UFC Canada chief Tom Wright also outbound after WME-IMG layoffs

Tom Wright, the executive vice president and general manager for UFC operations in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has been let go in the latest round of layoffs stemming from WME-IMG’s recent downsizing.

MMA Fighting was the first to report Wright’s departure, and MMAjunkie confirmed it with multiple company officials.

Wright, a former Canadian Football League commissioner, joined the UFC in 2010. He headed the promotion’s Toronto office and served as the face of the company for events held in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Wright frequently weighed in on MMA issues involving those territories, and in June teased the promotion’s third trip to Canada this year. As promised, the promotion scheduled UFC 206 for Dec. 10 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

A pivotal figure behind the scenes, Wright also was instrumental in getting MMA legalized in Australian states where the UFC’s octagon was banned. In 2014, the state of Victoria legalized the cage, leading to the massive UFC 193 at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

As MMAjunkie previously reported, WME-IMG, which purchased the UFC in July for $4 billion, plans to reduce the promotion’s total workforce by “less than 15 percent,” trimming positions in sponsorships, licensing, public relations and production.

On Tuesday, several top executives were among those laid off, while the sale may have played a part in prompting other executives to resign or find other jobs.

The UFC has offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Sao Paulo and Singapore. There currently are no plans to close any offices or reduce the promotion’s typical event schedule.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.