The Orleans Parish District Attorney will not seek criminal charges against ex-UFC star Nate Diaz following his involvement in a brawl on Bourbon Street earlier this year. In April, Diaz was charged with second-degree battery after a video went viral that showed the ‘Stockton Samurai’ choking social media influencer Rodney Peterson unconscious during an altercation […]
The Orleans Parish District Attorney will not seek criminal charges against ex-UFC star Nate Diaz following his involvement in a brawl on Bourbon Street earlier this year.
In April, Diaz was charged with second-degree battery after a video went viral that showed the ‘Stockton Samurai’ choking social media influencer Rodney Peterson unconscious during an altercation following a Misfits Boxing event in The Big Easy.
Nate Diaz turned himself into the New Orleans Police Department shortly after the incident, but per a report from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, the TUF alumnus will not face any charges.
“Since Rodney Peterson sought out to fight Nate on Bourbon Street, we have maintained Nate’s actions were 100 percent in self-defense,” Diaz’s representative Zach Rosenfield said in a statement. “
It was clear on the video, clear in pictures, and clear from the multiple other videos Rodney posted before and after Nate has a right to defend himself against those who want to make a name for themselves and did so. We appreciate the Orleans Parish District Attorney taking the time to review all aspects of this case and their decision to not proceed with it.”
Nate Diaz choked out Logan Paul’s lookalike in New Orleans brawl
The report also reveals that a representative from the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office confirmed to ESPN that they would not proceed with charges against Diaz.
Will Nate Diaz Return to the UFC?
After becoming one of the biggest stars in UFC history during his 15-year tenure, Nate Diaz parted ways with the promotion in September 2022 to seek a big-money matchup inside the squared circle. He got exactly that, landing a fight with social media sensation Jake Paul. The pair stepped into American Airlines Center in August and delivered a highly entertaining 10-round scrap that reportedly landed Diaz upwards of $20 million.
Diaz has not yet announced his next move, but an appearance at Noche UFC earlier this month added to the speculation that he could find himself once again back under the UFC banner before long.
Bernard Kersh was body-slammed after spitting in a police officer’s face and is now seeking damages following the violent event that occurred during his 2019 arrest.
On Thursday, Kersh pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of battery. In exchange …
Bernard Kersh was body-slammed after spitting in a police officer’s face and is now seeking damages following the violent event that occurred during his 2019 arrest.
On Thursday, Kersh pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of battery. In exchange for his guilty plea, Cook County prosecutors dropped a couple of prior charges that he picked up which included aggravated battery. Since the 2019 arrest, Kersh has been awaiting trial in the Cook County Jail. The judge sentenced Kersh to a year in prison, which he appears to have served given the time he’s been incarcerated awaiting trial.
The statement from police indicates that Kersh was drinking vodka at a bus shelter on the city’s South Side until police officers approached him. Police affirm that Kersh spat in the face of an officer before the confrontation turned physical. The event took place on Thanksgiving Day in 2019.
The prosecutor said that a substantial amount of spit made it into the officer’s mouth and eyes. A cell phone video emerged that showed the officer body-slamming Kersh in a sudden manner. The viral video released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability displays disturbing footage which shows Hersh hitting the pavement. Eventually, he was moved to the back of a squad car and taken to the hospital.
The video sparked outrage. In consequence, Kersh’s attorney has sued the city and the officer who slammed him in 2019. Kersh’s lawsuit states that he sustained serious head, neck, and shoulder injuries from the incident. In addition, the lawsuit asserts that the officer should have known serious damage could occur since the officer is an MMA fighter.
Kersh’s lead attorney, Andrew M. Stroth informed The Associated Press that litigation in regards to Kersh’s lawsuit is pending. Several Chicago police officers were disciplined following the widely publicized incident on Thanksgiving Day in 2019.
UFC lightweight Michael Johnson was ineligible to compete in the UFC organization following his arrest regarding a domestic dispute in Palm Beach County, Florida in April 2014. Given that the allegations against Johnson constituted a potential violation of the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy, the UFC organization temporarily barred Johnson from competition pending the completion of a third-party investigation. Following a thorough review and investigation—including personal interviews with Johnson and independent confirmation that he has satisfied all obligations required by the UFC—Johnson is once again eligible to compete and will begin training for his next fight at UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Teixeira in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The UFC will continue to monitor Johnson’s status. He must fully comply with the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and all other contractual and additional obligations in order to continue competing in the UFC.
