UPDATE x 3: While Dana White told TMZ that, “This guy will never fight in the UFC again” in regards to Thiago Silva, the promotion made it official today with the following statement…
“The Ultimate Fighting Championship has terminated the contract of Thiago Silva, effective immediately.”
For those that missed the story, Silva was arrested on Thursday night following an armed altercation at Pablo Popovitch MMA Academy. Police allege, Silva threatened his wife, Thaysa, with a gun, and told her that if Popovitch didn’t come out of the school, he would go inside and begin shooting. He is being held without bond on charges of aggravated assault and resisting arrest. The reason that he is being held without bond is due to being deemed a flight risk as well as a danger to his wife and others.
UPDATE x 2: According to TMZ.com, Thiago Silva was arraigned this morning. Silva’s lawyer felt that the charges were an over reaction, stating the following: “There’s an overreaction [with the charges] simply because the man, what he does for a living.”
He continued to say that Thiago’s career as a UFC fighter is being used against him: “I think you have somebody who is a pro fighter and there is an apprehension .. and they’re thinking he can kill.”
Thiago’s attorney has pointed out that Thiago never fired the gun so the charges should be aggravated assault at most and not attempted murder.
The judge then threw out charges of attempted murder, noting the following: “The court does not believe at this time there’s enough set forth in the affidavit to support an attempted murder based on these facts. It just seems if he wanted to shoot Mrs. Silva, he would’ve done it. He didn’t do it.”
The judge will now look at charges of aggravated assault against Silva.
Prosecutors are concerned that Silva will try to escape the US and return to Brazil so he does not have to face charges. Silva’s lawyer noted that he client is broke at this time, and is waiting to fight in March, and needs to be free so he can do that and earn a living. He says Silva is not a flight risk because he can make more money in the US than in Brazil.
Bond was initially set at $2,500,100, and Silva was deemed a flight risk and was ordered to surrender his passport. After deliberation, the judge removed the bonds and Silva will now be held without bond. This is due to the fact that he is considered a danger, due to his martial arts knowledge, and that they feel he could commit severe violence against his wife without the use of a weapon.
UPDATE: According to TMZ.com, Silva’s wife told police that he thought he was having an affair with Pablo Popovitch. Thiago then went to the training center and, “pulled out a glock” and pointed it at his wife. Thiago allegedly told his wife Thaysa (a high-level Jiu Jitsu competitor who is a long-time student of Popvitch,” “You have ten seconds to bring Pablo outside and if he does not come out, I will go in the gym and start shooting everyone.”
There were 25 students at the training center at the time.
Popovitch then reportedly raced out of the center to protect Silva’s wife, and at this time, Silva allegedly threatened to kill them both. Police also report there was a violent incident between Thiago and his wife on January 30, where he accused her of cheating on him. According to the wife, he pulled out a silver revolver and shoved it into her mouth, while threatening to shoot her. She escaped unharmed from that and got a restraining order against him.
Dana White has reportedly told TMZ, “This guy will never fight in the UFC again.”
ORIGINAL: According to TMZ.com, Thiago Silva was arrested Thursday night for attempted murder following a standoff with a SWAT team. This was following a situation where he allegedly threatened people at a jiu-jitsu school and barricaded himself inside his home.
Police state that Silva went to the school owned by instructor Pablo Popovitch at around 8PM. Silva allegedly threatened people there and then went back to his home. This is where he barricaded himself in the home, had a standoff with police, and was apprehended. There is video of Silva in the back of the police car, and when asked by a photographer if he pulled a gun on his wife, he responded with the following…
“She wants my house, she wants my money. Just don’t report this. Can you do that for me?”
Silva has been booked on 4 criminal charges: 2 counts of attempted felony murder, one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of resisting arrest.
Silva was set to face Ovince St. Preux at UFC 171 on March 15th.
