MMA analyst and former UFC star Chael Sonnen has pleaded not guilty in his ongoing legal battle concerning misdemeanor battery charges. The case stems from an incident that occurred over a year ago at a hotel in Las Vegas, and has now scheduled a bench trial date set.
According to online court documents, a preliminary hearing and trial date were scheduled after discussions about the matter on Tuesday did not reach any agreement. Sonnen has entered a plea of not guilty. The trial is scheduled to commence at 9:30 a.m. local time in Las Vegas on August 9.
Chael Sonnen stands accused of attacking multiple individuals at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas on December 18, 2021. Julie and Christopher Stellpflug are a couple who were initially connected to the criminal proceedings. The couple claims that Sonnen struck both of them.
Additionally, Sonnen put Christopher Stellpflug in a submission hold after slapping a drink out of his hand while they were walking down a hotel hallway. The couple asserts that Sonnen then proceeded to attack security guards who tried to intervene.
According to the couple, Sonnen was behaving obnoxiously and was drinking, they thought, at the time of the attack. After prosecutors dropped felony battery charges due to a lack of evidence, they also sued Sonnen in civil court.
Another individual involved in the incident claims to have been assaulted by Sonnen without provocation. He has also filed a lawsuit and asserts that the MMA veteran punched him during an unprovoked attack while the individual was working as a maintenance man at the hotel.
Chael Sonnen has not publicly addressed the battery charges against him. However, he has continued his regular appearances on his podcast and YouTube channel. He has also been working as an analyst for promotions such as BKFC. But his commentating role at ESPN was put on hold when the charges were initially filed.
Judge Ann E. Zimmerman will preside over the bench trial.