Priscila Cachoeira presses charges against ex-girlfriend for defamation after assault allegations

UFC flyweight Priscila Cachoeira has found herself embroiled in a legal battle with a former partner after allegations of assault have been made.

MMA Fighting revealed on Thursday that the 32-year old Brazilian is now pressing charges against her ex-girlfriend, Marcelle Nunes. Filing for defamation, Cachoeira believes that Nunes is “trying to harm” her career “as a UFC fighter and public figure” with claims of being a “drug addict” and claims of leaving Nunes “assaulted constantly.” The police report showed that Cachoeira isn’t ruling out the possibility of filing a lawsuit against her ex.

“I’ve never committed any physical assault against Marcelle,” Cachoeira told MMA Fighting. “She would lose control many times during an argument and wanted to hit me, but I just defended myself.

“Our relationship is over and, unfortunately, she’s inventing lies and twisting the truth with the intention of tarnishing my image and emotionally affect me, or any other negative intent. I would also like to add that I’m subject to anti-doping tests regularly by [the United States Anti-Doping Agency], therefore her baseless and false allegation seems to me like an attempt to hurt my career.”

Marcelle Nunes has claimed that Priscila Cachoeira assaulted her on multiple occasions — she highlighted February 2021, mid-2019, and September 2019.

“I slept in fear,” Nunes told MMA Fighting. “Days before I came [to Bage] I told her, ‘Priscila, please, I’m going away, please forget I exist. I’m afraid of you going there and doing something to me.’ … My family and friends urged me to press charges and ask for a restraining order. My parents don’t like when I leave the house for any reason. Even though I’m home, I have no peace or security because I don’t know if something will happen to me.”

Nunes ordered a restraining order against Cachoeira after charges were pressed on July 7. Nunes’ injury claims during the incidents included “a serious hand injury that required two surgeries,” being pulling her by the hair and thrown on the ground and kicked “all over the body,” and being knocked unconscious by a punch in the mouth. The police report stated that Nunes required medical assistance to avoid the loss of a tooth.

Priscila Cachoeira (10-3, 2-3 UFC) most recently defeated Gina Mazany via second-round TKO at UFC 262. The win put her on her first winning streak inside the Octagon. She was set to fill in for Karol Rosa against Sijara Eubanks at UFC Vegas 32 next weekend but has since withdrawn.