"I am disappointed" - Israel Adesanya apologizes in honest statement after pleading guilty to DUI
Israel Adesanya pleaded guilty to a charge of drunk driving in court in New Zealand on Monday morning. The incident reportedly took place on August 19th, just three weeks before his UFC 293 title bout loss to Sean Strickland.
The New Zealand Herald reported that the two-time middleweight champion had 87 milligrams of alcohol in his system per 100 milliliters of blood, above the legal limit of 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. While the legal threshold is 50 milligrams, the threshold for being charged is 80 milligrams, which Adesanya was just over.
'The Last Stylebender' gave a statement to the New Zealand Herald, stating:
"I want to apologize to the community, my family and my team for the decision I made to get behind the wheel after drinking at dinner. I was pulled over and gave an evidentiary blood test - the reading was 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. I am disappointed with my decision to drive, It was wrong. I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behavior is acceptable."
The maximum penalty for the offense is three months in jail or a fine of $4500. Adesanya's sentencing is set for January 10, 2024. The judge granted his lawyer's request not to enter a conviction.
Michael Bisping believes Israel Adesanya overlooked Sean Strickland at UFC 293
Israel Adesanya suffered a shocking loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, losing the middleweight title in the process. UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes that arrogance led to the loss. Speaking on TNT Sports' Fight Week, the former middleweight champion stated:
"I think there was certainly an air of arrogance in the corner of Israel Adesanya and from Izzy himself. Even when he was dropped in the first round and very, very close to being finished, he had kind of a smug look on his face like, 'God bless this guy, he landed a shot. Oh, overhand? Oh, okay, no worries.' No concern, no look of stress, no worry, no realization that he’s in there with a real threat."
Check out Michael Bisping's comments on Israel Adesanya's loss to Sean Strickland below (starting at the 7:18 mark):
Following news that 'The Last Stylebender' was arrested for drunk driving just three weeks before the title bout, it appears that he may not have been as focused as he has been in the past. The two-time middleweight champion appears set to receive an immediate rematch.