Thread: UFC release Babalu?

A rumour I have heard.although I don't know if it's been confirmed. Any Sobral fans here? And what did he do to get fired?

i heard he was fighting a pro wrestler and refused to let go of the choke hold when he won.

I hadn't heard that he was released...He held a choke on WAY to long and the state commission is withholding his purse till they decide the punishment. White didn't seem to plan on the UFC taking any actions other than supporting the Commission's decision.

Basically he got heath in an anaconda choke, heath tapped but Bablu didin't release the choke until Heath was out. Bit shitty but BJ did the same thing to Pulver more or less. I think it was made worse because the fight was so darn bloody.Heath was a mess.

Originally Posted by Munky

Basically he got heath in an anaconda choke, heath tapped but Bablu didin't release the choke until Heath was out. Bit shitty but BJ did the same thing to Pulver more or less. I think it was made worse because the fight was so darn bloody.Heath was a mess.

So Heath can wear Babalu's mug shot to the weigh ins and such and its all fine and dandy that Babalu can't retaliate

Anyway, here's a statement released by Babalu and his camp

here's the link http://nodq.com/ufc/190629590.shtml (its pop ups all over, so I wouldn't recommend it but its cool site nonetheless)

Babalu Denies Malicious Intent With Choke
Posted by Bobby Spade on 09/01/2007 at 01:00 AM

The following is a long excerpt from an article on MMAWeekly.com with quotes from Renato "Babalu" Sobral and his manager, along with Keith Kizer. Quotes are derrived from a meeting with NSAC officials today.

Richard Wilner, Sobral’s manager, spoke on “Babalu’s” behalf. “I’m here to talk briefly about Mr. Sobral and issue my opinion, and as I believe it’s in the commission’s opinion of whether or not Mr. Sobral intentionally held that choke on his opponent, David Heath. The answer, absolutely not,” said Wilner.

“If you study the tape, which I’m sure you have, you may have noticed with approximately 2:32 left in the second round Mr. Sobral looked up at the referee essentially asking him if he was going to stop the fight. Why? Because Mr. Heath was losing a tremendous amount of blood from a cut opened on his head from an elbow strike. Again with 2:18 left, approximately, in the second round Sobral looked up again at the referee essentially asking him to stop the fight. Mr. Heath being a tough and respected opponent was able to get to his feet. That’s when the Anaconda Choke was set in.”

“I saw Mr. Heath tap on the TV screen. I looked back and forth between the cage and the TV screen. When watching the tape, I definitely saw him tap. Speaking with my client, he didn’t feel it which is understandable because Mr. Heath was in a weakened state. The referee tapped Mr. Sobral as well. He didn’t feel that either. When the referee, a split second later, put both hands on Mr. Sobral’s shoulder and shook his shoulder to release the choke, he did immediately.”

Wilner added, “As you know, yesterday it was publically announced that Mr. Sobral was released from his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He’s a father, loving husband, and he’s a professional fighter. He doesn’t have a day job and trains at night. This is the way he makes his living. This is the only way he makes his living. He has been punished enough for this unfortunate event.”

Sobral, who attended the proceedings, addressed the commission. “When he tapped, I didn’t feel it. I then looked to the referee, and he shook my shoulder, and then I let him go. I didn’t understand why this whole thing happened. I’m kind of surprised that it happened, the crowd booing me and stuff like that. I don’t know, maybe it was from the blood. I don’t know. I would like to say sorry to David Heath and the UFC for bringing trouble to my sport that I love a lot. There’s one thing that I know how to do in my life is be a professional fighter. I don’t have like a regular job.”

Wilner then explained, “Prior to this fight, Mr. Sobral had twenty-seven victories. Fourteen of those twenty-seven victories came by way of submission. Never, I repeat, never has he ever been accused of doing what he’s been accused of doing here today."

Yeah well the thing they forgot to mention is that night right after the fight Sobral admitted in an interview that he held the choke in to teach Heath a lesson. He claimed it was because Heath wore his mugshot taken from some jailtime at the weigh-in. But watching the weigh-in Heath wasn't wearing one.

And another thing, BJ held the choke against Pulver, but BJ didn't ever say he did it on purpose. Not to mention Sobral held it long enough for Heath to go unconcious.

Either way, the commission is withholding half of Sobral's winnings(25,000) until further review, which I think is enough punishment. Maybe a suspension from Dana, but cutting him out of UFC all together is a little much in my opinion.

Edit: I read his full statement and he says he didn't claim to have held the choke in that interview, but I watched it! lol I heard his words with my own ears. I think he's trying to spin what he said a little. Oh well, I still think he deserves a suspension and a smaller fine, but definetly not half his winnings, and definetly not a ban from UFC.

Frank Shamrock does that to people too and he's never been punished.

if anyone should be blame for that fight the ref should of been. Its not normal to allow someone bleeding that bad to continue fighting without having him check. The ref just sat back and allowed heath to bleed all over the place. A decent ref would had the guy looked at. I think babalu did held on to the choke longer then he should of, but his not the first to do that. The whole thing got blown up just because of all the blood the ref allowed to spill all over the place. I think the ref should be suspended and babalu fined but not release from the UFC.

I guess that means we'll never see Kid Yamamoto in the UFC