MMA-URLS

As a follow-up to this weekend's story of UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones' arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol, word began to leak of Jon having ran into some prior issues with the law while behind the wheel. After seeing a report on Saturday of this incident, we awaited word from the Albuquerque Police Department and we now have confirmation that it was legitimate so we have provided a copy of the police report from a November 24, 2011 incident. Jon was pulled over for flying around a corner in his car and losing traction. When the police ran his license, they realized it was suspended and, as a result, Jones' car was towed. The charges were dismissed in a March 8, 2012 trial (as pointed out by The MMA Corner). Follow after the jump for more details and a PDF copy of the official police report. From the report: On 11/24/11 I observed a black Bentley turn Northbound on Jefferson NE from Westbound McCleod NE. The vehicle came around the corner sideways and tires squealing. The vehicle continued North at a high rate of speed and pulled into the Fantasy World parking lot. I conducted as traffic stop and contacted the driver, identified as Jonathan Jones. I ran Jones drivers license through MVD and it was suspended. I then ran his drivers license through NCIC and they confirmed his it was suspended. Jones was cited for loss of traction and suspended drivers license. Jones vehicle was towed from the scene. PDF copy of the police report: Jon Jones November 2011 Police Report

Posted in: jon, jone, report, license, police

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission voted today to deny Alistair Overeem a license after his failed March 27 drug test. The commission and Overeem’s representation engaged in a back-and-forth exchange of allegation and explanation for the majority of the meeting. Overeem was not given the maximum time until he could seek a license, but the suspension will end just short of a year since his last UFC fight. One of the biggest surprises in the hearing came from NSAC executive director Keith Kizer, as he Kizer stated that Overeem actually left the March 27 after finding out about the drug tests. This revelation called into question Overeem’s insistence that he never knowingly took the testosterone. Overeem’s camp denied he left due to the drug test and he insisted that he left because he did not want to be publicly served with papers by his former management team, Golden Glory. Overeem stated the test was the result of a shot given by Dr. Hector Molina to assist him in healing an injury before the fight. Dr. Molina testified that he gave Overeem a shot of B-12, texamethazone, keterolec and testosterone but stated, under oath, that he could not remember telling Overeem if there was testosterone in the shot or not. NSAC officials called this into question since Overeem knew he was subject to testing and believed him competent enough to take responsibility for what he took. While it appeared that the commission took it easy on Overeem by not suspending him for a full year, Overeem cannot fight anywhere during this time as a condition of not being licensed. The commission also discussed that not being able to fight at UFC 146 was actually a bigger penalty than if he had been caught after the fight since they would be bound by only taking a percentage of his purse, rather than the entire purse. Based on Overeem’s last fight at UFC 141, Overeem is losing out on around $1 million dollars when you include his base pay of $385,000, his per-fight signing bonus around $333,000, and his cut of PPV sales. Overeem will not be allowed to apply for a license until December 27, just short of a year since UFC 141.

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, commission, license

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The Nevada Athletic Commission voted Tuesday to deny UFC heavyweight star Alistair Overeem’s request for a continuance to present his case, as well as a subsequent request for a conditional fight license.

Posted in: alistair overeem, alistair, license, request, continuance

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Alistair Overeem was denied his fight license by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday, and will not be allowed to re-apply for nine months. The commission ruled after several hours of hearings. Overeem’s suspension will be backdated to March 27 of this year, allowing him a chance to compete right near the end of [...]

Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, nevada state, license, fight license

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Another day, another step in the saga of UFC 146. The event, which was originally to feature a main event UFC heavyweight championship bout between Junior dos Santos and Alistair Overeem, was derailed when Overeem tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone. It was expected that Overeem, who last fought at UFC 141 on a "conditional license" for having not submitted a random pre-fight urine sample until almost a month after it was requested, would simply be removed from the card. That has not yet been the case with UFC president Dana White saying that he'll let due process run its course. Related: Overeem Tests Positive For Elevated Testosterone Levels | Dana Responds To Overeem's Failed Drug Test | Is A Million Dollar Program The Solution For The UFC's PED Problem? | Dana White Doesn't Want To Talk About Alistair Overeem, Letting Due Process Run Its Course Overeem's hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission is a week from today (set for April 24) and it now appears that they have their defense for the miserable test failure in place (via Caged Insider): "I spoke with Glenn Robinson, manager of Overeem and he says he is very respectful and is hopeful that he will be granted his license and the entire team is very confident that he will be facing Junior dos Santos come May 26th" said [Kenny] Rice. "Now Robinson wanted to make it very clear that despite other reports, Overeem did not test high for testosterone, but rather his testosterone to epitestosterone was off and he has a reasonable explanation to why that is, which he will present to the commission next Tuesday." This is likely the first step in confirming that they're going to use the testosterone replacement therapy defense. Look, I've certainly made my thoughts on the Overeem situation well known. I think that the idea that he learned after the Brock Lesnar fight (where he did not request a TRT exemption) that he is at some sort of disadvantage due to low testosterone is ludicrous. I also think it probably wouldn't have been the worst idea in the world for Overeem, assuming he really was prescribed the use of testosterone, to make it known publicly given the sheer amount of scrutiny on him over the past few years and his current status with the NSAC. But rather than rehash all that yet again. Here's the truth. I fully expect the NSAC to license Overeem. Nevada is proving to be just as toothless as any other commission as of late. The dog and pony show that was dragging Victor Ortiz in and taking him to task before only awarding him a conditional license (that everyone knew he would get all along) for saying in an interview that he wanted to break Floyd Mayweather's nose when he headbutted him was a laughable embarrassment. They brought Floyd Mayweather in to basically...bring Floyd Mayweather in and grant yet another conditional license as Floyd fawned over his own generosity toward others (he makes donations and takes kids to school while feeding the hungry!). The NSAC's big stance on Floyd's conditional license? He had to promise to show up for jail on June 1 as he was sentenced to. Related: Can Alistair Overeem Still Get Licensed? | Alistair Overeem Situation Continues To Spiral Into Nonsense Just yesterday I talked to NSAC executive director Keith Kizer about this past weekend's boxing match between Brandon Rios and Richard Abril. The night of the fight, the fact that the decision went to Rios had people violently upset. Almost every headline for the results contained words like "robbery" "theft" and "disgrace." Dan Rafael of ESPN tweeted that he wanted to cut his wrists because the scoring was so bad, Kevin Iole of Yahoo tweeted that it was a "total complete robbery" and "absolute bull." Kizer's response to my questioning if they would reprimand judges for what seemed to be universally accepted as a travesty was little more than "nope, there was no problem." And it only took a few days before the boxing media was more than willing to start excusing what they had just called inexcusable. Now, I like Keith Kizer. He's a genuinely nice guy and my interaction with him has always been pleasant. But I get the sense that most of what happens in Nevada happens for the purpose of them getting to put on a show. They went through a whole hearing with Overeem before UFC 141, talked tough and then took Overeem and his assistant's word at every turn. They didn't make Alistair verify anything he said. The entire situation basically hinged on when he purchased his plane ticket to return to Holland but they never asked to see proof of the date of purchase. It felt like they simply waited until they felt that they'd gotten in enough face time with the media to grant him his conditional license. I have a sneaking suspicion that this hearing will see a lot of tough talk and then yet another conditional license given where Overeem is told he's going to have to test a few times before the fight and a few times after. And just like this time, it won't matter if he fails.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, alistair, license, testosterone

