How To Destroy A Career

If you have ever wondered how to destroy a career pay very close attention to Thiago Silva, who until last Friday was the #7 ranked MMA Light Heavyweight. He has had a hell of a week, which ended with him in jail and looking at prison time.

Thiago had hit a hitch between 2010 and 2012 where he lost twice (Evans and Gustafsson) and had two wins nullified due to failed drug tests and a suspension. He came back with two solid wins in 2013 and he was scheduled to fight Ovince St. Preux at UFC 171 in March.

Things appeared to be going well, career-wise, until two weeks ago. On January 30^th Silva entered the home of his estranged wife, Thaysa, and put a gun in to her mouth and threatened to kill her. She filed for, and received, a restraining order against Thiago. On February 5^th he decided to up the ante by texting Thaysa and letting her know he was going to hire someone to kill her and move his girlfriend in to their house. At this point I don’t understand why the police where not fully involved with the situation, but to finally destroy whatever career he had left he showed up at his wife’s boyfriend’s MMA gym, drunk, and threatened to enter the gym and shoot everyone inside. After the police were called he barricaded himself in to his home, which required SWAT officers to get involved and end the standoff.

He was charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest without violence. The attempted murder charges were lowered to aggravated assault with a firearm. Because he is considered a flight risk, he is a Brazilian citizen, he has been denied bail. I would think you would also have to take in to account his violent temper and past aggressions as additional reasons to not grant him bail.

Needless to say the UFC immediately released him from his contract with Dana White saying that Thiago will never fight in the UFC again.

It is interesting to see how collectors react to an athlete’s negative actions. O.J. Simpson gets arrested for murder and collectors jump on his cards as the prices soar, he gets arrested for armed robbery and kidnapping and suddenly his cards are toxic.

Currently Silva has around 60 total cards up for auction, only 2 have been added since his arrest, and there is only 1 bid on any of his cards. A single bid, of 99 cents no less, is all that he can garner and a couple of his higher priced items have been put on sale. I guess you can say that his collectability, like his UFC career, is dead.