Wilian Poles entered the cage Saturday night to face Daniel Alves—but his opponent never showed up.
Scheduled for a lightweight bout at BSB Fight in Brasilia, Brazil, Poles walked to the cage and told commission officials there would be no fight, but they still applied Vaseline on his face and did the normal pre-fight routine. Seconds later, BSB Fight promoter Roger Vieira, who also happens to be Alves’ coach, announced on the microphone during the event that Alves was nowhere to be found.
“I’m very upset with this situation,” Vieira said Saturday night. “Wilian ‘Samurai’ came from the South [of Brazil] to fight, he was going to fight an athlete from my gym, and the athlete disappeared. He simply didn’t come, doesn’t answer the phone, doesn’t answer texts. He was paid and didn’t show up.”
A frustrated Poles then had his turn to vent.
“I’ve crossed five states to beat this guy, and where is he?” Poles said. “This is bullshit, man. I cut 26 pounds in two weeks, 11 pounds on the last day, and this guy is not here.”
Vieira told MMA Fighting on Tuesday that the last time he heard from Alves was five hours before the event started. According to the coach/promoter, Alves allegedly went to back his mother’s house and is feeling “embarrassed” with the whole situation.
Alves is 8-3 with one no-contest in MMA, according to record-keeping website Tapology, and Vieira said, “it’s not the first time he’s done this.”
“He once said he wasn’t feeling well during fight week, and I was able to replace him, and another time he said he wasn’t OK after the weigh-ins,” Vieira said. “This time he hasn’t given explanations.”
Alves didn’t immediately respond to messages when contacted for this story.
Poles was paid his show and win money, Vieira said. Alves received half his show money up front, R$ 500 (approx. $90 USD), and would receive $90 after the bout — plus $180 if victorious.
The referee raised Poles’ hand after the unusual situation and said he would try to include “a knockout or a submission” on his official record for the walkover, “so he leaves victorious and not harmed from this.” Vieira said that’s the hope although it’s unlikely.
