Sports
UFC fighter Adesanya released after arrest in New York
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, who had been arrested at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, USA has now been released.
This was confirmed by the fighter’s manager, Tim Simpson, who added that Adesanya was already on his way home after the release.
The 33-year-old lost his title by TKO to Alex Pereira in New York last Saturday night, and was later arrested by Port Authority police in the American Airlines terminal.
Metal knuckles are illegal in New York. Possession is a Class A misdemeanor. TSA rules allow metal knuckles to be stored in checked luggage, but bans passengers from possessing them in carry-on bags.
Read Also: ‘It was my third fight in 10 months’, says Adesanya after Pereira defeat
“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.
“Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage,” Simpson said in a statement.
This is all coming on the back of Adesanya’s loss to Pereira in the UFC, in what has been a difficult week for the Nigerian-New Zealander.
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