Anthony Smith breaks silence after four felony charges, vows to tell his story

Former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith broke his silence on Saturday, posting on Instagram for the first time since his arrest in late July on four felony charges in Sarpy County, Nebraska.

Smith faces two counts of first-degree false imprisonment, one count of terroristic threats, and one count of attempted class 1/1A/1B/1C/1D felony — all stemming from an alleged altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Nebraska, on July 26. The two false imprisonment counts and the terroristic threats charge are class 3A felonies, carrying a maximum of three years in prison and 18 months of post-release supervision. The attempted felony charge is a class 2 felony, which carries a minimum of one year and a maximum of 50 years in prison. Smith entered a not guilty plea earlier this week, with his next court date set for September 21.

In his Instagram post, Smith said he was relieved to be back with his family after initially being denied contact with his wife, Mikhala Renee Newman, because she was listed as involved in the incident that led to his arrest.

“Happy to be home with my household full of ‘whys,’” Smith wrote. “I’ll be able to tell my story someday soon. Until then…you guys just keep making it up as you go. Character is revealed in chaos.”

Following his arrest, prosecutors in Sarpy County released a statement outlining the allegations. According to that statement, Smith allegedly threatened to kill his wife if she did not get into his vehicle and go home with him, and is further accused of grabbing and pushing her inside the car. Prosecutors also allege that after she exited the vehicle during the drive, Smith continued making threats, and that upon arriving home he attempted multiple times to use the vehicle to strike her. His wife was not physically harmed.

Newman has publicly defended her husband. “I love Anthony with every ounce of my being,” she wrote on social media. “He is a good man, a great dad, and an incredible husband who loves us endlessly. They made a mental health struggle into something it wasn’t. I am safe and always was safe. He would never hurt me. Ever. I called for help to protect him from himself.”

At his most recent hearing, Smith was also granted permission to travel to the Dominican Republic, though the specific purpose was not disclosed in full in court documents.