NY & Ohio Commissions Revoke Saling's License
Posted on 06 Mar 2012
by MMAScoops.com Staff

Brandon Salig's fight license has been revoked by the Ohio Athletic Commission and New Jersey State Athletic Control Board.

OAC executive director Bernie Profato said that Saling violated administrative statutes when he lied about his criminal background when applying. However, he can appeal the ruling at an OAC hearing on April 11.

Profato said: "There's a dual thing there. He'll have to answer to the falsification, and two, if you read the law, it says they don't have to license you for a felony. Now, it will be whether they ever license him again because of being listed as a sexual predator."

It was revealed that Saling was a sex offender and felon when he fought Roger Bowling at "Strikeforce: Tate vs Rousey". After the event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he didn't know about Saling's history and said the OAC would launch a full investigation.

Profato said that Saling marked "no" on the part of the application that asks about previous convictions (other than traffic violations). He was sent a notice that his license was revoked this morning. The action will be listed on a national database that tracks administrative and medical suspensions of fighters.

If Saling can't appeal the decision, he will have to wait a year before he can reapply for a license in Ohio. While other commissions don't have to honor the suspension, they usually do.

Profato continued: "I've got 4,000 fighters. I'm going to look at them, and if we catch something – I'm not saying we wouldn't have missed this. But once it's brought to your attention, you would take action. If it's homicide or sexual predator, or if you're applying for a promoter's license and it's fraud, or theft in office, you probably aren't going to get licensed."

Neither Saling nor Coker commented on the decision.