Former UFC champion Chuck Liddell is opening up about his domestic violence arrest. The UFC Hall of Famer, was arrested early Monday morning at his home in Hidden Hills, California following an alleged incident involving his wife. Although he was ultimately charged with domestic battery, Liddell said in a statement Monday evening that reports of the incident are not fact, instead claiming that “details of the case” will reveal he was the victim.
In a statement shared to his Instagram account following his release from jail, Liddell confirmed that an incident at his home did take place and the deputies who responded to the call were “professional.” Liddell, who frequently goes by the name “The Iceman,” added that he believes “it is important to convey and clarify a few facts about the situation.” He went on to claim that he “was the victim of the incident last night at our family home,” and he “volunteered” to go to the police station in his wife’s place after he was informed his wife would be arrested. Liddell said he “did not respond” to his wife’s assault and sustained bruising and lacerations” during the conflict.
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“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,” he wrote. “This was 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.”
Liddell’s remarks came just hours after news of his arrest broke. According to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a report “regarding a family disturbance” at the 24000 block of Jim Bridger Road in Hidden Hills, which is northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Upon arrival, deputies said they determined Liddell and his wife “had been involved in a physical altercation.” Liddell was brought to the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and booked on a charge of domestic battery. Liddell was released from jail later that same day after posting $20,000 bail. At this time, no further information regarding the incident has been released. Liddell is expected to appear in L.A. Superior Court in Van Nuys on Wednesday in relation to the case.
Liddell is one of the most well-known UFC fighters, and is known for his battles with Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort. He had 28 wins and eight losses and headlined 13 UFC events throughout his career, which lasted from 1998 until 2010. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2009.
