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It’s Crazy How Life Happens: Israel Adesanya Recalls NYC Airport Arrest Following UFC 281

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Saikat Banerjee
Saikat Banerjee
A wordsmith who indulges in the world of combat sports, Saikat Banerjee is an MMA, boxing, and arm wrestling content writer at The MMA India Show and The Sports Room. Apart from combat sports, he also engages in Indian sports content at The Sports India Show. Currently pursuing an MBA from Jadavpur University, Saikat's other interests lie in motorcycling, working out, and travelling.
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Israel Adesanya reflects on getting detained at the JFK Airport last year following UFC 281, and views it as an experience.

That’s life. I like these experiences: Israel Adesanya

November 2022 was dramatic for “The Last Stylebender”. The UFC Middleweight champion had contested his belt against longtime rival Alex Pereira at UFC 281 and meeting his former kickboxing adversary for the first time in the Octagon went against Adesanya, as he lost the title.

The setback was followed by his arrest at the New York City airport. Adesanya was apprehended at JFK Airport for alleged criminal possession of a weapon. The report states that Adesanya was carrying brass knuckles, which were detected as the 185-pounder was going through the security checkup.

The Nigerian fighter was arrested around 2 o’clock in the noon by the Port Authority Police Department close to the TSA screening area which lies nearby to the American Airlines terminal.

In the New York state, brass knuckles are classified as illegal (class A misdemeanor) and its also illegal to carry them on person or in a luggage, which is the primary reason for Adesanya’s arrest. Later, the charges were dismissed.

Recalling the incident while speaking to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Adesanya acknowledged that everything that happened had benefitted him at the end.

“It’s crazy how life happens,” said Adesanya. “You lose the belt, you go to the airport get arrested. … First thing I did when I got into the cell was meditate for about 15 minutes. [I was in the cell] for about 45 minutes. They were all, like, “What the f***? What are you doing here?’ People started coming like, ‘Oh s***, hey Israel. What happened? We’ll get you out of here as soon as possible.’ That’s life. I like these experiences, whether good or bad, it all happens for my benefit and my favor.”

“I sit in the cell and I see people’s graffiti on the wall and I remember just thinking, ‘This is crazy,’” Adesanya went on. “I was just fighting at Madison Square Garden literally a few days ago and now I’m in a cell in the airport. So I was like, ‘Right.’ I sat there and I just meditated, just to center myself again. From there it was, ‘Right. Cool. What are we going to do?’” [H/T MMA Fighting]

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