7 UFC Fighters Who Committed Horrific Crimes
5. Hermes Franca
Fortaleza, Brazil's Hermes Franca fought in the UFC from 2006 to 2009. During that span, the lightweight stand-out shared the cage with some of the sport's biggest names, including Frankie Edgar and Nate Diaz. He even (unsuccessfully) challenged Sean Sherk for the UFC Lightweight Championship awhile back.
Franca is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who previously ran his own martial arts school in Oregon. In December 2010, the former number one contender sexually abused a female student. Oregon Live reported that the ex-UFC fighter pleaded guilty to one count of both unlawful penetration and first-degree sexual abuse. He received a 3 1/2 year sentence and was deported back to his home country of Brazil upon release.
Now 45, despite being a registered sex offender, Hermes Franca still competes professionally. He last fought in March 2019 for a promotion called Megdan Fighting at an event held in Novi Sad, Serbia.