Top-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight contender Travis Browne had a rough 2015. After losing to former teammate Andrei Arlovski via technical knockout (TKO) at UFC 187 (see it again here), “Hapa” was accused by his ex-wife, Jenna Renee Webb, of domestic abuse after she posted pictures of multiple bruises on her arm to support her claims.
As a result, UFC officials pulled him from all fight-related activities until an investigation was conducted. In the end, the investigation exonerated Browne because no evidence was found to support Webb’s claim of physical abuse. In fact, she never pressed charges, resulting in the eventual reinstatement of “Hapa” by UFC.
Recently, Browne talked in detail to the mixed martial arts (MMA) media for the first time about the whole unfortunate ordeal (via MMA Fighting):
“From a humans point of view, what I would say is, you know, you can’t believe everything you read. You can’t believe the rumors and stuff like that. Honestly, a gripe of mine was that, and all you guys are with media, is that no one questioned her. Everybody put their eyes on me, everyone questioned me. And when I was reinstated, ‘Travis Browne gets reinstated,’ that was the only headline. And I will be honest, you guys as media kind of let me down. I’ll say that in that sense, because we are all being professional, is that is what let me down. You guys should have asked questions. Why did I get reinstated? What really happened? Why do I have to do all the talking? All these places — TMZ and that stuff — ran stuff and not a single person asked questions. I’m a 6-foot-7, 250-pound man. I have two little boys at home and if I did the things I was accused of, you want those two boys being raised by me? Why wouldn’t you want them out of my home? Why would you want me to have my career if that’s the kind of man I am? Yeah, I feel a little betrayed. If those are your reasons for lying, but then you don’t press charges, you don’t try to do things the right way. If any of you guys were here beating your wife and you have two kids, I swear to God, I will fuck you up. And I would, pray to God, I would take your kids and take them from you.”
“Hapa” was obviously upset, as the towering bruiser tried his best to hold back the tears.
Aside from dealing with alleged abuse, Browne said the investigation alone turned his life upside down. And while he fully cooperated with investigators to clear his name — which included handing over his phones and private info — Browne says there wasn’t much cooperation from Webb’s side.
Browne returned to the Octagon this past January with an impressive third-round knockout over Matt Mitrione. He’ll look to keep the momentum going when he faces off against former division champion Cain Velasquez at the upcoming UFC 200 pay-per-view (PPV) event on July 9, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For more on that fight click here.