All UFC athletes are required to comply with the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy they signed along with their fight contract. The UFC organization will not tolerate any violation of its Fighter Conduct Policy. The organization is committed to thoroughly investigating all allegations and taking the appropriate action when warranted.
UFC lightweight Michael Johnson was ineligible to compete in the UFC organization following his arrest regarding a domestic dispute in Palm Beach County, Florida in April 2014. Given that the allegations against Johnson constituted a potential violation of the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy, the UFC organization temporarily barred Johnson from competition pending the completion of a third-party investigation. Following a thorough review and investigation—including personal interviews with Johnson and independent confirmation that he has satisfied all obligations required by the UFC—Johnson is once again eligible to compete and will begin training for his next fight at UFC Fight Night: Evans vs. Teixeira in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The UFC will continue to monitor Johnson’s status. He must fully comply with the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy and all other contractual and additional obligations in order to continue competing in the UFC.
All UFC athletes are required to comply with the UFC Fighter Conduct Policy they signed along with their fight contract. The UFC organization will not tolerate any violation of its Fighter Conduct Policy. The organization is committed to thoroughly investigating all allegations and taking the appropriate action when warranted.
– I wonder how often “undisclosed injury” really means “embarrassing arrest that we’d rather not publicize”?
– The UFC claims to have a “zero tolerance policy” on domestic violence…except Michael Johnson and Anthony Johnson were welcomed back to the UFC following “third-party investigations.” Meanwhile, Jason High’s lifetime ban for shoving a referee has remained in effect. Cool priorities, bro.
As we previously reported, UFC light-heavyweight Anthony Johnson is currently on an indefinite suspension, following allegations that he brutally assaulted the mother of two of his children at her place of employment in 2012, then talked her out of pressing charges; the victim claims she has been receiving threatening calls and text messages since then. This followed a separate incident in 2009, in which Johnson roughed up a different woman and eventually pleaded nolo contendere to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, Johnson’s history of abuse doesn’t end there. According to a police report first unearthed by MMAJunkie, another ex-girlfriend of the UFC fighter claimed that Johnson assaulted her at her place of employment. Via Junkie:
On March 19, the woman called police to get Johnson to leave her place of employment, Park’s Taekwondo. According to the probable cause affidavit, she did not give a full account of the incident until the next day, when a teacher from the taekwondo school called police to document a text message he said he received from Johnson. The woman told police then that Johnson had showed up unannounced at Park’s Taekwondo on 15 separate occasions in the three months she had worked there, even though their sexual relationship ended in 2012.
The woman said Johnson knew she was working alone March 19. She said he demanded to speak with her, grabbed her shirt behind the neck, lifted her up from the chair by her shirt and grabbed her right arm. She showed the investigator “bruising on her right forearm and a reddish scratch mark near her right collarbone.” She told police she asked Johnson to leave several times, but he did not until police arrived.
(Photo via Getty)
As we previously reported, UFC light-heavyweight Anthony Johnson is currently on an indefinite suspension, following allegations that he brutally assaulted the mother of two of his children at her place of employment in 2012, then talked her out of pressing charges; the victim claims she has been receiving threatening calls and text messages since then. This followed a separate incident in 2009, in which Johnson roughed up a different woman and eventually pleaded nolo contendere to a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, Johnson’s history of abuse doesn’t end there. According to a police report first unearthed by MMAJunkie, another ex-girlfriend of the UFC fighter claimed that Johnson assaulted her at her place of employment. Via Junkie:
On March 19, the woman called police to get Johnson to leave her place of employment, Park’s Taekwondo. According to the probable cause affidavit, she did not give a full account of the incident until the next day, when a teacher from the taekwondo school called police to document a text message he said he received from Johnson. The woman told police then that Johnson had showed up unannounced at Park’s Taekwondo on 15 separate occasions in the three months she had worked there, even though their sexual relationship ended in 2012.
The woman said Johnson knew she was working alone March 19. She said he demanded to speak with her, grabbed her shirt behind the neck, lifted her up from the chair by her shirt and grabbed her right arm. She showed the investigator “bruising on her right forearm and a reddish scratch mark near her right collarbone.” She told police she asked Johnson to leave several times, but he did not until police arrived.
Also documented is what the police call an apparent “pattern of stalking,” which, along with battery charges were to be filed through the State Attorney Office. However, the woman requested that the charges be dropped. The case supplemental report states that the victim “stated she no longer wished to pursue charges for battery or stalking and only wanted these incidents documented.”
