Ultimate Fighting Championship star Tito Ortiz has denied assaulting longtime girlfriend Jenna Jameson, saying the former adult film star is addicted to pain killers and that her drug use resulted in him being arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
“Jenna Jameson has been facing and fighting a battle with OxyContin addiction for well over a year. For Tito and his family, this has been an uphill battle,” said Ortiz attorney Chip Matthews, speaking at an impromptu news conference late Monday night at an Italian restaurant in North Hollywood.
Ortiz stood beside Matthews, openly weeping for much of the six-minute news conference.
“Unfortunately this morning, when Jenna relapsed and Tito confronted her and asked her about the drugs he had found, she denied it and had an emotional breakdown over it . . . I want to be quite clear. Tito Ortiz never laid a hand on Jenna. Never.”
Ortiz, 35, was arrested Monday at their Huntington Beach, Calif., home. Ortiz and Jameson, a best-selling author and perhaps the world's most famous adult film star, have 13-month-old twin boys together. They have been dating since 2006.
“My parents have gone through an addiction, and I see it in the mirror again. I'm not going to let my family go through that,” said Ortiz. “I hold everything dear to my heart that Jenna will be OK.”
Matthews would not let Ortiz answer questions due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
Police on Monday received a 911 call from Jameson's father at 9:53 a.m. PT and Ortiz was arrested two hours later. He was released Monday afternoon after posting $25,000 US bail. Ortiz had left his house escorted by officers to a waiting police cruiser, wearing red fight shorts and a grey jacket with his hands cuffed behind his back.
Lt. Mike Reynolds of the Huntington Beach Police Department said the victim had “visible injuries.”
Matthews said Jameson, 36, had “a scratch on her elbow, and often times when you have people on OxyContin they don't have the best sense of balance.”
According to Matthews, Jameson's father, after making the 911 call, provided support to Ortiz and brought him clothes to change into after posting bail.
Matthews claimed Jameson has threatened suicide in the past year, but Ortiz has stood with her.
“They have two children together. They have planned on spending their lives together,” said Matthews, as Ortiz abruptly walked behind a curtain and could be heard crying loudly.
“They want nothing more than to work together.”
Ortiz is among the most popular and successful fighters in mixed-martial-arts history. Nicknamed ‘The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,' he held the UFC light heavyweight title from 2000-2003. Ortiz battled injuries for much of the next few years and eventually left the company in 2008 after a falling out with UFC president Dana White.
After more than a year, Ortiz and White put their differences aside and Ortiz re-signed with the company, returning at UFC 106 last November.
He is currently starring in Season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter. Ortiz was scheduled to fight again in June at UFC 115 versus Chuck Liddell, but was replaced during filming of The Ultimate Fighter by Rich Franklin. The reason for his early departure and removal from UFC 115 have not yet been made public.
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