Emil Weber Meek gets his wish: A fight with the controversial Rousimar Palhares

Rousimar Palhares has left devastation in his wake in the United States.

Torn knees, gouged eyes, wrenched shoulders. Palhares is perhaps the most controversial athlete in mixed martial arts stemming from what he has done inside the cage.

Palhares was cut by the UFC for holding onto submissions too long in 2013. The Nevada Athletic Commission suspended him for two years back in October for that same infraction because he held onto a kimura after the referee attempted to stop the fight in a win over Jake Shields last August.

Unable to fight in the United States due to the NAC ban, Palhares has ventured out to Europe, signing with fledgling Italian promotion Venator FC.

Once that deal was done, Palhares needed an opponent. Emil Weber Meek raised his hand.

“I heard rumors that they had Palhares and nobody wants to fight him,” Weber Meek told MMA Fighting. “I’m like, ‘Hey, you have Palhares in my weight class? Of course I want to fight him.’ I kind of asked for it.”

Weber Meek got his wish. The Norway native will face Palhares in the main event of Venator FC 3 on Saturday in Milan. The promotion’s welterweight title will be on the line.

It’s understandable why some would not want to fight Palhares. If he grabs onto a limb and his opponent taps, he’s liable to continue cranking. The injury sustained could put a fighter out for a …

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