Retired MMA fighter Diego Braga was murdered in a Brazil slum by a gang member after he tried to recover his stolen motorcycle, police said.
Braga, 44, discovered his bike was stolen from his residence Monday around 3am and found it in a Rio de Janeiro slum in the western neighborhood of Itanhangá.
He went to the neighborhood alone, where he confronted a group of drug dealers, who assaulted and killed him. His body was found Monday evening.
Braga’s alleged killer and drug gang member, Tauã da Silva, 18, was arrested Tuesday. He confessed to the crime, the Rio de Janeiro Military Police said.
Former MMA fighter and trainer Diego Braga was murdered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday while he was trying to recover his motorcycle after it was stolen from his home
Tauã da Silva was arrested Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro in connection with the murder of former MMA fighter, Diego Braga. The 18-year-old suspect told police that he killed Braga on Monday after the retired fighter went to a Rio de Janeiro slum to retrieve his motorcycle that was stolen earlier in the morning
A thieve steals Diego Braga’s motorcycle from his residence on Monday
Da Silva told investigators the former MMA fighter went to the slum to ‘arrange the delivery of the motorcycle’ and they discovered Barra had ‘contacts with militiamen’ from the Rio de Janeiro towns of Rio das Pedras and Muzema.
The murder suspect said Braga ‘tried to run, but was caught and killed.’
Da Silva said his accomplices escaped from the slum after Braga was killed.
Authorities carried out multiple raids Tuesday in search of the other suspects. The motorcycle was recovered by cops Tuesday afternoon at a home in the same neighborhood.
The military police believe the drug dealers mistook Braga for being a member of a militia from Muzema, where he lived.
Braga made his mixed martial arts debut in October 2003 and walked away from the sport following a July 2019 fight.
Diego Braga debut as a mixed martial arts fighter in 2003 before walking away from the sport in 2019
Thieves were caught on camera arriving at Diego Braga’s home around 3am Monday before stealing the retired MMA’s fighter’s motorcycle
He spent his post-MMA career operating his business, Tropa Thai Gym, where he trained fighters, including his son, Gabriel Braga.
UFC legend Anderson Silva paid tribute to Braga with an Instagram post and accused police of not doing enough to quell violence.
‘A hard-working guy who, like many others, chases his dreams, bought his motorcycle with his own effort, which was stolen, and had his rights violated,’ Silva wrote. ‘While those who have the power to change normalize violence act as if they could do nothing, for them it’s just another statistic.
‘But this same violence that you fought so hard ended up taking your life, leaving a huge void in our hearts. (His) absence is a painful reminder of how much we still need to fight to change the reality around us.’
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