Manager: Palhares zoned out
Alex Davis: “Rousimar Palhares just keeps on going regardless of what happens. He’s zoned out; he just seems to lose contact with reality.”
World Series of Fighting has stripped Rousimar Palhares of his title, following a foul ridden win over challenger Jake Shields on Saturday night. Palhares is also suspended, pending an investigation by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
We don’t know if they’re going to suspend him for life, or they’re going to suspend him for a year, said WSOF president Ray Sefo to Steven Marrocco or MMAjunkie. After that investigation is done, and the commission comes to a decision, we would obviously make another decision pending that.
Palhares is described by all who know him, including Sefo, as kind, decent man. In a recent interview he said plaintively that he is not a dirty fighter. Few were swayed however.
Now Palhares’ manager, the highly respected Alex Davis, offers a response. Davis conceded that Palhares bears some responsibility, and as well pointed to controversial referee Steve Mazzagatti as a further source of problems.
If WSOF does not want Rousimar’s services anymore, what they should do is just end the contract and we’ll just part ways,” said Davis. “What’s not going to happen is they keep him under contract so that he can’t go and make his living somewhere else.
There are no rules that tell you how far you take a (limb) back or forth. It’s a very subjective point. But I agree that if we’re looking at the safety of the fighters, and he’s done it time and again and we’ve tried to work with him, and try to make him not do it and he just keeps on doing it, I have to give my hands out to be slapped on that.
But I have to point that he’s not the only one who does it, and people don’t get buzzed when a guy gets knocked out and he gets three or four more punches. I’m not saying he’s right on this, I’m just saying it’s a part of the sport.
What makes Rousimar’s submissions so unpalatable is not the time he holds on, but it’s how far he cranks it. If you look at Joe Lauzon, he’s holding onto the submission, waiting for the referee to stop it. Well, Rousimar just keeps on going regardless of what happens. He’s zoned out; he just seems to lose contact with reality.
There’s the eyepokes that we could say that they were accidental or not accidental. I watched very carefully and it’s clear there are points where his fingers do contact with Jake Shields’ eyes, and that’s illegal. Now, if that was accidental or on purpose, I’m not the person that’s going to say that. But if you’re going to punish Rousimar, you’re going to have to punish Jake Shields for punching him after the fight was over. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
The next step is an NAC hearing, to determine what sanction Palhares will face. It may be significant.