Cody East charged with battery, child abuse and false imprisonment

Cody East appeared for the UFC in 2016.

Former UFC heavyweight Cody East has been arrested again. This latest arrest took place over the weekend and resulted in charges of battery, child abuse and false imprisonment.

KRQE in Albuquerque, NM quoted a criminal complaint that stated that those charges were filed after “East got into a fight with his wife and is accused of refusing to let her and their kids out of a car.”

East was signed by the UFC in early 2016 after he impressed Dana White during a taping of White’s Lookin’ For a Fight series. East was signed despite him already having a lengthy criminal record, which we documented back in 2016.

Among East’s legal problems prior to 2016 was a three year prison sentance over charges of aggravated assault and child abuse that were filed in 2007.

Back then Bloody Elbow asked the UFC for a comment about East’s prior arrests. The UFC responded and stated that after “an independent investigation” they were comfortable with the signing.

East went 0-2 in the UFC and was released. In December 2016 he was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery, aggravated assault and false imprisonment. Those charges were dismissed after the victim and witness chose not to participate in court hearings.

In 2021 East’s brother Tyler East, who was also an MMA fighter, was shot and killed outside his home in Las Lunas, NM. East had reportedly shot his girlfriend, and had dragged her from their home, before he was shot by another person on the scene.

Tyler East also had a history of domestic violence arrests. He was also charged for stealing money from his deceased grandfather’s bank account.

Cody East has competed in MMA, boxing and Muay Thai since his UFC release. His most recent bout was at RUF MMA last June.