November 17, (THEWILL) – At the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, as UFC star, Israel Adesanya was returning to New Zealand, he reportedly tried to pass brass knuckles through airport security and was arrested.
Adesanya was briefly detained for the offence, a class A misdemeanour in the state of New York. This is coming a few days after he lost his UFC Middleweight title to Alex Pereira, on Sunday.
The knuckles were a present given to Adesanya by a fan, according to a statement from his manager, Tim Simpson, who also explained that the situation had been settled.
Simpson said: “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.”
Pereira defeated the recipient of the 2020 Halberg Supreme Award in the main event of UFC 281, which took place at New York’s Madison Square Garden. It was his first defeat in the middleweight division of the UFC, snapping a 12-fight winning streak in which he had been the undisputed champion.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
