The 45-year-old rapper claimed he was defending himself during the disagreement, which occurred at UCLA on Monday.

Police told the Los Angeles Times that Diddy used a kettlebell when confronting Sal Alosi, coach of his 21-year-old son, at the campus' Acosta Athletic Training Complex.

Diddy was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.

However, in a statement released by his company, Combs Enterprises, Diddy denied he was the aggressor.

"The various accounts of the event and charges that are being reported are wholly inaccurate," the statement read.

"What we can say now is that any actions taken by Mr Combs were solely defensive in nature to protect himself and his son. We are confident that once the true facts are revealed, the case will be dismissed."

Alosi has a history of misconduct in the sport.

In 2010 he was suspended from the NFL after tripping a Miami Dolphins player, while working as a conditioning coach for the New York Jets.

The Dolphins player was running close to the sideline when Alosi extended his leg to trip him.

Diddy's son, Justin, has spoken out in support of his father.

The college student posted a picture of the pair on Instagram with the caption, "I thank God for having a father that's always there for me .. Love you pops!"

The father-son duo had been on campus together earlier this week, participating in a social father vs son flag football game.

Justin is studying at UCLA on a $US54,000 ($69,800) football scholarship.

When he was announced as a scholarship winner back in 2012, Los Angeles Times writer questioned whether the academic institution couldn't find applicants who needed the cash more, pointing out that Justin's father had given him a $US360,000 ($465,000) silver Mayback for his 16th birthday.

At the time, a representative from UCLA said the funding for merit-based and needs-based scholarships was drawn from separate pools.

Justin, who turned down scholarship offers from Illinois, Virginia and Wyoming to study at UCLA, responded to the criticism on Twitter.

"Regardless what the circumstances are, I put that work in!!!!" he tweeted.

Justin is Diddy's only child with high school sweetheart, designer Misa Hylton-Brim, whom he was in a relationship with until shortly after Justin's birth.

He has five other children from later relationships.