Pictured: The moment US marshals capture fugitive MMA fighter War Machine 'who stabbed porn star girlfriend and ruptured her liver in horrific assault'

  • WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS
  • War Machine, the MMA fighter who allegedly assaulted ex-girlfriend Christy Mack and another individual, was arrested on Friday at an Extended Stay America Hotel
  • Simi Valley police said they worked with US marshals and found War Machine inside an Extended Stay America shortly before 2pm
  • Hotel guest called police after seeing Koppenhaver yell at a small woman and try to pull her hair
  • He was booked into Ventura County Jail while he awaits extradition to Nevada
  • Mack is in hospital with serious injuries
  • He is believed to have brutally beaten Mack and the man in a Los Angeles home
  • Mack says that attack left her with 18 broken bones around her eyes, a nose broken in two places, and hair sawed off by a knife
  • Claims she escaped when Koppenhaver went to kitchen to get a new knife after the first broke

By Peter Rugg for MailOnline and Associated Press Reporter and Zoe Szathmary for MailOnline

Published: 18:03 EST, 15 August 2014 | Updated: 11:41 EST, 16 August 2014


Fugitive mixed martial arts fighter War Machine has been arrested in California, a week after police say he brutally assaulted his ex-girlfriend in Las Vegas.

US marshals announced Friday they've captured the 32-year-old named in Simi Valley. He was booked into Ventura County Jail while he awaits extradition to Nevada.

Simi Valley police said in a release they worked with US marshals and found the fugitive inside an Extended Stay America shortly before 2pm.

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War Machine was captured outisde a Los Angeles hotel where he was found hiding with only a small amount of cash and some pizza

War Machine was captured outisde a Los Angeles hotel where he was found hiding with only a small amount of cash and some pizza

Porn star Christy Mack released these horrific images of her injuries from the hospital, claiming they were sustained when she was assaulted by former boyfriend and MMA fighter Jon Koppenhaver

Porn star Christy Mack released these horrific images of her injuries from the hospital, claiming they were sustained when she was assaulted by former boyfriend and MMA fighter Jon Koppenhaver

Captured: War Machine, born Jon Koppenhaver, allegedly assaulted ex-girlfriend Christy Mack

Captured: War Machine, born Jon Koppenhaver, allegedly assaulted ex-girlfriend Christy Mack

They also said his hotel room contained 'a small quantity of cash and some pizza.' 

KTLA reports that a hotel witness saw officers use a Taser on Koppenhaver.

'And they were like banging on the door, trying to get it open, and they’re like, ‘Open the door, open the door,'' said Nicolle Blankenship. 'Finally when they got it open they yelled, ‘Gun,’ and then all of a sudden you see them shoot him with a Taser. And he got shot with a Taser and he went down to the floor, and then they handcuffed him.'

Koppenhaver called attention to himself when he was seen yelling at and pushing a small woman. Hotel guest Mary Casamento said she called police when she saw him try to grab the woman by the hair.

Officers say the fighter, whose birth name is Jon Koppenhaver, is the primary suspect in a dispute that left his ex-girlfriend and her friend with serious injuries.

Adult film actress Christy Mack says he knocked out her teeth, broke her bones and sheared off her hair in the Aug. 8 attack.

 

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The welterweight fighter has had previous run-ins with the law and missed two years of his career while he spent time in jail.

Mack wrote an account of the night that ended with her in the hospital and her ex-boyfriend on the run from police, as well as releasing pictures of her brutal injuries.

Beating: Mack said in a statement War Machine brutally attacked her and threatened to rape her

Beating: Mack said in a statement War Machine brutally attacked her and threatened to rape her

Mack said that not only did Koppenhaver beat her, but that he also attacked her with a knife stabbing her repeatedly before the blade broke off

Mack said that not only did Koppenhaver beat her, but that he also attacked her with a knife stabbing her repeatedly before the blade broke off

'About 2 a.m. Friday morning, Jon Koppenhaver arrived unannounced to my home in Las Vegas, NV, after he broke up with me in May he moved out of my house and back to San Diego,' Mack wrote on Twitter. 'When he arrived, he found myself and one other fully clothed and unarmed in the house. Without a single word spoken, he began beating my friend; once he was finished, he sent my friend away and turned his attention to me.

'He made me undress and shower in front of him, then dragged me out and beat my face. I  have no recollection of how many times I was hit, I just know my injuries that resulted from my beating. My injuries include 18 broken bones around my eyes, my nose is broken in 2 places, I am missing teeth and several more are broken.'

Mack went on to write that she was unable to see from her left eye or chew or speak clearly because of her damaged teeth. She also said she could not walk on her own, and had a fractured rib and ruptured liver from a kick to her side.

