Israel Asedanya is one of many professional mixed martial arts fighters who always accommodate fans. However, things have changed for him because of one incident that landed him in jail.
The Stylebender recalled the time when a fan got him in trouble unknowingly. The worse part was that this happened when he was dealing with a painful loss.
Fresh from a loss to Alex Pereira during UFC 281, Asedanya was arrested at the JFK Airport in Queens, New York, while preparing to fly back to New Zealand. He was arrested and subsequently jailed for weapon charges.
It turned out the weapon was a brass knuckles and was gifted to him by a fan.
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The charges were eventually dismissed, but this became a learning moment for the current UFC #5 pound-for-pound fighter whenever interacting with fans.
"This is why now I don't take gifts from fans," Adesanya said while clearing up that he still loves his supporters.
"Also, some people might be weird, they might put some juju or some weird things. But shoutout to fans, they're cool, and I think once they started to see I was taking gifts, guys would bring, like, an old sweatshirt. I was, like, 'This isn't my camp, Puma,' I just give it back, it's an excuse."
He also hoped that would be the last time he would be handcuffed.
Another match with Pereira but on a condition
While he does not want to experience getting arrested again, he is open to reuniting with Pereira in the octagon. But only if a condition is met.
The Nigerian-Kiwi fighter said he is open to a fifth match with the Brazilian rival, but only if the latter wins a belt at the 205 division.
"If he wins the 205 belt, though, they might give him a fast track like they did with me, and then they're going to have a magic, crazy, f-cking epic fight at 205 with me and him. That will be us for the fifth time," he said in an interview with MMA Junkie.
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