Rousimar Palhares isn't interested in fighting for WSOF anymore, expects fair NAC trial

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) postponed Rousimar Palhares’ disciplinary hearing for later this month, and the Brazilian expects a fair trial after seeing UFC star Nick Diaz get a five-year ban in a bizarre trial in September.

"The only thing I expect about this hearing is that they judge me as I should be judged. Don’t let other little things impact their decision," Palhares told MMAFighting.com. "I’m an athlete and that’s how I make a living, so I leave everything in God’s hands. Only time will tell. What I know is that I’m a man who fights for a living, to provide for my family, and that’s what I want to do."

Palhares tapped Jake Shields to defend his World Series of Fighting welterweight title on Aug. 1, but was stripped of his title and suspended indefinitely by the promotion after gouging Shields’ eyes and ignoring when Shields tapped. Two months have passed, and "Toquinho" is still convinced he did nothing wrong.

"I feel I’ve done everything right," said Palhares, who denied the eye gouging claims and accused Shields of greasing at WSOF 22. "From my point of view, everything was right, so I don’t regret anything. I’m sad because I let down my fans and those who care about me.

"I wanted to be perfect, you know, so I’m sorry if I can’t be perfect as everyone expects me to be. I’m a human being. I’m sad with all this, for the fans and those who care about me, but I believe in God and everything will be alright."

With Palhares suspended, WSOF executive Ali Abdel-Aziz confirmed to Bloody Elbow that Shields will meet the winner of Jon Fitch vs. Yushin Okami for the vacant title.

"I’m really sad with all this, but there’s not much I can do," Palhares said. "They are the promoters so they can do what they want, right? Unfortunately, I’m still under contract with them so I can’t do anything but stay quiet. They took my title, but the belt is still here and no one will take it away from me.

"They can say whatever they want about me as a person, but they can’t take away my merit of being the champion. I’ve defended my title twice, so that’s the only way they would be able to take it from me. I won my title by fighting, finishing everybody, so this is the only way they would be able to take my title."

"Toquinho", who submitted both Shields and Fitch under the WSOF banner, is not interested in fighting for the promotion anymore.

"They didn’t want to talk about anything before the commission’s hearing, but I’m not interested in fighting for them," he said. "I asked to be released from my contract or fire me, but they won’t. I wanted them to release me so I can go my way, I don’t want to be part of this organization anymore. They didn’t appreciate me.

"My contract was over 20 days after my last fight, I asked them to release me, and they didn’t because they must know I don’t want to work for them anymore. Honestly, I don’t know what else they expect from me."