Hearing set for MMA’s Mike Whitehead on sexual assault charges

By Dave Toplikar (contact)

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010 | 12:20 p.m.

Michael Whitehead

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for later this month for mixed martial arts fighter Michael "Iron Mike" Whitehead on charges of sexually assaulting a woman last April in his home in the southwest Las Vegas Valley.

The preliminary hearing will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 28 before Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo in Las Vegas Justice Court. The hearing was to have been in August, but was delayed, according to court records.

Whitehead, 29, who is out of custody, voluntarily turned himself into detectives April 14 following an incident the previous Saturday, April 10, in which a woman filed a police report indicating the MMA fighter had assaulted her.

The woman told police that she and a friend had gone to Whitehead's home for a barbecue, then after drinking, decided not to drive home, according to a police report.

The report said Whitehead told the women that they could sleep in his bed.

One of the women said she awoke to find her pants down and Whitehead having sex with her in the bed. Although she repeatedly demanded that he stop, he didn't for about three minutes, according to the police report.

After the alleged incident, Whitehead sat in a chair in the bedroom, police said. The second woman, who had been next to the woman on the bed, said she witnessed the alleged assault, according to the police report. The second woman alleged that Whitehead groped her during the incident, the report said.

After turning himself in, Whitehead was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of sexual assault, attempted sexual assault and open and gross lewdness.

Whitehead has competed in several MMA organizations, including the UFC and Strikeforce, as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. He was a contestant on the reality series "The Ultimate Fighter 2," losing to eventual season champion Rashad Evans.

His last fight was a TKO (punches) win in the fourth round to Chase Gormley on July 10 at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mount Pleasant, Mich., where he won the IFC heavyweight championship. He has won 16 of his last 18 fights. on July 10 at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., where he won the IFC heavyweight championship. He has won 16 of his last 18 fights.