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FanPost edited and promoted by MMAmania.com. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos had his UFC 146 title defense against Alistair Overeem put in jeopardy when "Demolition Man" flunked a surprise pre-fight drug test, one that revealed a 14:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio for the hulking Dutchman. Team Overeem isn't worried. In fact, his manager Glenn Robinson recently dropped some knowledge on Inside MMA reporter Ron Kruck, informing him that media reports of Overeem testing with "elevated" testosterone levels are simply untrue. They weren't elevated, Robinson insists, they were "off," and "The Reem" has a "reasonable explanation for why that is." That could explain why Overeem is "confident" heading into his April 24 hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), where he expects to be approved to fight "Cigano" at the May 26 pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kruck breaks it all down, after the jump. "I did speak to Glenn Robinson his manager, and he said that Overeem is respectful for the Commission's process, and he is very hopeful that he will be granted his license. The entire team is very confident that he will be facing Junior dos Santos, come May 26. Now, Robinson also wanted to make it very clear that despite other reports, Overeem did not test high for testosterone. Rather, his testosterone-to-epitesosterone ratio was off, and he has a reasonable explanation for why that is, which he will present to the Commission, next Tuesday." Kruck also spoke to NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer on the matter: "Kizer confirmed several things. Overeem has applied for a license to fight in the state, and he will have an opportunity to present his case to the Commission, on why he should be granted that license, despite failing his pre-fight drug test. Now, some have speculated that Oveeem may use the defense of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), as a defense we have seen several fighters use before, but speaking to Kizer, he has said Overeem has not applied for a TRT exemption. That doesn't mean he still can't. He has time to do that. As long as he does so and gives the Commission's doctors reasonable time to deal with the situation." When notified of his test results, Overeem elected not to have his "B" sample tested and instead immediately filed for his fight license. His hearing to determine whether or not he will be able to participate in the main event of the promotion's Memorial Day weekend extravaganza will also answer some other lingering questions -- like who is expected to take his place against the Brazilian champion should he be turned away. Stay tuned. For more on Overeem's fighting future click here. Poll What could Overeem's defense be for the NSAC? Nobody told me about the test I was born with Low T, just like Chael... I wasn't on TRT, the Horse I ate was.   117 votes | Results

Posted in: overeem, test, defense, commission, license

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For a man who knows everything about every single kickboxer to ever come out of Eastern Europe's asshole, HDNet mic man Michael Schiavello sure has an interesting interpretation of how steroid testing works: You know, while we’re talking about the subject, Kenny, I just wanna chime in here on a couple things that have been playing on my mind, the last week or so, since the news of Alistair (Overeem) broke. Alistair doesn’t have a license with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), so how are they testing him in the first place when he doesn’t have a license with them? By what jurisdiction are they testing him? And ‘B,’ everyone seems to be hanging Alistair out to dry. They’ve been nailing him to the cross and crucifying him, but it’s still two months away from his fight. You know, he hasn’t technically cheated. Because, unless he pisses hot on the fight night, how could he possibly have cheated? There’s still an opportunity he can get from the 14:1 down to the allowed 6:1 level by fight time. But we’re calling him out as a cheat, two months out from a fight? I feel like I have battered wife syndrome. I've been getting punched in the face with all this steroid crap for so long that a part of me thinks the above statement almost makes sense. MMA Mania pokes holes in the licensing argument: The "conditional license" granted for Overeem to fight Lesnar at UFC 141 carried a condition that he was subject to two drug tests in the following six months. Speaking to NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer, Overeem's failed test was the first of those two tests.For those who argue that the NSAC had no jurisdiction to test Overeem because the conditional license he was granted at UFC 141 expired on Dec. 31, 2012 (one-day after the event), thanks for playing, but I wouldn't hang my future on that argument. While the conditional license granted for UFC 141 expired, the agreement to the subsequent drug tests over the next six months did not. Schiavello also said he believes 99% of top fighters are juicing, a number I can only hope is just as wrong as the above statement. But I've heard other people who should know throwing out numbers in the similarly depressing 90s as well. Even if these guys are so wrong they doubled their numbers, it would still mean 45% - nearly half - of top MMA fighters are probably using PEDs. And if you times that by 3, you get 135%. Square that and you'll see an unbelievable 18225% of all MMA fighters are using. ZOMG! (gif by Gordo, and yes there are more strange Schiavello / Overeem creations by him after the jump) read more

Posted in: fight, overeem, month, drug tests, license

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Alistair Overeem! On Friday afternoon, UFC officials filed a license application on the heavyweight contender's behalf for a bout with Junior Dos Santos at UFC 146, Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). Overeem has not contacted the commission since he failed a pre-fight drug test for the pay-per-view event, which takes place May 26 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.  Additionally, Overeem has not requested the "B" sample of the test that flagged him for elevated levels of testosterone. He is expected to be present at an NSAC meeting in Las Vegas on April 24, when the NSAC will review his application. theflyingkneemma.com initially reported the license application. Because Overeem is not currently licensed, he does not face an immediate suspension and/or fine. However, the NSAC could deny his license or sanction him in other ways.  Word is no replacement will be named until after April 24th when Overeem absolutely positively will NOT get licensed. Unless he's got the most amazing story ever told, perhaps something involving gamma rays or a radioactive horse bite or something. I have no idea what the UFC is up to here. Certainly they wouldn't bring this whole thing back up again at a commission hearing for no reason. Would they? And if they have a reason, what the eff is it??? 

