UFC’s Anthony Smith Fights Home Intruder; Man Charged With Criminal Trespass

On Sunday morning, a man unlawfully entered the Nebraska home of UFC fighter Anthony Smith. 

The man charged with a first-degree criminal trespass is Luke Haberman. His charge is considered a misdemeanor. Smith said in an interview with ESPN on Monday that he woke up just after 4 a.m. local time Sunday to a stranger in his Omaha-area home. The UFC light heavyweight said he tried to subdue Haberman for more than five minutes while waiting for police to arrive. According to Smith, Haberman did not steal anything and it was still unclear why he was in the house. However, he and his family – his wife, mother-in-law and three daughters – were not hurt during the break-in.

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Smith said his wife woke him and told him there was a man in the house. Smith said he could hear a “man’s voice screaming at the top of his lungs.” Smith left the bedroom, turned a corner and saw Haberman in a computer room. Smith said Haberman walked toward him and it seemed as if he was trying to scare him. Smith was concerned the man had a weapon. Smith said he tried to take him down and the two began fighting.

“I didn’t know what he had,” Smith said. “Typically people don’t break into your house in the middle of the night for any good reasons. I’m expecting that I’m gonna hear a gunshot or he’s gonna stab me. Like he’s got something. I figure I’ve got about two minutes before whatever he’s got takes me out.”

Smith fights at 205 pounds. The intruder weighed around 170 pounds.

“No normal human is able to fight like that,” Smith said. “I’m by no means the baddest dude on the planet. But he’s a regular Joe and I had a hard time dealing with him. And he took everything that I gave him – every punch, every knee, every elbow. He took every single one of them and kept fighting me.”

When the police arrived, officers were able to subdue Haberman, Smith said. He said there was blood all over the computer room and Haberman was cut and had swelling on his face. Haberman was issued a citation and released to the hospital. He was not taken into police custody but must report to court at a later date.

According to Smith, Haberman told him, “Hey man, I’m sorry” as he walked by after things calmed down.

“You always just think you’re such a badass,” Smith said. “I just don’t feel like one. I feel … insufficient a little bit. I didn’t know it was possible to be that terrified.”

Smith is scheduled to fight Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC Lincoln on April 25 in Nebraska. The event is likely to be moved to another location due to the coronavirus pandemic. Smith said he would still compete despite the break-in Sunday morning.