Lessons Learned in Las Vegas at WSOF Ringside: Why Palhares Lost His Title
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media MMA Correspondent
Las Vegas, NV (August 11, 2015)– While covering the World Series of Fight card ringside at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the NBC Sports Network last weekend, witnessing the main event was an eye opener in many respects. WSOF World Welterweight champion Rousimar Palhares committed at least five intentional eye gouges on challenger Jake Shields for which he was warned by the referee, yet kept doing it while was pinned on the floor.
Despite claiming a win and a world title defense with a kimura at 3:03 of the third round, Palhares held the kimura maneuver too long after a nearly blind and helpless Shields tapped out, risking broken bones and worse on his opponent. When interviewed by this reporter after the bout, Palhares stated he did not immediately feel the tap out in ‘the heat of the moment’. However, this reporter does not buy that. Palhares got expelled from the UFC in October 2013 for flagrant rules infractions, as well as suspended by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board in 2010. In both cases his final hold was too long and risked permanent injury to his opponent, a dangerous consequence. He did not clear up his act here, sad to say, and there must be consequences for his actions. Those consequences then occurred for obvious reasons.
Referee Steve Mazzagatti cannot be faulted for Palhares continuing his hold after the bout with Shields ended. Mazzagatti attempted to separate the two combatants to protect the life of Shields when Palhares refused to let go. Palhares deliberate action refusing to let go was not a new story in his career. Without the physical interaction of the referee to separate them to protect Shields, the result could have resulted in serious injury and consequences.
WSOF President Ray Sefo subsequently announced the WSOF stripped Palhares of his 170 pound world welterweight championship belt after the bout and suspended him indefinitely. The actions of the World Series of Fighting are separate from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Besides any Shields appeal of the result, appeal or not, Palhares faces separate suspension and fines from the Nevada Athletic Commission as well.
The question the World Series of Fighting has to ask itself is how far it will allow itself to be tolerant when MMA fighters on its shows cross the line between fair fighting intentional cheating. The sports networks, the athletic commission and the world is trying to be as accepting and tolerant of Mixed Martial Arts as it can be, as MMA rises on its road to becoming the biggest sport in the world. There is the concept when the big fighters are let go of by UFC and Bellator, other groups like the WSOF can give them another showcase opportunity for fighting fame. Often overlooked, though, are the reasons why discarded fighters are suspended, fined and expelled. MMA draws a fine line between exciting action the fans want and controversy. In the Tao of Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do, the late Bruce Lee felt fighting was done in the no style style of ‘no holes barred’. There are rules in MMA, though, and athletic commissions and professional MMA groups who fight under their supervision need to go further to enforce them. Palhares got away with too much.
Rousimar Palhares was warned by the referee, but no points were taken away and he was not disqualified. It is a good thing the WSOF has seen through the result and taken appropriate action. It would be a better thing, in the view of this reporter, if MMA referees went further to take points away and issue disqualifications where warranted. While understanding the need to protect the television show telecast, and give both fighters every chance to win, there are limits. Jake Shields gave his all, and in the end, got short changed.
Strangely, referee Steve Mazzagatti has been criticized by the UFC for deducting points from fighters for fouling (such as on Roger Zapata versus Ian Stephens). In the least, points should have been deducted from Palhares here, and rest period initiated for Shields with a physician check after each eye gouging occurrence. Point deductions are a referee’s judgment call. At what point do you draw the line? Palhares fouling Shields was obvious.
Ray Sefo could go further, and could declare Jake Shields the winner of the WSOF World Welterweight title by disqualification. Declaring Palhares the loser does not necessarily make Jake Shields the winner in the eyes of the WSOF and the Nevada Athletic Commission. What happened to Jake Shields is certainly a wakeup call for the WSOF Board of Directors and new WSOF CEO Carlos Silva, to move the WSOF in a more positive direction as WSOF 23 in Phoenix, and WSOF 24 at Foxwoods, approach next.
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