Nevada wants to hear from Georges St-Pierre’s corner

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Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, told me tonight he has written a letter to Georges St. Pierre’s trainer Greg Jackson and his cornerman Phil Nurse asking each to provide him a written response about what occurred Saturday in an incident rapidly emerging as Vaseline-gate.

‘You can’t put any Vaseline on a guy’s back or neck in MMA,’ Kizer said.

Well, people in St. Pierre’s corner did just that Saturday, even as the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight champ defended his belt easily by dominating lighter lightweight champ B.J. Penn, whose corner and a ringside doctor ended the fight before the fifth and final round started.

Penn first voiced a complaint to a ringside inspector after the first round, and St. Pierre’s cornermen were ordered to wipe off excess petroleum jelly product from the fighter’s back after two other rounds, Kizer said.

In a written request for Kizer to launch a ‘comprehensive investigation,’ Penn’s Las Vegas attorney argued that a slippery St. Pierre was ‘neutralizing Penn’s Brazilian jiujitsu abilities through the use of illegal and improper means.’

Asked if he thought the oily substance won the fight for St. Pierre, Kizer said, ‘I don’t know. You can’t tell those things from outside the octagon.’

Kizer said he sent Jackson and Nurse copies of the three-page letter Penn’s attorney sent the commission and gave them 20 days to respond. He said the issue may turn into an item on a future commission agenda, with both sides called to appear and explain their involvement.

At this time, Kizer said, there are no plans to fine or suspend anyone.

‘Both sides have now been given a chance to explain,’ he said.

-- Lance Pugmire