Top MMA gym American Top Team makes a wild request to Drake after singer's betting "curse" hit Israel Adesanya at UFC 293
The "Drake curse" stands out as one of the most widely recognized jinxes in UFC history. While the sport has seen its fair share of superstitions over the years, such as the belief that wearing a Versace robe brings bad luck, the curse associated with hip-hop sensation Drake remains one of the most prominent and talked-about phenomena.
Over the years, several fighters have succumbed to the alleged curse. Prominent MMA stars like Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal have found themselves ensnared in the ill fate that seems to accompany the Canadian rapper's wagers on their victories in the past.
Most recently, the hip-hop superstar placed a $500,000 bet that Israel Adesanya would knock out Sean Strickland at UFC 293. Given that Adesanya was a heavy favorite going into the fight, the potential payout would have been a substantial $920,000.
Unfortunately, Israel Adesanya was handed a lopsided unanimous decision loss by Sean Strickland, and the enigma of the jinx continues to live on. Adding further credence to this belief, renowned MMA gym American Top Team has made an unusual request, asking Drake not to place bets on their fighters. The official X (formerly Twitter) account of the gym posted:
"Dear Mr. @Drake Please don’t bet on any of our fighters. Respectfully #AmericanTopTeam #JustSayNo #GodsPlan #UFC"
Check out the message below:
Drake curse: Israel Adesanya hit by another alleged curse during UFC 293 loss to Sean Strickland
While the "Drake curse" has been imputed as the reason for Israel Adesanya's middleweight title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293, the jinx affecting Adesanya wasn't only attributed to the hip-hop star.
Additionally, Adesanya is featured on the cover of UFC 5, the latest installment of the video game series of the MMA organization. Being a cover athlete for video games in various sports has historically happened before challenging seasons or events. This notion has been exemplified by the infamous "Madden Curse" in the NFL, which affected players like Michael Vick, Shaun Alexander, and Peyton Hillis.
Previously, Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey's remarkable winning streaks came to an end at UFC 196 and UFC 193, respectively, shortly after gracing the cover of the UFC 2 video game. It is worth noting that the alleged curse was broken by Israel Adesanya at UFC 253 when he defeated Paulo Costa via second-round TKO. 'The Last Stylebender' was featured on the cover of UFC 4 alongside retired UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal.