Pawel Wolak denied pro MMA license by IL AC
World-class boxer Pawel Wolak trained with Renzo Gracie for two years to prepare for his MMA debut, but has been denied a license by the Illiois AC.
Another world-class boxer wants to make the transition to mixed martial arts! Pawel Wolak is 29-2-1 with 19 knockouts, and has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the world at super welterweight. His fight with Delvin Rodriguez was named the 2011 Fight of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. The prize fighter was also a wrestler in high school.
Wolak has been trained for two years by the legendary Renzo Gracie for his MMA debut, and trained with Eddie Alvarez who attested to his excellence. His career will be managed by Monte Cox. He received a license to fight professionally from the universally respected NJ State Athletic Commission.
The former prizefighter was set to debut on Oct. 11 at American Predator Fighting Championship 17 in Hoffman Estates, IL. However, as reported by Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports, he is off the card, as the Illinois AC refused to license him as a professional, and wants him to fight amateur first.
Illinois state regs require a fighter have at least five amateur fights before turning pro, but there is an exception. The five ammy fight standard does not apply if the fighter “demonstrate exceptional fighting ability, as shown by the applicant’s competition and training history, in combat sports, wrestling, grappling or martial arts, as determined by the Division.” These exceptions are necessary in MMA; Brock Lesnar for example won the UFC heavyweight championship in just his fourth fight.
Somehow Wolak didn’t meet that criteria. Newly returned NJSAC executive director (and long time jiu-jitsu practitioner) Larry Hazzard was incredulous.
“Who are you going to match him up with?” asked Hazzard. “Who are you going to match a seasoned professional fighter, a boxer who has an extensive background in MMA, who are you going to match him with? What young kid in the amateurs would you match him up with?
“I wasn’t here in the office at the time he was licensed [as a pro MMA fighter by New Jersey] but I have certainly reviewed that situation with [commission counsel] Nick Lembo and I concur with everything he told me as it relates to Pawel having a professional license. I also have a martial arts background. I find no reason why any other state would even question the fact that this man has been licensed as a professional. And now they want to make him an amateur?”
“If Gracie is ready to put him in, you better believe he’s ready. I would rely upon and have a bit more confidence in Gracie’s opinion than I would the other individuals who are opposing his licensure. That’s all I’m going to say about that, but I certainly stand behind the licensure of Pawel. He was a hell of a fighter, too. I stand behind his licensure. Nick had a discussion with me the other day about him and I agree completely that it was right to give him a license as a professional.”
Wolak will likely make his MMA debut on an upcoming card in PA. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission is run by the Greg Sirb, who, like Hazzard is one of the most respected AC heads in the world.
