Chael Sonnen’s lawyer is asking the NSAC to clarify the exact terms of his two-year suspension.
On July 30, NSAC’s Chairman Francisco Aguilar informed Sonnen that his match against Andre Galvao this Saturday was off-limits because he had agreed not to fight in any jurisdiction during his suspension. Aguilar threatened further disciplinary action if the fighter proceeded to compete at Saturday’s event in Los Angeles.
Two days later, Sonnen’s legal representative, Ross Goodman, challenged Aguilar’s definition of ‘fighting’ by firing off an official response letter. Goodman also asked the NSAC why they didn’t offer a ruling on Sonnen’s Metamoris match which had already been announced prior to that time.
“There is no dispute that the NSAC has no jurisdiction or authority to regulate, license or sanction jiu-jitsu and other forms of grappling,” he wrote. “Moreover, jiu-jitsu does not fall within the Nevada definition of unarmed combat because it does not involve ‘blows’ of any kind.
“Likewise, it would be a violation of due process to expand the interpretation of “fighting” broader than the statutory definition of unarmed combat. In our view, there could be no violation under NRS 467.885 as any interpretation to include jiu-jitsu or grappling would be outside of the NSAC’s jurisdiction and constitute an invalid order.”
Yesterday, according to MMAJunkie.com, Goodman issued a follow-up to his original letter with a request for clarification noting that the Metamoris event is set to take place this weekend. Included was a passage of an interview given by the chair to the Brazilian MMA website Globo/Combate in which Aguilar appears to contradict the letter he wrote this past week:
Chairman: 2 years is a lot of time
Evelyn: But is it just an MMA fight because like he has a bout –
Chairman: Anything sanctioned under our rules as an unarmed combat, I believe he’s in wrestling and wrestling is not subject
Evelyn: It’s like no gi grappling
Chairman: Right
Goodman noted that he had received no response from the commission on the matter. On Tuesday, NSAC Executive Director Bob Bennett declined comment on the Sonnen situation when he was contacted by MMAjunkie.
