MMA fighter appears in court in assault case

A 27-year-old mixed martial arts fighter accused of assaulting his wife in Makaha made his initial court appearance Monday at Honolulu District Court.

Arnold D. Berdon stood in court before Judge Darolyn Lendio after prosecutors charged him last week with second-degree assault involving his wife, mixed martial arts fighter Rachael Ostovich, 27.

Lendio set Berdon’s preliminary hearing for Dec. 18. He remains free after posting $75,000 bail.

Second-degree assault is a Class C felony that is punishable by up to five years in prison.

Defense attorney David Hayakawa, who is representing Berdon, declined to comment on the case.

Police said the assault occurred at a home in Makaha at approximately 2 a.m. Nov. 18.

Ostovich sustained a fracture to the orbital bone around her eye socket, forcing her to withdraw from a Jan. 19 Ultimate Fighting Championship MMA fight against Paige VanZant as she recovers from her injuries.

The day after the assault, Ostovich filed a petition for a temporary restraining order against Berdon. The court granted the order, which expires in May.

According to the petition, Ostovich said after a night out with the family on Nov. 18, Berdon repeatedly punched her in the head, face and ribs, causing her to fall to the ground.

She coughed up blood and threw up several times, according to the petition.

Ostovich said she fled the home through a balcony.

Berdon turned himself in Nov. 20 at the Honolulu Police Department’s Alapai headquarters.

In the petition, Ostovich indicated a previous assault occurred in May after the couple had an argument. She alleged that he repeatedly punched her thighs, causing bruises.