Tag: Ricco Rodriguez

Ricco Rodriguez: Former UFC Champ Arrested in Arizona

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion, Ricco Rodriguez, was recently apprehended for allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting a cab driver in an affluent Phoenix suburb. Rodriguez and his female companion hired taxicab servi…

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion, Ricco Rodriguez, was recently apprehended for allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting a cab driver in an affluent Phoenix suburb.

Rodriguez and his female companion hired taxicab service to drive them to a popular sports bar in the area.  When the cab fare calculated to $75, the 33-year-old mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter was only willing to pay $20, as explained by Myfoxphoenix.com.

According to the Phoenix police, it wasn’t until Ricco’s companion was willing to pay the remainder, an argument ensued between the driver and the heavyweight fighter, in which the cab driver promptly called 911.  The former champ then proceeded to grab the man and throw him to the ground.

At 6’4” and over 220 pounds, it took three of Phoenix’s finest to subdue the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) black belt, injuring one of them.

“It’s our policy to handcuff behind, that did not occur.  He was struggling with the officers, flailing his arms… one of the officers was pushed against the wall, and we believe at that point he sustained a minor injury or cut to his elbow,” says Sgt. Steve Martos.

The San Jose-born fighter is now facing charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Ricco has seen his share of problems in the past, as he once tested positive for marijuana and cocaine and was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). Plus, he appeared on season one of the VH1 reality television show, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew.

Rodriguez’ last MMA bout was a unanimous decision win over The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) contestant, James McSweeney, on February 26, 2011.  He is also currently on an 11-fight win streak.

 

ROLAND RISO
MMAIDIOT.COM

Roland Riso is a contributing writer for Bleacher Report.  All quotes were obtained from Myfoxphoenix.com.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Ricco Rodriguez Assault Arrest Began With a Cab Fare Dispute, Ended With a Police Officer Being Shoved Into a Wall

New details have emerged in yesterday’s Ricco Rodriguez arrest story. From a KSAZ FOX 10 report published last night:

PHOENIX – Mixed martial arts fighter Ricco ‘Suave’ Rodriguez has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a taxi cab driver and resisting arrest.

According to Phoenix Police, the 33-year-old was arrested over the weekend after an incident with a cab driver in Ahwatukee, south of Phoenix.

Last Sunday, Rodriguez commissioned a cab driver to take him to a bar in Ahwatukee called the Garage.

When the cab fare came to $70, Rodriguez allegedly refused to give the driver more than $20. They got into an argument and the cab driver called 911.

New details have emerged in yesterday’s Ricco Rodriguez arrest story. From a KSAZ FOX 10 report published last night:

PHOENIX – Mixed martial arts fighter Ricco ‘Suave’ Rodriguez has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a taxi cab driver and resisting arrest.

According to Phoenix Police, the 33-year-old was arrested over the weekend after an incident with a cab driver in Ahwatukee, south of Phoenix.

Last Sunday, Rodriguez commissioned a cab driver to take him to a bar in Ahwatukee called the Garage.

When the cab fare came to $70, Rodriguez allegedly refused to give the driver more than $20. They got into an argument and the cab driver called 911.

Rodriguez grabbed the man and tossed him to the ground, according to police. When officers tried to take him into custody, he allegedly pushed one of them into a wall.

He’s a big guy — according to his jail booking information, Rodriguez is 6’2″ and 235 lbs.

Police say it took two Phoenix Police officers and an off-duty officer to get him under control.

“It’s our policy to handcuff behind — that did not occur. He was struggling with the officers, flailing his arms… one of the officers was pushed against the wall, and we believe at that point he sustained a minor injury or cut to his elbow,” says Sgt. Steve Martos.

Rodriguez is facing charges of assault and resisting arrest. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion and currently competes in MMA.

Rodriguez also had a brief stint on VH1′s reality show Celebrity Rehab.

Rodriguez last competed at BAMMA 5 in February, winning a unanimous decision over TUF 10 vet James McSweeney after missing weight for the second time in a row. It was his 11th-consecutive victory.

