In a shocking turn of events, Alessio Di Chirico, a former UFC fighter known as ‘Manzo,’ has been arrested in Formentera, Spain, for assaulting a taxi driver. The incident occurred while Di Chirico was vacationing with his wife and children. As the driver refused to let Di Chirico travel in the backseat with his family as required by Spanish law, the incident occurred, leaving the taxi driver with significant facial injuries.
UFC Middleweight Contender Arrested: Shocking Assault Leaves Victim Injured, Retirement Announcement Looms
Reports suggest that Di Chirico, a middleweight contender in his UFC days, was apprehended on Monday, and legal proceedings are currently underway. The assault allegedly involved a brutal attack, resulting in the taxi driver sustaining broken cheekbones and serious eye injuries. Diario de Ibiza, a Spanish journal, revealed that the victim, identified as Omar Bouhia, will undergo surgery to remove glass fragments from his eye caused by the assault. As the court date looms on Tuesday, charges have not yet been officially filed against Di Chirico. But, the hotel where it happened had CCTV footage that documented the whole episode.
According to multiple sources, former UFC middleweight Alessio Di Chirico has been arrested yesterday in Formentera, Spain, after he assaulted a taxi driver who drove him and his family from the restaurant to the hotel. pic.twitter.com/3UR8onTARC
— Al Zullino (@phre) May 23, 2023
Middleweight competitor in the UFC Alessio Di Chirico declared his intention to stop competing in MMA in 2022. After losing to Roman Kopylov in a knockout in the third round at UFC Fight Night 209, he made his choice. Di Chirico decided to retire from boxing after suffering two straight knockout losses, capping his career with a 13-7 record overall. During his tenure in the UFC, Di Chirico experienced more losses than victories, amassing a promotional record of 4-7. He had a 9-0 unbeaten record before joining the company. Unfortunately, Di Chirico’s UFC debut against Bojan Veličković at UFC Fight Night 86 ended in defeat.
Di Chirico’s Retirement and Legal Proceedings
Within the promotion, Di Chirico secured two wins via split decision and two by knockout. Notable decision victories were earned against Garreth McLellan and Julian Marquez, while impressive knockout finishes were achieved against Oluwale Bamgbose and Joaquin Buckley. Following his triumph over Buckley, Di Chirico encountered a two-fight losing streak, falling short against Abdul Razak Alhassan and Roman Kopylov, as previously mentioned.
It was after the loss to Kopylov that ‘Manzo’ penned a heartfelt retirement statement, expressing gratitude to his supporters: “I am deeply aware of the hardship endured by those who genuinely care for me, as they suffered alongside me throughout my career. To all who have shown me, love, even if we remain strangers, I am profoundly grateful. While I acknowledge that I will yearn for this sport with great intensity, I know that it is the right moment to bid it farewell.” As Di Chirico navigates the legal proceedings stemming from the assault case in Spain, it remains uncertain how this incident will impact his post-retirement journey.
