Former UFC fighter Luis Pena pleads not guilty to misdemeanor battery charges
Former UFC fighter Luis Pena has pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor battery charges.
According to a Broward County (Fla.) court document acquired by MMA Junkie, Pena officially gave a written plea Friday, along with a demand for discovery, information, and trial.
Pena, 28, faces one charge of “battery/touch or strike/cause bodily harm”and one charge of “battery,” stemming from an Oct. 9 arrest. According to police, Pena struck his significant other and a witness who tried to intervene in the tussle. The significant other suffered abrasions on her hand and wrist, as well as a bite mark on her knee, police said. The witness suffered an eye contusion and elbow laceration, police added. Pena was later released on bond.
Pena’s next court date is not listed in the court docket as of this story’s publication.
Shortly after his arrest, Broward County Sheriff’s Office gave MMA Junkie the following statement:
“On the above date and time, the above defendant was involved in a physical altercation with (redacted) whom he had been in an intimate relationship with for the last 1 1/2 years. The defendant did actually and intentionally strike (redacted) in the face multiple times with a closed fist and continued to strike (redacted) while she was on the ground. (redacted) had minor abrasions to the top of her left hand, abrasions on the left wrist, and an alleged bite mark to her left knee region. While the above incident was occurring, victim (redacted) observed the altercation and attempted to step in and defuse the situation between the Defendant and (redacted). At that time, the defendant struck (redacted) in the left eye with a closed fist. The aforementioned strike caused a purple contusion to the eye region of (redacted). When struck, (redacted) fell to the ground causing a laceration to her right elbow. (redacted) and (redacted) both provided sworn statements that attested to the above information, and BWC was in use and injuries were photographed.”
The identities of Pena’s significant other and witness were not revealed, as they are protected under Marsy’s Law, a constitutional amendment that provides victims and their families specific rights with the interest of fairness, respect, and privacy.
Three days after Pena’s October arrest, the UFC announced it released him from his promotional contract.
“This was a bad case and we knew that he had problems before that we were trying to help him with,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the Dana White’s Contender Series 43 post-fight news conference. “This is a pretty nasty one. I don’t know if you guys read the police report, but yeah, this one had to happen.”
911 audio was released shortly after news of Pena’s arrest. A woman who identified herself as Pena’s girlfriend stated Pena hit her multiple times. She added there was already a “no contact” order in place.
Pena was arrested three times in 2021; once each in June, October, and November. Cases on charges from his June and November arrests were disposed, according to online records.
Since his promotional agreement termination, Pena has stayed actively competing, winning back-to-back fights under the Titan FC banner. He has alluded to his legal issues in Instagram stories, indicating he has proof the accused wrongdoings are untrue.
