A disturbing domestic incident has landed former UFC fighter Tim Means in serious legal trouble after police say he violently attacked his own teenage daughter during an argument at their New Mexico home.
According to authorities, the 42-year-old fighter was arrested following an April 21 altercation at a residence in Tijeras. Deputies with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home on Camino De Avila after receiving reports of a physical fight, a criminal complaint obtained by The Albuquerque Journal revealed.
When deputies arrived, Means’ 17-year-old daughter told them the situation spiraled out of control during a dispute over household chores. She alleged that her father suddenly headbutted her in the nose during the argument.
The situation only escalated from there.
The teen told investigators that Means continued to get in her face, prompting her to push him away. The confrontation then moved into the kitchen, where she claims he grabbed her by the neck in what was described in the complaint as a “strangulating manner,” pinning her against the counter.
Things allegedly turned even more chaotic when Means grabbed a potato and hurled it directly at her face.
Desperate to break free, the teen said she began pushing and punching back. But as she tried to gather her belongings to leave the home, she claims Means struck her again—this time punching her in the face with a closed fist.
Investigators documented visible injuries that appeared to support her account.
“Let it be known that there were visible hand and red marks on (the teen’s) neck, indicating she was strangled,” the complaint states. Authorities also noted blood coming from her nose—consistent with her claim that she had been headbutted—as well as multiple red marks across her face and cheek.
Means, who fights under the nickname “Dirty Bird,” has been competing professionally since 2004. While he built a long career in mixed martial arts, his recent record has been rocky, with losses in five of his most recent fights. His last appearance in the octagon came in October 2024.
His career has also seen controversy before. He was released from the UFC in 2013 after repeated weight issues but returned the following year. In 2016, he faced a suspension after testing positive for a banned substance, though officials later attributed it to a tainted supplement and reinstated him six months later.
Following the latest incident, Means was charged with a felony count of child abuse. He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday and later released on Friday, according to court records.
The case remains under investigation.
Find her a Loving Home and him a home with iron bars!