Israel Adesanya, a Nigerian-New Zealander professional kickboxer, has been arrested in New York. The 33-year-old was arrested Wednesday, November 16, 2022.
According to reports, the UFC fighter was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
He was reportedly detained by police and airport security after being discovered in possession of a metal knuckle while attempting to pass through security.
According to an official, brass knuckles are illegal in the United States, and if convicted, the multiple award-winning martial arts could face up to a year in prison.
According to reports, the incident occurred around 1:57 p.m. local time while Adesanya was undergoing security checks at an American Airlines terminal.
However, Foxnews reports that Adesanya may have been released by the authorities after cooperating with them.
“Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage,” Adesanya’s manager, Tim Simpson, told reporters shortly after the incident.
“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 is on his way home,” he added.
It is, however, unclear where the boxer was travelling to when the incident occurred. Though it is understood that the boxing champion of Nigerian origin lives in New Zealand.
