UFC and Bellator Vet Arrested for Allegedly Headbutting Iowa City Police Officer

Just 13 days after seeing his three-fight winning streak come to a violent halt at Bellator 131, former UFC fighter Joe Vedepo was arrested for allegedly head-butting an Iowa City police officer Friday night.

Police administered a breath test on Vedepo that revealed he had a blood-alcohol content of .241 percent at the time, which, for context, is three times the legal limit to drive a vehicle in the state.

Upon arrest, police charged Vedepo with a count of assault causing injury to a peace officer (an aggravated misdemeanor), two counts of assault on peace officers (a serious misdemeanor) and one count of public intoxication (a simple misdemeanor). 

Vedepo is being held on a cash-only bond of $10,000.

According to The Gazette, a newspaper that serves eastern Iowa, Vedepo, a current Bellator MMA fighter, refused to leave a bar called the Sports Column, a decision that prompted an employee to call the police.

The criminal complaint, per The Gazette, said Iowa City police officers responded to the call and found a drunken and defiant Vedepo attempting to re-enter the bar against their wishes. After telling officers that he "knew his rights," Vedepo reportedly head-butted an officer in the chest. The officers responded and threw Vedepo to the ground, where the Iowa native further resisted, causing officers to use a Taser on him.

Since the Taser had little effect on stopping Vedepo, several officers were forced to intervene to subdue the 31-year-old middleweight.

Once they placed Vedepo in custody, officers were forced to move him to another squad car. In the midst of the transfer, Vedepo flailed kicks at the officers, allegedly finding his mark with one attempt.

According to The Gazette, Vedepo has been convicted on drug and theft charges and on several counts of public intoxication in Iowa. Vedepo also attempted to sue Sports Column in 2006 but ended the lawsuit two years later.

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Although he said he doesn't want to jump to conclusions, Bellator MMA President Scott Coker told MMAJunkie's Steven Marrocco via text message that Vedepo will receive his walking papers if the initial reports from police are accurate.

“If everything is exactly what it says, we will be cutting him,” Coker said.

In his last fight, Vedepo (17-9, 4-3 Bellator MMA) got TKO'd in the third round by Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal at Bellator 131.

Vedepo got finished in his lone two UFC bouts, first by Alessio Sakara (KO) in 2008 and then by Rob Kimmons (guillotine choke) in 2009.