Manitoba commission upholds UFC Winnipeg result, fines fighter at the maximum after appeal

UFC Winnipeg’s outcome remains unchanged after the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission concluded its review of a rules violation tied to a bout at Canada Life Centre. Karine Silva appealed the result of her fight against Jasmine Jasudavicius, arguing that an unapproved item appeared to be in Jasudavicius’s mouth during the action. The commission upheld the decision and did not overturn the result, but it levied a maximum fine for what it described as a safety violation and a breach of the regulations.

According to the commission’s written ruling described in reporting, investigators looked into the identity and potential impact of the object involved during and after the fight. The commission concluded that “an unauthorized foreign object was present,” but it was unable to “verify the specific item” or determine whether the item provided any competitive advantage. With that uncertainty, it found there was not enough basis to overturn the outcome of the bout.

The ruling also reflected the commission’s process. It stated that it investigated the matter and held a hearing to consider it, before issuing its determination to Silva’s team. In the same reporting, the commission indicated that there was insufficient evidence about the item itself, which became the key reason the result stayed intact rather than shifting to a no-contest or disqualification.

Jasudavicius addressed the controversy by denying use of nicotine pouches and describing the object as gum. She told reporters she did not think much about it, saying it entered her mouth through her mouthguard during the walkout and that she chewed it briefly between lip and during rounds before taking it out later.

The fight’s original result was a unanimous decision in favor of Jasudavicius. Her record was reported as 15-4 overall and 9-3 in the UFC at the time of the dispute, while Silva entered with a 19-7 mixed martial arts record and a 5-3 mark in the promotion. The commission’s decision created a split between the sporting outcome and the compliance outcome, upholding the fight result while still sanctioning the conduct.

What matters next is how commissions handle “unknown object” cases and whether the lack of confirmed identity continues to limit overturning outcomes. In this instance, the commission appears to have treated the presence of the foreign object as enough for punishment under safety and regulatory standards, even while the inability to determine what it was prevented the most severe competitive remedy.

For fighters and camps, the ruling is a reminder that equipment and any consumables used around the cage can draw scrutiny even if the athlete insists it was accidental or harmless. Jasudavicius’s fine also stands as a deterrent report within the jurisdiction, while Silva’s appeal outcome suggests that overturning a result will likely require more than video suspicion unless the specific item and its potential advantage can be established.

UFC and athletic commissions operate with a dual mandate in incidents like this: protect fighter safety and enforce fairness, but also ensure rulings are grounded in verifiable facts. Until more clarity emerges on how the commission arrived at the “maximum” penalty level, the broader takeaway will be about process, evidence thresholds, and how quickly disputes can move from the broadcast to the regulatory record.