Former UFC fighter Rodrigo de Lima was killed Sunday in a hit and run incident following a dispute with an Uber driver in Belem, Brazil.
UFC welterweight Michel Prazeres, a longtime friend and teammate of “Monstro”, told MMA Fighting on Monday morning that the 26-year-old fighter was inside a car with a few friends when he started arguing with the driver.
The driver allegedly stopped the car, Prazeres said, and they got in an altercation before the man drove away, came back and allegedly hit de Lima from behind with his car. de Lima was married and had two kids.
According to Prazeres, the police are currently searching for the driver. Multiple local newspaper reports confirm Prazeres’ account.
”Monstro” (9-3-1) fought twice under the UFC banner between 2014 and 2015, losing to Neil Magny and Efrain Escudero. The former Jungle Fight welterweight champion fought for the last time in June 2018, submitting Luiz Fabiano in the co-main event of Shooto Brazil 85.