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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Though Rousimar Palhares may yet get stripped of his WSOF Title and face discipline from the Nevada Athletic Commission, Jake Shields likely isn't going to get off lightly himself, as he threw a punch after the stoppage in that WSOF 22 event.
Shields hit Palhares in the face after Palhares finally let go of the kimura hold that ended the fight, doing so in frustration over the repeated eye gouges and Palhares holding the submission well after he'd tapped. However, despite Palhares' own infractions, NAC executive director Bob Bennett says they'll likely bring Shields in for disciplinary action over the late hit as well.
"He hit him after the fight," Bennett said in an interview with MMAFighting.com. "The fight was over and he punched him in the face. Just because something happened you didn't like, that's up the commission to look at and take care of. It's not up to the fighter to take matters into his own hands and punch his opponent after the fight. That could have led to an altercation.
"... From what I've seen so far, I want to give fighters the benefit of the doubt. I'm going to look at it again. I watched the instant replay several times last night on TV and it certainly appeared unprofessional and not indicative of sportsmanlike conduct."
Penick's Analysis: It would be extremely wrong of the commission to hand punishment down to Shields and do nothing to Palhares, but it wouldn't necessarily be against type in this sport. If Shields faces discipline, it has to be within the context of what happened and following discipline being handed down to Palhares as well. Shields shouldn't have hit him afterward, of course, and this should have been expected after he did so, but Palhares was much, much more in the wrong throughout that fight.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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