Posted in: overeem, license, nsac, application, license application

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Alistair Overeem will make his case to keep his spot on the UFC 146 card on May 26th, as he will appear in front of the Nevada Athletic Commission on April 24th. Overeem, who is scheduled to take on Junior dos Santos for the UFC heavyweight title in Las Vegas, tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone after NSAC Director Keith Kizer issued a random drug test after a pre-fight press conference on March 27th. Overeem, whose test came back with a testosterone level of 14:1, was nowhere close to the maximum limit allowed in Nevada, which is 6:1. However, because of a temporary license in Nevada that expired after his fight in December, which also took place in Las Vegas, Overeem did not have a license to fight dos Santos in May. Even prior to the drug test results, Overeem was set to meet in front of the commission. Now he will have a new issue to address, as he will have to explain his testosterone level two months prior to the scheduled fight. While he does have a ‘B’ sample that can be tested, Overeem and his representatives have yet to request that. In fact, neither the UFC nor Overeem’s agency has yet to publicly comment on the situation. With three weeks to go before the scheduled meeting with the NSAC, the UFC is running out of time to replace Overeem if they have to. However, with a main card that is full of heavyweight matchups, they will have plenty of options to choose from. Fighters including Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, and even Mark Hunt, who has received a significant amount of support from fans around the world, are all scheduled to fight at the May 26th event. For now, Overeem will present his case to the commission. NSAC Director Keith Kizer confirmed Overeem submitted his application for a license last week. However, this was prior to the announcement regarding his drug test results. If the commission does not grant him a license, because of the denial of a license, Overeem will not be able to re-apply for one for an entire year. Stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com for complete coverage of the Overeem saga, including the April 24th hearing.

Posted in: ufc, overeem, test, commission, license

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submitted by zontarrr [link] [5 comments]

Posted in: alistair, license, april, zontarrr, nsac license

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One of the more intriguing questions that followed the news that Alistair Overeem had tested positive for elevated testosterone was if the result of his UFC 141 bout with Brock Lesnar would be overturned. Overeem had been granted a conditional license for that bout after a list of issues with a random drug test requested by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on November 17, 2011. One of the conditions of the license was that Overeem would be randomly tested two times within six months of the fight. Now, having failed a random test, it looks like Overeem will not lose his victory over Lesnar in the record books. Via MMA Fighting: No retroactive penalty is likely. Though Overeem was given a conditional fighter's license to face Brock Lesnar late last year under terms that he would later provide two random tests, failing one of those random tests months later is not likely to change the fight result, Kizer said. According to him, Overeem passed three urine test and one blood test around the Lesnar fight, and his samples from that time have likely been destroyed since. This leads to the obvious question: What was the point of the conditional license? Obviously, Overeem is going to have trouble getting a license for UFC 146 in light of these developments, so that's an obvious form of punishment for the failed test. But, failing the test would have resulted in the same situation without having previously being given a conditional license. Related: UFC 141: Examining The Issues With The Alistair Overeem Licensing Process The "three urine tests and one blood test around the Lesnar fight" are misleading when you're thinking about the aforementioned "two random tests." The blood test was the one submitted before the Lesnar fight that led to the issues with the license to begin with. Administered by his personal doctor (apparently standard Dutch procedure) instead of at a lab there was no proof beyond a personal doctor's word on who the blood test came from. That blood test was taken 6 days after the request by the NSAC for a urine sample. Not to mention, that test was prior to the granting of the conditional license, so should not factor in here. The first urine test of the three mentioned would be the one taken in the days after the December 12 NSAC granting of the conditional license. He was flown to an accredited lab in the UK for that test. This test was taken almost a month after the initial request for a urine test and was, again, before the fight, not one of the post fight random tests he had to pass as part of the licensing process. Urine test number two would have been the one Overeem took upon landing in Las Vegas on Monday December 26, the Monday of the Lesnar fight. This was even further out from the initial request from the NSAC for the first test and, should Overeem have been doing something (which we don't know he was), would have been within the range of the attempt to cycle his numbers down to a point where he could pass the test. And, again, this was before the fight, not a random test in the 6 months following the event. Urine test number three would have been the standard post-fight urine test. Again, not a random post-fight test. So, while the idea of passing one blood and three urine tests is nice in theory, it doesn't really hold up when you're examining the conditions upon which the license was granted. This was the first time following the UFC 141 bout that Overeem received a "random test" and he failed it and failed it hard. To find out that there is no retroactive punishment renders the entire idea of a conditional license moot. He's not going to lose the win, he isn't going to be fined, he's just going to have trouble (assuming no change when/if the B-sample is tested) getting a new license. How is that any different from what would have happened had he tested positive for greater than a 10:1 ratio anyway? Had Roy Nelson or Antonio Silva or Frank Mir tested that high, they probably wouldn't be licensed for UFC 146 either. So, the punishment for failing your first random test on a conditional license that said you had to pass two random tests is...the same as the punishment for fighters who were NOT on the same sort of conditional license? The conditions applied to his license for the Brock Lesnar fight. By failing those conditions, he violated the terms of that license and thus the license would not be valid and the fight should be turned into a no contest. If not, it's time to stop with the charade of granting these conditional licenses simply to pretend that the commission is showing real strength in these situations.

Posted in: fight, overeem, test, license, urine

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"Erection, Your Onion!  He's clearly guilty by reason of creeper facial hair!" There's been a fair amount of discussion on the internets about Strikeforce fighter Brandon Saling's outing as both a registered sex offender and apparent neo-Nazi, and though much of the chatter between commenters was about his presumed white supremacist opinions, athletic commissions care a lot more about the rapey part.  And so both the Ohio and New Jersey athletic commissions have already revoked his license for lying about his criminal record. OAC executive director Bernie Profato told MMAjunkie.com that Saling (8-6 MMA, 0-1 SF) violated administrative statutes when he lied about his criminal background on an application for a fight license. Saling can appeal the ruling at a OAC hearing planned for April 11. "There's a dual thing there," Profato said. "He'll have to answer to the falsification, and two, if you read the law, it says they don't have to license you for a felony. Now, it will be whether they ever license him again because of being listed as a sexual predator.". . .Profato said Saling marked "no" on the part of his application for a license that asks about previous convictions beyond traffic offenses. The fighter was sent notice this morning that his license had been revoked. The administrative action will be noted on a national database that tracks administrative and medical suspensions of fighters. If Saling is unsuccessful in appealing the revocation, he must wait a year before he is eligible to reapply for a license in Ohio. Other commissions are not required to honor his administrative suspension, though they often do. But Saling is hardly the only active fighter with a criminal record, so exactly where do the commissions draw the line? "If it's homicide or sexual predator, or if you're applying for a promoter's license and it's fraud, or theft in office, you probably aren't going to get licensed." Bottom line, his career could be finished, though lying about his record is probably a bigger issue than the record itself, even with the sex crime on there.  Not that I'm defending Saling, but to be fair, Mike Tyson did three years for rape and fought again only five months after his release, and his former manager Don King killed two people and has been sued multiple times, but that didn't stop either of their careers in the boxing world.  And that's just the first two off the top of my head.  Then again, the rules aren't always applied equally to boxing and MMA, so who knows how this will pan out in the end.  Two things we can be fairly certain of though: his one-year suspension will likely stand, and he won't fight for Zuffa again.

