Jailed Ex-UFC Fighter To Be Released
OAKLAND PARK (CBSMiami) –An ex-Ultimate Fighting Championship veteran, arrested after he threatened a group of people at a jiu-jitsu school has been given a 25-thousand dollar bond and will be getting out of jail soon.
Thiago Silva, 31, was in court Friday morning for a bond hearing.
Silva was being held on no bond in the Broward County Jail since he was arrested on February 7th.
On Friday, a judge reversed a magistrate's decision and ruled that Silva can be given bond while attaching strict conditions on his release
Broward Sheriff's Deputies said Silva was arrested after he showed up drunk and armed at an Oakland park gym and threatened to kill his estranged wife, Thaysa, and her boyfriend Pablo Popovitch.
Friends testified Silva is not a violent man.
"I've never seen him yell he's laid back," said Former mixed martial arts world champ Rashad Evans.
Prosecutors urged the judge to keep him in jail saying he is a flight risk and represents a threat to the community.
"He not only threatened her but innocent people in the business," said Prosecutor Gina Hawkins.
Popovitch s wife called Thaysa a home wrecker.
"She destroyed my life and my kids lives because she's been sleeping with my husband for 2 years, " said Favianna Popovitch.
Broward Circuit court Judge Geoffrey Cohen disagreed with prosecutors and said there was no proof Silva was a flight risk and will try to return to Brazil.
Silva denied he would flee if released.
"I have no relationship with my parents my father beat me and I left home," said Silva.
Thaysa testified she fears for her life saying, "He told me he would kill me."
The judge ordered, as conditions for release, that Silva stay away from drugs and alcohol, wear an ankle monitoring bracelet, attend anger management classes and stick to a 10:00 p.m. curfew.
His manager Glenn Robinson said, "The judge made the right decision."
Robinson said he is working on getting Silva a scheduled fight with another league since the UFC terminated his contract following his arrest.