Babaloose: UFC Cuts Controversial Fighter
Josh Gross Aug 30, 2007
Embroiled in controversy after refusing to relinquish a choke that
rendered David Heath
(Pictures) unconscious last Saturday
at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, light heavyweight
Renato "Babalu" Sobral
(Pictures) was released from his UFC
contract, the organization's chief Dana White confirmed during a
conference call with media Thursday.
In the second round of a bloody fight, "Babalu" elicited a tap after applying an anaconda choke against the weakened fighter from Tulsa, Okla. Yet the 31-year-old Brazilian, who one year ago suffered an early first-round knockout loss in a title challenge against then-champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures), refused to acknowledge referee Steve Mazzagatti's repeated efforts to separate the pair.
"He blew it," White said.
Though the arena wasn't more than half-full at the time of the preliminary fight, boos cascaded throughout the building, first for Mazzagatti's decision to allow Heath (7-2) to continue despite taking repeated shots to the head while covered in his own blood, and second for Sobral's antics immediately after the fight, when the veteran told UFC's Joe Rogan he intentionally held onto the choke because Heath, also 31, called him a "motherf---er" at Friday's weigh-in.
Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer immediately withheld $25,000 from "Babalu" -- the win portion of his $50,000 purse. Kizer met backstage with Sobral (28-7) and his manager to discuss the incident, at which time the NSAC executive director recalled the fighter saying, "I'm taught even if you feel the fighter tap, you don't release," a far different tune than the one he sang in the cage.
According to Kizer, Sobral also suggested he didn't want Heath to "'Matt Lindland (Pictures)' me with a false tap," alluding to Lindland's UFC middleweight championship bout in 2002 against Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) when the wrestler appeared to tap because of an armbar. The fight continued after Lindland denied quitting.
"I think if he had an arm, or a knee or an ankle, I think he should never fight in this sport ever again," the UFC president said.
Sobral's immediate future outside the UFC will be determined Friday, when the NSAC convenes for a hearing in Las Vegas at which time the issue of the now free-agent fighter's refusal to comply with Mazzagatti will be heard.
"Egregiousness" of the infraction and "referee involvement" were determining factors in Kizer's decision to put the issue before the commission, the executive director told Sherdog.com.
Sobral and his camp have declined to comment about the incident, saying they'd prefer to address the issue in front of the commission.
In the second round of a bloody fight, "Babalu" elicited a tap after applying an anaconda choke against the weakened fighter from Tulsa, Okla. Yet the 31-year-old Brazilian, who one year ago suffered an early first-round knockout loss in a title challenge against then-champion Chuck Liddell (Pictures), refused to acknowledge referee Steve Mazzagatti's repeated efforts to separate the pair.
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Though the arena wasn't more than half-full at the time of the preliminary fight, boos cascaded throughout the building, first for Mazzagatti's decision to allow Heath (7-2) to continue despite taking repeated shots to the head while covered in his own blood, and second for Sobral's antics immediately after the fight, when the veteran told UFC's Joe Rogan he intentionally held onto the choke because Heath, also 31, called him a "motherf---er" at Friday's weigh-in.
"I think you saw the response from the fans," White said. "'Babalu'
was a fan favorite. They turned on him immediately."
Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer immediately withheld $25,000 from "Babalu" -- the win portion of his $50,000 purse. Kizer met backstage with Sobral (28-7) and his manager to discuss the incident, at which time the NSAC executive director recalled the fighter saying, "I'm taught even if you feel the fighter tap, you don't release," a far different tune than the one he sang in the cage.
According to Kizer, Sobral also suggested he didn't want Heath to "'Matt Lindland (Pictures)' me with a false tap," alluding to Lindland's UFC middleweight championship bout in 2002 against Murilo Bustamante (Pictures) when the wrestler appeared to tap because of an armbar. The fight continued after Lindland denied quitting.
"I think if he had an arm, or a knee or an ankle, I think he should never fight in this sport ever again," the UFC president said.
Sobral's immediate future outside the UFC will be determined Friday, when the NSAC convenes for a hearing in Las Vegas at which time the issue of the now free-agent fighter's refusal to comply with Mazzagatti will be heard.
"Egregiousness" of the infraction and "referee involvement" were determining factors in Kizer's decision to put the issue before the commission, the executive director told Sherdog.com.
Sobral and his camp have declined to comment about the incident, saying they'd prefer to address the issue in front of the commission.
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