Posted in: fighter, record, commission, license, saling

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It appears Brandon Saling may soon be a fighter without a home…anywhere.

Posted in: license, brandon, saling, brandon saling, revoke

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In a major update to a story we've been following since uncovering the information during the Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey event, Brandon Saling, a convicted sex offender with a tattoo featuring Neo-Nazi symbolism, has had his fighter license suspended. In our original coverage we touched on how Saling's "88" tattoo is symbolic for "Hiel Hitler" (H being the 8th letter of the alphabet) and followed that up with information about Saling being convicted in the sexual assault of a girl under 13 and a domestic violence conviction some years later. It appears that Saling failed to disclose those convictions when applying for his license and, thus, is in a good deal of trouble with the state and it is unlikely he ever fights again Luke Thomas broke the news over at MMA Fighting a short time ago: After causing a stir on Saturday at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey, welterweight Brandon Saling's tenure in Strikeforce was short-lived. It turns out there may also not be much time left in his mixed martial arts career. According to commissioner Bernie Profato of the Ohio Athletic Commission (OAC), Saling's fighter license has been revoked. Profato told MMA Fighting Saling falsified information on his application for a license by failing to disclose he had "ever been convicted of a crime other than a traffic offense". The ommission puts Saling in violation of Administrative Code 3773-1-09, clause F, of the bylaws governing MMA in Ohio, which states a fighter's license can be suspended or revoked if he or she "has violated any law with respect to any sports regulated by the commission or any rule or order of the commission or has been convicted of a felony." ... "Obviously this guy is never going to fight for us again," UFC President Dana White told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani. "For this guy to ever get licensed again he'd have to go before a hearing for the athletic commissions and I find it hard to believe that this guy will ever be licensed again. He better go find another job." This should put an end to any of the debate over the "he served his time, let him fight" vs. "convicted sex offenders with Nazi symbolism aren't good for promotions or TV" nonsense. Saling was clearly covering up his past in an attempt to build a fighting career and thus was putting promotions in jeopardy of significant damage to their reputation. You don't just "forget" that you spent time in jail for rape and domestic violence. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey

Posted in: mma, strikeforce, commission, license, saling

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After a brief investigation, Brandon Saling's license has been revoked by the Ohio Athletic Commission and New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. OAC executive director Bernie Profato told MMAjunkie.com that Saling violated administrative statutes when he lied about his criminal background on an application for a fight license. Saling can appeal the ruling at a OAC hearing planned for April 11.

Posted in: license, saling, jersey state, oac hearing, jersey commissions

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After causing a stir on Saturday at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey, welterweight Brandon Saling's tenure in Strikeforce was short-lived. It turns out there may also not be much time left in his mixed martial arts career. According to commissioner Bernie Profato of the Ohio Athletic Commission (OAC), Saling's fighter license has been revoked. Profato told MMA Fighting Saling falsified information on his application for a license by failing to disclose he had "ever been convicted of a crime other than a traffic offense". The ommission puts Saling in violation of Administrative Code 3773-1-09, clause F, of the bylaws governing MMA in Ohio, which states a fighter's license can be suspended or revoked if he or she, "has violated any law with respect to any sports regulated by the commission or any rule or order of the commission or has been convicted of a felony." Saling is a registered sex offender and was convicted of "gross sexual imposition", a felony, in 2004 in the state of Ohio. Saling most recently fought in Columbus, Ohio at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey where he lost to Roger Bowling via second-round TKO. His presence at the event disturbed many in the MMA community for his racially-controversial "88" or "Heil Hitler" tattoo on the inside of left collarbone. Upon further inspection of his background, it was revealed Saling was had been convicted of felonious sex crimes. "Obviously this guy is never going to fight for us again," UFC President Dana White told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani. "For this guy to ever get licensed again he'd have to go before a hearing for the athletic commissions and I find it hard to believe that this guy will ever be licensed again. He better go find another job." Profato states Saling has been notified by certified mail of the commission's decision to revoke his license and that he is entitled to a hearing. Attempts to contact Saling for comment were not immediately returned. Saling will tentatively have his first opportunity to challenge his license revocation at the next meeting of the OAC on April 11th. Should he choose to challenge their decision, Profato states he'll be able to use the services of an attorney, witnesses, his own testimony and any countervailing evidence that would ostensibly compel the commission to reverse course. In addition to his license suspension in Ohio, MMA Fighting has confirmed with counsel Nick Lembo of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board (NJSACB) that Saling's license in that state has also been revoked for falsifying information on his license applications. Saling recently fought in New Jersey at Bellator 59 in November of 2011 and Ring of Combat 36 in June of last year. At the time of this writing, it's not clear what options Saling has in New Jersey to challenge the NJSACB's decision.

