UFC lifts Travis Browne suspension after ‘inconclusive’ domestic violence investigation

Heavyweight fighter Travis Browne has been reinstated by the UFC, the company announced Friday.

A 33-year-old resident of Glendale, Calif., Browne was suspended by the company last month after his estranged wife, Renee Webb, accused Browne of domestic abuse.

Webb, a model, posted photos of her bruised arms, neck, and face on Instagram. She has not pressed charges against Browne.

The UFC conducted an independent investigation into the allegations, and found “inconclusive evidence” to support the allegations.

“Conducted by a former FBI agent with more than 25 years of experience, the seven-week investigation included interviews with multiple subjects associated with the principals, as well as the principals themselves,” the statement read in part. “The investigation found inconclusive evidence to support claims of alleged domestic violence involving Browne and inconclusive evidence that Browne had violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. As a result, UFC has lifted Browne’s temporary suspension and anticipates him returning to competition in the coming months.”

The UFC posted a public summary of the investigation’s findings, which can be read in full below:

In an effort to provide the public with additional information regarding UFC’s investigation of allegations of domestic violence by Travis Browne, while honoring the competing interest of protecting the privacy rights of all the individuals who voluntarily cooperated in the investigation, UFC provides the following summary:

Upon learning of the posting of photographs on social media on or about July 8, 2015 by an individual reflecting bruises on their person and corresponding commentary that Travis Browne had committed the acts resulting in the bruising, UFC, through the Las Vegas-based law firm Campbell & Williams, began efforts to retain a third party to conduct a thorough, independent investigation into this matter.  In mid-July, Campbell & Williams retained a private investigator with more than 25 years of experience as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation operating out of the Los Angeles Field Office and as a Special Inspector General for the United States of America. The investigator has overseen countless investigations involving thousands of witnesses and subject interviews.

As part of his nearly two-month investigation into the Browne matter, the investigator and his colleagues interviewed nearly a dozen individuals located in several states.  The interviewees included the principals of the investigation, former spouses, individuals with close personal relationships and health-care professionals.  Additionally, the investigator obtained various forms of electronic data reflecting interactions of the principals with each other and third parties.  The investigation also included electronic and hand searches for relevant civil and criminal records, law enforcement service-call records and the like.

Based on the abundant evidence gathered to date, the results of the investigation are inconclusive to support the claims of alleged domestic violence involving Browne.  Similarly, the evidence was inconclusive to support a finding that Browne had violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy.  The evidence gathered in the investigation has also been reviewed by Donald J. Campbell, Esq. of Campbell & Williams, a former state and federal prosecutor with extensive experience overseeing criminal investigations, who likewise concurs that the results of the investigation are inconclusive.

Browne released a statement Friday night to MMAFighting through his manager, John Fosco.

I’d like to first thank my family, friends, fans and team for the overwhelming support they have shown me during this challenging time. This two-month period has taught me that strength truly does come from within. Sometimes saying nothing, requires more strength than saying everything. I made a conscious choice to keep quiet, comply and put my faith in the organization that has provided an amazing life for me and my family (UFC). They were forthright and honest from the beginning in stating that they took these allegations extremely seriously & were on a mission to get to the truth. I am so excited that this investigation has concluded and that i have the privilege to get back in the cage and do what i was put on this earth to do. In closing, my children are my life, they are my heart, they are my soul. Kaleo and Keawe have been taught to show women the utmost respect and that gift of parenting with a purpose is something that i can hold my head high and continue doing with pride.

Heavyweight fighter Travis Browne has been reinstated by the UFC, the company announced Friday.

A 33-year-old resident of Glendale, Calif., Browne was suspended by the company last month after his estranged wife, Renee Webb, accused Browne of domestic abuse.

Webb, a model, posted photos of her bruised arms, neck, and face on Instagram. She has not pressed charges against Browne.

The UFC conducted an independent investigation into the allegations, and found “inconclusive evidence” to support the allegations.

“Conducted by a former FBI agent with more than 25 years of experience, the seven-week investigation included interviews with multiple subjects associated with the principals, as well as the principals themselves,” the statement read in part. “The investigation found inconclusive evidence to support claims of alleged domestic violence involving Browne and inconclusive evidence that Browne had violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy. As a result, UFC has lifted Browne’s temporary suspension and anticipates him returning to competition in the coming months.”

The UFC posted a public summary of the investigation’s findings, which can be read in full below:

In an effort to provide the public with additional information regarding UFC’s investigation of allegations of domestic violence by Travis Browne, while honoring the competing interest of protecting the privacy rights of all the individuals who voluntarily cooperated in the investigation, UFC provides the following summary:

Upon learning of the posting of photographs on social media on or about July 8, 2015 by an individual reflecting bruises on their person and corresponding commentary that Travis Browne had committed the acts resulting in the bruising, UFC, through the Las Vegas-based law firm Campbell & Williams, began efforts to retain a third party to conduct a thorough, independent investigation into this matter.  In mid-July, Campbell & Williams retained a private investigator with more than 25 years of experience as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation operating out of the Los Angeles Field Office and as a Special Inspector General for the United States of America. The investigator has overseen countless investigations involving thousands of witnesses and subject interviews.

As part of his nearly two-month investigation into the Browne matter, the investigator and his colleagues interviewed nearly a dozen individuals located in several states.  The interviewees included the principals of the investigation, former spouses, individuals with close personal relationships and health-care professionals.  Additionally, the investigator obtained various forms of electronic data reflecting interactions of the principals with each other and third parties.  The investigation also included electronic and hand searches for relevant civil and criminal records, law enforcement service-call records and the like.

Based on the abundant evidence gathered to date, the results of the investigation are inconclusive to support the claims of alleged domestic violence involving Browne.  Similarly, the evidence was inconclusive to support a finding that Browne had violated the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy.  The evidence gathered in the investigation has also been reviewed by Donald J. Campbell, Esq. of Campbell & Williams, a former state and federal prosecutor with extensive experience overseeing criminal investigations, who likewise concurs that the results of the investigation are inconclusive.

Browne released a statement Friday night to MMAFighting through his manager, John Fosco.

I’d like to first thank my family, friends, fans and team for the overwhelming support they have shown me during this challenging time. This two-month period has taught me that strength truly does come from within. Sometimes saying nothing, requires more strength than saying everything. I made a conscious choice to keep quiet, comply and put my faith in the organization that has provided an amazing life for me and my family (UFC). They were forthright and honest from the beginning in stating that they took these allegations extremely seriously & were on a mission to get to the truth. I am so excited that this investigation has concluded and that i have the privilege to get back in the cage and do what i was put on this earth to do. In closing, my children are my life, they are my heart, they are my soul. Kaleo and Keawe have been taught to show women the utmost respect and that gift of parenting with a purpose is something that i can hold my head high and continue doing with pride.