Retired UFC fighter Chris Leben arrested on multiple charges, fighter denies allegations
Retired UFC veteran Chris Leben was arrested earlier this month in San Diego and faces multiple charges after an incident with the fighter's estranged wife.
According to police reports, Leben faces 11 counts of violating a court order, two counts of criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor charge for vandalism and a felony charge for possession of an assault weapon.
Leben, 35, is accused of allegedly breaking into his estranged wife's apartment and according to the initial report from NBC in San Diego, a loaded Ruger .45 caliber handgun was found on her pillow.
Leben's wife, Kaleena, filed for a restraining order, which was granted by a judge, and she alleges that the former “Ultimate Fighter” season one cast member routinely used physical violence against her although the fighter was never arrested in connection with the allegations.
According to the report via NBC, Kaleena awoke at 3 a.m. to banging and kicking on her door, and then at 4:30 a.m. she awoke to find Leben scaling the side of the apartment building trying to gain entrance to their home. Leben's wife then allegedly fled to a nearby neighbor's apartment and returned the next day.
An M16 assault rifle that allegedly belonged to Leben was also found at the scene, although he claims the weapon actually belonged to his wife.
Leben denies all of the allegations against him and states that he was the one who was physically abused during the tumultuous relationship with his wife.
"The fact of the matter was I was trying to move out. The stress of law school was getting to her and she was physically and emotionally abusive to me," Leben said.
"Everyone in the world, everyone knew she was beating me."
Leben claimed innocence in the multiple incidents his wife Kaleena described in her restraining order filed against him, alleging that the ex-UFC fighter abused her several times during the course of their relationship.
Leben's estranged spouse also claims that the fighter has been abusing opiates, Oxycontin, alcohol, cocaine and steroids during the course of their relationship.
Leben is due back in court on Aug. 3 and could face a lengthy jail sentence if convicted on all charges.
Leben took to Twitter this week while defending the allegations made against him by his ex-wife.
This is the latest run-in with law enforcement involving the former UFC middleweight, who has twice been arrested in the past on DUI charges and was suspended from fighting on two separate occasions during his career after testing positive for steroids, oxycodone and oxymorphone.
Leben retired from active competition in 2014 after a 10-year career with the UFC.
