Twitter Reacts To War Machine Saying He Should Be 'Laying Next To Aaron Hernandez' In The Dirt

Former UFC fighter War Machine, who went by his birth Jonathan Paul Koppenhaver during a sexual assault and kidnapping trial, was sentenced Monday to 36 years to life in Nevada state prison. In a statement to the court, the 35-year-old announced said he was suicidal and referenced Aaron Hernandez, an NFL player who committed suicide at a Massachusetts prison in April.

After a two-week trial that concluded in March, War Machine was found guilty of 29 out of 34 possible charges for kidnapping, beating, and sexually assaulting his porn actress ex-girlfriend Christy Mack — whose real name is Christine Mackinday — and for beating Corey Thomas, an internet mogul.

Read: Aaron Hernandez Murder: New Bill Would Prevent Future Convictions From Being Overturned Posthumously

“I should have killed myself by now,” War Machine said. “There's no reason right now that I shouldn't be in the dirt right now laying next to Aaron Hernandez.”

Twitter responded to the news of War Machine's conviction with strong words. Some users specifically addressed the comparison he made between himself and Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end who had been serving a life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t seriously regret all those things that I did. I was a very, very lost, very empty person,” War Machine added in his statement, according to ESPN. “And to top it off, something’s not right with my head. Plain and simple. I’ve known that a long time and I’ve hated it. I’ve hated the way that I think. I’ve hated my impulses. Half the time, I don’t know why I do some the things I do. And some of the times I do things and I don’t even feel like I did them until it’s already done.”

Read: Christy Mack Fears War Machine Will Kill Her If Released From Prison After 36 Years To Life Term

War Machine’s lawyer Jay Leiderman said his client tried to hang himself in January, a report that follows a previous attempt in October 2014 while the athlete was awaiting trial. The Southern California native reportedly turned to religion and said he wants to lead a model life during his time in prison, according to ESPN. The Washington Post reported Monday that Koppenhaver’s defense attorney submitted a motion for a new trial the same day, but Clark County District Court Judge Elissa Cadish denied it.

“As an adult, it’s up to you to address the issues that you had, and certainly, as you know, it’s not appropriate to take it out on these other people around you,” Cadish said. “It’s not like this case is the first case. . . . There were many points along the way that should have been red flags that something had to change. I’m just grateful that we don’t have a murder case on our hands.”