Posted in: commission, state, license, saling, ohio

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In a special meeting held by the California state athletic commission, Strikeforce heavyweight Josh Barnett was granted a conditional fighters license, paving the way for his proposed May 19 Grand Prix final bout against Daniel Cormier.In a hearing held at the Ronald Reagan state building in Los Angeles, six commission members voted 4-2 in his favor, but Barnett will still have to pass a random urine test prior to the event. After deflecting responsibility for his previous failed test on the unregulated supplement industry, Barnett faced scrutiny from a pair of commissioners -- vice chairman Eugene Hernandez and Mike Munoz -- but ultimately won a ruling in his favor after chairman John Frierson noted that Barnett had already passed a drug screening done on February 29 and had passed several tests since his July 2009 failure. "I want to make believers out of you more than anything else," Barnett said, addressing the group after his license was granted. "So I hope to see you at the fight and I hope to change your opinions and to satisfy any of your doubts in time."Barnett, who spoke to the commission under oath, opened with a statement in which he noted his history as a fighter and trainer, and said that he has always strived to present a positive image of the sport. Making reference to his previous drug test failures, Barnett voiced their long-lasting impact on his career."The fact of the matter is no matter happens today, what happens further on in my career, license or not, that will never leave," he said. "I’ll always have to contend with that as far as my legacy as an athlete."Yet Barnett stopped short of accepting personal accountability for the failures, saying he was in "utter shock" after his most recent positive result. He recounted that he had taken the step of having his manager to contact the commission to set up in the first place."I didn't knowingly or intentionally ingest steroids," he said in his most forceful statement. "I did not take steroids."That set up a back-and-forth between him and commissioner Hernandez, who said he was expecting Barnett to accept responsibility before trying to move ahead. Barnett said that in both instances, he believed he had taken supplements that were tainted, pointing out that the supplement market was completely unregulated at the time of his 2002 test and still facing similar issues at the time of his second failed screening.After Barnett again pointing out that he had proactively sought out the test as a means of showing his innocence, Hernandez wasn't buying it."The problem for me with that is in the field I come from, I've had many people say go ahead and search my car, and sure enough, there was dope in it. I'd say, 'Boy, that was stupid.' But they somehow thought, 'Well, if I say no, then I'm really in trouble.' So the mere fact that you volunteered for the test really doesn't mean a whole lot to me."Deputy attorney Karen Chappelle saw Barnett's statements as a challenge of his positive test and noted that he had not attended his scheduled appeal of that test, saying that by 2009, drug testing had advanced to the point that false positives were much less likely to occur. "My position is, the positive result that he got from that lab, having not been challenged, should be deemed admitted and true," she said. "I don't think it's fair for him to come before you today and challenge that or else I think we should schedule another hearing where I'm allowed to present evidence to you."Barnett's attorney Jeffrey Spitz maintained that Barnett's answer was not a challenge of the result, only a questioning of the way the drugs entered his boy."He does not contest or question the result, nor can he explain it," he said.Barnett later said that he if were to test positive again, his career would likely be over.But when the time came for a vote, Frierson noted that California Gov. Jerry Brown often asks why there aren't more fights in California. Frierson said that while the state wouldn't "cave in" to these kind of matters, a special meeting was granted in an attempt to decide if Barnett was license-worthy, and the motion to license him passed 4-2. "Please don't let us down," Frierson said. "The reason, we need fights here in California. We need good fights and we need good people."

Posted in: i hope, test, barnett, license, california

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Strikeforce's prodigal heavyweight Josh Barnett cleared the last major hurdle blocking the completion of their long-delayed Heavyweight Grand Prix today when the California State Athletic Commission agreed to issue him a license to fight. Barnett is expected to face Daniel Cormier in the finals of that tournament on May 19th. Barnett had not been licensed in California since failing a pre-licensing test in August of 2009. That drug test failure forced the cancellation of his bout with Fedor Emelianenko and resulted in the end of the Affliction fight promotion. Barnett re-applied for a license from California a year after the 2009 failure but withdrew his application after a series of snafus that saw him miss meetings and then appear without a lawyer and refuse to answer questions he perceived to be hostile. Today's hearing involved Barnett attempting to explain how he failed the 2009 test while denying that he had intentionally ingested steroids. He blamed tainted supplements but offered no specific evidence. The commission staff bristled at the suggestion that there were flaws in their testing regime but were mollified when Barnett backed down from any such assertions. Barnett failed two tests in 2002, the second of which resulted in his being stripped of his UFC belt.

Posted in: fight, test, barnett, license, california

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The California State Athletic Commission has granted Josh Barnett a license for his upcoming fight on May 19 for Strikeforce against Daniel Cormier.

Posted in: josh barnett, barnett, license, california state, california commission

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Josh Barnett met with the California State Athletic Commission today in the hopes of regaining his license prior to Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament final on May 19. Barnett was granted a conditional license requiring random drug screening, which will likely pave the way for the Grand Prix final to take place in California. The commission grilled Barnett regarding his past failed drug tests and Barnett still denied ever knowingly taking steroids. The denial was something the commissioners believed was unlikely. Still, Barnett was granted a conditional license by a vote of 4-2. Barnett will face Daniel Cormier in the Strikeforce Grand Prix final on May 19. Also of note, Strikeforce Scott Coker confirmed California as the likely destination for the event and is aiming for Strikeforce’s preferred home, the HP Pavilion. The venue will depend on the NHL’s San Jose Sharks performance. The Sharks currently sit in 8th place in the Western Conference with a one-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings. Meaning there is a chance the Sharks could miss the playoffs all together, and even if they did, they would face the top team in the West.

Posted in: strikeforce, barnett, license, california, daniel cormier

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: josh, barnett, mattyblayze, license, california

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Posted in: boxing, license, artist, michigan, boxing commissions

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Not that this is some big surprise but a meeting was held today in Nevada to suspend Nick Diaz's license stemming from his failed drug test at UFC 143 this past Feb. 4, 2012, in Las Vegas. The meeting held today was more or less a formality and simply a way for the Commission to temporarily suspend Diaz's license while preparing for a disciplinary meeting later on. MMAFighting.com has more: During Wednesday's meeting, commission chairman Skip Avansino requested notes and minutes from the 2007 Nevada matter, as well as any related disciplinary information from other states in preparation of Diaz's upcoming hearing. The stage was also set for a possible defense that could include a retroactive request for a medical marijuana exemption, as Eccles noted a belief that "the question will come up" given Diaz's personal license for medical use in California. It's interesting to point out that Diaz could use his medical marijuana license in California has a defense for his failed test in Nevada. There's no real precedent for a matter such as this at present time so there's no discernible way to tell exactly what that will mean regarding potential discipline or lack thereof. All we know is that this is the second time Diaz has failed a drug test in Nevada and the Commission is going to attempt to punish him accordingly. Diaz's drug test failure marred an event that was already crawling in controversy, thanks to the main event bout going to a five-round decision finish that few were satisfied with. In fact, Diaz retired in disgust after the bout, proclaiming his dislike for the scoring system in place in MMA. His team, led by Cesar Gracie, immediately started campaigning for a rematch, so that didn't last long, of course. Jake Shields, a teammate of his, believes he'll rediscover his love for MMA during the suspension that is surely coming, whenever that may be. And for however long it may happen. Unless, of course, the retroactive marijuana medical exemption defense actually works. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for further updates to this story as they happen.

Posted in: diaz, commission, meeting, license, nevada

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [4 comments]

Posted in: mattyblayze, license, marijuana, request, exemption

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The DC commission isn't exactly inspiring confidence here with this small typo on Mac Danzig's fight license.

