WSOF champion Rousimar Palhares ‘surprised’ by Jon Fitch’s failed test

Rousimar Palhares finished Jon Fitch in 90 seconds to defend his World Series of Fighting welterweight title, and wasn’t expecting to hear that his opponent tested positive in a fight night drug test.

The California State Athletic Commission did not announce the substance Fitch tested positive for, and “Toquinho”, who defeated the former UFC 170-pound contender with a kneebar at WSOF 16 on Dec. 13, spoke with MMAFighting.com about Fitch’s results.

“I was surprised because he criticized me so much, even talked about my family,” Palhares said. “He said I was a dirty fighter, so everyone gets what they deserve, right? I never thought something like that would happen to him after everything he said about me, right? I thought he was perfect, I thought he would never do something like that. But only God is perfect.”

A quick finish over a fighter who tested positive for banned substances could make a win even more impressive, but “Toquinho” doesn’t see it that way.

“I really don’t know if that makes my win even more impressive because I was just able to do exactly what I wanted,” he said. “In fact, I was just surprised. The only thing that matters to me is that I won.”

Palhares, who has a history of drug abuse, testing positive for elevated testosterone levels in his first-round loss to Hector Lombard in 2012, hopes that MMA becomes a drug-free sport after the recent news of failed tests in MMA, including UFC stars Anderson Silva and Jon Jones.

“I hope everything is equal for every fighter, that every fighter follows the same rules, from Americans to Brazilians, Russians to Japanese, weak to strong, lightweight to heavyweights,” he said. “The sport became more professional today.”

Lombard, who called Palhares “a shame for the sport” following their bout in 2012, tested positive for the anabolic steroid desoxymethyltestosterone in his UFC 182 win over Josh Burkman in January.

“Here’s what I have to say to Lombard,” “Toquinho” said. “He criticized me, and I still don’t know what happened when I fought him. I had some many issues I don’t know how I got to that fight. I broke my foot in many places in my first kick, I still don’t understand.

“About his failed test, we all have our feet on the same Earth, and we shouldn’t criticize anyone. He was doing worse and still wanted to talk about me, to humiliate me. Why do that if he’s doing worse? I don’t know. I just know that we will meet again one day. I don’t know where and when, but I will be 100 percent and I will give him what he wanted that night. We will meet again. I’m fighting for a different promotion today, but we will meet again, for sure.”

Rousimar Palhares finished Jon Fitch in 90 seconds to defend his World Series of Fighting welterweight title, and wasn’t expecting to hear that his opponent tested positive in a fight night drug test.

The California State Athletic Commission did not announce the substance Fitch tested positive for, and “Toquinho”, who defeated the former UFC 170-pound contender with a kneebar at WSOF 16 on Dec. 13, spoke with MMAFighting.com about Fitch’s results.

“I was surprised because he criticized me so much, even talked about my family,” Palhares said. “He said I was a dirty fighter, so everyone gets what they deserve, right? I never thought something like that would happen to him after everything he said about me, right? I thought he was perfect, I thought he would never do something like that. But only God is perfect.”

A quick finish over a fighter who tested positive for banned substances could make a win even more impressive, but “Toquinho” doesn’t see it that way.

“I really don’t know if that makes my win even more impressive because I was just able to do exactly what I wanted,” he said. “In fact, I was just surprised. The only thing that matters to me is that I won.”

Palhares, who has a history of drug abuse, testing positive for elevated testosterone levels in his first-round loss to Hector Lombard in 2012, hopes that MMA becomes a drug-free sport after the recent news of failed tests in MMA, including UFC stars Anderson Silva and Jon Jones.

“I hope everything is equal for every fighter, that every fighter follows the same rules, from Americans to Brazilians, Russians to Japanese, weak to strong, lightweight to heavyweights,” he said. “The sport became more professional today.”

Lombard, who called Palhares “a shame for the sport” following their bout in 2012, tested positive for the anabolic steroid desoxymethyltestosterone in his UFC 182 win over Josh Burkman in January.

“Here’s what I have to say to Lombard,” “Toquinho” said. “He criticized me, and I still don’t know what happened when I fought him. I had some many issues I don’t know how I got to that fight. I broke my foot in many places in my first kick, I still don’t understand.

“About his failed test, we all have our feet on the same Earth, and we shouldn’t criticize anyone. He was doing worse and still wanted to talk about me, to humiliate me. Why do that if he’s doing worse? I don’t know. I just know that we will meet again one day. I don’t know where and when, but I will be 100 percent and I will give him what he wanted that night. We will meet again. I’m fighting for a different promotion today, but we will meet again, for sure.”