Ricco Rodriguez Booked for Resisting Arrest

Filed under: NewsFormer UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was arrested this past Sunday near in Arizona on charges of assault and resisting arrest, according to police records.

In an incident first reported by MyFoxPhoenix, Rodriguez allegedly …

Filed under:

Former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez was arrested this past Sunday near in Arizona on charges of assault and resisting arrest, according to police records.

In an incident first reported by MyFoxPhoenix, Rodriguez allegedly assaulted a taxi cab driver after refusing to pay more than $20 for a $70 fare in Ahwatukee, south of Phoenix. When the police were called to the scene, police said it took three officers to control Rodriguez.

“It’s our policy to handcuff behind — that did not occur. He was struggling with the officers, flailing his arms … one of the officers was pushed against the wall, and we believe at that point he sustained a minor injury or cut to his elbow,” Sgt. Steve Martos said in the MyFoxPhoenix report.

Rodriguez (46-11) is currently riding an 11-fight win streak fighting in local circuits around the world. In February, he defeated James McSweeney via unanimous decision at BAMMA 5: Daley vs. Shirai in Manchester, England. During that time, he was rumored to join Bellator, but that never came to fruition, and unable to earn a return trip to the UFC, set his goal instead on 50 career wins.

Rodriguez once held the UFC heavyweight title by defeating Randy Couture at UFC 39 in September 2002.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mugshot of the Day: Ricco Rodriguez Arrested for Assault, Resisting Arrest

Ricco Rodriguez mugshot UFC MMA arrest assault
(Props: wiu81. Side-view is here, if you’re an MMA mugshot completist.)

According to jailbase.com, former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez was arrested last Sunday, May 15th, in Maricopa County, Arizona. Charges were listed as assault, failure to appear, and resisting arrest. We have no more info at this time, but we’ll update you as soon as we do. By the way, if you feel like checking out the mugshots of everybody who was arrested in Maricopa County on 5/15, click here. It’s like a broke-ass game of Guess Who. (“Is your person an obvious tranny? Does your person look like he needs a bath?”)

Ricco Rodriguez mugshot UFC MMA arrest assault
(Props: wiu81. Side-view is here, if you’re an MMA mugshot completist.)

According to jailbase.com, former UFC heavyweight champ Ricco Rodriguez was arrested last Sunday, May 15th, in Maricopa County, Arizona. Charges were listed as assault, failure to appear, and resisting arrest. We have no more info at this time, but we’ll update you as soon as we do. By the way, if you feel like checking out the mugshots of everybody who was arrested in Maricopa County on 5/15, click here. It’s like a broke-ass game of Guess Who. (“Is your person an obvious tranny? Does your person look like he needs a bath?”)

With No UFC Offer on Table, Ricco Rodriguez Chasing 50 Wins

The list of former UFC heavyweight champions who are actively fighting outside of the UFC is minimal, and of those on the list, few have the recent credentials of outsider Ricco Rodriguez, currently riding a 10-match winning streak.

But don’t expect …

The list of former UFC heavyweight champions who are actively fighting outside of the UFC is minimal, and of those on the list, few have the recent credentials of outsider Ricco Rodriguez, currently riding a 10-match winning streak.

But don’t expect him in the immediate future inside the UFC Octagon, even if he records another win this Saturday at BAMMA 5.

“The reality is that the opportunity is not there at the present time,” Rodriguez said in an exclusive interview with MMAFighting.com. “That’s just the reality of it. There’s no reason to beat that subject, and the truth of the matter is that I’m sure the fans would love to see me back in the UFC. It’s just right now the opportunity doesn’t strike itself.”

Ricco Rodriguez to Face James McSweeney at BAMMA 5

Filed under: NewsOne-time UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez will meet former The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant James McSweeney at BAMMA 5 on Feb. 26 in Manchester, England, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Rodriguez will look to extend his 1…

Filed under:

One-time UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez will meet former The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant James McSweeney at BAMMA 5 on Feb. 26 in Manchester, England, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Rodriguez will look to extend his 10-fight win streak at the UK-based event, being headlined by Strikeforce contender Paul Daley vs. DEEP champion Yuya Shirai for the vacant BAMMA welterweight strap.