UFC fines Anderson Silva for skipping Los Angeles media tour

Anderson Silva decided to escape from Los Angeles. But it cost him a pretty penny.

The UFC middleweight champion, who had been in the United States for the past several days, was scheduled for a full day of media promotion in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, including several television spots and a media luncheon in Burbank.

Instead, he abruptly flew home to Brazil.

White responded by fining Silva $50,000. USA Today first reported news of the fine.

"We had a full media day set up for him in Los Angeles, and he decided he didn't want to do it, so he's being fined $50,000," White told USA Today.

Silva's media tour was to promote the start of ticket sales for UFC 162 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on July 6, where he defends his title against Chris Weidman. Southern California is a prime market for the UFC's Las Vegas events.

"He doesn't like talking to the media, but it's part of his contractual obligation," White told USA Today. "Everybody wants more money, more money, more money, but nobody wants to sell the fight or go out and talk to the media. Talking to the media is part of your job, whether you like it or not."

This is not the first time a UFC headliner has been punished for skipping out on media obligations, as Nick Diaz was pulled from a UFC 137 title shot against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre after blowing off a pair of press conferences.