“New Zealand media finally got me” - Israel Adesanya claims his DUI case was blown out of proportion due to his celebrity status
Israel Adesanya recently asserted that his DUI case garnered undue attention due to his fame.
The former UFC middleweight champion pleaded guilty to a drunk driving incident that occurred in New Zealand last August after he was arrested while driving on Wellesley St. in Auckland Central. Adesanya's test showed a blood alcohol concentration of 87 milligrams per 100 milliliters, exceeding the legal limit of 50 milligrams.
During his recent appearance on This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, 'The Last Stylebender' delved into his legal challenges:
"I lost my license because of this DUI. It was a silly mistake, I had dinner and two cocktails. And there were some reports I couldn't speak about then because it was still an ongoing court case. But then there were reports coming out saying he was two times over the legal limit."
Adesanya further stated that while he was slightly over the legal limit, the media sensationalized the case:
"I was just 0.07 over the legal limit. Everyone else who had this [DUI], they were like, 'How come you were in court? All I got was fine.' But I'm like, you're not me. This New Zealand media finally got me, so they were, 'We caught him, we wanna parade him'."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below:
Adesanya was subjected to the possibility of facing either three months' imprisonment or a fine of up to NZD 4500. However, as per social media reports, Adesanya's legal representative argued that a conviction could significantly harm the fighter, potentially leading to the loss of sponsors and resulting in a substantial financial setback.
Fortunately, a judge delivered a favorable outcome, absolving 'The Last Stylebender' of any conviction, citing his relatively low blood alcohol reading during the incident.
Israel Adesanya reveals Dricus du Plessis turned down UFC 300 fight offer
Israel Adesanya recently disclosed that discussions were in motion for a showdown with Dricus du Plessis at the highly anticipated UFC 300.
The middleweights had long been associated with a feud, and their intense rivalry could have easily justified a headline bout at the landmark event at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 13.
During his same conversation with Theo Von, 'The Last Stylebender' revealed that he was presented with a title fight opportunity against the reigning champion:
"They summoned me for [UFC] 300, and I was like, 'Yep, let's roll', but their side didn't want it...But, they just fought [Sean] Strickland, so maybe he had a little bit niggly injuries and stuff, but we all got niggles and whatnot...I've fought injured for the last how many fights? That's why I took time off. Just to let my body heal, and it has healed."
Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below: