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UFC Files Suit Against Wanderlei Silva After His Accusations of Fight Fixing

Nevada Commission Refuses to Re-Hear Wanderlei Silva's Case

Wanderlei Silva has been extremely vocal with his criticisms of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ever since he was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission and retired from active competition.

His recent comments accusing the UFC of fixing fights was more than the MMA juggernaut was willing to ignore. The UFC on Tuesday filed suit against Silva in Clark County District Court in Nevada, claiming “Intentional Misconduct.”

Silva evaded a random drug test in May of 2014, which garnered the wrath of the Nevada Athletic Commission and forced the UFC to remove him from a planned bout against Chael Sonnen at UFC 175 in July of that year.

The eventual outcome of the case was Silva announcing his retirement just days before the Nevada commission fined him $70,000 and handed him and indefinite suspension in the state of Nevada.

Silva has since made numerous public complaints about the UFC and the NAC, particularly railing on the UFC for its treatment of fighters and what he deemed unfair business practices.

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Recently, however, Silva took his vitriol to another level, using his Facebook page to proclaim that the UFC had fixed fights or predetermined the outcome.

“I don’t want to work for this company anymore and they won’t fire me,” Silva wrote in Portuguese. “That’s what happens with those who speak the truth in this company, they are driven out. (UFC) has no respect for anyone. I made it clear to all of you that I won’t ever fight for this promotion again, U.F. Circus. Fixed fights, and I can prove it. I haven’t dropped the bomb yet. I haven’t said everything that I know.”

He has yet to “drop the bomb,” thus far providing no evidence to support his fight-fixing allegations.

The UFC’s suit in reaction to Silva’s comments claims Defamation and Business Disparagement, which the company could no longer ignore.

“Over the past year, Silva has continued to criticize Zuffa (the UFC’s parent company), its owners and executive officers, and the NSAC (Nevada Athletic Commission) in a variety of public outlets even going so far as to declare out-of-competition drug testing to be unconstitutional,” read one portion of the UFC’s complaint.

“While Zuffa has monitored Silva’s remarks, the company has largely dismissed Silva’s attacks as the misguided rants of a disgruntled ex-fighter. Silva’s latest outburst, however, has indisputably crossed the line and necessitates swift legal redress.”

Redress, according to the UFC’s filing, includes: compensatory damages in excess of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), in an amount to be proven at trial; punitive damages, in an amount to be proven at trial; pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, as allowed by law; attorney fees and costs of suit incurred herein, as allowed by law, in an amount to be determined; and such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.

Needless to say, the UFC is taking Silva’s recent claims with the utmost seriousness.

“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 company’s legal team proclaimed in the lawsuit.

As of the time of publication, Silva had yet to issue any public response to the UFC lawsuit.

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