Man arrested in Brazil for shooting MMA fighter

A man has been arrested in Brazil for shooting a famous MMA fighter twice in the buttocks. Need To Know reports.

On the evening of July 9, in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, a football match took place between two groups of fans of the Atlético Mineiro club. 37-year-old MMA fighter Bruce Souto was one of the organizers of the game and took to the field himself. After its completion, the man and other players collected equipment.

At that moment, one of the leaders of the Galocura fan group and former assistant to the deputy of the Belo Horizonte City Council, Marcos Vinicius Oliveira de Melo, approached him. He told the athlete: “Do you have any questions for me?” With these words, the man pulled out a revolver and opened fire. Souto ran. Melu shot six times and hit the athlete twice in the buttocks, after which he fled. Souto was taken to the hospital, where he received the necessary assistance.

Mela was detained only on August 30th. Police said he attacked Souto out of personal enmity. The conflict is believed to be related to a power struggle within Atlético Mineiro fan groups. At the same time, Mela was convicted in 2011 for the massacre of a fan of the Cruzeiro club, after which he lost his position as an assistant deputy.

Bruce Souto is a two-time Muay Thai world champion, as well as a South American and Brazilian champion. In the MMA format, he competed in the PFL and LFA leagues, where he won 16 victories and suffered seven defeats.