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The UFC’s athletes are renowned for fighting each other in the octagon. While things are naturally violent inside the cage, the fighters are largely respectful and happy to avoid scrapping out of the cage. However, that’s not always the case.
There have been several occasions where the UFC’s fighters have become involved in public altercations.
At times the UFC fighters involved have been labeled heroes and, other times, villains. Either way, these incidents have made the headlines.
With that in mind, here are five public altercations that involved UFC stars:
#5 UFC legend B.J. Penn knocked out in Hawaii street fight
B.J. Penn is undoubtedly a legend of the UFC. 'The Prodigy' won the UFC lightweight and welterweight titles during his lengthy career. During his storied career, Penn defeated the likes of Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver, and Diego Sanchez along the way.
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However, B.J. Penn’s later years have not been so kind to him. Not only did the Hawaiian go on a seven-fight losing streak at the end of his UFC career, but he also started to become involved in a worrying number of public altercations outside the octagon too.
Easily the most infamous of these incidents took place in August 2019. In a bizarre clip made public online by TMZ, Penn was shown in an angry altercation with an unknown man in his hometown of Hilo, Hawaii.
Incredibly, the clip showed Penn being caught with a left hook that seemed to knock him out completely, sending him sprawling flat-backed to the ground.
The footage was particularly disturbing given that Penn had been renowned for an iron chin in his UFC days and had never been outright knocked out in the octagon.
More footage showing Penn pummelling his foe on the ground later surfaced. The UFC was horrified enough to cut the legend from the roster, bringing an abrupt end to his storied career.
#4 Michael Bisping assaulted by stranger who “hits like a b*tch”
Another former UFC champion to be involved in a public altercation in recent times was Michael Bisping. The former UFC middleweight kingpin retired from MMA following eye problems in 2017 and can now be seen as one of the promotion’s color commentators.
However, Bisping is still clearly as tough as nails, and with a highly colorful past – judging by excerpts from his autobiography – the last thing anyone would seemingly want to do would be to get into a street fight with him.
Apparently, though, one angry man on the streets of New Orleans didn’t quite get that message. Thankfully, Bisping has mellowed out in his old age and shrugged off what sounds like a bizarre situation.
According to 'The Count', he was visiting the city with his family when a stranger took exception to the fact that Bisping was filming in a public street. And when the Englishman told him where to go, the stranger decided to punch him in the face.
Thankfully for this stranger, Bisping’s response saw him simply laugh at the lack of power in his hands rather than retaliate.
While it was probably good for the man to not have to take a shot from a former UFC champion, being outed on Twitter as “hitting like a b*tch” probably didn’t do much for his street cred either.
#3 Roger Huerta flattens NFL star for hitting a woman
Around 15 years ago, there were no UFC stars hotter than Roger Huerta. The Mexican-American lightweight debuted in the octagon at UFC 63 and quickly became renowned as one of the promotion’s most exciting prospects.
By late 2007, Huerta was being pushed by the UFC as a superstar and even became the first UFC fighter to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. However, his fall was as quick as his rise, and by late 2009, he departed the UFC on a two-fight losing streak.
Huerta never quite recaptured his momentum once he joined Bellator. Howe his name reappeared in MMA media after a wild public altercation in 2010 with a former NFL star named Rashad Bobino.
A video surfaced that appeared to show Bobino – who played for the Atlanta Falcons and starred at a collegiate level for the University of Texas – involved in an altercation that saw him punch a woman, knocking her to the ground.
Moments later, Huerta became involved, and after stripping to the waist, he quickly chased after Bobino before dropping him with what appeared to be a flurry of punches.
The video then showed 'El Matador' delivering a series of soccer kicks to the downed Bobino, apparently knocking him unconscious.
Incredibly, Huerta avoided any legal issues after the incident – and instead was largely praised for his actions by fans on social media, who were clearly happy to see a potential woman-beater pay the price for his actions.
#2 Ryan Hall manhandles a drunk in a restaurant
The winner of the 22nd season of The Ultimate Fighter, grappler Ryan Hall comes across as one of the most mild-mannered fighters on the UFC’s roster despite his exceptional skills on the mat.
But in 2012 – some years before his UFC career began – another side of 'The Wizard' was shown in a bizarre incident involving a drunken patron in a restaurant.
Video footage of the incident showed the drunk accosting Hall, who appeared to be eating a meal with his family and friends.
After restaurant staff failed to remove him from the scene, Hall took matters into his own hands. A double leg takedown planted the drunk on the ground, and from there – without throwing a punch – Hall moved into a full mount and simply held the man to control him.
Hall eventually released the man, but when he continued to pursue an altercation, the action spilled outside the restaurant. Eventually, 'The Wizard' used a rear-naked choke to put the drunk to sleep.
Nothing further came of the incident, but it was a clear reminder that even the most mild-mannered UFC fighters could do some serious damage if they were forced to.
#1 Lee Murray knocks out Tito Ortiz in London
While no footage exists, the most legendary public altercation involving UFC fighters took place in London way back in 2002. It saw then-UFC light-heavyweight champ Tito Ortiz apparently throw down with future UFC fighter – and now convicted criminal mastermind – Lee Murray.
According to former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes, via another former UFC champ Pat Miletich – who witnessed the incident – the whole thing began as a misunderstanding.
Apparently, one of Ortiz’s friends jumped on Miletich’s back. Miletich’s friend Tony Fryklund thought that he was being attacked and stepped in. From there, a brawl erupted between Ortiz’s crew – which included Chuck Liddell – and Miletich’s crew, which also involved Lee Murray.
According to Miletich, Ortiz took his jacket off and approached Murray – who slipped a punch and then dropped 'The Huntington Beach Bad Boy' with a combination, before stomping on his head whilst he was grounded.
"Then I looked over and there's Tito directly past me, taking his coat off, going after Lee Murray, and Lee Murray's backing up the alley taking his jacket off. Both their jackets come off, and Tito throws a left hook at Lee Murray and misses, and right as he missed, Lee Murray counters with, like, a five-punch combo, landed right on the chin, and knocked Tito out. OUT. Tito fell face-first down to the ground, and then Lee Murray stomped him on the face a couple of times with his boots."
The incident immediately made its way into UFC lore. While Ortiz and Murray never faced off inside the octagon, the altercation only added to the legend of 'Lightning Lee', who would go on to become one of Europe’s most infamous men.
