Mike Pierce’s fight with Rousimar Palhares lasted all of 31-seconds during Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 29 event from the Ginásio José Corrêa in Barueri, Brazil. If you ask the majority of fans that saw that fight, well, that was at least one second too long.
Palhares did exactly as expected during the Pierce fight, locked on a heel hook and torqued the submission hold. Pierce, tapped, and then screamed in pain, yet Palhares continued to hold the heel hook. The referee physically got involved, and only then did Palhares release the hold.
Palhares eventually had his hand raised with a submission victory, but that victory came at a cost. Palhares actions drew the disdain of most of the mixed martial arts community. Palhares also earned his release from the UFC for unsportsmanlike conduct for not releasing the heel hook in a timely manner.
For Pierce, the defeat left him, according to a text message exchange with MMAFighting.com, “really pissed off right now.” In addition to his anger, Pierce also has a 180-day medical suspension to deal with courtesy of the Brazilian MMA Athletic Commission (CABMMA).
Pierce’s medical suspension was the longest suspension doled out by the CABMMA, but it wasn’t the only one. Below is the full list of medical suspensions from the Jake Shields versus Demain Maia headlined fight card:
Garret Whiteley: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Chris Cariaso: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
David Mitchell: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Igor Araujo: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Alan Patrick: suspended 15 days, 7 days no contact
Iliarde Santos: suspended 45 days, 30 days no contact
Yan Cabral: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Ildemar Alcantara: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
TJ Dillashaw: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Mike Pierce: suspended 180 days, can fight sooner with physician clearance (knee and ankle)
Joey Beltran: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Matt Hamill: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Dong Hyun Kim: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Jake Shields: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Raphael Assuncao: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Rousimar Palhares: suspended 14 days, 7 days no contact
Fabio Maldonado: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Thiago Silva: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
Erick Silva: suspended 60 days, 45 days no contact
Demian Maia: suspended 30 days, 21 days no contact
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