UFC veteran and The Ultimate Fighter Brazil alum Godofredo Pepey is facing multiple charges following a domestic violence incident in the state of Florida – with his wife issuing a statement addressing the allegations.
Combate was first to report Pepey’s arrest, which has seen the fighter being held with bail set at $120,000. 38-year old Pepey, who competed for the UFC eleven times from 2012 to 2018, has been charged with domestic violence, kidnapping and inflicting bodily harm or terrorizing the victim, domestic battery by strangulation, and witness tampering.
An immigration hold has also been placed on Pepey, which could result in his deportation. He was arrested in Deerfield Beach, Florida on July 2, 2025.
Pepey’s wife, Samara Mello, issued a statement on social media following his arrest. Originally in Portuguese, she alleges that domestic violence is not spoken about enough in the combat sports world.
“My name is Samara Mello, I am Godofredo Pepey’s wife and I am also a survivor of domestic violence,” Mello wrote in her statement. “I mean what many will never say: Domestic violence is real in the sports world, and in the combat sports community, it’s still a taboo that few have the courage to mention.”
“We can no longer pretend that this does not exist. Domestic violence comes in many forms: physical, emotional, mental, sexual, and financial, and none of them are acceptable.”
“Today, I am getting back on my feet and I am immensely grateful to have survived so that I can now make a difference in the lives of other women,” Mello continued. “When violence happens inside the home, it doesn’t just destroy one family, it impacts the entire community. We need to stop treating this as a secret, it is in silence that violence grows.”
“I hope that the authorities in Brazil and around the world understand that the blood on my face and on my body runs on the hands of those who still see femicide as a statistic, and do not do enough to change that.”
Mello added that future generations depend on action being taken now, and that domestic violence is not a problem to be “treated,” but rather that it needs to be abolished.
Pepey went 5-6 during his UFC run, a stretch that included three straight post-fight bonuses care of wins over Noad Lahat, Dashon Johnson, and Andre “Touchy” Fili. After being cut in 2018 off back-to-back losses, the Brazilian returned to the regional scene, but hasn’t been seen in action since a loss to Abdoul “Lazy King” Abdouraguimov in 2022.
