UPDATE: Chad Mendes charged with Assault

http://www.cagepotato.com/ufc-fighter-chad-mendes-being-sought-by-police-in-connection-to-a-bar-brawl-involving-40-people/

If you Google search the phrase “alpha male back door,” the results include things about a jealous monkey attacking a man as well as something about a she-male’s back door. You can thank me later for not linking the Potato Nation to the latter, but former #1 contender Chad Mendes, a member of Team Alpha Male, is being sought by Hanford, California authorities after he “allegedly sucker punched a patron in the face and took off running out the back door” according to the Hanford Sentinel.

As many as 40 people were involved in an inebriated fracas (or as I like to call it – a SHITSTORM) at the Lacy Inn Bar. By all accounts, a police officer was on patrol and drove past the business where he/she witnessed two men fighting. When the cop stopped to break up the scuffle, one of the combatants turned their aggression towards the officer. When Johnny Law called for back-up, a multitude of presumably drunken patrons came spilling out of the bar like they were entering a big box electronics store on Black Friday. I thought this shit only happened in old Clint Eastwood movies starring an orangutan.

A Pier 6 brawl ensued until more police (as well as the Gang Task Force Unit) arrived to break up the awesomeness. According to the authorities, Mendes was recognized and was said to be visibly intoxicated as he “began cursing at the deputies and officers” before he was asked to vacate the premises. Instead of leaving, though, he went back into the watering hole. Then (this is when it gets real good), reportedly, Mendes decked a guy that “never saw it coming” and ran out the back door of the presumably high-class establishment. Cops chased him behind the bar along a set of railroad tracks but could not keep up with the highly conditioned professional athlete because running hills with Urijah Faber is better for your cardio than a jelly. Mendes has not been seen since.

The Sheriff’s Office has been trying to reach Mendes for questioning but their attempts have been unproductive. Mendes is sought for questioning and if he does not materialize by Monday, the District Attorney’s Office will be requested to file formal charges against the UFC fighter and an arrest warrant could be issued. Because of his MMA instruction and professional fighting skill-set, Mendes could be charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Though Mendes is still M.I.A. – four people were arrested at the scene of the brawl for public intoxication, no police officers were reportedly injured and the case remains open as investigation continues. We’ll keep you updated as the story unfolds.

***UPDATE***

According to Yahoo Sports, Chad Mendes has released a response to the allegations through his management team MMA Inc.

“On Friday afternoon, Chad Mendes was shocked and surprised by the allegations contained in an article published on an Internet news site. While Chad acknowledges that an incident occurred last Saturday in Hanford, he contends that the majority of the facts pertaining to him in the story are absolutely false. Attempts were immediately made by Chad’s representatives to contact personnel at the Sheriff’s Department on Friday afternoon. Despite these repeated attempts, Chad’s representatives have not received any response from the Sheriff’s Department as of the time of this release. Chad denies any wrongdoing and is very upset by the allegations contained in the story. He will fully cooperate with the Sheriff’s Department and looks forward to clearing his name.”

Because Mendes is currently in Ohio serving as a corner man for Team Alpha Male colleague, Lance Palmer at UVC 20, he will return home after the event to contact the Sherrif’s Department in Kings County and attempt to straighten-out the allegations.

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/hanford-native-ufc-fighter-wanted-for-questioning-in-local-bar/article_5952b3ee-ddb9-11e1-af1e-001a4bcf887a.html


Hanford native UFC fighter wanted for questioning in local bar fight


HANFORD — Local authorities say they are looking for professional mixed martial artist Chad “Money” Mendes in connection with a 40-person drunken brawl that broke out at the Lacey Inn Bar on Saturday.

Mendes, 27, allegedly sucker punched a patron in the face and took off running out the back door. Officials say they have not been able to locate him.

The incident started around 1:18 a.m. A deputy on patrol in east Hanford drove past the business and witnessed two people fighting in the parking lot. He got out and intervened, causing one man to turn on him, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

As the deputy called for backup, more people spilled out of the bar and began fighting. Officials said the melee grew to about 40 people before Hanford police and the county Gang Task Force arrived on the scene to break it up.

