Mixed martial arts fighter accused of attacking ex
By MICHELLE RINDELS | Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police are looking for a mixed martial arts fighter and porn actor after his girlfriend posted graphic photos of her swollen and beaten face online and said the man, known as War Machine, beat her and a friend so severely that she feared for her life.
The woman, Christy Mack, said she was able to eventually escape out a back door and run naked through her neighborhood, knocking on doors until someone helped her get to a hospital.
Court records filed earlier this week say the 32-year-old is wanted on suspicion of domestic battery, strangulation, lewdness, assault and coercion in the attack. The fighter’s name was Jon Koppenhaver until he legally changed it to War Machine in 2008.
Koppenhaver, who appeared on the reality show “The Ultimate Fighter,” did not immediately respond to a voicemail seeking comment. Police issued a warrant for his arrest.
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker said his promotional company is dissolving its contract with the fighter in light of the accusations.
“We have a zero tolerance policy here at Bellator when it relates to any form of domestic violence,” Coker said in a statement.
Mack posted photos and a statement about the alleged attack on her official Twitter account Monday. Mack has appeared in dozens of pornographic movies, according to her IMDB profile.
She said in the statement that Koppenhaver showed up unannounced at her house, found her and her friend unarmed, and beat her friend without uttering a word.
Mack said Koppenhaver sent away the friend and turned to her, forcing her to shower before knocking out some of her teeth and breaking bones in her face. She wrote that she feared for her life as he sawed off her hair with a dull knife.
She said Koppenhaver had been abusive in the past and broke up with her in May.
“After many months of fear and pressure to keep this man happy,” Mack wrote, “I feel that I can no longer put myself in this situation.”
The welterweight fighter made his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut during the 2007 season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” but he didn’t last long for the promotion.
Koppenhaver lost his only pay-per-view bout in 2008 and moved on to fight for a variety of MMA promotions over the past five years. He fought three times for Bellator last year, losing his final bout in October 2013.
Koppenhaver, who also starred in porn films, has run into a string of legal issues over the years. His record includes a 2012 conviction for attempt to commit battery with substantial bodily harm.
Jon Jones injured, UFC title fight moved to Jan. 3
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has injured his leg, forcing the postponement of his title fight with Daniel Cormier to Jan. 3.
Jones (20-1) was scheduled to fight Cormier (15-0) at UFC 178 in Las Vegas on Sept. 27 in the mixed martial arts promotion’s most anticipated event of the fall.
Instead, Jones and Cormier will headline UFC 182, the promotion’s traditional year-end show in Las Vegas.
Jones is widely considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in MMA, while Cormier is an undefeated former Olympic wrestler. They generated major publicity for their bout last week when they scuffled during a promotional event in the MGM Grand casino lobby.
Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will fight Chris Cariaso in the new main event of UFC 178.
