Bellator MMA Middleweight Champion Rafael Carvalho successfully defended the gold against Melvin Manhoef in their rematch at Bellator 176.
Carvalho jumped out of the cage after his win and that lead to the Association Of Boxing Commission & Combat Sports (ABC) fining him $5,000 for his actions. Nobody was hurt during the incident.
“That happened, but I didn’t understand why because it wasn’t in the contract or anything like that,” Carvalho told MMA Fighting.
The $5,000 from the fine has already been removed from Carvalho’s fight purse, although his exact payout is not known at this time.
Once Carvalho gets back to his home, the middleweight champion plans on contacting his lawyer to see what his options are.
“I don't understand why I was fined. We will see what we can do about it. I’ll talk to my lawyer and tell him everything that’s happened, show him the contract, and see what happens,” says Carvalho.
Since the Bellator 176 event took place in the country of Italy, there is no MMA commission, which is why the ABC fined Carvalho. The Bellator 176 card was a joint mixed martial arts/kickboxing card, the fight between Carvalho and Manhoef headlined the MMA portion of the card.
