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War Machine Has to Settle for Just a Hug if He Marries Prison Pen Pal

War Machine Has to Settle for Just a Hug if He Marries Prison Pen Pal

Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver, also known as War Machine, reacts while appearing in court Wednesday, June 3, 2015, in Las Vegas. (John Locher/AP)

By    |   Friday, 20 July 2018 02:17 PM EDT

War Machine will have to settle for just a hug if he marries his prison pen pal as conjugal visits are not allowed where he is imprisoned.

Last year the former UFC fighter, whose real name is Jonathan Koppenhaver, was sentenced to 36 years to life in prison for assaulting ex-girlfriend Christy Mack.

She suffered a lacerated liver, a broken nose, two lost teeth and a fractured rib.

Police arrested Koppenhaver, who tried to flee, a week after the incident on charges of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm, battery by strangulation, two counts of battery with substantial bodily harm, open and gross lewdness, assault with deadly weapon and coercion with use of force or threat of force.

Koppenhaver may only be eligible for parole at age 71 but this has not stopped him from popping the question to his pen pal Ashley Farrington, Yard Barker reported.

The two first started chatting last summer after Farrington wrote a letter to her now fiance.

Things developed from there, feelings grew and soon the two were meeting in person at the Ely State Prison, sources told TMZ.

Earlier this year Koppenhaver proposed to Farrington and, although he had no ring to offer her, he wrote her a poem.

She said yes and now the two are planning a wedding ceremony in the prison.

The problem is that they will have to settle for a hug to consummate the marriage because Nevada does not permit conjugal visits.

Koppenhaver has been keeping himself busy behind bars.

Between catching up with pen pals he recently announcing his intentions to study for a master's degree in Christian counseling and psychology.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
War Machine is engaged to his prison pen pal but the former mixed martial arts fighter will have to settle for just a hug if he goes through with the wedding as conjugal visits are not allowed where he is imprisoned.
war machine, marry, prison, pen pal
339
2018-17-20
Friday, 20 July 2018 02:17 PM
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