Prospect’s UFC offer rescinded due to contract dispute with manager
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Heavyweight MMA fighter Slim Trabelsi will have to wait indefinitely for his UFC debut due to an ongoing contract dispute with his manager Fernand Lopez.
Trabelsi, a heavyweight signed to Lopez’s Ares FC promotion, was supposed to face Parker Porter in his UFC debut on Oct. 22. Lopez is also the manager of Trabelsi apart from being the promoter of Ares FC.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reports that Lopez is refusing to grant Trabelsi his release and that a fight in court is expected. Trabelsi’s legal team aims to use Ares’ contract clause of a granted release if he ever receives an offer from the UFC.
Lopez refused to grant Trabelsi his release, reportedly due to Trabelsi’s refusal to act in good faith for a transfer from Ares FC to the UFC.
Trabelsi is the Ares FC heavyweight champion who won the belt by knocking out Azamat Nuftillaev at Ares FC 8 last month. He is undefeated in his MMA career after an amateur wrestling run.
Slim Trabelsi banned from UFC transfer due to dispute with manager Fernand Lopez
Lopez, who is also the head trainer of former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane at MMA Factory in France, has had a strained relationship with some of his fighters in the past. He was involved in a nasty breakup with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou that included accusations of failing to pay gym fees and other team-related violations.
Lopez has seemed to blame the situation in part on MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, indirectly accusing him of trying to poach Trabelsi.
Trabelsi has not publicly commented on his alleged dispute with Lopez and the delay in his originally scheduled UFC debut.
We’ll continue to bring you updates on Trabelsi, Lopez, and their ongoing dispute as the story unfolds.
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