Israel Adesanya was reportedly arrested Wednesday at JFK Airport in New York while attempting to go through security screenings.
TMZ Sports was the first to report the news of Adesanya’s arrest.
According to TMZ, Adesanya was taken into custody near JFK’s American Airlines terminal on Wednesday afternoon, just before 2:00 p.m. local time. He allegedly possessed brass knuckles, which are illegal in New York state and is a misdemeanor offense.
MMA journalist Ariel Helwani shared a statement on behalf of Adesanya from his manager, Tim Simpson, clarifying the earlier TMZ report.
“Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage. When flagged at the airport, Israel quickly disposed of the item, and cooperated with authorities. He has complied accordingly, with that the matter was dismissed and he is on his way home,” Simpson said.
Israel Adesanya Dismissed By Police For Brass Knuckles Possession
Adesanya lost the UFC middleweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 281 on Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Pereira defeated him via a fifth-round TKO in a stunning come-from-behind victory.
Adesanya nearly didn’t make it to the fight after suffering an injury in camp. He ended up suffering a PCL injury and is suspended indefinitely to rest and recover.
Adesanya will likely face Pereira in an immediate rematch at a to-be-determined timeframe. He doesn’t have any known criminal history during his time competing and also living in New Zealand.
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