LAS VEGAS -- FanHouse caught up with Dustin Hazelett outside the Mandalay Bay to discuss Karo Parisyan pulling out of their scheduled UFC 106 card on Thursday.
LAS VEGAS -- Keith Kizer, the Executive Director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, was as surprised as everyone else when he heard that Karo Parisyan would not be competing at UFC 106 against Dustin Hazelett on Saturday night. He was even more surprised when he heard Parisyan's excuse for not fighting.
UFC welterweight Karo Parisyan has apparently used up his last chance with the organization.
After Parisyan suddenly withdrew from his UFC 106 matchup with Dustin Hazelett on Thursday, UFC president Dana White took to his Twitter to vent, writing, "Karo Parisyan has f***ed over the UFC, the fans and his opponent again!!! He will not be fighting Saturday or ever again in the UFC."
Parisyan meanwhile, told MMAWeekly.com that he could not fight because he was unable to pay a $32,000 fine stemming from a prior athletic commission drug suspension, and therefore was not issued a Nevada fighter's license.
Ben Saunders first came on to the national MMA scene when he appeared on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter. Though he lost in the quarterfinals on in the show, he has gone on to become the most successful member of the season. Each time out in the octagon, he appears to get more comfortable, and in his last time out, he roughed up Brandon Wolff in a devastating first-round TKO win.
On June 13, Saunders takes a step up in competition level when he takes on welterweight contender Mike Swick at UFC 99.
Saunders recently took a few minutes to speak to FanHouse about the biggest fight in his career, whether he considers Swick a top 10 caliber fighter, and where he hopes to go from here.
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