- Israel Adesanya was arrested Wednesday at the JFK Airport in New York for possession of metal knuckles
- His manager Tim Simpson reported the matter got dismissed
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya took on longtime rival Alex Pereira in the headlining bout of UFC 281 this past weekend at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. He went into the outing looking to avenge his two losses to Pereira, including a violent left hook knockout in the kickboxing ring. Pereira pulled off a remarkable comeback in the fifth round and scored a standing TKO finish over Adesanya to become the new 185-pound king.
Israel Adesanya was arrested at the airport in New York just days after UFC 281
Israel Adesanya was arrested Wednesday afternoon for criminal possession of a weapon at JFK airport in NYC, first reported by TMZ Sports. ‘Stylebender’ was allegedly caught while going through security with brass knuckles. Port Authority Police Department made the arrest near the TSA screening area near the American Airlines terminal.
Brass knuckles are illegal in New York and possession is a Class A misdemeanor. While TSA rules permit metal knuckles to be carried in checked luggage, it is prohibited for passengers to carry them on their person or in carry-on bags.
Adesanya’s manager reported the matter has been resolved
Adesanya’s manager Tim Simpsons, of Paradigm Sports, released a statement to MMA Junkie reporting the issue has been resolved.
“Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage,” Simpson said. “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’s on his way home.”
UFC president Dana White stated he would not ‘rule out’ an immediate title rematch between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. However, no concrete developments have happened.
