A UFC fighter arrested Friday morning will still compete at the company’s show Friday night, UFC president Dana White tweeted just before the start of UFC on FX 5 in Minneapolis.
Jeremy Stephens was arrested and taken into custody Friday morning by the Minneapolis Police Department in connection with an outstanding warrant, according to MMAWeekly.com. The warrant is from out of state and is for a felony, according to the Hennepin County website, and he’s being held without bail.
Stephens, who competes in the lightweight division (155 pounds), is will fight Yves Edwards on the preliminaries of UFC on FX 5 at the Target Center in a bout that will air on Fuel TV. UFC president Dana White tweeted later Friday that the contest will go on.
“OMFG!” White tweeted. “YES Jeremy Stephens is fighting tonight! At no point did ANYONE from UFC say he wasn’t. Some media jackasses said he wasn’t.”
The 26-year-old was arrested at the Marriott City Center Hotel, the UFC’s host hotel, a Minneapolis Police Department representative told the website. It’s unknown when he will be released.
Stephens, whose nickname is “Lil’ Heathen,” has been on the UFC roster since 2007 and has a 20-8 record in his MMA career. He has lost his last two fights to lightweight contenders Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis.