Roy Nelson suspended 9 months after kicking referee John McCarthy
Roy Nelson didn't agree with the stoppage in his fight with Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva back in September so he kicked referee John McCarthy in retaliation.
Now that decision will cost Nelson nine months of his career.
Brazil's Superior Justice Court of MMA handed down the ruling this week after Nelson kicked the official while he was checking on Silva after the fight had been stopped. Nelson was also fined $80,000 Brazilian reals (just over $23, 000 U.S. dollars) for the infraction. MMAFighting.com initially reported the judgment this week.
Brazilian court officials also stated that if Nelson makes a public apology — either inside the Octagon or at a UFC press conference, hopefully with McCarthy in attendance by December 31 — then they will reduce his sentence down to six-months with a $45,000 fine.
The suspension is retroactive to September 29, which was the date the court initially notified Nelson of a provisional sanction as a result of kicking McCarthy in the Octagon.
After the altercation occurred in the Octagon, Nelson apologized for lashing out but also stated that he didn't regret his decision because he didn't want to hurt Silva any further and felt the fight should have been stopped earlier.
UFC president Dana White didn't agree with Nelson and said the former "Ultimate Fighter" winner "needs to be buried" for his actions.
For now, Nelson will be forced to sit out for the next nine months unless he makes a public apology to McCarthy in which case his sentence could be reduced down to six months.
