High: UFC disciplinary tactics ‘not logical’
Jason High: “I just don’t understand the discrepancies in disciplining tactics, or lack thereof. That’s one thing that just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
After a disappointing loss at UFC Fight Night 42, Jason High made an emotional, brash decision that cost him his job. High pushed referee Kevin Mulhall, an action that once UFC President Dana White heard about, cost him his job. High was a guest on today’s ‘The MMA Hour’ and discussed his actions and his thoughts on how it was handled by the UFC:
“Man, it’s definitely upsetting,” High admitted. “I had to kinda readjust my goals in the sport. I planned on retiring with the UFC, but it’s always best to not dwell on things like that.
“Of course, just to say that [White] heard it from somebody and then to make that kind of decision, such a drastic decision, after having not even watched it — of course, you know, I would’ve liked him to check it out. It was completely out of line, it was wrong, I was wrong. You should never touch a referee the way I did, but I would’ve liked for him to watch it.
“It’s been a week, (so) I’m still pretty upset sometimes,” High added. “You go through these phases where you catch yourself daydreaming, but I don’t know. I don’t know that I’m really ready for the retirement life. I like fighting, I like training. I could still make money and still fight good guys. I mean, obviously it’s not line with a couple of goals that I set for myself, and you never foresee something like that happening, but life is about adapting, right?”
If nothing else, the contrast between the unsympathetic handling of High’s release and White’s same-day defense of Sonnen’s failed drug test on FOX Sports 1 brought to the forefront a curious question in regards to the UFC’s disciplinary policies — one which was not lost on High, who two days later tweeted out, “Push steroids, not referees. #NOTED,” and still continues to stand by his statement.
“In my mind, there’s really no comparison to an emotional type of thing like that after a fistfight, and a calculated, systematic cheating effort,” High said. “There’s really no comparison, but the message is there. When Dana kind of backs off like he did with Vitor (Belfort), he said the commission will take of Vitor. But why not let the commission take care of my deal also? I just don’t understand the discrepancies in disciplining tactics, or lack thereof. That’s one thing that just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me because it’s not logical. It probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to a lot of people.”
