Olympic wrestler and former UFC hopeful Kyle Snyder arrested in prostitution sting

Most hardcore UFC fans know the name Kyle Snyder. He won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and around the same time, talked a bit about moving to MMA to fight for the promotion.

The former UFC hopeful has found himself in hot water.

According to a report from news outlet 10 WBNS, Snyder was one of 16 men arrested in a prostitution sting in Columbus, Ohio.

The sting operation occurred in the city’s north side on May 9. The report from 10 WBNS states that, around 8:15pm, officers began to receive text messages from a man responding to one of their dummy advertisements. The man arranged, who was later identified as Snyder, arranged a meeting at a nearby hotel. When he arrived, he allegedly paid an uncover officer cash and requested she perform a sexual act on him.

He was then arrested by uniformed officers who had been waiting nearby. He was released from custody on the scene, and is due in court on May 19.

In addition to his interest in joining the UFC himself, Kyle Snyder famously offered to help Conor McGregor prepare for a 2018 fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov. McGregor ultimately lost that fight by decision.

What is Kyle Snyder up to now?

Snyder was also recently linked to a new freestyle wrestling promotion led by Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff

Hogan and Bischoff appeared on Monday’s edition of The Ariel Helwani Show, where they were asked about Snyder’s arrest.

Eric Bischoff is asked about Kyle Snyder.#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/6KP0n3ki6T

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 12, 2025

“I read about that about an hour ago,” he said of Snyder. “We’ll talk about it internally. I don’t know enough about it, the facts, to comment on it here, other than to say, I don’t know how Kyle is, but as a young man or woman, once you start reaching certain levels of success in life, and people know who you are, it becomes even more critical that you are careful in the way you conduct yourself, whether it’s in the business or away from the business.

“I’ve never met him. I don’t know him. But I’m pretty sure I’m right that he’s embarrassed. Friends and family, probably very embarrassed. We’ll figure it out, take a look at it, and decide amongst us what’s the best course of action.”