Anthony Smith Arrested on Domestic Assault Charges
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- Anthony Smith was arrested Monday night in Sarpy County, Nebraska, and booked on three charges: attempted first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats, and false imprisonment.
- Prosecutors allege Smith threatened to kill his wife at a Gretna, Nebraska bar, forced her into a vehicle, and then tried to strike her with the car multiple times after she escaped, before turning himself in on an arrest warrant.
- A judge set Smith's bond at $500,000 with a condition that he stay away from his wife; he is scheduled back in court on Aug. 17.
- UFC CEO Dana White, speaking from Belgrade ahead of Saturday's UFC Fight Night, said he was caught off guard by the arrest but added from "personal experience" that "it can happen to anybody" — a reference to his own 2022 New Year's Eve physical altercation with his wife in Mexico for which he was never formally punished.
- Smith's wife, Mikhala Renee Newman, defended him in an Instagram comment shared by his manager, writing "He would never hurt me. Ever" and saying she called for help to protect him from himself during a mental health struggle.
- Smith headlined eight UFC events, including a title fight loss to Jon Jones, and returned from a one-year retirement in April with a submission win over Chase Sherman in his bare-knuckle MMA debut.
Why it matters: Smith faces a potential prison sentence and a $500,000 bond — limiting his ability to continue his broadcasting and fighting career while the case proceeds. The case also reignites scrutiny of the UFC's handling of domestic violence allegations, given White's own past domestic incident and his measured public response.
