Tim 'Dirty Bird' Means: UFC fighter accused of punching, choking teenage daughter in sickening attack, ‘There was blood’

UFC fighter Tim Means faces assault accusations for allegedly attacking his teenage daughter over household chores.

Published on: Apr 27, 2026, 21:41:17 IST

By Shweta Kukreti

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UFC fighter Tim "Dirty Bird" Means is accused of assaulting his teenage daughter by punching, headbutting, and choking her during a disturbing incident related to household chores. He also inexplicably threw a potato at her head, NY POST reported, citing court documents.

Tim 'Dirty Bird' Means accused of domestic violence against daughter, including strangulation and a bizarre potato incident. (UFC)

The fighter, who additionally serves as a high school wrestling coach, alleged headbutted his 17-year-old daughter in the nose during a brutal confrontation regarding her tidiness at their residence in Tijeras, New Mexico, on Tuesday, according to charging documents acquired by the Albuquerque Journal.

He subsequently restrained her against the kitchen counter while gripping her neck in a "strangulating manner" — and then hurled a potato at her head before striking her in the face, as detailed in the court documents.

“There were visible hand and red marks on [her] neck, indicating she was strangled. There was blood on and in her nose where she was headbutted and several red marks indicated she was hit in the face and on her cheek,” the complaint alleged.

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Tim "Dirty Bird" Means arrested and released

Means appeared heavy-eyed in his mugshot during his arrest and booking on child abuse charges on Wednesday. He was released on Friday, as per The Post.

Means is a former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion and King of the Cage Junior Welterweight champion, holding a 33-17 win-loss record in MMA, with a 15-14 record in the UFC. He has suffered five losses in his last six UFC fights, including his final bout in October 2024, where he was defeated by Court McGee in the first round.

Known by his “Dirty Bird” nickname throughout his career, Means was previously released from the UFC in 2013 but re-signed with the organization the following year.

In 2016, he faced suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance, returning to competition six months later.

His hearing is set for May 26.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shweta Kukreti
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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