August - 2015
SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
16
Well, no, short of a doctor’s note, ac-
cepting that Palhares has any sort of real
mental or emotional issues isn’t even on
the table. He’s simply a reckless fighter
who holds on to submissions too long,
and is going to hurt somebody (else).
And it’s going to happen again if he’s al-
lowed back in the cage.
See, what is left unsaid is that this isn’t
even the third time for Palhares. Ques-
tions have arisen in other fights, includ-
ing another fight under the WSOF ban-
ner, against Jon Fitch (who, incidentally,
has not fought since that bout). Fitch
blamed himself for the loss, but fans and
the media debated whether Palhares was
a little slow in releasing the hold. In fact,
the dangerous element was almost a sell-
ing point for Palhares. Would he cross
the line?
Well, we have our answer. The end re-
sult? The MMA equivalent of Jurassic
Park breaking down. Another fighter
possibly injured, though Shields’ biggest
concern so far is his vision, rather than
a sore shoulder. Regardless, injuries in
MMA are common, but injuries caused
by reckless behavior should not be seen
as acceptable.
Now, the WSOF has to take the next step
— and the MMA world as a whole must
