UFC lightweight fighter Jeremy Stephens was arrested in Minneapolis on an outstanding warrant in Iowa the morning of Oct. 5, causing him to miss his UFC On FX bout that night against Yves Edwards.
Stephens, who is from Des Moines, was wanted on two felony assault charges in Des Moines stemming back from an incident in 2011. He was taken into custody without incident at a Minneapolis hotel at which he was staying before the fight.
Reports indicate Stephens was still in custody of Hennepin County Police Friday evening, and there was no word on his extradition to Iowa or his release.
Stephens, nicknamed "Lil' Heathen," has been in the UFC since 2007 and is 20-8 as a mixed martial arts professional.
MMA Fighting reported UFC founder Dana White "did everything he could" to get Stephens out of jail in time for the fight.
"I was 100 percent confident I was going to get him out and he was going to fight," White said at the post-fight press conference.
MMA Fighting reported they contacted both the Des Moines police department and the Polk County Sheriff's office to confirm the information and were told Iowa laws on warrants state that such information can only be released in person or through a written request.