ironworks
09-27-2014, 01:09 AM
Morning Report: 'Pete Rose'd' by Dana White, Wanderlei Silva alleges UFC boss could be 'controlling results of fights'
Wanderlei Silva's exit from mixed martial arts certainly hasn't been graceful.
Prior to receiving a lifetime ban from competition by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday, Silva retired from the sport in a video alleging the mistreatment of the UFC's fighters, among other grievances.
Wednesday, Silva took his issues with his former employer a leap further by bringing UFC president Dana White's integrity into question over the removal of a judge during the Aug. 3 event in Macau, China.
"This same commission was taken to Macau for an event, and there were three judges around the Octagon," Silva told PVT. "Suddenly, the owner of this promotion, who thinks he owns the sport, didn't like the scores from one of the judges, and what did he do? He put (the judge) out of the arena. How can we be sure this guy is not controlling the results of the fights? How can we be sure this is not a circus?"
Speaking with media Thursday in Las Vegas, White chalked up much of Silva's bad blood to timing.
via FOX Sports:
"Lorenzo was just saying this morning -- every f**king time you and I have ever seen Wanderlei Silva in our life he's over the top 'you guys are the best, you've built this sport, I don't know where any of us would be if it wasn't for you'," Nothing but positive things to say. Then now he's in this situation and he's trying to build a smoke screen. I don't blame him. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I was in his position. It's part of this business," White said.
"Nobody has ever run from a drug test before. I didn't see a lifetime ban coming. Nobody will let him fight. He's in a very serious situation, but Wanderlei's at the end of his career. He was going to fight one more fight and retire. It's not like this is some 22 year old kid. He said, 'I got one more fight boss, one more big fight' and he was done. He also told me he thought we were the greatest guys in the world and we helped build the sport so maybe he didn't mean that either."
As for a spot in the UFC's often revised Hall of Fame, Silva shouldn't hold his breath.
"There's going to be no Hall of Fame. The guy's been Pete Rose'd," White said. "There's going to be no Hall of Fame offers."
Wanderlei Silva's exit from mixed martial arts certainly hasn't been graceful.
Prior to receiving a lifetime ban from competition by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday, Silva retired from the sport in a video alleging the mistreatment of the UFC's fighters, among other grievances.
Wednesday, Silva took his issues with his former employer a leap further by bringing UFC president Dana White's integrity into question over the removal of a judge during the Aug. 3 event in Macau, China.
"This same commission was taken to Macau for an event, and there were three judges around the Octagon," Silva told PVT. "Suddenly, the owner of this promotion, who thinks he owns the sport, didn't like the scores from one of the judges, and what did he do? He put (the judge) out of the arena. How can we be sure this guy is not controlling the results of the fights? How can we be sure this is not a circus?"
Speaking with media Thursday in Las Vegas, White chalked up much of Silva's bad blood to timing.
via FOX Sports:
"Lorenzo was just saying this morning -- every f**king time you and I have ever seen Wanderlei Silva in our life he's over the top 'you guys are the best, you've built this sport, I don't know where any of us would be if it wasn't for you'," Nothing but positive things to say. Then now he's in this situation and he's trying to build a smoke screen. I don't blame him. I can't say I wouldn't do the same thing if I was in his position. It's part of this business," White said.
"Nobody has ever run from a drug test before. I didn't see a lifetime ban coming. Nobody will let him fight. He's in a very serious situation, but Wanderlei's at the end of his career. He was going to fight one more fight and retire. It's not like this is some 22 year old kid. He said, 'I got one more fight boss, one more big fight' and he was done. He also told me he thought we were the greatest guys in the world and we helped build the sport so maybe he didn't mean that either."
As for a spot in the UFC's often revised Hall of Fame, Silva shouldn't hold his breath.
"There's going to be no Hall of Fame. The guy's been Pete Rose'd," White said. "There's going to be no Hall of Fame offers."