Chael Sonnen

By FCF Staff

Although Chael Sonnen is scheduled to fight “Shogun” Rua on August 17th at UFC Fight Night 26, the fighter is reportedly still not licensed to compete at the event, which will take place in Boston. According to reports, the reason is that the Unite Here union has filed a formal complaint with Massachusetts’ Department of Public Safety, which cites Sonnen’s 2011 conviction for money laundering. A hearing will be held Thursday to assess the complaint and determine whether Sonnen will be licensed.

News of the union’s complaint and the forthcoming hearing was initially reported by MMA Junkie.com. The story included the following statement, which was drawn from Unite Here’s press release:

“A dozen UNITE HERE activists will voice their objection to the issuance of a license to Mr. Sonnen at a public meeting Thursday of the State Athletic Commission, and will hand-deliver the complaint to Public Safety Secretary Andrea Cabral, who oversees the Athletic Commission. The union activists will deliver the same information to the Boston offices of Eaton Vance Management, an investment management firm that has invested in the debt of Zuffa, LLC, the Las Vegas-based parent of the UFC.”

Unite Here is affiliated with a Las Vegas based culinary union, which has been battling with the UFC’s ownership group (the Fertitta brothers), in an effort to unionize their Station Casinos.

Neither the UFC or Sonnen have publicly commented on the complaint. UFC Fight Night 26 will be hosted by Boston’s TD Garden Arena.