UFC fighter Israel Adesanya has pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges in New Zealand, with a reported alcohol level in his system above the legal limit, expressing his remorse and acknowledging that his behavior was unacceptable.
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has reportedly pled guilty to a drunk driving offence in New Zealand. The case sprung up from an incident that happened three weeks prior to his latest UFC bout. On Sunday, The New Zealand Herald reported that Adesanya was found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in Auckland on Aug. 19. Notably, he had 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood in his system which is significantly above the New Zealand legal limit of 50 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood.
Addressing the issue, Adesanya expressed his disappointment and regret over his decision. He apologized to his community, family, and team for choosing to drive after having drinks at dinner. He went further to disclose that he was pulled over and a subsequent blood test found 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood present in his system. “I am disappointed with my decision to drive. It was wrong,” he admitted, expressing his concerns over the people that look up to him. He stated, “I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behavior is acceptable.”
Until now, it is reported that the maximum penalty for such an offense for Adesanya could be three months in jail or a possible fine of $4,500 — approximately $2,680 in US dollars. His hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2024. In between, Adesanya will have to deal with an unexpected loss suffered at the hands of Sean Strickland in a thrilling contest on Sept. 10. In a battle that went the distance, Strickland dominated Adesanya for 25 minutes to snatch the UFC middleweight title in a one-sided bout at UFC 293. The defeat marks a difficult period for Adesanya, who is a two-time UFC middleweight champion. He has lost two of his last three fights and is only 4-3 over his last seven Octagon appearances.