UFC Hall of Fame member and former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has released a statement in the wake of being arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic battery.
In the early hours of Monday, October 11, police attended Liddell’s residence, and took the retired fighter into custody. Following an initial report by TMZ, Cageside Press confirmed that Liddell was being held at the Lost Hills Sheriff Station in California, with bail set at $20,000. Liddell had reportedly been involved in an altercation with his wife, in which a verbal argument led to a physical confrontation.
After being released later in the day, Liddell issued a statement via his verified Instagram account, claiming that he was the victim in a case that stemmed from a “family mental health issue.”
Liddell’s full statement can be viewed below.
Last night the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies who responded were professional. While the information about this case will be revealed in due course, I believe it is important to convey and clarify a few facts about the situation.
I was the victim of the incident last night at our family home, as details of the case will reveal. The deputies informed me that my wife would be arrested, as I did not respond to her assault while I sustained bruising and lacerations. I volunteered to go in her place.
This is one of the many times I have tried to shield a family mental health issue from the public purview. It has become painfully apparent that this cannot continue, as our private life has now reached a public breaking point. Please respect our privacy as I help to navigate our family through this difficult time.
Liddell has not competed since the ill-fated Golden Boy MMA card in 2018, which saw him come out of retirement only to be knocked out in his third and final fight with Tito Ortiz. Prior to that, “The Iceman” had essentially been forced into retirement by friend and former manager Dana White, after losing several consecutive fights in violent fashion at the end of his UFC run.
From 2005 to 2007, Liddell was on top of the mixed martial arts world, reigning as UFC light heavyweight champion and securing four title defenses. Liddell, who also competed for PRIDE, got his start at UFC 17 in 1998.
