Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen being charged with 11 counts of battery over December incident in Las Vegas

Retired UFC fighter Chael Sonnen is being charged with 11 counts of battery, including a felony, stemming from a Dec. 18 incident in Las Vegas, according to court records. The felony is being classified as battery by strangulation.

Sonnen received five battery citations initially in the case, but those were dismissed in January without prejudice, which means the charges can be re-filed. A new criminal complaint was filed by the Clark County District Attorney with Las Vegas Justice Court on March 16, according to court records.

Sonnen currently works as an MMA analyst for ESPN. «Chael will not appear on ESPN as we explore the details of these serious charges,» the company said in a statement.

Sonnen's first court appearance is scheduled for April 27. He did not immediately return a request for comment.

The criminal complaint filed against Sonnen and obtained by ESPN lists six victims, including a man who Sonnen is accused of strangling. The complaint states that Sonnen allegedly used «force of violence upon» a woman «by punching/striking» and pushing her.

Sonnen, according to the the complaint, is accused of punching the first man, punching and kicking a second man, punching a third man in the face, punching and kneeing a fourth man, and striking a fifth man with his elbow.

Documents explaining the details of the situation have yet to be released by the court or the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. A public records request from ESPN was denied by police Wednesday because the case is considered an open and active investigation.

Sonnen, 44, is a former multiple-time UFC title challenger, most known for his rivalry with longtime former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He was one of the most popular and