including female weight classes which had previously been absent from the promotion.Broadcast deal
In August 2016 it was announced that TKO Major League and the Ultimate Fighting Championship had signed a deal for TKO events to be broadcast on the UFC's digital streaming service, UFC Fight Pass. TKO MMA had its first event on Fightpass on November 4, 2016. The promotion also acts as a feeder organization for the UFC with the company often offering contracts to TKO Major League Champions. The prelims still air on Fight Network.Current issues
In 2019, TKO Major League had to cancel TKO Major League 46: Pessoa vs. Gane due to 18 fighter's being injured or ill well trying to book the card. The Second incident occurred when President of the organization Stephane Patry was hospitalized, the promotion had to cancel its second event of the year TKO Major League 49: Matsuba vs. Gordan postponing it. The COVID-19 pandemic would force the organization to remain inactive from 2020 to 2021, as the company decided to restructure before returning to action. Athletes under contract with TKO have all obtained permission to fight outside of organization during this time, athletes with valid contracts have not left TKO.Champions
TKO World Championship history
TKO World Heavyweight Championship
''120 kg ''TKO World Light Heavyweight Championship
''93 kg ''TKO World Middleweight Championship
''84 kg ''TKO World Welterweight Championship
''77 kg ''TKO World Lightweight Championship
''70 kg ''TKO World Featherweight Championship
70 kgPrior to TKO Major League 24: Eruption, the 145 lbs division was known as Super Lightweight.
TKO World Bantamweight Championship
''61 kg ''TKO World Flyweight Championship
''57 kg ''TKO World Women's Flyweight Championship
57 kg| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
| 1 |  TKO Women's Strawweight Championship''52 kg ''TKO Canadian Championship HistoryTKO Canadian Heavyweight Championship''120 kg ''TKO Canadian Light Heavyweight Championship''93 kg ''TKO Canadian Middleweight Championship''84 kg ''TKO Canadian Welterweight Championship''77 kg ''TKO Canadian Lightweight Championship''70 kg ''TKO Canadian Super Lightweight Championship''70 kg ''Notable alumniGeorges St-PierreJonathan Goulet Jeremy Horn Duane Ludwig Sean Pierson Elvis Sinosic Dave Beneteau Rich Franklin Ivan Menjivar Urijah Faber David Loiseau Baret Yoshida Justin Bruckmann Wagnney Fabiano Steve Vigneault Jens Pulver Sean Sherk Hatsu Hioki John Alessio Joe Doerksen Shonie Carter Patrick Côte Jason Black Jeff Curran Mark Hominick Sam Stout Chris Horodecki Tony Fryklund Chris Clements Steve Bossé Krzysztof Soszynski Ciryl Gane Jesse Ronson Charles Jourdain Marc-André Barriault Nate Maness Taylor Lapilus Malcolm Gordon |