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Jeremy Stephens has been competing for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as far back as 2007 and already had more than a dozen Octagon fights under his belt by the time the power-punching featherweight ended up in jail in 2012 for an outstanding warrant.
For those newer fans (or those with poor memories), “Lil’ Heathen” was expected to rematch Din Thomas at the UFC on FX 5 event in Minneapolis, but got cuffed and stuffed the day of the show, leaving “Dinyero” without an opponent.
That’s when a furious Dana White showed up to bail him out.
“Dana happened to be doing business with Ronda Rousey,” former UFC fighter, Chael Sonnen, said during his ESPN show (via Bloody Elbow). “He takes Ronda Rousey, $150,000 in cash, goes down to the jail to get Jeremy Stephens out. Ronda told me that story herself. She said, ‘Yes, it was Dana and I and $150 grand.’ And guess what? They didn’t let him out.”
White claims the people of Iowa had a vendetta against Stephens.
“But Ariel, picture that for a second,” Sonnen continued. “First off, where did he get $150 Gs on the spot? And secondly, Dana and Ronda come walking through the door!? It’s probably going to turn some heads, right? I mean, just picture that image, though. ‘Hey, that’s my guy back there, I need him out.’”
Stephens was not released in time to compete.
Fast-forward to 2019 and Stephens is still going strong. In fact, “Lil’ Heathen” will be one half of the UFC Fight Night 159 main event on ESPN+, taking place this Saturday night (Sept. 21, 2019) inside Arena Ciudad de Mexico in Mexico City.
For the finalized UFC Mexico City fight card and line up click here.