Follow up to War Machine Story, Pleads Guilty

pa99fighter · 12-13-2007, 05:43 PM

By Angelica Martinez
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

4:21 p.m. December 13, 2007

SAN DIEGO – Jon Koppenhaver, known as “War Machine” from Spike TV's reality series Ultimate Fighting Championship, pleaded guilty Thursday in Superior Court to a felony assault charge.

The professional cage-fighter choked a Las Vegas man unconscious and hit him in the face outside San Diego's Undisputed fitness and training center early Sept. 2.

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Koppenhaver also faced a battery charge, but that was dismissed as part of a plea agreement reached during the preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

The victim, Darren Zatkow, testified during the hearing that he was visiting San Diego with his then-girlfriend when he was assaulted outside the fitness club after a night of drinks on the town.

Zatkow said he made a joke as he walked out with friends, calling a group of men standing outside the club without shirts “tough guys” while holding his hands up to his shoulders with palms open before he was surrounded by the men. “I cracked a joke and I got hit for it,” Zatkow said.

Zatkow said he was grabbed from behind in a carotid choke and dragged a few feet by one of the men. Zatkow said he did not see who grabbed him.

Zatkow, who practices martial arts but has never competed in tournaments, said he became unconscious 10 seconds after he was choked and came to moments later. Friends of Zatkow's who testified said he was punched in the face while he lay unconscious on the ground.

San Diego Police Detective Fernando Ramirez said a Las Vegas doctor who saw Zatkow days after the assault determined that the facial blow caused four fractures to his left eye socket. The injuries could cause temporary or permanent nerve damage, Ramirez said. The extent of the injury is not yet known because Zatkow is still recovering, he said.

Koppenhaver, 26, of Simi Valley, is skilled in mixed martial arts, according to his profile on the Ultimate Fighting Championship Web site, and also is a resident trainer for San Diego's Undisputed club.

Last week, he won with a technical knockout against Jared Rollins in the third round of Spike TV's Ultimate Fighter Finale held in Nevada.

Judge Frank Brown said the change in plea could result in a misdemeanor punishment. Zatkow told the court he thought a reduced punishment was OK because he believed a felony conviction would destroy Koppenhaver's career.

“I'm not interested in destroying somebody's life,” Zatkow said, noting that fighting should stay in the ring.

Koppenhaver is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m.
Source:http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...n13fight2.html

well that freaking sucks.

gogoplata · 12-13-2007, 05:52 PM

what a fucking moron. everything going for him and bam, iam gonna choke some stranger unconscious and then hit him in the face after hes out--> idiot. i hope they put his moronic ass in jail for a good long while. and i hope that wisecracking wanker who got his face broken can shake some cash out of warmachine to get his mug fixed up...

Bran · 12-13-2007, 05:57 PM

anyone know if sept 2nd was before or after his stay on TUF?

johnny · 12-13-2007, 06:01 PM

what a punk, i hope he gets released and have to really prove himself to get back. and if it was him that hit the guy while out, i hope he gets sent to prison, then we will see how much he likes having his salad tossed!

evilkane165 · 12-13-2007, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBranMan

anyone know if sept 2nd was before or after his stay on TUF?

I'm pretty sure that is after the show was taped.

da@LARGE · 12-13-2007, 06:02 PM

They should all be ashamed of themselves, even if all some of them did was stand back and let it happen. It doesn't serve any purpose trying to prove how the moves in the octagon work on the street.

If I ran that gym, I'd kick all those guys out!

Still, I wonder if Koppenhaver was signaled out because of his celebrity status - it didn't seem clear that he was the one in the group that attacked the guy.

notrightn0w · 12-13-2007, 06:04 PM

Dammit War,

It may have happened before all of the Post-TUF6 madness set in, but now that he beat J Rock in what was a great fight, he must be kicking himself in the ass for Sept. 2nd.

Repercussions are a motherfucker. Honestly I hope War makes it out, but I highly doubt him. They just let BJ off for something similar and both Krazy Horse and Randleman had his issues earlier off this year. They are eventually going to drop the hammer on a fighter to teach them that you can't fuck around on the streets.

jcflores · 12-13-2007, 06:04 PM

Sad day for him and MMA in general. When I read the news I was shocked. This doesn't do well to the sport, first BJ now him....we all know who's going to get more punishment anyway.