Watch: When TMZ CEO threatened to sue Israel Adesanya for kicking a cup off his head
Israel Adesanya once appeared on TMZ programming, but not because he was in the middle of a scandal.
The UFC middleweight champion paid a visit to the tabloid website's office to hang out with the staffers in March earlier this year. Things got interesting when Adesanya offered to show off his fighting skills by kicking a cup off the head of TMZ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harvey Levin.
Levin was very hesitant to take part in Adesanya's game. However, he finally accepted after 'The Last Stylebender' offered to pay him $500,000 if he got hit on the head.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi made it look easy as he seamlessly threw a high roundhouse kick to knock the cup off Levin's head. However, Levin insisted that Adesanya hit him on the head and jokingly threatened to sue the UFC champ.
The video was first posted back in March. However, Adesanya recently published a vlog that included more behind-the-scenes footage from the incident on his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel.
Check out Israel Adesanya's vlog below:
Israel Adesanya says he won't end up on TMZ
Israel Adesanya has emerged as one of the biggest stars in the UFC over the years. A study even found that he's the most beloved fighter on social media.
'The Last Stylebender' also became the second-highest-paid active fighter after renewing his contract with the world's leading MMA promotion. Not to mention that he's boosted his net worth by signing an endorsement deal with Puma.
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Even with fame and fortune in his life, though, Adesanya vowed that he would not fall into the same trappings that some of his colleagues did during the peak of their careers. The Nigerian-born Kiwi told MMA Fighting:
"Knock on wood, you won’t catch me on TMZ doing something crazy. Because I have the right people around me. The right people who ground me. I keep my circle very tight and I make sure I’m loved. I’m surrounded by people who actually give a f*** about me, who love me, who want the best for me and vice versa and I do the same for them. I’ve evolved but I keep the same energy. I said that from the jump. I keep the same energy."
Jon Jones and Conor McGregor are two superstars who constantly find themselves in multiple TMZ headlines. Both men have had several run-ins with the law and have been caught up in scandals over the years.
Adesanya, on the other hand, seems to be much more efficient at balancing multiple aspects of his life. A warrior inside the octagon, 'The Last Stylebender' has surrounded himself with a solid team under the tutelage of Eugene Bareman.
When not in camp or on a media tour promoting himself, Adesanya is focused on working on his craft along with helping his teammates at City Kickboxing.