Posted in: mac, license, bravo, dc, confidence

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With Nick Diaz popping a positive test for marijuana following his UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit, there has been some questioning of how long Diaz will be suspended. Nevada has handed down two recent suspensions for marijuana and both fighters have had their licenses suspended for one year and also lost a significant percentage of their purse. As Nate pointed out yesterday, Kevin Iole wrote about Matt Vanda, a boxer who tested positive for marijuana for the second time this past December. Vanda had popped once in New Jersey and only received a 90 day suspension and on his positive test in Nevada he got the full twelve months and lost forty percent of his purse. On the undercard of Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III, Joel Casamayor tested positive for marijuana, his first such issue. Casamayor was fined $10,000 (ten percent of his $100,000 purse) and had his license suspended for a year. Tim Burke: Nick Diaz Should Be Released By The UFC Given Diaz's prior positive test there is almost no chance we see him not get the full year license suspension, which will be enforced by every other commission. Given that the commission could fine him up to 100% of his purse for the test, I have a feeling we're going to see him get at least the forty percent suffered by Vanda. Especially given his continued flaunting of his drug use and how easily he claimed he could pass any of the commission's tests. More after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Diaz will also have to stand in front of the NSAC and endure some serious heat after his suspension when he attempts to get his license reinstated. The commission has been making a bigger and bigger show of these license hearings as of late. They took boxer Victor Ortiz to task for comments made in an interview that the next time he headbutts someone he isn't going to hug them, but rather try to break their nose. This was apparently such a moment of seriousness that the commission had to have a full hearing to let him know that fouling is bad and if he fouled in his (now rescheduled) bout against Andre Berto, they'd be very upset. The same kind of drama was brought to Floyd Mayweather, Jr.'s hearing to get his license despite his recent legal troubles. It will be interesting to see how Nick handles the, quite frankly, condescending nature of the NSAC questioning during these hearings and if he'll simply sit back and put on a smile and get through it or if he'll feel the need to respond negatively and possibly jeopardize his ability to get a license in 2013. Not to mention, as the Ortiz situation shows, the NSAC will hold you accountable for things you say in the media. So Diaz needs people advising him to not go out in public and talk about how he'll continue to smoke before fights. There is no guarantee that he gets a license if the commission feels that he is making a mockery of their process and continues flaunting his pre-fight use. Kid Nate: Nick Diaz's UFC 143 Drug Test Failure Was Inevitable There is also the question of how a twelve month layoff will affect Diaz. He has been on a very busy schedule, fighting seven times since the start of 2010. While his competing in triathlons will keep him in great shape and he certainly won't be leaving the gym any time soon, there is no accounting for what the actual lack of full competition for over a year will do to a fighter. Finally, one has to wonder how serious of a position the UFC will ever put Diaz in going forward. He's already lost a title shot for failing to meet media obligations, now he popped a second positive drug test when put into a main event interim title fight. When he comes back from the suspension (assuming the UFC doesn't release him), is there a chance that Dana White and company ever see fit to put him in a position of importance again? I just don't see it.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, suspension, test, license

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UFC light heavyweight contender Thiago Silva, who had his license revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) after testing positive for steroids at UFC 125 back in January 2011, is now eligible to re-apply for his license to fight. And when he does, Brandon Vera (@Verafied) will be waiting for him. Good Morning FB!!! I just heard my dear friend Thiago Silva is back...... I want that ass. No H_m_. "The Truth" received a broken nose and his promotion pink slip after being manhandled by the tainted Brazilian at last year's "Edgar vs. Maynard" pay-per-view, but has since been called back to the UFC after Silva's drug test results came back hotter than a chili fart. Silva was slapped with a slew of penalties, including a one year revocation of his fight license, a steep monetary fine ($33,750) and a change in ruling for his bout against Vera to a "No Contest." Anyone ready to see these two settle their score? Or would the result be the same regardless of whether or not Silva was on the stuff? Thoughts?

Posted in: silva, nevada state, license, contest anyone, year revocation

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One of the "conditions" of Alistair Overeem's conditional license granted by the Nevada State Athletic Commission was for him to not only re-submit his urine sample prior to leaving Holland, but to be tested again upon landing in the U.S. for the event. According to ESPN, that urine sample was taken on Monday but the results won't be known until after the fight. From the article: After arriving in Las Vegas on Monday, UFC 141 headliner Alistair Overeem submitted a urine sample at a Quest Diagnostics facility, per the terms of his conditional license issued by the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Dec. 12. Results of the urinalysis aren't expected to be known by the time Overeem is scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Friday, NSAC executive director Keith Kizer told ESPN.com. Overeem will also be tested twice randomly within six months as the remaining part of his conditional license. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: overeem, nevada state, license, time overeem, urine sample

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HeavyMMA attended today's NSAC hearing to discuss Alistair Overeem's fight license. Get the complete details inside.

Posted in: fight, overeem, alistair overeem, alistair, license

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While he still has to complete some additional testing, Alistair Overeem has been granted a license for his Dec 30 fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141.

Posted in: ufc, alistair overeem, brock lesnar, alistair, license

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LAS VEGAS - For now, at least, former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem will face Brock Lesnar in the main event of December's UFC 141 event. The Nevada State Athletic Commission today granted Overeem a conditional license to face Lesnar on Dec. 30, subject to a pre-fight drug test to be submitted in Europe within the next 72 hours, as well as an additional screen submitted in the U.S. when the Dutch heavyweight arrives for the contest. Overeem's conditional license also includes two post-fight drug screen orders, to be completed less than six months after the bout.

Posted in: overeem, brock lesnar, drug, license, dutch heavyweight

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Keith Kizer lead today's circus over whether or not Alistair Overeem would be granted a license to fight Brock Lesnar on December 30th in Las Vegas.

