Tsuut'ina makes international headlines linked to possible Jake Paul fight

TheTsuut'inaNation just west of Calgaryisat the centre of a major sports storyinvolving aYouTubestar, boxer Jake Paul, and formerUFClegend Michael Bisping.

The First Nationmade headlines in the sports pages of UK tabloids and around the world this weekas Paul and Bisping escalated a long-running war of words on social media, teasing a possible fight between the pair that could happenin Alberta.

Bisping, 43,is one of thelatest retired MMAstarson 25-year-oldPaul's hit list, which started with fellow YouTubersand NBA players.

Paul has now gone pro, fighting and calling out UFC starsand long-retiredboxing legends.

Paul's pay-per-view fights are a spectacle, drawingmillions of viewers around the world and millions of dollars. They have fight fans divided, some refusing to recognize Paul's credentials as a pro boxer given theshort amount time he hasspentin the sport.

"If you can get licensed, I would love to fight you,"said Paul, calling outBispingin a recentYouTubevideo. That fightcould earn Bisping $1M plus an additionalPPVbonus.

The problem is Bispingis blind in one eye, something he managed to hide from officials at the back end of hisUFC career. He alsohas seriousknee issues. Those problemsmakegetting cleared to fightby anyAmerican athletic commission near impossible.

That's where the Tsuut'ina Nation comes in.

The Tsuut'ina Combative Commission is the first athleticlicensing commission in Canada run by a First Nation. That makes it one of a few places in the world able to grant Bispingthe permithe needs to make the fight happen.

The Tsuut'inaNation also has a venue,the Seven ChiefsSportsplex& Jim Starlight Centre, which has previously held fight events, albeit on a much smaller scale.

"We are Dene people and Dene people are warriors," saidZachary Manywounds, who is with the commission. "We don't want to limit athletes."

Manywounds says they licenseda Muay Thai fighter to compete with one arm at a previous World Cupevent and can license Bisping to fight Paul on the reserve.

"The Seven Chiefs field house can seat 10,000 people. It's a massive field house and top tier inside," said Manywounds.

"Our name being put on the global stage isbeautiful to me. It will impact our nation for a long time. And if this event was to come to Tsuut'ina,it would be amazing, phenomenal, and it would create a lot of pride," Manywounds said. "It blew me away seeing us on Twitter and Instagram. It's glorious."

Manywounds says a big PPV fight would further bridge his community with the neighbouring city. He says if it materializes, it would be acatalyst to something much bigger.

So with the licensing issue cleared up, will the fight actually happen?

There'sonly a slim chance,says the man who helped connect Bisping with the Tsuut'ina.

"They (the Tsuut'ina)put together a video and spoke to their lawyers, and I sent it to Bisping, and he put it out on his Twitter. Jake Paul then responded,"saidKieran Keddle, a Muay Thai coach, managerand fight promoter in Calgary.

"The exposure since has been unbelievable," Keddle said.

"Paul said, 'you just proved you're not with the UFC anymore,' and Bispingsaid, 'I'm free to fight you,'" Keddle said.

"Now it's down to Jake Paul and his team," said Keddle,who estimates that, realistically,there's onlya 20 per cent chance of the fight coming to fruition.

He says that even if the hype and social media war ofwords between the pairfizzles out, it shows what's possible on the Tsuut'ina Nation. He says it also highlights that the Calgary area has an arena that can hold a large event with some unique licensing options for fighters.

Paul's sixth professional fight once the question of an opponent is settled is due to take place in August.