Oh, so the victim no longer wanted to cooperate and the charges were dropped? Re-sign this man immediately! Ugh. The worst part about this new development is how similar the accusations are to the previous accusations made against Johnson. Just like in the 2012 incident, Johnson (allegedly) showed up to an ex-girlfriend’s job and put his hands on her, and also exhibited stalking behavior. And just like the 2009 case, Johnson’s seems to enjoy yanking women off the ground as a method of intimidation.
Of course, Johnson will never answer to these charges in a court of law. The only punishment he might receive is the permanent loss of his UFC contract, which seems likely at this point. We’ll update you if and when the UFC releases an official statement.
In a victory for bad guys everywhere, former UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva has been officially cleared of all charges related to an alleged spree of mayhem in January and February of this year. Silva had been accused of sticking a gun in his ex-wife Thaysa’s mouth and threatening to kill her, sending her bonus death-threats via text message, then driving over to Pablo Popovitch’s gym and threatening to shoot up the place. He was eventually charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest without violence.
Sherdog.com confirmed the news with a Broward County State Attorney’s office representative following an initial report from TMZ. The representative said that the charges were likely dropped because the alleged victim had become uncooperative and investigators had determined that she had likely moved out of the country.
(Deal with it. / Photo via Getty)
In a victory for bad guys everywhere, former UFC light-heavyweight Thiago Silva has been officially cleared of all charges related to an alleged spree of mayhem in January and February of this year. Silva had been accused of sticking a gun in his ex-wife Thaysa’s mouth and threatening to kill her, sending her bonus death-threats via text message, then driving over to Pablo Popovitch’s gym and threatening to shoot up the place. He was eventually charged with aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest without violence.
Sherdog.com confirmed the news with a Broward County State Attorney’s office representative following an initial report from TMZ. The representative said that the charges were likely dropped because the alleged victim had become uncooperative and investigators had determined that she had likely moved out of the country.
Wait, so Silva is a free man because his alleged victim won’t testify and is currently in hiding? Great workas usual, Florida.
The elder Mein was accused of assaulting a maid at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Tulsa, the host hotel for the event, just before UFC Fight Night 49 weigh-ins. Lee Mein was taken into custody, then released after posting $2,000 bond early Saturday morning. Nevertheless, UFC officials didn’t want him around that night. Here’s the official statement from UFC.com:
“We were made aware that James Lee Mein, father of UFC competitor Jordan Mein, was arrested yesterday on allegations of felony sexual battery. Mr. Mein is accused of felony sexual battery during an encounter with a housekeeper at the UFC’s host hotel in Tulsa, Okla. The UFC finds the allegations against Mr. Mein deplorable and we fully support local law enforcement in its investigation. The UFC is also prohibiting Mr. Mein from attending tonight’s event. Jordan Mein will remain on tonight’s card.”
A fixture on the Canadian MMA scene since 2000, Lee Mein (now 47 years old) has jobbed his way to a 6-13 pro record as a heavyweight, and most recently lost to Tim Hague by TKO in February at WSOF Canada: Ford vs. Powell in February. At this point, Jordan Mein’s only public comment on the matter was to say that his father’s arrest wasn’t a distraction.
After the jump, the police affadavit adds more details about the housekeeper’s accusations…
The elder Mein was accused of assaulting a maid at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Tulsa, the host hotel for the event, just before UFC Fight Night 49 weigh-ins. Lee Mein was taken into custody, then released after posting $2,000 bond early Saturday morning. Nevertheless, UFC officials didn’t want him around that night. Here’s the official statement from UFC.com:
“We were made aware that James Lee Mein, father of UFC competitor Jordan Mein, was arrested yesterday on allegations of felony sexual battery. Mr. Mein is accused of felony sexual battery during an encounter with a housekeeper at the UFC’s host hotel in Tulsa, Okla. The UFC finds the allegations against Mr. Mein deplorable and we fully support local law enforcement in its investigation. The UFC is also prohibiting Mr. Mein from attending tonight’s event. Jordan Mein will remain on tonight’s card.”
A fixture on the Canadian MMA scene since 2000, Lee Mein (now 47 years old) has jobbed his way to a 6-13 pro record as a heavyweight, and most recently lost to Tim Hague by TKO in February at WSOF Canada: Ford vs. Powell in February. At this point, Jordan Mein’s only public comment on the matter was to say that his father’s arrest wasn’t a distraction.
After the jump, the police affadavit adds more details about the housekeeper’s accusations…
