The hands of @pezao011
sent Sosoli to the canvas facefirst
#UFCAuckland pic.twitter.com/HJmHvVOpub— ESPN MMA (@espnmma)
February 23, 2020
UFC heavyweight Ben Sosoli
could be in Australian jail for up to 22 months after punching a
man outside a Melbourne bar in September 2019.
According to the
Australian Associated Press, Sosoli was working at Jacksons
Lounge Bar as a bouncer when he punched a man in the jaw after the
patron twice snuck in to the establishment upon being refused entry
for being too intoxicated. The man suffered a broken jaw as a
result and was forced to undergo surgery.
Sosoli told police that the man had been “threatening to f—k him
up” prior to the incident. However, Judge Gavan Meredith on Monday
did not excuse the fighter for his actions.
“You are expected not to respond to provocation in the way you
did,” Meredith said.
Sosoli pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury and must
serve 11 months of his 22-month sentence before he is eligible for
parole.
Sosoli competed on Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series before
making his Octagon debut against Greg Hardy
at UFC on ESPN 6. Hardy initially won a unanimous decision but the
result was changed to a no contest when it was determined the
former NFL star used an inhaler between rounds without commission
approval.
The 30-year-old Australian returned at UFC Fight Night 168, where
he suffered a first-round TKO defeat against Marcos
Rogerio de Lima on Feb. 23. According to the report, Sosoli has
since been released from his UFC contract.