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Roy Nelson In Hot Water with Dana White and Brazilian Commission for Kicking Referee

Roy Nelson Suspended for 9 Months, but Could Reduce the Sentence

Roy Nelson landed a right uppercut that dropped Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva late in the second round of their UFC Fight Night Brasilia main card bout on Sept. 24. Silva crashed to the canvas and Nelson reluctantly delivered a few more shots before referee “Big” John McCarthy stepped in to stop the action. Nelson felt it was a late stoppage.

Nelson and Silva have a close relationship. After the fight, Nelson kicked or pushed McCarthy in the buttocks out of frustration. He then flipped McCarthy off while hurling obscenities at the veteran referee. His actions have landed him in hot water with UFC president Dana White and the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA).

“You can’t apologize for that. You don’t ever, ever put your (expletive) hands on a referee or your feet for any reason what-so-(expletive)-ever. You don’t do it. He needs to be buried,” said White during an interview on UFC Unfiltered.

RELATED > Roy Nelson Kicks Big John McCarthy for Late Stoppage of Bigfoot Silva (video)

“He went over there and put his foot on his ass to like push him over. He was flipping him off and yelling whatever. You want to flip a ref off — there is never, ever a situation where you put your (expletive) hands on a referee, ever,” added White.

CABMMA spokesperson Cristiano Sampaio, in a statement released to MMAJunkie.com, said that the incident has been turned over to the Superior Justice Court of Sport, the governing body of sports in Brazil.

“Even though CABMMA understands Roy Nelson’s ‘frustration’ in that situation due to his close relationship with his opponent, that does not justify his act and can open a serious and dangerous precedent in the sport,” wrote Sampaio. “We, as the regulation body of MMA in Brazil and member of the Association of Boxing Commissions, will not tolerate such conduct.”

Nelson is a 35-fight veteran, who has been fighting professionally for 12 years.

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