Yoel Romero plans lawsuit against Illinois State Athletic Commission

KazDibiase

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Romero plans on taking the the regulatory body to court after what he feels like was an injustice during his weight cut last week, Romero’s agent Malki Kawa told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

“We’re gonna sue them,” Kawa said. “I’m gonna send the paperwork soon. It’s going out probably this week.”

Romero missed weight on his first attempt by one pound Friday, ahead of what would have been a title fight against Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC 225 in Chicago. Per commission rule, Romero then had two extra hours to shed the final pound and make championship weight at 185.

However, Romero and his team are saying that commission director Nancy Illg pulled the plug on the weight cut only an hour into what was supposed to be a two-hour window. Per Romero’s team, doctors on hand during the cut said Romero could keep going, but Illg said no, because she didn’t feel comfortable letting him dehydrate himself any more. Romero ended up missing weight by .2 pounds on his second attempt, making the fight no longer for a title.

“I don’t know why, but it’s terrible,” Romero said. “It’s a very terrible decision. I had only 45 minutes.”

Romero’s other agent, Abe Kawa, Malki’s brother, said Monday on The MMA Hour that the plan once they knew Romero could get an extra two hours if he was within three pounds on the first attempt was to take them and utilize them. Abe Kawa said he found that information out early Friday morning before weigh-ins.
“The whole plan was to use those two hours,” Abe Kawa said. “So everything we did from that point going forward in the weight cut was to use those extra two hours slotted to us.”

Abe Kawa said Illg told him she was making an “administrative call” to stop the weight cut despite clearance from doctors. Malki Kawa said Romero lost 20 percent of his purse due to missing weight and missed out on the $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus, too.

Illg referred reporters Friday to the Illinois state press office regarding the situation. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees the commission, has yet to respond to requests for comment from MMA Fighting.

“I’m very professional,” Romero said. “That’s a decision for the judge. But I know I win. I know 100 percent I win. I know I don’t lose it. End of the day, the people know. The people see what happened. The people can see what’s going on, what happened Saturday night in Chicago. Honestly, I win the fight. But it is what it is.”

https://www.mmafighting.com/platfor...&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true
 
likely a waste of money. then again, if they have lawyers on retainer, maybe it costs next to nothing. but i put the odds of them winning around 2%.
 
The jury was gonna rule in Yoels favor by the end of the second hour but the judge came in and told them they had to come to a veredict immediately

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It does sound like the commission fucked him over. He didn't win the fight though, but he is still out like $120k.
 
I mean, if their account of the situation is accurate, he should. But I'm not going to rush to judgment claiming these are the most credible people in the game.
 
Good.

Sue the shit out of them.

There alot of shady athletic commissions (cough NY) that seem to have no idea what they are doing, or makeup the rules as they go along.

New Jersey....best athletic commission in the business. UFC used to frequent Newark once a year until NY legalized MMA. This type of bullshit never went on there.
 
How about doing your job And making weight the first time?
 
They already talked too much tho...Seems like they said they were planning missing weight first, then taking the 2 extra hours, now, its not rare that the comission stops weight cuts, they stopped Holloway and pulled him from the fight, they stopped Heather Hardy from making weight in NY, just an AC being an AC, next time make weight withing the rules, dont try to bend it like Romero always does.
 
Even if the result is not favorable to him, I think it's the right move. Commissions are too used to doing whatever they want without accountability. Athletes should at least try to give them a headache when they're victims of bad decisions.
 
Best of luck with that one.
 
Lol good luck Rofl

“Up Too” Doctors advise AC has final say.

Yoel should be kissing her feet thanking her that she looked past his weakend state and let him fight at all.

His talk about how he won makes me want to puke as well.

YOU LOST MOVE ON IDIOT
 
If his account is true then he should, but he'll lose anyway. Mobbed up commission will buy the jury regardless.
 
Lol good luck Rofl

“Up Too” Doctors advise AC has final say.

Yoel should be kissing her feet thanking her that she looked past his weakend state and let him fight at all.

His talk about how he won makes me want to puke as well.

YOU LOST MOVE ON IDIOT

This just show how bad that call was. If Yoel was in such a weakened state that the commission had to stop his weight cut, then the fight should have been called off as well. That's what was done when a commission stopped Holloway's weight cut. It's the logical thing to do. Interrupting the weight cut and allowing the fight to go on makes no sense if the weight cut was interrupted for health reasons in the first place.
 
Well, it is actually written in their rules and regulations. So he might have a point.

"Contestants who fail to make the weight for their designated weight class shall be given up to 2 hours to make required weight. Any contestant who fails to make the weight shall not be allowed to compete unless both contestants consent to participate in the scheduled bout at an acceptable catch weight per section III (C) (3)"

https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/DPR/MixedMartialArtsConsultingRulesandRegs.pdf (page 13)
 
How about doing your job And making weight the first time?
Everyone can use the second attempt, it's not a crime to do what he did, it's within the rules.
 
How far did his lawsuit against the supplement maker go?
 
Well, it is actually written in their rules and regulations. So he might have a point.

"Contestants who fail to make the weight for their designated weight class shall be given up to 2 hours to make required weight. Any contestant who fails to make the weight shall not be allowed to compete unless both contestants consent to participate in the scheduled bout at an acceptable catch weight per section III (C) (3)"

https://www.idfpr.com/Forms/DPR/MixedMartialArtsConsultingRulesandRegs.pdf (page 13)

He absolutely does if it happened as he says it did.
 

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