A video surfaced on Friday of the domestic violence attack that sent UFC fighter Rachael Ostovich to the hospital in November with a broken orbital bone, and includes a chilling threat from her alleged attacker.
Hawaii News Now obtained a nine minute video taken by a witness who could hear Ostovich’s cries for help during the attack on Nov. 27, along with repeated blows allegedly from her husband and fellow MMA fighter Arnold Berdon. Her attacker can be heard threatening her repeatedly throughout the video.
The video is dark nearly the entire time, however Ostovich can be seen falling “about 10 feet from a lanai before getting up and stumbling away nude.”
From Hawaii News Now:
A key part of the audio recording includes Ostovich’s life being threatened.
“I’m going to murder you. I’m going to f—ing murder you,” Ostovich’s attacker can be heard yelling as she cries.
At one point, Ostovich is quiet. Sources say that’s because she’d fallen unconscious.
Eventually, Ostovich was able to escape.
Police recommended an attempted murder charge
Ostovich has since filed for a temporary restraining order and filed for divorce. Berdon pleaded not guilty to a second-degree assault charge and posted bail. He is currently going through a domestic violence intervention course, per the report.
Police sources told Hawaii News Now that the length and severity of the beating, along with Berdon’s statements, justified an attempted murder charge — which is what police initially recommended.
That, though, was later downgraded to an assault. Nanci Kreidman of the Domestic Violence Action Center said that should have been left for a jury to decide, instead of prosecutors making the call to downgrade the charge.
“There are threats to kill, at what point does the system take his threats and his violence seriously, recognize them for the grave violent acts that they are and try to hold accountable the people that are committing these crimes,” Kreidman told Hawaii News Now.
Both Ostovich’s family and Berdon’s attorney, Myles Breiner, declined to comment about the video. Breiner, however, insisted that the assault charge was appropriate, and that an attempted murder charge would have been overstepping.
“There are times when they over reach, and this is one of those,” Berdon told Hawaii News Now. “Arnold Berdon and his wife had a relationship. It was acrimonious, there’s no question about that.”
Ostovich still planning to fight next month
Ostovich is planning to move forward with her Jan. 19 UFC Fight Night bout against Paige VanZant at the Barclays Center despite the attack.
She had initially dropped out of the fight due to her injuries, however later received medical clearance to fight — which she said she wanted to do to take a stand.
“I want to take a stand against domestic violence and show others that it’s OK to come out and speak about it and not be quieted,” Ostovich told KHON earlier this month. “I feel like I have to do this. This is something that can’t be taken away from me. I want to use this big, worldwide UFC platform to show people that don’t let anyone or anything come between you and your dreams and your career.”
UFC president Dana White announced that former Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman and accused domestic violence abuser Greg Hardy will make his UFC debut on the same card, too — something many felt was inappropriate.
White, though, said that he talked with Ostovich ahead of time and she was “cool with it.”
“I called Rachel Ostovich and walked her through this situation, and her take on it was, ‘His story isn’t my story. Everybody’s story is different, and I believe in second chances. I have no problem fighting on the same card with this guy,’” White told TSN earlier this month. “She was totally cool with it and having her support was a key factor in that decision.”
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