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What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas: Belfort’s new license & Sonnen’s two year suspension

By Zach Arnold | July 23, 2014

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I’ll keep the details to a minimum on today’s putrid dog-and-pony show in Las Vegas for the Nevada State Athletic Commission meeting.

Vitor Belfort read a prepared statement, tried to come off as sympathetic, and was granted a new license to fight as long as he fought in Las Vegas in December against Chris Weidman. The theme of today’s meeting was all about Las Vegas and bringing fights to the town. Everything was couched in terms of “reasonableness.”

Nevada’s Executive Director Bob Bennett pushed forward the proposal of having fighters involved in championship fights send their gloves, sealed, to NSAC’s office three days before a title fight so that the front office and chief athletic inspector can examine the gloves. The gloves would then be returned to fighters at the day of weigh-ins.

As for Chael Sonnen, a reprehensible dog-and-pony show by the NSAC commissioners before they gave Sonnen a two year suspension. When asked why he didn’t apply for a new TUE to use the drugs he got busted for, Sonnen said he had no answer. When he was asked why he had three different doctors prescribing him drugs, he had no coherent answer. Dr. TIm Trainor was practically babysitting the ill-prepared and ill-informed commissioners on the drugs Sonnen got busted on. Both Trainor and Chris Eccles from the AG’s office next year were incredulous that the majority of the focus was on the coming-off-of-testosterone drugs rather than the HGH and EPO use.

Topics: Media, MMA, UFC, Zach Arnold | 6 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |

6 Responses to “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas: Belfort’s new license & Sonnen’s two year suspension”

  1. Chris says:

    So they got the punishment right on Sonnen, although I would have loved to see a lifetime ban. But Vitor gets a slap on the wrist.

    I think the expectations for this Commission were so low that they actually come off looking good here.

  2. DJ ThunderElbows says:

    Old Dirty Phenom or Young Dirty Dinosaur gets no punishment.

    Such a sad joke.

    I had a silly dream of MMA being the first sport to really take this seriously, but I’m finding it harder and harder to remain hopeful.

    I hope New York doesn’t let this filthy farce in. So far theye’ve kept Roidball out, but the NBA and MLB are already entrenched.

  3. 45 Huddle says:

    The sport has basically been completely ruined for me.

    This is just another strike against it. I still follow it somewhat online out of habit. I haven’t watch a full card this year. I even had a hard time keeping attention for the Weidman/Machida card.

    So much bad in the sport right now. Having a full blown cheater not only be allowed to fight in Vegas…. But for the UFC to then give him a title shot…. Is bad on so many levels.

    F#ck White & Feritta and their corrupt sport.

  4. Diaz's cashed bowl says:

    After considering a generous donation by a benevolent person claiming to be involved in the glove industry, the original proposals wording was changed slightly from…
    Nevada’s Executive Director Bob Bennett pushed forward the proposal of having fighters involved in championship fights send their blood, sealed, to NSAC’s office three days before a title fight so that the front office, the phlebotomy department and chief athletic inspector can examine the blood.

  5. Christian says:

    When is the NSAC going to be discussing Wanderlei’s future?

    Thanks.

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