Light heavyweight MMA fighter Thiago Silva has been released from his UFC contract following a domestic altercation with his estranged wife, Thaysa Silva, that involved a gun.
TMZ reports that Silva tracked his wife – a fellow Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt – to Pablo Popovitch’s South Florida training center after developing suspicions that Thaysa was sleeping with Popovitch. Silva allegedly told Thaysa outside of the gym that he would shoot the 25 students inside if Popovitch didn’t meet him in the parking lot. Popovitch called 911 when Silva threatened to kill he and Thaysa both and that’s when Silva went home.
From there, Silva barricaded himself inside his house and led a standoff with SWAT team and police. Eventually, he surrendered and was booked on four criminal charges: two counts of felony attempted murder, one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of non-violent resisting arrest. A judge has since dropped the attempted murder charges, only sticking Silva with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm. He is currently being held in custody without bond.
Thaysa has reported to police that Silva had assaulted her with a gun on a prior occasion in late January, when he accused her of cheating on him and forced a gun in her mouth. Thaysa was granted a restraining order against Silva for the incident.
The 31-year-old was scheduled to face Ovince St-Preux at UFC 171 this March, but UFC president Dana White told TMZ that Silva has been released from his contract and “will
