Coach of UFC fighter arrested on child sex crime allegations

Jacob Brennan, the husband and head coach of UFC fighter Hailey Cowan has been arrested in Texas after allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor.

According to KWTX-TV in Waco, Brennan, who’s 40, was arrested Sunday with indecency with a child with sexual contact, a second-degree felony in Texas. The report indicates that a woman came forward and told police Brennan inappropriately touched her when he was her coach between 2013 and 2015, while she was 13 and the coach was 30.

The victim claims that “Brennan kissed her hundreds of times and touched her vagina above and below her clothes hundreds of times between 2013 and 2015.” The sexual abuse allegedly happened in various rooms, but the now coach of a UFC fighter reportedly was concerned of getting caught as the report claims he “was concerned with getting caught and would stop touching her if he heard noises in the gym or believed someone was nearby.”

In the affidavit, the victim showed police FaceBook messages that Brennan sent her in 2014 saying he loved her and spoke about kissing her.

The report from KWTX-TV was able to obtain some messages from the UFC coach which are as follows:

At about 10:40 a.m. on June 3, 2014, Brennan sent the girl a Facebook message stating, “I have been awake for hours straight and I’m just laying here and all I can think about is you,” the affidavit states.

At about 12:01 a.m. on June 7, 2014, a message by Brennan sent to the victim states, “Goodnight, beautiful!! I love you too so much!! See you at 10 a.m.,” the affidavit states.

On June 9, 2014, at about 1:16 a.m., Brennan, according to the affidavit, sent the victim the following Facebook message: “I’m drawing a blank. Why do you want to bite my neck? OK have sweet dreams!! I love you! See you soon!!”

Brennan is being held on a $75,000 bond, per online jail records, and possible sentences include from two to 20 years in prison.

Brennan, as mentioned, is the coach and husband of UFC fighter Hailey Cowan. Cowan is 0-1 in the UFC as she lost a decision to Jamey-Lyn Horth in April of 2023. She is 7-3 in MMA and was signed to the promotion after winning on the Contender Series.