Rafael Carvalho fined for jumping out of cage after Bellator win over Melvin Manhoef

Rafael Carvalho successfully defended the Bellator middleweight championship with a fourth-round head kick knockout win over Melvin Manhoef at Saturday’s Bellator 176 event in Torino, Italy, but will return to Brazil with less money in his pocket than he originally thought.

Carvalho, who improved to 5-0 under the Bellator banner with the victory, has been fined $5,000 by the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) for jumping outside of cage after having previously been warned without penalty, Bellator officials told MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani.

Mike Mazzulli, the Mohegan Sun commission director and president of the ABC, was the head regulator for the show.

Carvalho doesn’t agree with the fine, though, and is planning or trying to get his money back.

“That happened, but I didn’t understand why because it wasn’t in the contract or anything like that,” Carvalho told MMA Fighting on Monday, revealing that the money was already deducted to his purse.

“I don't understand why I was fined. We will see what we can do about it. I’ll talk to my lawyer and tell him everything that’s happened, show him the contract, and see what happens.”

The 30-year-old Brazilian defended his Bellator middleweight crown for the second time against Manhoef. The first time, back in May 2016, Carvalho won via controversial split decision.