Reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya destroyed Brazilian rival Paulo Costa in the UFC 253 pay-per-view (PPV) main event back in Sept. 2020, but his spectacular performance was not the top story in the days that followed.
It was his jiggly breast.
A baffled Adesanya later told reporters his chest started “growing” and became “quite sore” until his girlfriend persuaded him to see a physician. Subsequent blood tests came back negative but the UFC doctor suggested it was too much marijuana.
Just don’t call it steroids.
“When you’re great, they talk about ‘Tittygate,’” Adesanya told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC 276 media day (watch it here). “At the same time, I’m like, ‘How the fuck?’ They just need to find excuses to take away my greatness. I understand this is what people are supposed to do, so I let them. Look, I will give $3 million to anyone who can ever have concrete evidence that I even know what the fuck I’m doing with steroids or how to take steroids. I promise you. $3 million if you can find anyone who has concrete evidence that I’ve ever even purchased, touched, or done any kind of performance-enhancing drugs or whatever. I watched Icarus. That’s how much I know about steroids, from that documentary. It opened my eyes. It shocked me.”
Longtime rival Jon Jones still has questions.
Adesanya, 32, returns to the Octagon for the UFC 276 main event this Sat. night (July 2, 2022) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where “The Last Stylebender” will look to overcome the furious fists of former heavyweight Jared Cannonier.
Hopefully he doesn’t ingest something “accidentally” beforehand.
“So yeah, $3 million for anyone who can ever find any concrete evidence that I’ve been using performance-enhancing drugs,” Adesanya continued. “Pull up. This is easy. It’s easy to talk and type online, but really it got to me a little after the Costa fight. I was like, ‘These fucking cunts are just trying to take away my greatness, because I had a fucking spectacular performance.’ I’m like, ‘How the fuck are you trying to take that away with accusations based on nothing.’ I’m like, yeah, pull up. Show me what’s up. Three million. I know you don’t have that in the bank. I do.”
Adesanya (22-1) has not failed a drug test in 12 fights with UFC.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 276 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ABC/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
For the rest of the UFC 276 fight card and PPV lineup click here. To check out the latest and greatest UFC 276: “Adesanya vs. Cannonier” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.