Russian MMA Fighter Sentenced for Assault
A former mixed martial arts fighter from Russia, Matvei Rumyantsev, was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday. The conviction stemmed from an assault on his ex-girlfriend that occurred during a FaceTime call with Barron Trump, son of former President Donald Trump, in January 2025.
The judge in London characterized Rumyantsev as “jealous” and “totally unrepentant,” highlighting his refusal to accept responsibility for his actions. It was noted that the victim, a 23-year-old woman, was also sentenced—two years for assault and another two for sending a letter from prison urging her to withdraw her complaint against him.
During the sentencing, the judge pointed out Rumyantsev’s lack of empathy, stating that he continued to blame the victim for the incident. The court mandated that Rumyantsev’s sentences would run consecutively, and he was warned of potential deportation from the UK due to the nature of his crimes.
On January 18, 2025, Rumyantsev attacked the woman in her east London apartment after having discovered a FaceTime call from Barron Trump on her phone, just two days before Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and Barron had connected through social media, leading to an interaction that Rumyantsev described as damning.
Testimony revealed that during the assault, he pulled her hair, choked her, and verbally abused her. At one point, he even turned the camera to show his ex-girlfriend crying on the floor. Distressed, she expressed that she felt her life was in danger and mentioned that the call from Barron felt like a divine intervention. “He saved my life,” she remarked.
Barron Trump, upon witnessing the incident on video, contacted London police, identifying the situation as urgent, and reported, “…I just got a call from a girl. You know, she’s been beaten up.” Later, he provided a detailed email to the authorities about what he observed during the brief but distressing video call.
Rumyantsev testified, citing jealousy over Barron, and claimed he had negative feelings toward him, suspecting his ex was leading him on. His defense attorney suggested that Barron wasn’t aware the victim was in a relationship and implied that she was using her connection with Trump to provoke jealousy in Rumyantsev.
In closing, the judge commended Barron for responsibly contacting emergency services, emphasizing that his actions, despite being in another country, were commendable.
