A porn star who was almost beaten to death by her MMA fighter ex-boyfriend described the ordeal of coming face-to-face with him in court.
Christy Mack, 25, suffered 18 broken bones in her face and a ruptured liver during a brutal attack by the 35-year-old, who legally changed his name from Jonathan Koppenhaver to War Machine.
Mack and associate Corey Thomas were assaulted by War Machine in her Las Vegas home, with War Machine claiming to find them in bed together.
An image of Christy following the assault. Credit: Twitter / Christy Mack
In March, he was convicted on 29 felony counts, including kidnapping and sexual assault with a weapon, for which he faces life in prison. He will be sentenced in June.
In court Mack gave evidence through tears during War Machine's trial, and in an interview set to air on Tuesday night, she described the process and how traumatic it was having to come face to face with her assailant again.
"And I began bawling immediately. Because, for a long time, I did feel, you know, still emotionally connected to him," she said during an interview on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.
"I never looked at him except when I was asked to identify him.
War Machine appearing at trial. Credit: PA Images
"He had mouthed that he loved me and that was extremely difficult."
He reportedly pleaded for his former girlfriend's forgiveness in a blog post following the attack, which he began with a lyric from Johnny Cash 'Folsom Prison Blues': "I knew I had it coming, I knew I wouldn't be free."
"Well, that didn't go very well, now did it?" he said in the post.
"Would you believe me, though, if I said that I have nothing but joy inside, even now as I am sure to receive some type of life sentence?
Credit: Instagram / Christy Mack
"Now, if only I could somehow receive Christy's forgiveness... And if only I could one day hear that she too had been saved! That would remove every last bit of tarnish from this tragedy."
However, while giving evidence at the trial, Mack provided details of how she had been raped and threatened by the fighter in the lead up to the assault.
Featured Image Credit: Twitter / Christy Mack