UFC star Jorge Masvidal facing felony charge, surrenders to Miami Beach police

Fighter leaves jail Thursday morning, out on bond

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Jorge Masvidal, a globally popular UFC fighter, surrendered to Miami Beach police Wednesday night on a felony battery charge.

He was booked into Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center shortly after 10 p.m.

Local 10 News cameras captured Masvidal walking out of jail Thursday morning. He is out on bond and is facing an aggravated battery charge.

Mugshot for Jorge Masvidal. (Miami-Dade County Corrections)

The charges stem from an incident outside of a Papi Steak restaurant on South Beach on Monday night and where his animosity toward fellow grappler Colby Covington spilled from the ring to the streets.

Video showed Covington nursing a broken tooth outside the restaurant , according to eyewitnesses.

In video obtained exclusively by Local 10 News, Covington is seen leaving the restaurant when he is ambushed.

According to a Miami Beach police report, the victim was punched with a closed fist twice in the face, fracturing a tooth.

Masvidal’s attorney said in a statement: Mr. Masvidal will allow this matter to proceed through the court and does not have any further comment at this time.”

The two fighters were once friends and even roommates, but their relationship soured.

Earlier this month, they settled their beef in the ring, where Covington out-wrestled Masvidal in a dominating win.

Masvidal is a Miami success story.

He rose from backyard fights to a main draw for the UFC.

Masdival is set to appear in an event with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on March 30. It’s is a campaign event entitled “Fighting to Keep Florida Free.” It is unclear if he will be at that event.

An arraignment for Masdival is expected to be in mid-April.


About the Author:

Reporter Rosh Lowe has been covering news for nearly two decades in South Florida. He joined Local 10 in 2021.