The wife and brother of UFC legend Matt Hughes have each filed a restraining order against him alleging physical violence and threats.
ESPN confirmed via court records that Audra Hughes, Matt’s wife, and Mark Hughes, his twin brother, filed for protective orders against Hughes late last year. Audra Hughes’ request, which was made in Montgomery County, Illinois, was filed on Dec. 13, one day after she alleges her husband struck her in front of her son and their daughter, according to TMZ.
Hughes filed for divorce from his wife on Jan. 21, according to court records.
Hughes, 45, nearly died in June 2017 after a truck he was driving collided with a moving train in a rural area north of St. Louis. Hughes was airlifted to a hospital with a traumatic brain injury. He eventually recovered and the UFC honored him during a live event in January 2018.
According to TMZ, Audra Hughes alleged her husband choked her and threatened to shoot her during an incident in July 2018. TMZ also reported Mark Hughes alleges his brother physically threatened his teenage son during a dispute over a tractor.
Matt Hughes (45-9) held the UFC’s welterweight title at various times between 2001 and 2006. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest welterweights of all time. He announced his retirement from MMA in 2013 and worked for the UFC as a brand ambassador until 2016.