'I also attained several lesions from a knife he got from my kitchen,' she wrote. 'He pushed the knife into me in some areas such as my hand, ear, and head. He also sawed much of my hair off with this dull knife.

Mack writes that she made her escape when Koppenhaver went into her kitchen where she assumed he was searching for a new knife

Mack writes that she made her escape when Koppenhaver went into her kitchen where she assumed he was searching for a new knife

Mack said that Koppenhaver had long been abusive in their relationship but that this beating had made her fear for her life

Mack said that Koppenhaver had long been abusive in their relationship but that this beating had made her fear for her life

'After some time, the knife broke off of the handle and continued to threaten me with the blade. I believed I was going to die. He has beaten me many times before, but never this badly. He took my phone and cancelled all of my plans for the following week to make sure no one would worry about my whereabouts.'

Mack also alleged her ex-boyfriend threatened to rape her.

'He told me he was going to rape me, but was disappointed in himself when he could not get hard. After another hit or two, he left me on the floor bleeding and shaking, holding my side from the pain of my rib.'

Mack writes that she made her escape when Koppenhaver went into her kitchen where she assumed he was searching for a new knife.

'I ran out my back door, shutting it behind me so the dogs didn't run inside to tip him off. I hoped the fence to the golf course behind my house and ran to a neighboring house. Naked and afraid he would catch me, I kept running through the neighborhood knocking on doors. Finally one answered and I was brought to the hospital and treated for my injuries.'

Mack concluded that she had been living in fear of Koppenhaver for months, and that the pair had an abusive relationship in which she dealt with beatings and infidelity in the past. 

Tainted love: Christy Mack (left) is in hospital and War Machine, aka Jon Koppenhaver, is at large after he allegedly beat her brutally at their Las Vegas home

Tainted love: Christy Mack (left) is in hospital and War Machine, aka Jon Koppenhaver, is at large after he allegedly beat her brutally at their Las Vegas home

'After many months of fear and pressure to keep this man happy, although I fear for my life, I feel that I can no longer put myself in this situation,' she wrote.

She added that there was a $10,000 reward for his capture.

Police have yet to identify the third party who was in Mack's home and assaulted, confirming only that both Mack and the third party sustained 'severe but non-life-threatening injures.'

Koppenhaver tweeted about the incident.

'@ChristyMack I love you and hope you're okay. I came him (sic) early to surprise you and help you set up for your convention. I can't believe what I found and can't believe what happened.

'I'm so heart broken...in all ways. I will always love you.'

TMZ reported that Mack is 'in very bad shape' after the attack.

Before Koppenhaver's capture, a representative for Mack told TMZ that her friends and relatives were offering $5,000 for information on Koppenhaver.

Koppenhaver took to Twitter following the alleged assault, writing that he wanted to surprise Mack with an engagement ring but couldn't 'believe what I found.'

'I love you and hope you're okay. I came him (sic) early to surprise you and help you set up for your convention. I can't believe what I found and can't believe what happened. All I wanted was to surprise you and help and do something nice ...now this,' he wrote.

'I'm not a bad guy, I went to surprise my gf, help her set up her show and to give her an engagement ring and ended up fighting for my life,' he added.

Then: "The cops will never give me fair play, never believe me. Still deciding what to do but at the end of the day it's all just heart breaking."

'I only wish that man hadn't been there and that Christy & I would be happily engaged.I don't know y I'm so cursed.One day truth will come out.'

Welterweight Koppenhaver, who appears on the FOX show Ultimate Fighter, was from his contract with MMA tournament group Bellator.

Big man: Koppenhaver has spent time in jail for assault, and Mack has previously spoken about his physical violence towards her

Big man: Koppenhaver has spent time in jail for assault, and Mack has previously spoken about his physical violence towards her

Porn star: The tattooed brunette works in the porn industry but is currently in hospital with injuries so severe that she has difficulty speaking

Porn star: The tattooed brunette works in the porn industry but is currently in hospital with injuries so severe that she has difficulty speaking

Selfie-obsessed: 'War Machine' tweeted about the attack, hinting that he had found Mack en flagrante with another person

Selfie-obsessed: 'War Machine' tweeted about the attack, hinting that he had found Mack en flagrante with another person

Bellator's president told Scott Coker told TMZ, 'We have a zero tolerance policy here at Bellator when it relates to any form of domestic violence, and after learning of this latest incident involving (Jon Koppenhaver) War Machine, Bellator is releasing him from his promotional contract with the organization.'

Koppenhaver served a year in jail in 2012 for an assault in a San Diego nightclub, TMZ said.

Fox Sports reports that last November she wrote that Koppenhaver 'threatened to kill' her.

She deleted the tweets not long after and Koppenhaver tweeted that she had been joking.

Later, she tweeted that she had endured 'several slapping, choking unconscious, smothering, kicking and throwings' at his hands.

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