Captivating Bellator MMA bantamweight contender, Danny Sabatello has been issued a $5,000 fine by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, following his expletive post-fight interview with ‘Big’ John McCarthy off the back of an impressive unanimous decision win against Leandro Higo at Bellator 282 last weekend in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Sabatello, who improved to 13-1 as a professional last weekend with his quarter final Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix victory over Brazilian division mainstay, Higo.
Danny Sabatello lands himself a title shot against Raufeon Stots next
An alum of both Dana White’s Contender Series as well as Titan FC, Sabatello, who holds three victories since his Bellator debut – now progresses to the semi final bracket, where he draws interim bantamweight champion, Raufeon Stots – who landed the interim crown with a high kick knockout success against former undisputed champion, Juan Archuleta.
Off the back of Sabatello’s victory against Higo, the American Top Team mainstay moves to the last-four, drawing Stots, ahead of a projected finale outing opposite either Patchy Mix, or Magomed Magomedov.
Reportedly warned against an expletive-filled rant in his post-fight interview prior to his matchup with Higo, Sabatello chose to ignore his warning – and as a result, has officially been slapped with a $5,000 fine by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Commission.
“I was told if I swore in my post-fight interview, I might get fined,” Danny Sabatello told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “So, it’s a good thing I don’t give a f*ck. I just beat an absolute animal, and not one of you is going to do sh*t. You want to do something? Come in here right now and do something.”
Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, Mike Mazzulli confirmed to MMA Fighting that Rule 12 of the MMA Unified Rules prohibits “use of abusive language in the fighting area” – leading to Sabatello’s subsequent fining.
“I said just be respectful of the sport, that’s all I ask, and don’t push,” Mike Mazzuli said. “You heard him (Danny Sabatello) standing there saying, ‘I’m going to get fined, but I don’t care.’ So he got fined.”