UFC bantamweight star Casey Kenney’s recent run-in with the police has left the MMA world in shock. The 33-year-old fighter made his UFC debut in 2019. Prior to joining the promotion, he had fought in the LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance) where he held the flyweight and bantamweight titles before making his way to the Octagon.

Kenney holds notable wins in the UFC over names like Nathaniel Wood, Ray Borg, and Louis Smolka. His last fight inside the Octagon was in 2021 at UFC 265, where he lost a split decision to Song Yadong. Recently, Kenney has been in the news after it was reported that the UFC star was arrested by Phoenix Police, and here’s all we know about the situation.

Casey Kenney gets arrested for alleged kidnapping and assault

According to a report shared by MMA Fighting, Casey Kenney was arrested by the ‘Phoenix Police Fugitive Apprehension Detectives’ on August 16. The incident that led to the fighter’s arrest occurred in July and was first reported by the alleged victim’s mother on Instagram.

The Phoenix Police Department also released a statement following the incident which stated, “On July 22, 2024, around 12:15 p.m., officers responded to an unknown [sic] trouble call in the area of [address redacted]. Officers located an adult female victim with some visible abrasions reporting a domestic violence assault. The female was treated by paramedics and interviewed by investigators. No contact was made with the suspect at that time. This case is still active.”

Kenney was booked on charges that include kidnapping, aggravated assault, and assault. In the Maricopa County court records, Kenney has been reported to be facing a total of six charges. The records, shared by MMA Fighting also revealed the details surrounding the incident which ended in Kenney’s arrest.

The probable cause statement contains a chilling account of physical abuse and revealed that the alleged victim spent 13 hours at Kenney’s residence during the ordeal. At the time of writing, Kenney’s case has a status conference scheduled for August 22 and a preliminary hearing set to take place on August 26.

Other charges on MMA star in Arizona

According to the Maricopa County court records, Casey Kenney is facing a class 2 felony for kidnapping. That is the most significant charge being leveled against him as it may lead to a prison term of 4 years at the minimum but can be up to 12.5 years in incarceration if the fighter is convicted of the charge.

There is also a class 4 felony for assault/strangulation against Kenney and 4 misdemeanors on three counts of assault and one count of disorderly conduct. While there hasn’t been an official statement from the UFC on the incident, Damon Martin recently revealed on X that, “UFC officials confirmed Casey Kenney has been released from the promotion.”

With a status conference and preliminary hearing on the horizon, the case is far from over. The potential consequences are severe, with the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence looming. For now, Casey Kenney’s future in the sport remains uncertain.