Posted in: overeem, alistair overeem, alistair, license, todays circus

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The rumor mill continues to churn regarding Alistair Overeem’s participation in UFC 141. In case you missed it, Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole tweeted Saturday night that something is going on with Overeem and he could be pulled from the UFC 141 main event. Shortly thereafter, ESPN’s Josh Gross discovered that Overeem is on the agenda for today’s NSAC meeting. The agenda merely states that Overeem is requesting a license to fight, however Gross is hearing there might be more to it, possibly related to a pre-fight drug test. Dana White dismissed the rumors as crazy talk when asked about it at the UFC 140 post-fight press conference, but the rumors still persist. As we stand now, no one really knows what’s going on other than Overeem is on the NSAC’s agenda today and the meeting starts at 6pm ET/3pm PT. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer believes the situation (whatever it may be) will be addressed then. Regarding the Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem fight, there are a lot of rumors around.  Here is what we know.  This will likely be cleared up on Monday as Overeem is scheduled to apply for his license before the Nevada State Athletic Commission.  Usually fighters licenses are rubber stamped unless there is an extenuating circumstance.  People have noted Overeem, Keith Jardine and Vladimir Matyushenko all have license hearings on Monday, but in the case of the latter two, it is standard procedure for fighters over 35 to take more extensive medical tests and the process for granting the license isn’t rubber stamped.  Overeem’s name on the list means there is a reason he needs to be there that is not specified, and Overeem is not over 35 years old. Brock Lesnar as of last night was not told Overeem is out of the fight, nor as of last night had he been called about a potential fight with Frank Mir.  Dana White denied Overeem was injured when asked and also that anything has changed regarding the fight.  There is nothing going around about an injury that we’ve heard to begin with.  Overeem left Las Vegas, where he had been training, to return to Holland.  He said in his yahoo.com blog that it was because his mother had cancer.  Regarding a steroid test, we’ve been able to confirm that Lesnar was asked to take a test a few weeks back and did.  It is usual practice in Nevada if they are going to do a random unannounced pre-fight test of a major main event, they will test both fighters. Several major MMA reporters including Kevin Iole and Josh Gross have hinted something is amiss and there were strong rumors last night that Mir would face Lesnar, even though White denied them.  If it regards a pending hearing that hasn’t happened, while behind the scenes White would no doubt be preparing for any outcome, he has to publicly say the fight is on, because right now, the fight is on.  Mir said he was willing to take the fight.  Mir was rocked in the fight, even though he won, and we’re only three weeks away.  Gross really didn’t say anything more than what we wrote, that Overeem’s license will be discussed at Monday’s hearing which is factual as it is listed on the minutes of the meeting. I’m not even going to begin to speculate about what’s going on, but hopefully it’s just a false alarm and much ado about nothing. We’ll find out soon enough.

Posted in: fight, overeem, rumor, test, license

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Late Saturday night we reported on rumors circulating backstage at UFC 140 that Alistair Overeem might be pulled from the UFC 141 card on December 30. Overeem is set to face Brock Lesnar on the main event of that card, a bout that the UFC put almost all of the marketing into on their initial UFC on Fox effort. The rumor at the time was that Alistair Overeem may be running into an issue with Nevada because of something involving his pre-fight drug test. That doesn't necessarily mean a failure of the test and could be any of a number of things. Dave Meltzer gave his update on the situation in yesterday's Wrestling Observer update: This will likely be cleared up on Monday as Overeem is scheduled to apply for his license before the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Usually fighters licenses are rubber stamped unless there is an extenuating circumstance. People have noted Overeem, Keith Jardine and Vladimir Matyushenko all have license hearings on Monday, but in the case of the latter two, it is standard procedure for fighters over 35 to take more extensive medical tests and the process for granting the license isn't rubber stamped. Overeem's name on the list means there is a reason he needs to be there that is not specified, and Overeem is not over 35 years old. ... Dana White denied Overeem was injured when asked and also that anything has changed regarding the fight. There is nothing going around about an injury that we've heard to begin with. Overeem left Las Vegas, where he had been training, to return to Holland. He said in his yahoo.com blog that it was because his mother had cancer. Regarding a steroid test, we've been able to confirm that Lesnar was asked to take a test a few weeks back and did. It is usual practice in Nevada if they are going to do a random unannounced pre-fight test of a major main event, they will test both fighters. Several major MMA reporters including Kevin Iole and Josh Gross have hinted something is amiss and there were strong rumors last night that Mir would face Lesnar, even though White denied them. If it regards a pending hearing that hasn't happened, while behind the scenes White would no doubt be preparing for any outcome, he has to publicly say the fight is on, because right now, the fight is on. Mir said he was willing to take the fight. Asking around to get more information has gotten me such a wild range of responses, and given the involvement of state drug testing I'd rather not get into posting rumors here unless I'm more certain of what is going on. And again, all this might amount to nothing and the commission might just simply say "license granted" and that'll be that. The meeting is set for 5 p.m. ET today and we will have updates as it happens, so stay tuned. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: ufc, overeem, lesnar, test, license

