Antonio Troccoli, the husband of UFC star Mackenzie Dern, was arrested last Friday on misdemeanor battery charges in Huntington Beach, California. The incident allegedly involved Dern’s ex-husband, Wesley Santos, a professional surfer with whom she shares a daughter.
Huntington Beach police confirmed Troccoli’s arrest, stating it occurred around 8:30 a.m. in the 8700 block of Dolphin Street. The case has been forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for review, though no official charges have been filed at the time of this report.
Santos, in a statement to MMA Fighting, claimed he was the target in the alleged altercation. He described a history of tension between himself and Troccoli, stating that despite an agreement for Troccoli not to be involved in custody matters, he was “always nearby, threatening and disturbing in every custody change.”
The incident reportedly took place after Santos dropped off his daughter at school. He alleges that Troccoli exited a white car and struck him before fleeing the scene. Santos claims there were several witnesses, and that he began recording when he saw the car stop.
This event adds another layer of complexity to Troccoli’s already tumultuous UFC career. The Brazilian star has experienced a rollercoaster journey with the promotion, including multiple signings and releases. He made his long-awaited UFC debut in June, losing to Shara Magomedov, and is currently scheduled to face Tresean Gore on November 9.
The jiu-jitsu specialist turned MMA star has been open about her difficult divorce from Santos, which involved allegations of abuse on both sides. Court documents revealed that Dern was ordered to pay Santos approximately $4,006 per month in spousal and child support, along with $10,000 for court fees.
This isn’t the first time Troccoli was involved in an incident. When UFC’s Bobby Green complimented Dern during weigh-ins at UFC 298, he unknowingly sparked a tense exchange.
After receiving what appeared to be a thank-you message from Dern, Green later discovered that Troccoli, pretending to be Dern, had orchestrated the conversation to provoke a face-to-face confrontation.
Green, who was traveling at the time, avoided the meeting and was relieved to have sidestepped a potentially dangerous situation.
