Trocoli Arrested After Alleged Spousal Altercation
UFC middleweight Antonio Trocoli was arrested in Huntington Beach, California, on October 4, 2024, on suspicion of misdemeanor battery after an alleged altercation involving Wesley Santos, Mackenzie Dern’s former husband. Police confirmed the arrest to MMA Fighting; the allegations had not been adjudicated in the report.
The Incident
Huntington Beach police said Trocoli was arrested at about 8:30 a.m. on October 4 in the 8700 block of Dolphin Street. The department said the case was forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for review. In its October 9 report, MMA Fighting said the DA’s office had not yet made a filing decision.
Santos told MMA Fighting that the encounter happened after he dropped off his daughter at school. He alleged Trocoli got out of a car, punched him, and left. This account is Santos’ allegation; the arrest itself does not establish guilt.
Background Tension
Santos also alleged that Trocoli had followed and threatened him during custody exchanges, and said the two had an agreement that Trocoli would not take part in custody matters. Those claims were reported as Santos’ account and were not independently established in the contemporaneous report.
Legal and Professional Implications
At the time of MMA Fighting’s report, the district attorney’s office had not announced whether it would file a case.
Trocoli later fought Tresean Gore at UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates on November 9, 2024. The UFC’s official event results record Gore winning by first-round guillotine choke at 1:23.
A Complicated History
Trocoli’s first UFC contract followed a 2019 Dana White’s Contender Series win over Kenneth Bergh. The result was later changed to a no contest after Trocoli failed a drug test, and the UFC released him, according to his UFC athlete profile and contemporary reporting by MMA Fighting. He returned to the UFC roster in 2022, but withdrew from a scheduled UFC 282 bout and was released, MMA Fighting reported.
The MMA Community Reacts
The report drew attention because it involved two people connected to Dern’s personal life. The arrest and allegations should be distinguished: police confirmed Trocoli’s arrest, while the account of the alleged punch and the custody-related claims came from Santos.
Sources
MMA Fighting: arrest, police statement, and DA response
UFC: Gore–Trocoli event result
UFC: Antonio Trocoli athlete profile
MMA Fighting: Trocoli’s UFC 282 withdrawal and release
