WSOF and Abdelaziz part ways

The World Series of Fighting and its former executive Ali Abdelaziz have determined to part ways due to concerns over conflict of interest.

In recent weeks, Abdelaziz’s relationship with the WSOF has come into question.  Not only was he an executive with the WSOF, he also managed several of the top fighters in the organization.  The Nevada State Athletic Commission’s Executive Director Bob Bennett expressed “operational and administrative concerns” about the WSOF.  The move comes after WSOF met with the NSAC.

A recent lawsuit filed in Nevada claimed that Abdelaziz acted as both a WSOF matchmaker and manager of fighters.  Thus, a potential, if not actual conflict of interest.  As Bloody Elbow noted, the arrangement lent itself to a potential violation of the NSAC rules.  Abdelaziz’s affiliation with MMA fight management company Dominance MMA was called into question.  Notably, WSOF President Ray Sefo, not Abdelaziz, has been listed as matchmaker on forms filed on behalf of the WSOF with the NSAC.

Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie that he was grateful to WSOF.  “They’re amazing people.  I know they feel the same about me.  We’re going to be in business together regardless if I’m part of the team or not,” Abdelaziz told Junkie.

MMA journalist Mike Russell has posted two stories revealing another side of the former WSOF executive.  Whether or not this news or the Bloody Elbow report precipitated the departure of Abdelaziz is unknown.  However, the NSAC conference with the WSOF probably addressed this issue.

Payout Perspective:

There are conflicts of interests in all sports whether we know it or not.  The departure of Abdelaziz should not affect his livelihood since he still managers many of the fighters he was involved with in the WSOF.  However, the greater takeaway here is that the NSAC appears to have induced the change for the WSOF to eliminate the possibility of a conflict of interest.