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While MMA's reputation has definitely improved over the years, largely thanks to the work of the UFC, it hasn’t stopped some fighters from facing legal difficulties outside the octagon.
Over the years, particularly recently, we’ve seen a number of big-name UFC stars get into serious legal trouble after leaving the promotion. Whether this has anything to do with the effects of fighting (namely CTE) or other factors remains debatable. Either way, it’s never good to see.
And so, here are five fighters who found themselves in legal trouble after leaving the UFC.
#5. Phil Baroni – former UFC middleweight contender
While it’s been a long time since he fought in the UFC, Phil Baroni remains a recognizable name to fans who followed the promotion in the 2000s. One of the most colourful and outspoken fighters of his generation, ‘The New York Bad Ass’ hit like a truck and was responsible for a number of brutal knockouts during his time with the promotion.
However, he was also a controversial character, as he was suspended for a period between 2003 and 2004 after striking referee Larry Landless during his bout with Evan Tanner. Baroni departed the UFC for the final time in 2011, and while he continued to fight until 2019 in various other promotions, little has been heard of him since then.
That was until this week, when the New York native was reportedly arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend in San Pancho, Mexico.
According to reports, Baroni argued with his girlfriend after she admitted to cheating on him. From there, the former fighter is said to have thrown her into a shower with force, causing her to suffer a fatal head injury.
A full investigation into the incident is going ahead, with Baroni being held in custody. While ‘The New York Bad Ass’ has not been part of the UFC for over a decade, this story is still highly disturbing and will no doubt dominate the news again later down the line.
#4. Stephan Bonnar – former UFC light-heavyweight contender
Last month saw the unfortunate announcement that UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar had passed away due to an apparent heart complication.
‘The American Psycho’ was just 45 years old, and the outpouring of grief from his peers was widespread. Evidently, Bonnar was seen as a highly likable character behind the scenes.
Bonnar will undoubtedly be best remembered for his run on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter. A run that ended with his legendary clash with Forrest Griffin. However, he also found himself embroiled in a few legal issues after he departed the promotion in 2012.
In October 2018, Bonnar was reportedly arrested near Las Vegas and charged with DUI. According to the reports, ‘The American Psycho’ was seen driving his Cadillac in a dangerous and reckless manner, driving on the freeway at speeds that exceeded 90mph. When police arrived on the scene, pedestrians had hog-tied Bonnar to the hood of his vehicle to prevent him from fleeing the scene.
In 2021, the former TUF star was arrested for becoming aggressive in a Nevada hospital after staff refused to give him prescription painkillers.
Whether these issues contributed to his premature death is unknown, but there’s no denying that this remains a sad case of a former star coming off the rails after leaving the UFC.
#3. Josh Grispi – former UFC featherweight contender
One of the most disturbing cases of a former UFC fighter finding himself in hot water legally after departing the promotion involved former featherweight contender Josh Grispi.
‘The Fluke’ moved over to the promotion after a successful run in the WEC, where he went 4-0 and picked up wins over the likes of Jens Pulver and Mark Hominick. However, despite being pegged to fight Jose Aldo for the featherweight title at one point, he didn’t fare so well in the UFC. He suffered four straight losses, including one to a young Dustin Poirier, and was released in early 2013.
The next time fans heard Grispi’s name was when a disturbing report was released in 2014 detailing the fighter’s arrest for domestic abuse and assault. According to the reports, ‘The Fluke’ had repeatedly attacked his wife and had even trained a pit bull terrier to attack her. When he was arrested, police also found 20 marijuana plants as well as 15 grams of cocaine. With one police officer labeling it “the worst case of domestic abuse (he’d) ever seen”, it came as no surprise to see Grispi slapped with a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence.
Incredibly, after his release in 2019, Grispi intended to return to MMA, albeit not at the top level. However, his comeback bout was nixed due to legal complications, and he has not re-entered the sport since.
#2. Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller – former UFC middleweight contender
The fighter who has perhaps been embroiled in the most legal problems after departing the UFC is former middleweight contender Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller.
The Californian had two runs with the promotion, fighting stars such as Georges St-Pierre and Michael Bisping, but failed to win a bout inside the octagon.
However, his loud, charismatic personality made him a star, and he even fronted the MTV reality series Bully Beatdown for some time. Essentially, had he followed a different path, he could well have become one of MMA’s most recognizable faces.
After departing the UFC in 2012, though, ‘Mayhem’ couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble with the law. In the decade that followed his final octagon bout, he was arrested on multiple occasions and has been charged with crimes ranging from domestic battery and DUI to burglary and felony vandalism.
In 2021, Miller was eventually jailed for just under a year for felony vandalism and grand theft auto, although thankfully, his name has not appeared in the media since.
In this instance, it’s safe to suggest that the “crazy” act portrayed by ‘Mayhem’ during his fighting career may not have been all that far from the truth.
#1. Cain Velasquez – former UFC heavyweight champion
Arguably the most unfortunate case of a former UFC fighter becoming embroiled in legal problems after the end of their MMA career involves former heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez.
Velasquez, who dominated the likes of Brock Lesnar and Junior dos Santos in the octagon, fought for the final time in February 2019, losing to Francis Ngannou. Thanks to this, as well as a litany of injuries, he hung up his gloves shortly after and appeared to be doing well in the world of pro wrestling.
However, in March 2022, it was reported that Velasquez had been arrested in Santa Clara County, California, on charges of attempted murder. According to the reports, Velasquez had targeted Harry Goularte, who was charged with allegedly molesting the former heavyweight champion’s son. The reports suggested that Velasquez engaged in a high-speed chase with his intended victim and then fired a gun into his truck, hitting Goularte’s stepfather by mistake.
Since the incident, Velasquez has received near-unanimous support from the entire MMA community, including UFC President Dana White and Scott Coker, who heads the Bellator MMA organization.
While he still faces a lengthy jail sentence if he is convicted, November 2022 saw him finally granted bail by the court, a decision that was widely celebrated by his peers on social media.
Quite what happens to Velasquez when the case reaches trial is anyone’s guess, but it’s safe to say that this unfortunate case will hang over the sport of MMA for some time going forward.
