Jury finds UFC welterweight Abdul Razak Alhassan not guilty of sexual assault

A Texas jury Friday found UFC fighter Abdul Razak Alhassan not guilty of sexual assault, putting an end to a legal battle that started in 2018.

Alhassan was accused of rape by two women stemming from encounters after he allegedly took them back to one of their homes in Saginaw, Texas, on March 23, 2018. Alhassan had been working at the Varsity Tavern in Fort Worth that night as a bouncer. He was indicted on the allegations in September 2018.

Testimony in the trial began Tuesday. According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the younger of the two women testified against Alhassan that day. The accuser, who was not named, was 20 at the time of the alleged incident.

The jury began deliberations Friday morning, and according to the Star-Telegram came back with its verdict late in the morning.

Brandon Barnett, part of Alhassan’s defense team, said, according to the paper, that jurors “thought that Alhassan was honest and genuine during the interrogation” and that they thought investigators could have handled the case better.

One of Alhassan’s coaches, Steven Wright, told the Star-Telegram he thinks the fighter can get back to work in the UFC and hopes to be matched up with a top welterweight contender. The 34-year-old has three straight knockout wins over Sabah Homasi twice and Niko Price. The Price win came in early September 2018. Alhassan was indicted on the charges a little more than two weeks later.