Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of breaching the peace and has been fined $750, closing the criminal case about an alleged hotel attack, but he still faces two civil lawsuits related to the incident.
In 2021, the reputable fighter Chael Sonnen found himself in the midst of a criminal case following accusations of a violent assault in a hotel. Sonnen, age 46, entered a no contest plea to a single misdemeanor offense pertaining to a breach of peace. As ruled by the Clark County (Nev.) Justice Court, Sonnen was slapped with a $750 fine. Both Sonnen and his defense lawyer, Dayvid Figler, remained unreachable for any commentary on the matter according to reports from the Las Vegas Review Journal.
The allegations against Sonnen were particularly severe, initially including a substantial felony charge for battery by strangulation, along with ten more misdemeanor charges for battery, all spawned from an alleged assault on a couple in Las Vegas’ Four Seasons Hotel in December 18, 2021. It was asserted that Sonnen had targeted the couple without provocation, subsequently engaging in physical altercations with security guards and hotel staff members who attempted to intervene. Although police did not arrest Sonnen on the night of the reported incident, formal charges were filed when a civilian complaint was launched by the purported victims.
There was some leniency shown toward Sonnen as the case evolved. Prosecutors decided to drop four of the misdemeanor charges, and another four were dismissed within the parameters of the plea agreement. As noted by ESPN.com, securing the plea deal did not require Sonnen to meet any conditions, leading to the conclusion of the criminal case. But despite the ending of the criminal proceedings, he still finds himself confronting two separate civil lawsuits originating from the stated attack. The plaintiffs, Dr. Christopher Stellpflug and Julie Stellpflug, allege that Sonnen, while presumably under the influence, assaulted them following an incident where he knocked a drink out of Christopher Stellpflug’s hand. Additionally, a previous employee of Four Seasons claimed to have been punched in the jaw during the hotel altercation.
As a result of this disconcerting incident, Sonnen was temporarily suspended from UFC broadcasts by ESPN, their broadcasting partner. Currently, his professional duties involve hosting press conferences for Bellator and BKFC, alongside operating a well-followed YouTube page.