Oval Office octagon: How Trump turned combat sports into a political weapon - Al Jazeera

OttawaAfter a disappointing UFC debut earlier this year that saw him blow out his knee, Gatineau, Que., mixed martial arts fighter Julien Leblanc says he's more than ready to step back into the cage Saturday night in Edmonton. MMA middleweight fighter enters the cage Saturday night in EdmontonCBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2026 2:06 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 17Listen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. Julien Leblanc pauses for a photo during training at the Patenaude gym in Gatineau, Que. After blowing out his knee earlier this year, Leblanc makes his return to the Octagon Saturday night in Edmonton. (Giacomo Panico/CBC)Julien Leblanc has been a mixed martial arts fighter since he was 16. Now in his early 30s, the Gatineau-born athlete's MMA dreams are finally coming true. Leblanc made his Ultimate Fighting Championships debut earlier this year, though it didn't go as planned: he was forced into a first-round submission after blowing out his knee against Swiss opponent Robert Valentin.