According to a report Tuesday on ProMMAInsider.com, on Sunday morning, former UFC heavyweight king Ricco Rodriguez was reportedly arrested in Los Angeles for suspicion of driving under the influence.
The 35-year-old Rodriguez was allegedly pulled over around 1:25 a.m. and booked for misdemeanor DUI. According to the report, he was subsequently released several hours later after posting a $5,000 bail. He may challenge the charges made against him.
Those who may not know Rico Rodriguez from his time in the cage may know him for his appearance on the VH1 show "Celebrity Rehab." In the cage, he reached his zenith when he took the UFC heavyweight title from Randy Couture back in 2002. Unfortunately for him, he then lost it in his first defense when he was beaten by Tim Sylvia.
In 2003, he would leave the UFC following a loss to Pedro Rizzo, going on to compete in other organizations such as the WEC, EliteXC, Bellator and the IFL. He also fought regularly in regional promotions. Lately, he has competed strictly outside of the United States. His last nine contest have all taken place on foreign soil.
He holds notable victories over many great fighters in MMA. Andrei Arlovski, Ron Waterman, Jeff Monson, Gary Goodridge and Travis Fulton are among the men he defeated in addition to his victory over the aforementioned Couture. Some of the men to beat Ricco Rodriguez include Sylvia, Blagoi Ivanov, Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera, Pedro Rizzo and Antonio Silva.
Lately, he has not fared as well inside the cage. He lost his last fight against the Croatian prospect Ante Delija in December of last year. Additionally, he has lost eight of his last ten bouts. Overall, his record stands at 49-19 with 13 KO's. He has only been finished five times in his career, four by knockout and just one by submission.
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