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One thing that has been requested has been a little more boxing coverage here at Bloody Elbow, so going forward we'll touch on major boxing events and recap the weekend's action. But your home for the best boxing coverage at SB Nation is still Bad Left Hook, so make sure you keep up with things there as well. We'll be starting our new boxing coverage with a two part feature on the Antonio Margarito vs. Miguel Cotto fight, today discussing Margarito's issues acquiring a license for the rematch scheduled for December 3 and tomorrow diving into the incredible marketing of the fight. The very mention of Antonio Margarito's name is enough to strike up an immediate emotional reaction from most combat fans. Margarito went from on top of the world after defeating Miguel Angel Cotto in a thrilling fight in July of 2008 he got a fight with Shane Mosley in January 2009. During the hand wrapping process for the Mosley fight, Shane's trainer noticed Margarito's wraps had a strange substance on them. The wraps were eventually found to have plaster of paris on them, which would have hardened to give him a dangerous advantage in the bout. Margarito would have to have his hands re-wraped and would then go on to take a vicious beating at the hands of Mosely in "Sugar" Shane's last great performance. The end result of the handwrapping controversy was a year suspension of Margarito's boxing license by the state of California and a reputation that will never recover. Margarito is set to face Cotto in a rematch on December 3 in New York City. Cotto feels that his loss the first time around can't be fully accepted as Margarito may have cheated and Antonio is looking to prove that he didn't cheat the first time and won't need to this time either. Unfortunately for fight fans excited to see the bout, Margarito has been having trouble acquiring a license from the NYSAC because of a surgically repaired eye. Some may be wondering why Margarito is even able to apply for a license after the plaster situation. The answer has multiple parts: The blame was put on Margarito's trainer, Javier Capetillo. He claims he simply picked up wraps off a table as he was in a rush and it was not an intentional act. During the hearing with the commission Margarito threw Capetillo under the bus, saying he didn't understand why he would do such a thing. The commission couldn't pin the fault on Margarito, finding that he actually did nothing wrong and may well have been ignorant of the entire situation. Finally, the biggest part of why the suspension wouldn't have held up for over a year. In cases like these, there are standard evidence handling guidelines. It appears that there were serious problems with the chain of custody of the evidence the evening of the Mosley fight. The wraps appear to have changed hands several times during the hours that followed, including spending time with multiple members of Mosley's camp. This prevented further action from being taken, including possible legal action against Margarito and his camp. So while it's easy to get upset with the fact that Margarito is allowed to fight, it also requires some acknowledgement of the California State Athletic Commission's failures. More on the current state of Margarito's license after the jump. November of 2010 saw Margarito return to an American boxing ring for the first time since his suspension to face Manny Pacquiao. Margarito displayed a ton of heart as he took a violent beating at the hands of Pacquiao for twelve rounds. After the fight it was determined that Margarito suffered a fractured orbital bone which required surgery to fix. He then had to have an additional surgery done to repair the lens of his eye. That second surgery was done by one of the leading experts in the field and he declared the work a success. However, hose two surgeries and the health of Antonio's eye have the NYSAC hesitant to grant a license. Recent shots of Margarito on HBO's 24/7 series show where some of that concern comes from (repaired eye is Margarito's right): New York held a hearing on Friday which ended with a determination that if a NYSAC chosen doctor cleared Margarito, they would grant the license. This forced Margarito to break camp in Mexico to fly into  While it is admirable for the NYSAC to look out for the health of a fighter, it's the way which they went about the situation that has many people upset. Back on September 20 one of the most vocal members of the licensing board, Melvina Lethan, appeared at a Top Rank press conference and said the following (via Bad Left Hook): "Whenever Bob comes to town, he comes to town and really throws out the red carpet. That's what we need in New York. I can't tell you how proud, how happy we are at the commission to have such a beginning of Madison Square Garden, once she has a new facelift that is, that we are going to be the ones to help open it. This is a great show, both shows are going to be a great show (Donaire vs Narvaez on October 22), and we're just really looking forward to these exciting -- both evenings of boxing. "I have a great crew, which in part helps to maintain and make sure that everything is safe as far as the welfare, the safety of the boxers are concerned. Without that crew and their dedication, the state athletic commission just would not be, and I am very happy to have them on my team. I applaud them myself. Come out to the show, know that everything is going to go well, and best of luck to both participants. Thank you again." So just two months back one of the people holding out on the license was attending a press conference and assuring the public that the fight would go off without a hitch. That led to great ticket sales to see the fight at Madison Square Garden with fans booking flights and hotels only to be told mere weeks out that the fight may be a no-go. Steve Kim of Max Boxing suggests that this may have all been a plan by New York to wait until it was too late to move the fight and then force Top Rank to switch out Margarito for a late replacement. This would have kept the big selling fight in the state without allowing the controversial Margarito to fight in the state. Kim explains the flaw in New York's thinking if that were the case: While the live gate is an important facet of any promotion, with fights like Cotto-Margarito II, it actually pales in comparison to the pay-per-view possibilities. Yeah, the Garden might seat around 20,000 patrons (and, from what I'm told, is scaled for a gate of $3.4 million) but if this card does 300,000 pay-per-view buys, that means right around $7.5 million for the promotion. And while the "Kangaroo Court of Gotham City" believed it may have pushed Top Rank to the point of no return, they were really at the point of no return regarding Cotto-Margarito. See, the real money in this instance is with the pay-per-view. This was not just an ESPN card where the main event participants are interchangeable. With the expenses for marketing, promoting and advertising already paid, you couldn't have suddenly thrown in a Martirosyan or anyone else on the opposite side of the ledger from Cotto. And with this fight's much-talked about first episode of HBO's "24/7" debuting this weekend, it was another step toward the inevitability of this bout. The fact that the PPV money trumps the live gate means that Top Rank has already lined up alternative venues for the bout, with the leading candidate apparently being the Pepsi Center in Denver. The fight will be going down regardless of if it happens in New York. For fight fans, that is a good thing. Margarito and Cotto put on one of the better fights of my lifetime the first time around and a rematch really feels "needed" to finish the story. Top Rank also did something unique and put three potentially great fights on the PPV undercard including a rematch of the fight of the year candidate between Delvin Rodriguez and Pawel Wolak, a Brandon Rios vs. John Murray fight and action fighters Mike Jones and Sebastian Lujan meeting in what could be a great brawl. New York will hold a hearing today at 3 p.m. ET to announce if Margarito was cleared by their doctor and will be licensed to fight. If not, expect an announcement quickly from Top Rank on the official venue change.

Posted in: fight, time, boxing, license, margarito

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Here we go again. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation declined to license Mark Martinez due to...

Posted in: bobby, license, texas department, shark, karl knothe

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As we’ve already covered, Chael Sonnen will have to obtain a fight license from the NSAC if he hopes to fight Anderson Silva on Super Bowl weekend in Las Vegas. In most cases that’s just a formality, but with Sonnen it’s anything but given his issues with both the CSAC and NSAC for the past year. The issue stemmed from testimony Sonnen gave to the California commissioners last year, claiming that NSAC director Keith Kizer had given him verbal approval for a TRT use exemption in a previous fight. Kizer, however, denied ever having any conversation with Sonnen, let alone one about TRT, and claimed that Sonnen would need to resolve his issues with the CSAC before he could work things out in Nevada. Well, fast forward six months and Sonnen still hasn’t made nice with either commission. So where does that leave Sonnen for a possible rematch with Anderson Silva in Vegas? That’s a good question because Kizer isn’t talking about it anymore. When asked by Fighter’s Only what their stance on Sonnen was now, Kizer gave the equivalent of “no comment,” only saying that any fighter could apply for a license on Dec. 1. “Any applicant may apply for a 2012 license as of December 1, 2011,” Kizer responded. “I cannot really comment beyond that, but I am always hopeful that any applicant can meet his or her burden to obtain a license.” At the moment, the only person talking about it is Dana White, and he doesn’t understand what the big f-ing deal is. “There’s no reason they shouldn’t license Chael,” White said. “It shouldn’t even cross my mind the thought of whether Chael could get licenses in Nevada or California or anywhere. It should be the least of my worries. The guy did everything he was told to do.” “When guys like Floyd are getting licensed in Nevada, why should I have to worry about Chael?” White said. Whether Chael has done his time or not, it’s still up to the commission to license him and you never know what they’re going to do. So for now it’s still a big question mark. With the application date established though, the problem for Super Bowl weekend is the UFC will probably want to have the main event nailed down by then. It would be awful risky to sign the fight not knowing if Chael could get licensed or not. Maybe they could have some kind of preliminary meeting with the NSAC to figure out whic direction they’re leaning, but beyond that, I really don’t see them taking that risk. That coupled with Anderson Silva’s shoulder issues and general reluctance to agree to Sonnen’s wishes makes me think Silva vs. Sonnen II is very unlikely for Super Bowl weekend.

Posted in: sonnen, license, chael, bowl weekend, kizer

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Dave Herman won't be fighting at UFC 136 next weekend because he was denied a license by the state of Texas.

Posted in: ufc, dave, dave herman, texas commission, license

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