WSOF's Ali Abdelaziz on Rousimar Palhares suspension: 'It's a sad day for me personally'

Rousimar Palhares, center, with Ray Sefo, left, and Ali Abdelaziz

WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdelaziz spoke to MMAjunkie immediately after Rousimar Palhares was suspended for two years by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for holding a submission too long against Jake Shields at WSOF 22.

Abdelaziz was sympathetic for Palhares and thought a one-year suspension was more appropriate. He added that he liked the fighter personally and is willing to help the Brazilian through a difficult time. But he also was critical of the fighter’s strategy during a hearing that led to the suspension, saying he might have gotten a lighter sentence had he taken a different tact.

“It’s a sad day for me personally, because I don’t get to see one of the best welterweights in the world compete in the cage, because Palhares is one of the best welterweights,” Abdelaziz told MMAjunkie. “I’ll personally be looking forward to him getting back in the cage in the WSOF, but now he has to pay his dues.”

Palhares (18-6) was also fined $40,000 and court costs after the four-member commission voted unanimously to suspend him. He avoided a more severe sentence despite damaging testimony in which he omitted previous commission troubles and the opinion of two veteran referees – one of them called on the spot by his longtime manager, Alex Davis, who represented him throughout the hearing – that he endangered Shields (31-8-1) with a kimura in the third round of their title bout on Aug. 1 at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Palhares claimed he couldn’t see the referee and therefore didn’t release his hold, but commissioners were not convinced.

“All Palhares needed to do was show up and say the truth of what they know, because I talked to Alex and (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, and they say he’s seeing a therapist,” Abdelaziz said. “He’s tried to get help. We recognize he has problems; everybody knows he has problems.

“It’s more mental than anything else, and just saying I wasn’t suspended by New Jersey is crazy, because he was. This is on the record and they have the record. Clearly, the NSAC did their homework, but Palhares’ team didn’t do their work.”

Abdelaziz said Palhares, who was stripped of the belt and indefinitely suspended by WSOF following the fight, should have brought a lawyer to his hearing and ventured that his case was one that might be taken pro bono for the exposure.

“I think all the commission wanted to hear was, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt Jake Shields, I’m getting some help, and I know I have a problem,'” the WSOF exec said. “I think he would have gotten a lighter sentence. I think the biggest mistake they did was bringing (referee) John McCarthy. John is going to say it how it is. They dug a bigger hole for themselves.”

Palhares will be eligible to apply for a new license on Aug. 2, 2017. To ease the blow brought by inactivity, Abdelaziz said the fighter should compete in jiu-jitsu competitions such as Metamoris and conduct seminars, as well as perform community service to show he’s a changed man.

“I know Palhares and I’ve been around him for a long time; you can’t meet a nicer guy than him. He does have a little problem, but I feel for the guy. He’s 35, he’s going to come back at 37, he’s going to have no income, he lives in Brazil, his financial situation I know is not great, and he has to pay $40,000 to the athletic commission.

“But this is why in America, you have rules and regulations. We need the commissions, and we need the sport to become a mainstream sport and have people respect each other in the cage. I just feel bad, because I know what kind of person Palhares is.”

When Palhares comes back, Abdelaziz expects him to resume his career with WSOF. But he is uncertain of whether or not the ex-champ will pick up where he left off.

There may be some rebuilding to do, depending on how Palhares emerges after his layoff.

“I don’t know,” Abdelaziz said. “I’ve got a lot of contenders being built up. To me, the title got taken away from him for his behavior. He beat Jake Shields. Jake Shields lost this fight to Palhares because he was fading away and Palhares beat him.

“I think if he’s OK, and I know 100 percent that he’s OK mentally, he deserves a title shot, because he was a champ and he never lost the title. It’s the same thing with Jon Jones; nobody can deny him a title shot because he was the champ.”

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