More details have emerged regarding the felony domestic violence and related charges former UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith is now facing.
Smith, 38, went before the court on Wednesday, and was granted a $500,000 bond by a Sarpy County, Nebraska judge on counts of making terroristic threats, false imprisonment in the first degree, and domestic violence assault causing serious bodily injury.
He was ordered to no contact with his wife, the apparent victim of what can only be described as a harrowing ordeal.
Arrested on Monday, Smith allegedly threatened to murder his wife after an altercation that took place at a concert in Nebraska, where Smith resides, this past Sunday. Smith had been kicked out of the venue due to an argument that appeared to escalate outside, with Smith trying to force his wife to leave with him.
Prosecutors in Nebraska told the judge on Wednesday Smith “had to push her into the car by force, hit her there, she did ultimately exit the car at one point, he threatened to kill her again if she did not get [back] in the car.”
While she was out of the vehicle, Smith is accused to attempting to reverse over his wife, and later accelerated towards her while she was in front of it. The pair would eventually return home, with neighbors eventually alerted to the situation.
Witnesses helped Smith’s wife and children escape the home, and later heard gunshots coming from within.
“Lionheart,” as Smith was known in the cage, reportedly threatened to kill himself if law enforcement was to enter his home.
Smith has waived a preliminary hearing and will return to court in Sarpy County on August 17.
Smith’s bond hearing was televised with footage aired by KETV 7 in Omaha. The fighter, a former middleweight and light heavyweight in the UFC, returned from retirement earlier this year, earning a win over Chase Sherman in Gamebred FC. He’s a veteran of over 60 MMA fights, and challenged Jon Jones for the UFC’s light heavyweight title in 2019.
The fighter has also worked as an analyst on UFC broadcasts in recent years.
