Jorge Masvidal pleads no contest to misdemeanor battery charge

Jorge Masvidal pleaded no contest Monday to a misdemeanor battery charge in a case stemming from an alleged attack on his former friend and UFC rival Colby Covington in March 2022, Masvidal’s attorney Saam Zangeneh confirmed. at ESPN.

The two criminal charges Masvidal faced, one for aggravated battery and the other for criminal mischief, were dropped as part of a plea deal. Masvidal was sentenced to time served – he spent several hours in jail and appeared in court several times over the past 20 months – and court costs.

According to Miami-Dade County court records, Masvidal’s case is considered a conviction with credit for time served.

Masvidal posted a video on Instagram with the caption: “Victory Monday!

Masvidal was accused of attacking Covington outside a steakhouse in Miami Beach on March 21, 2022, hitting him twice. The incident occurred a little more than two weeks after Covington defeated Masvidal in a UFC fight, which included a heated discussion and trash talk during which Masvidal objected to things Covington said about Masvidal’s children. Masvidal and Covington were best friends and roommates before an ugly split.

“This case was bullshit…” Bradford Cohen, also Masvidal’s lawyer, wrote on Instagram. “Colby threatens to kill my client on sight. Instead of living up to that threat, he runs and hides behind a hostess stand. Then files criminal charges. Colby is a true millennial.”

The police report states that Covington suffered a chipped or broken tooth, and Covington later claimed in court that he suffered a brain injury from the beating.

Masvidal, 38, retired from the UFC in April after several years as one of the promotion’s top stars. He told ESPN last month that he plans to return to competitive boxing in early 2024.