Pablo Popovitch says Thiago Silva 'seemed to be under the influence of some type of drug'

Brazilian jiu-jitsu instructor Pablo Popovitch said that prior to Thiago Silva‘s arrest on Thursday, the now-ex-UFC fighter “seemed to be under the influence of some type of drug whether alcohol or drugs.”

Popovitch, who released a statement via Facebook, said Silva was outside his facility, the Team Popovitch Martial Arts Academy in Oakland Park, Fla., on Thursday before Silva’s eventual standoff with police.

Silva’s estranged wife, Thaysa, trains at the facility. There, police allege, Silva threatened her with a gun, and told her that if Popovitch didn’t come out of the school, he would go inside and begin shooting. After Popovitch emerged and then went inside to call police, Silva fled to his home, where a four-hour standoff with S.W.A.T. ensued before he surrendered nonviolently, police said.

On Friday Silva had two counts of felony attempted murder reduced to aggravated assault with a firearm after a judge ruled there was no probable cause for the attempted murder charges. The UFC subsequently terminated Silva’s contract.

Backing up a police report, in which officers allege Silva was “extremely intoxicated” and that he uttered he “did not know what was going on,” Popovitch said he thought the fighter was possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The full statement:

Concerning the incident that took place at Academy last night. During our evening class, at around 7:45pm. Thiago Silva was outside sitting in his car honking the horn non-stop. Thaysa went outside to talk to Thiago to understand what was happening and saw a gun. After that, I went to see what was happening and also saw that he had a gun. He seemed to be under the influence of some type of drug whether alcohol or drugs. My staff notified the police at that time, and soon after the police arrived. He took off and the police went after him.

Thaysa has been separated and living alone since December of 2012. Thiago has been charged with battery in the past and was seeing other girls and moving on with his own life.

It’s very unfortunate that this had to happen, the last thing I wanted us to see Thiago in this manner. I wish him all the best and hope this will soon be over.

Currently, a new court date hasn’t been set for Silva, who also faces a count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and a charge of resisting arrest without violence.

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