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Police reportedly are looking for Alex Oliveira after the UFC fighter allegedly attacked his ex-wife and took off with their infant son on his motorcycle in Tres Rios, Rio de Janeiro, according to multiple Brazilian media outlets.
G1 on Saturday was first to report the news, which later was confirmed by UOL and ESPN Brasil. The alleged incident took place Saturday morning, reportedly at “Cowboy” Oliveira’s parents’ house, where his 24-year-old ex-wife had taken their 5-month-old son for a visit.
An Oliveira team member told MMA Junkie in a statement the fighter and his lawyer soon will meet with police – but also indicated police are not currently searching for Oliveira.
“The story being circulated in the media about the incident involving UFC athlete Alex Oliveira does not reflect the reality of the facts,” the statement reads. “The news that there is an arrest warrant issued for him is false. He will, along with with his lawyer, meet with the precinct chief in charge to give his side of what happened in a timely manner.”
According to the first report, which cites information from civil police, Oliveira arrived at the house seemingly drunk and wanted to ride his motorcycle with the baby. According to the ex-wife’s statement, he then assaulted her with punches and hair-pulling, and broke windows and a door, before managing to drive off with the baby on the motorcycle, with no helmet on the infant.
UOL’s report quoted precinct chief Andre Lourenco, who corroborated the other report.
“According to his former partner, he appeared to be drunk and wanted to take the child and leave with the motorcycle,” Lourenco said. “They started an argument, and he would have attacked her with punches to the head and slaps. His parents intervened, put her in the house, but he, very agitated, would have broken the room’s door and attacked her again.
“She took the key off his motorcycle, but he recovered it, took the child and drove away. The police was called in, located the child in a nearby property with his sister, and he wasn’t there. He hasn’t been located until now.”
MMA Junkie reached out to the precinct on Sunday to get an update on Oliveira’s status, but the only person authorized to speak on the matter was unavailable. Updates will be provided as they become available.
That, however, wasn’t the only alleged incident involving Oliveira over the weekend. According to Lourenco, Oliveira also got into an altercation with a security guard, who also said Oliveira showed signs of being intoxicated, during a party earlier in the night. Both cases are being investigated in the same precinct.
The Brazilian “Cowboy” was last seen in the octagon on April 27, at UFC on ESPN+ 8. Oliveira (19-7-1 MMA, 9-5 UFC) lost a unanimous decision to Mike Perry, which added to a two-fight skid after a submission loss to Gunnar Nelson at UFC 231 last December. Oliveira was on a two-fight winning streak before then.
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