Former UFC welterweight Jon Koppenhaver, who now legally goes by War Machine, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon at a San Diego bar last night.According to a report from The San Diego Union Tribune, the 28-year-old was involved in an altercation at the establishment at about 10:50 p.m., and the police were alerted that he was "going crazy," according to bouncers. When police arrived, War Machine allegedly tried to evade arrest by running away, but was captured 10 minutes later.
"If it's true, I'm shocked by it," said his agent Ken Pavia, who said he hadn't spoken to his client since the alleged incident. "Recently, he's been in the right frame of mind. He just got out of porn. He has a new girl in his life who is a positive influence. He's getting ready to open a gym with a couple of his buddies. He was resetting his priorities. He seemed to be in a great frame of mind, so I'm very surprised."
Police told the paper that he struck at least one person in the head during the incident, though no one had to be hospitalized. It was not immediately clear whether the charges against him refer to the use of an actual weapon. In California, the charge can be brought even if no weapon is used. A San Diego police public relations official did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Ealier today, TMZ ran photos of War Machine's arrest which showed him wearing a spit bag over his head.
Born Jon Koppenhaver, the California native rose to prominence in the MMA world after participating in season six of The Ultimate Fighter. He compiled a 1-1 record in the UFC before being released, partially due to his controversial nature. He eventually underwent a brief career in pornography, though he recently said he was leaving the business to focus on MMA. He's 10-3 in his career, and most recently lost a decision to David Mitchell last October.
Pavia told MMA Fighting that he was in the process of finalizing two future fights for War Machine, but doesn't know if either opportunity will be impacted by the arrest.
This was not his first run-in with the law. He was arrested in Feb. 2010 for an alleged fight at a Las Vegas night club, and also in Nov. 2009 for another alleged assault.
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