Manager says Chael Sonnen to be licensed for UFC Fight Night 26
Chael Sonnen apparently will be licensed to fight at UFC Fight Night 26, according to his manager.
Mike Roberts of MMA Inc., which represents the fighter, today told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) that a closed-door meeting of the Massachusetts State Athletic Commission went in Sonnen's favor.
"They had a panel, we had a meeting with them, and as far as we know, they're going to license him," he said. "As far as we know, it will be just like everybody else's license."
The decision clears the way for Sonnen to headline the event opposite Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. As of Wednesday, the three-time UFC title challenger didn't have a license to fight.
According to a prepared statement issued the same day, the MSAC preliminarily agreed to allow Sonnen to fight at the event, which takes place Aug. 17 at Boston's TD Garden, but assembled its medical board to discuss the fighter's use of testosterone-replacement therapy.
MSAC spokesperson Terrel Harris, however, said the meeting was prompted by a complaint about Sonnen from a New York and Washington-based union, Unite Here.
A rep for Unite Here subsequently confirmed that the union had filed a complaint to the MSAC, but it was based on Sonnen's previous conviction on a federal charge of money laundering. Another complaint also was filed by the National Organization for Women, which accused the fighter of using sexist, homophobic and derogatory language, in addition to his conviction. The groups sought to have Sonnen's license denied by the MSAC.
Roberts said MMA Inc., participated in the meeting via telephone but believed representatives for the union were in attendance. A Unite Here rep said the union would send a dozen union members to the meeting to hand-deliver their complaint to an official from the Department of Public Safety, which oversees the MSAC.
After running afoul of the California State Athletic Commission for his testosterone use, Sonnen was approved for a therapeutic-use exemption by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Harris said on Wednesday that Sonnen will be required to undergo pre-and post-fight tests to determine his testosterone levels.
The union and women's group complaint follows another move by Unite Here to bar minors from attending the event. For several years, the UFC has been hounded by a Las Vegas-based culinary union, which has backed several anti-UFC initiatives around events and in state legislatures.
