Din Thomas Arrested

Rush · 10-30-2007, 03:31 PM

According to mmajunkie.com

UFC veteran and “The Ultimate Fighter 4” cast member Din Thomas was arrested Tuesday on charges he was running un-sanctioned MMA bouts at his training center in St. Lucie West, Fla.

Thomas is now facing a felony prohibited competitions charge.

MMAjunkie.com (UFC news, UFC rumors, UFC gossip, MMA news, UFC fighter interviews and event previews and recaps - MMAjunkie.com (formerly UFCjunkie.com)) was unable to reach Thomas this afternoon. His business manager, Dean Albrecht, said he’s yet to speak to Thomas and can’t comment until he does.

Albrecht didn’t know if Thomas had been released from jail.

According to an arrest warrant, officers were called to Thomas’ training center, American Top Team Port St. Lucie, on Tuesday. According to a warrant application filed by officer Brian Kenny:

“Once on scene I observed… a large caged octagon ring with two men inside figthing. There was a third male in the octagon acting as a referee. Around the octagon there were several people (approx. 150 men, women and minors) sitting and standing on make shift stands and chairs facing the octagon cheering while watching the two men fight. Both fighters wore gloves but did not have any protective headgear on. At the front door to the location there was a table with a small sign stating ‘$10.00 per person.’ Also located on the table was a roll of raffle tickets.“

According to the report, Thomas admitted that he was hosting the event for his students to gain experience and that the money raised from the raffle would help the fighters. Although Thomas claimed that the bouts were primarily sparring matches, Kenny stated that each fight had timed rounds, the referee determined a winner, and that he witnessed fighters using “punches and kicks to the body, face and head of their opponents.“

The officer witnessed five to seven fights taking place during the event. Thomas admitted that he had no medical personnel on hand, Kenny stated.

The Florida Boxing Commission regulates professional MMA fights. However, no amateur MMA fights are allowed in the state. Because of that, many training centers — in Florida and throughout the world — often put together events called “smokers,” in which amateur and lower-level fighters can get experience fighting in front of crowds (oftentimes comprised of family and friends). The events come in all shapes and sizes, and though they operate in a gray area of the law at best, they’re nonetheless a big part of MMA.

Thomas (20-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) had emerged as one of the UFC’s top lightweight contenders before a first-round submission loss to Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 11 on Sept. 19. The 31-year-old suffered suffered significant damage to his knee — a torn meniscus, stretched ACL, and a bruised femur and tibia — in the defeat.

Saskabush · 10-30-2007, 03:47 PM

Wow bad move by Din. Jail time for 1500 bucks admission profits, go figure.

Rush · 10-30-2007, 03:50 PM

Yeah, it's definitely not good.

StratTone · 10-30-2007, 04:07 PM

Yeah I just read it over at Sherdog. Bad move for sure.

BlingDogg · 10-30-2007, 04:16 PM

That really sucks. I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble.

Toshinden · 10-30-2007, 04:19 PM

Damn... he was one of my more preferred fighers at LW - Regardless of how much or how little trouble he gets in, it'll be a while longer before we get to see him in UFC action again.

GeorgeXVX · 10-30-2007, 04:37 PM

My gym hosts "smokers" pretty often... we do have medical staff on hand though.

Gooner · 10-30-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeXVX

My gym hosts "smokers" pretty often... we do have medical staff on hand though.

Yeah, these kinds of things happen.
I hope they don't blow this out of proportion.

Regrettable.

Shpongled · 10-30-2007, 06:03 PM

Hey Gooner, care to enlighten me as to what's happening in your avatar? I've always wondered but never asked!

Dr.Chicago · 10-30-2007, 07:13 PM

That sucks of Din!!!!

I hope it works out fine after all and he gets away as long as he doesn't do it any more!!

Thanx for the news Rush!!

Xod · 10-30-2007, 07:22 PM

Crazy!!

I live literally 10 minutes from both of Din's gyms, this sucks.

***EDIT***

here is a copy of the warrent and testimonies of the officers

http://web.tcpalm.com/2007/10/30/thomas.pdf

Jras0001 · 10-30-2007, 07:27 PM

I hope this doesnt get all blown out of proportion. Im sure this isnt near as bad as its being made out to be. Like the article says, smokers are held in gyms all over the country.

FatCat · 10-30-2007, 08:45 PM

WTF how come I didn't know about this!! IN MY OWN HOME TOWN!!! Damnit, my friends wife takes kickboxing at Din's gym and I never heard a peep about this....

F_B · 10-30-2007, 09:03 PM

Sucks for Din. I don't see what's so bad about this.

King Kameamea · 10-30-2007, 09:04 PM

Thomas was always a hothead. I never liked him.

OneTwoPunch · 10-30-2007, 09:13 PM

this kind of seems liek its being taken too far.

Xod · 10-30-2007, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FatCatMC

WTF how come I didn't know about this!! IN MY OWN HOME TOWN!!! Damnit, my friends wife takes kickboxing at Din's gym and I never heard a peep about this....

I wish I knew, so I couldve gone =(.

gumbel · 10-30-2007, 10:33 PM

has anyone seen the felony fights dvds? how are they not arrested then. there are no rules what so ever and no doctors around. i know this bar around here would have the same but boxing. once cops got wind of it the bar got shut down for good.

OneBigThrow · 10-31-2007, 11:12 AM

they arent arrested because they didnt get caught

Crashsti · 10-31-2007, 11:23 AM

I don't see the big deal here. You here about gyms holding "smokers" all the time but it usually applies to kickboxing. Sounds like a case of cops looking for an easy target. Man holding illegal MMA fights makes for great headlines and the general public will probably see it in a bad light as well.