UFC superstar Israel Adesanya receives six-month driving ban and $1500 fine after driving drunk in New Zealand

Israel Adesanya faces legal consequences in Auckland court, receiving a fine and program mandate, but avoids conviction due to his international athlete status.

UFC superstar Israel Adesanya receives six-month driving ban and $1500 fine after driving drunk in New Zealand

Israel Adesanya in court (Image via: X, IMAGO)

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is one of the biggest superstars in the UFC. During his title reign, he actively headlined PPV after PPV. He is also not a stranger to controversy and legal trouble. Although not to the extent of Colby Covington, Israel Adesanya has outspoken views. He famously defended Joe Rogan when the mainstream media accused Rogan of racism.

Adesanya had legal problems in New York after he lost the middleweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 281. On his return, airport authorities at JFK International Airport found brass knuckles on his luggage. Brass knuckles are illegal in New York, and he faced a Class A misdemeanor charge. His legal problems did not end there, as police arrested him for drinking and driving in New Zealand in August of 2023. This was weeks before his title fight against Sean Strickland in September at UFC 293.

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Adesanya recently appeared in court for the drinking and driving case in the Auckland court. Fortunately for Adesanya, the judge who presided over the case discharged him of any conviction. However, he fined Adessanya and ordered him to pay $1500 to a charity of his choice and also to join a stop-drink-drive program. Moreover, the judge also suspended his driving license for six months.

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Adesanya’s status as an exemplary citizen and an international athlete prevented the judge from getting a conviction. Moreover, Adesanya’s lawyer swore an affidavit regarding his sponsorship deals, which would force him to give half of the sponsorship money back in case of conviction.

Israel Adesanya will attend UFC 297

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently announced that he would return sooner rather than later. Adesanya was on a hiatus after his loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293. He recently appeared in court due to his drinking and driving case, and his lawyer revealed to the court his presence at UFC 297.

Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya (via Imago)

Adesanya’s lawyer pleaded to the court that Adesanya needed to be at UFC 297 in Canada but would halt the plan if convicted by the court. Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis headline UFC 297 for the middleweight title. Adesanya’s presence at the event would most likely be to face the winner in his comeback fight.

Dana White recently announced a strawweight title fight at UFC 300. With Adesanya looking to comeback and Conor McGregor not fighting at UFC 300, the Nigerian-born Kiwi might headline UFC 300. Adesanya has done big PPV numbers during his title reign and thus is an apt headliner for UFC 300 in the absence of McGregor.

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