"Is this a publicity stunt?" - UFC legend chimes in on Israel Adesanya's viral DUI arrest incident
Israel Adesanya pleaded guilty to a drunk driving charge in a New Zealand court on Monday morning. 'The Last Stylebender' was reportedly arrested on August 19th, just three weeks before his UFC 293 middleweight title bout against Sean Strickland.
The two-time middleweight champion reportedly had 87 milligrams of alcohol in his system, per 100 milliliters of blood, which is 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.
Meanwhile, former double champ Henry Cejudo weighed in on Adesanya's arrest. Speaking on his YouTube channel, 'Triple C' pointed out that drinking and driving happen often before adding:
"Is this a publicity stunt is the next question that I want to ask. We saw it in the past with [Conor] McGregor. We saw it with Jon Jones. We saw it with Mike Tyson. With a lot of these guys literally getting in trouble after them having a devastating loss or something along that matter. I mean, because he's a big name, will this work in his favor? I mean, guys, I'm not here to judge anybody for that matter."
Cejudo added:
"For somebody like Israel Adesanya, I would hope that he's not going down that route because your identity, Israel, is not based on you becoming a champion... At the end of the day, man, continue to keep being that mixed martial artist. I wouldn't go down that route of becoming that bad boy."
Check out Henry Cejudo's full comments on Israel Adesanya's recent DUI arrest below:
While Cejudo appeared genuinely concerned for Adesanya, it is important to note that the arrest was not caused by him losing the middleweight title, which 'Triple C' seemed to suggest. 'The Last Stylebender' was arrested three weeks prior to the bout and the incident is the latest evidence that he may have overlooked his opponent.
Israel Adesanya releases statement apologizing for arrest
News that Israel Adesanya was arrested for drunk driving just prior to his title bout against Sean Strickland shocked fans. The two-time middleweight champion 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. While Adesanya's sentencing is set for January 10, 2024, the judge has granted his lawyer's request not to enter a conviction.