Dana White: Rousimar Palhares released from the UFC

[Dale]

Punishment came swift and harsh for Rousimar Palhares. Less than 24 hours after his controversial 31-second submission victory over Mike Pierce, Palhares has been released from the UFC.

UFC President Dana White delivered the news to ESPN's Jeremy Shaap on Thursday night's edition of Olbermann.

Making his welterweight debut at UFC Fight Night 29, Palhares submitted Pierce via his trademark heel hook early in the first round. However Palhares refused to relinquish the submission for several seconds following the tap, despite Pierce's cries of pain and the insistence of referee Keith Peterson.

Palhares' finish wound up as the only submission on the card, yet he failed to receive a 'Submission of the Night' bonus due to what UFC officials perceived to be "unsportsmanlike conduct." White subsequently promised further consequences would be coming.

Palhares received a 90-day suspension for a similar incident in 2010 when he refused to relinquish a heel hook well after his opponent, Tomasz Drwal, submitted. Palhares has displayed similar tendencies at grappling tournaments in the past, and in addition, tested positive for elevated testosterone following a late-2012 loss to Hector Lombard.

"This is the second incident we've had with Palhares where he had the lock and he didn't let it go. Finally he let it go, but I'm going to cut him," White said. "He's done."

Palhares exits the UFC with an 8-4 record. Five of those victories came via leglock.

UPDATE: Shaap's initial report stated that Palhares had been "banned" from the UFC. Promotion officials have subsequently confirmed to MMAFighting.com that Palhares is "released."

On Thursday night, Zuffa posted a statement on its Web site about its decision to release Rousimar Palhares.

As announced by UFC president Dana White, the UFC organization has elected to terminate its contract with Rousimar Palhares based on repeated incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct violating the UFC Fighter Code of Conduct and his Promotional Agreement with Zuffa, LLC.

At UFC FIGHT NIGHT: MAIA vs. SHIELDS on October 9, 2013, Palhares won his welterweight bout against Mike Pierce via heel hook submission in 31 seconds. Pierce appeared to tap several times physically and verbally and the ref intervened physically before Palhares let go. Despite being the only submission win on the card, Palhares was denied the Submission of the Night bonus. Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik announced at the post-fight press conference that the local commission would be investigating the length of time that Palhares held the submission.

The controversy is not Palhares' first: In 2010, the New Jersey State Athletic Commission suspended Palhares for 90 days following his heel hook win over Tomasz Drwal at UFC 111 for not letting go after the referee stoppage.

In 2012, Palhares was again suspended for nine months after testing positive for elevated testosterone after UFC on FX 6.
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So what do people make to this, do you think it's the right decision given his past discrepancies?

 

[Deezy]

He was still cranking on Pierce's heel when the ref was trying to pry him off. Deserved to get booted from the company.

 

[Slim]

Yeah considering Pierce tapped and the ref intervened he gave it one last torque before letting it go... and then considering the other incident... he deserves to be cut. He just isn't safe.

 

[The Cork]

Loads of guys have done this before without reprimand, namely Frank Mir.

Whatever though.

 

[Deezy]

Frank Mir? You talking about the Brock fight? More of that blueberry Mazzagatti's fault than anything, could've brought up Wes Sims stomping on Mir's face, or Rampage punching up a KO'd Wanderlei while Herb Dean was trying to hold him back. Or old school Royce Gracie UFC 1-5 daus where he would hold on to chokes,

But Paul Harris deserved what he got, you don't let all murderers go because OJ was acquitted.

 

[Slim]

Yeah I wouldn't really consider Mir. Rampage was out of line but says he was "too amped" to stop. Hendo did the same thing to Bisping. But Mir? Nahh.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Its MMA, thugs who just wanna hurt people and barely listen to rules is the norm. But this the second time Palhares has done this in the UFC, fourth time in his MMA career on top of doing it numerous times in BJJ tournaments. Guys reckless, crazy or just zones out, either way its dangerous. Funny though the hate he gets, compared to the praise Hendo gets for dropping a flying forarm on a dead Bisping, or all the cheap shot hammerfists over the years where guys see the referee coming in and quickly throw one last hammerfist before running off, Arlovski most memorably.

 

[Deezy]

Not sure how Hendo is being lumped in with Rampage and Paul Harris here, nobody would've noticed or bitched about it if he didn't say he gave him the flying falcon punch to send a message. Plus that's just one of my personal favourite KOs of all time.

Hammerfist on a downed opponent, is what they are trained to do. The ref touches them, it's hands off and time to celebrate. Paul Harris didn't do that, he was still cranking on the guys heel while the ref was trying to pull him off.

And bro, thugs in MMA isn't what the sport needs, you can fuck up 10 years of lobbying with one stupid action.

 

[Embrace Thou Maryse]

Not sure how Hendo is being lumped in with Rampage and Paul Harris here, nobody would've noticed or bitched about it if he didn't say he gave him the flying falcon punch to send a message. Plus that's just one of my personal favourite KOs of all time.

Hammerfist on a downed opponent, is what they are trained to do. The ref touches them, it's hands off and time to celebrate. Paul Harris didn't do that, he was still cranking on the guys heel while the ref was trying to pull him off.

And bro, thugs in MMA isn't what the sport needs, you can fuck up 10 years of lobbying with one stupid action.

Not saying thugs in MMA is needed, its just the way it is. Touguys with a chip on their shoulder who want to be badass by fighting in a cage will always be attracted to competing in MMA.

Guys get into the zone I get that, but bad sportsmanship is rife in MMA. When a guys basically dead continuing to punch his head in because the referee is Blue just looks bad. And actually JDS v Mir, after JDS dropped him the last time, the ref's coming in and JDS throws a long range hammerfist before quickly walking away just because...

 

[Deezy]

I'm not really sure what we are quoting eachother about, are you saying that MMA has bonehead moments? Absolutely, and people get "zone'd out"? Yes....but you can eliminate that, anyone can make a transition from Vale Tudo to MMA. You ever see any Pride guys go for stomps in the UFC? Paul Harris might as well be the proverbial slap in the back of the head for fighters in that company to smarten up and lay off the extra shots.

 

[Slim]

thugs in MMA? We had Kimbo Slice and we saw how that went... nowhere. Thugs won't survive in MMA because these are trained fighters that will school them.

But the thing with Hendo and Bisping, not that I'm condoning it, but Bisping talked crap the entire season and all the way leading up to the fight so he had it coming. Even though it wasn't right... it was one of those things that you're like... yeahhhh woulda did the same thing.

And Arlovski? Nobody really remembers him cept for all those times he gets dropped lately. But yeah... when you dropping those hammerfists you aren't supposed to stop til the ref tells you. Sometimes you know the guy is out and some guys will stop and question the ref like... hey he's out its done. Other times the guy isn't out so if you stop you just letting that guy get a chance to get back up.

 

[Kassidy]

two things mainly:

1. Long term and short term on the damage; Not saying punching a unconscious fighter is okay but it happens a lot less now and the damage of things like this is a build up, versus that heel hook that could permanently mess up your knee the one time it is applied.

2. The style's level of discipline and nature; Striking and ground and pound vs jits in terms of how they are taught and supposed to be performed are very different. A clean or followed up on ko is a more natural thing for striking but jits is suppose to be more about honor and someone like Maia who likes to win the best way he knows how without hurting his opponent. Apply the sub, get the tap, release

He deserved to be cut and in all honestly idk if he is all mentally there, not trying to be funny or make fun of him but if he is all there and can't be as disciplined as he is suppose to be with such dangerous techniques then he shouldn't be in the UFC either way.