Palhares (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

The day after Rousimar Palhares made headlines by not only defeating rugged welterweight Mike Pierce, but for holding onto a heel hook for too long, the fighter is defending himself via Twitter.

Palhares, who quickly tapped Pierce out at UFC FN 29 but didn’t immediately release the heel hook, has tweeted:

I never meant to hurt anyone, as a jiu-jitsu fighter I always seek for the submission, but I would never be evil to any athlete.

— Rousimar Palhares (@ToquinhoMMA) October 10, 2013

I always respect the @UFC decisions, but most of most I respect a lot Mike Pierce, so again I never meant to hurt him, just finish the fight

— Rousimar Palhares (@ToquinhoMMA) October 10, 2013

Palhares did not receive “Submission of the Night” due to what the promotion declared was “unsportsmanlike conduct” and Dana White has said the welterweight will be punished further.

The 33 year-old was making his welterweight debut, after he lost consecutive fights to middleweights Hector Lombard and Alan Belcher.