AEW’s Jake Atlas arrested on domestic violence charges

On Mon., May 23, Jake Atlas was arrested on a misdemeanor battery (domestic violence) charge.

Atlas (real name Kenny Sanchez Martinez) is a former WWE talent who signed with AEW early this year, then suffered a knee injury in his first televised match in January of 2022. The company has not commented on the arrest.

Police and court documents state the arrest came as the result of an incident which started Sunday night at an Orlando bar. Atlas, who is openly gay, was drinking at a bar with friends when he called his partner to join them. When his partner arrived, he tried to get Atlas to leave the bar, but Altas convinced him to go with him “to a female friend’s house to engage in sexual activities.” The partner and a “few friends then relocated” to the friend’s residence.

There, Atlas continued drinking, and eventually became angry when his partner “showed more attention” to their female friend than to him. A verbal argument ensued, and Atlas “became physically aggressive and charged at” his partner. A friend apparently tried to stop Atlas twice, eventually convincing him to go home and “sleep it off.” When his partner left, however, Atlas followed him and the ensuring altercation left his partner with a scratched forearm and torn shirt which were cited as probable cause for the DV charge.

Police were called after friends were unable to get Atlas to leave the apartment he shared with the victim, where the scene eventually moved. Officers say they gave him multiple opportunities to tell his side of the story, but Atlas “was only interested in talking bad about” his partner.

As a condition for his release from jail, which occurred later in the day on May 23, Atlas agreed to not contact the alleged victim, and must stay at least 500 feet away from him until otherwise allowed by the Ninth Judicial Court in Orange County, Florida.

He’ll be arraigned on the domestic violence charge on June 28. He has not publicly commented on the incident.