That’s when authorities recognized Mendes. He appeared to be intoxicated and began cursing at the deputies and officers, authorities said. They asked him to leave. Instead, he went back inside and struck one man who “never even saw him coming,” Assistant Sheriff Dave Putnam said.

Deputies chased Mendes along the railroad tracks behind the Lacey Inn Bar, but soon lost him in south Hanford. The area native has not been seen since.

“The victim felt lucky to walk out with just a contusion after being punched by Mendes,” Putnam said.

In the days since the brawl, the Sheriff’s Office has made repeated attempts to get a statement from Mendes. They have not been able to reach the Ultimate Fighting Championship contender.

“If we don’t speak with him by Monday, then we’ll request that the District Attorney’s Office file charges against him,” Putnam said. “Then we can pick him up on an arrest warrant.”

It is not clear at this point what, if any, involvement Mendes had in the initial feud or the subsequent 40-person battle.

“With his training as a professional fighter, he could be looking at a charge of assault with a deadly weapon,” Putnam said. “That’s something the District Attorney’s Office will have to weigh out when they make their filing decision.”

Authorities arrested four people at the scene for public intoxication. The case remains under investigation.

Mendes recently made headlines when he defeated Cody McKenzie by technical knockout at UFC 148 in the Las Vegas MGM Grand. He currently stands 12-1 overall.

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/chad-mendes-to-be-charged-with-battery/article_85e0ece8-ee24-11e1-ae41-0019bb2963f4.html

August 24, 2012 12:46 pm

HANFORD — Authorities say mixed martial arts fighter Chad Mendes has been charged with battery for his alleged involvement in a bar fight last month.

The Kings County District Attorney’s Office announced today that they would seek a battery charge against Mendes, which carries with it a possible $2,000 fine and up to six months in county jail.

Kings County Sheriff’s deputies say Mendes, a 27-year-old local native, sucker punched a man in the face at the Lacey Inn Bar on July 29. Leaving out the back door, he ran from law enforcement and managed to escape capture. But witnesses at the scene recognized the famous athlete.

“The victim felt lucky to walk out with just a contusion after being punched by Mendes,” Assistant Sheriff Dave Putnam said.

By the time the story made headlines, Mendes had already left the area to coach a teammate in Ohio. His representatives spoke out against the allegations, saying the “majority of the facts pertaining to him in the story are absolutely false.”

Mendes promised, through his spokesmen, to meet with law enforcement upon his return. The Sentinel is trying to reach him for comment.

He is set to be arraigned in court on Sept. 19.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/31254/ufcs-chad-mendes-has-battery-count-dropped-pleads-no-contest-to-lesser-charge.mma
After two months, Chad Mendes' legal ordeal is over.

The onetime UFC featherweight title challenger on Monday had a battery charge against him dropped in Hanford, Calif. Instead, according to reports, Mendes pled no contest to a lesser public disturbance charge, paid a fine and was released.

Mendes (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is scheduled to meet Hacran Dias (21-1-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC on FX 6 in December.

The Team Alpha Male fighter was charged in late August with battery for allegedly sucker punching a man during a July 29 bar fight in Hanford. The charge carried a possible $2,000 fine and up to six months in county jail.

According to the "Hanford Sentinel," Kings County Sheriff's deputies say Mendes "sucker punched a man in the face" at a local bar during the July incident.

According to the report, eyewitnesses told authorities Mendes quickly left the Lacey Inn Bar in his hometown of Hanford through "the back door, and he ran from law enforcement and managed to escape capture," though witnesses recognized him from his UFC popularity. Mendes' reps denied the series of events.

In a release from Mendes' representation at MMA Inc., Mendes said the incident was blown out of proportion and that was recognized through the legal process.

"I have said from the beginning that the ridiculous allegations published by the media were either false or incredibly sensationalized. Today’s outcome proves it," Mendes stated in the widely reported release.

Mendes in January suffered a first-round knockout loss to featherweight champion Jose Aldo in the main event of UFC 142. But he rebounded in July with a knockout win over Cody McKenzie at UFC 148.

UFC on FX 6 takes place Saturday, Dec. 15, at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia. The event's main card airs live on FX (on Friday, Dec. 14, in the U.S. due to the time difference) following prelims on FUEL TV.