Top dog Wright among deep cuts

The Ultimate Fighting Championship laid off several employees from its Canadian office Wednesday morning, including president of Canadian operations Tom Wright.

Reached at his office Wednesday, Wright confirmed he was no longer with the UFC but couldn’t comment further.

The move comes seven weeks before UFC 206, the organization’s first Toronto event in more than three years. On Tuesday, Wright joined headliners Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson in a day-long media blitz to promote the card and re-affirm the UFC’s commitment to the Toronto market.

But the layoffs are part of a company downsizing by the UFC and WME-IMG, the talent agency that bought a majority stake in the fight promotion in June.

According to published reports, the company plans to lay off 15 per cent of its employees. On Monday, it dismissed several executives from its Las Vegas office.

Wright served as commissioner of the Canadian Football League from 2002 to 2007 and joined the UFC in 2010. His most pressing task was persuading the provincial government to legalize mixed martial arts in Ontario, which would allow the wildly popular UFC to stage shows here.

Wright led a similar push in Australia, clearing the way for UFC 193 in Melbourne, where a record 56,214 spectators watched Holly Holm topple superstar Ronda Rousey in a title bout.

UFC Canada communications director Carolyn Blakely will remain with the company, but didn’t reply to requests for further details on the Canadian layoffs.

The headquarters on Queen’s Quay were empty Wednesday except for Wright, who was clearing out his office.