Din Thomas was arrested Tuesday at a training facility that he runs in in Port St. Lucie, Florida after police acting on a tip-off were altered that unsanctioned cages matches where occurring before spectators.

The arrest warrant indicates a sign was posted near the entrance to the training facility stating “$10.00 per person” Din Thomas indicated the charge was for a raffle drawing at the end of the event and that it was a donation to help the fighters. Thomas now faces a felony charge of holding “Prohibited Competitions” and was being held on 10,000 Dollars bail.

Update: Thomas was released from the St. Lucie County Jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

There were approx. 5 to 7 matches held during this event according to Mr. Thomas and that they were only sparring like they do in class except in front of a crowd. I observed approx. 3 matches and observed them to be timed rounds containing up to 3 rounds total per bout and that a winner was determined at the end of each bout by the referee raising that fighter’s arm, announcing that fighter as the winner and the crowd applauding. I observed the students using punches and kicks to the body, face, and head of there opponents.

Amateur boxing matches are regulated and licensed by a sanctioning committee that’s approved by the boxing commission, but no mixed martial arts fights are allowed at the amateur level.

“At the end of the day, he was having a professional mixed martial arts match that was not licensed through us,” Farkas said. “It was a case of unlicensed activity.”

Thanks to the TCPalm.
Din Thomas’s Arrest Warrant Application