Former Bellator and UFC welterweight War Machine, formerly Jon Koppenhaver, insists that he fought “for his life” last week on a day where he planned to propose to his girlfriend Christy Mack, a well-known porn star.
As TMZ Sports reported, the controversial fighter was unceremoniously released by Bellator on Friday after it came to light that War Machine is the prime suspect in the beating of Mack and an unnamed third party in Las Vegas.
As authorities continue to search for War Machine, the embattled Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt finally shed some light on the situation yesterday—portraying himself as a victim.
I’m not a bad guy, I went to surprise my gf, help her set up her show and to give her an engagement ring and ended up fighting for my life.
— War Machine (@WarMachine170) August 11, 2014
Over the weekend, rumors swirled that War Machine came home to see Mack in bed with another MMA fighter before the matter took a turn for the worse, a claim she has since denied.
@AmberLMatthews actually, that’s not a fact.
— Christy Mack (@ChristyMack) August 9, 2014
War Machine’s recollection of the events does not definitely confirm or deny that was the sequence of events he encountered.
I only wish that man hadn’t been there and that Christy & I would behappily engaged.I don’t know y I’m so cursed.One day truth will come out
— War Machine (@WarMachine170) August 11, 2014
Mack, who says she will release her version of the story shortly, also shot down the notion that War Machine engaged in a bloody, back-and-forth brawl with a third party at their home on Friday.
@KenPavia none of the blood at the crime scene is his. None.
— Christy Mack (@ChristyMack) August 11, 2014
Police have been mum on the situation thus far, which is standard procedure in an ongoing investigation. Furthermore, the third party in this violent encounter is yet to be identified.
The Ultimate Fighter alumnus pled guilty to assault charges stemming from a bar brawl in San Diego back in 2010, which had him in and out of jail from mid-2011 until late 2012, per TMZ Sports.
War Machine posted a 2-1 recording under the Bellator banner, finishing Blas Avena and Vaughn Anderson and getting submitted by Ron Keslar in October—his most recent MMA contest.
Did Bellator act too swiftly in terminating War Machine, or was it the only call to make given his history of legal troubles?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
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