UFC
UFC reportedly files suit against Wanderlei Silva over fight fixing allegations
Jul 29, 2015 - 2:25:36 PM UFC reportedly files suit against Wanderlei Silva over fight fixing allegations

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Wanderlei Silva's continued verbal crusade against the UFC is leading to some potential consequences for him, as the UFC has filed a lawsuit against him in the state of Nevada.

The suit is in response to Silva's allegations that he has proof of fight fixing in the UFC, and the organization is suing for intentional misconduct, defamation, and business disparagement according to a report from FoxSports.com.

Excerpt from the lawsuit via the FoxSports.com report:

"On or about July 23, 2015, Silva again launched another attack against the UFC, this time publishing his venomous statements on Facebook. After weighing in on an independent contracted matter involving the UFC and another individual unaffiliated with Silva, the ex-fighter closed his post by stating publicly 'they don't respect anyone, I already left it very clear for you I won't ever fight again and for this event. Fixed fights and I can prove this. I still haven't dropped the bomb, I haven't told everything I know!'

"Not content to defame the UFC in a single post, Silva apparently decided to double-down on his scurrilous remarks. In a second post, published the same day, Silva continued his broadside attack. Though Silva published his posts in Portuguese, his statements nevertheless spread like wildfire throughout the MMA and broader sports community in the United States. Indeed a number of media outlets re-published Silva's statements (translated into English) in various online stories, thereby creating the potential for Silva's damaging statements to remain publicly available forever.

"...Linking the UFC, its owners and senior management with illegal fight fixing is a direct attack on their reputations and alleged lack of fitness for business."

The UFC is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $10,000 and other damages and monetary retribution as determined by the court following trial.

Penick's Analysis: If Silva has the alleged proof he's sitting on, now would be the time to present it. He can't be found to have defamed them if he's speaking truth, but short of that, he's left himself open to something like this with his continued attempts to be granted a release from the organization. That may yet come, but it's looking like it may cost him a lot more than he could have expected.

[Wanderlei Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]