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Israel Adesanya Dodges Drunk Driving Conviction, Expected to Attend UFC 297 in Toronto

Former two-time middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya has escaped a drunk driving conviction in Auckland, New Zealand. The MMA superstar…

Former two-time middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya has escaped a drunk driving conviction in Auckland, New Zealand.

The MMA superstar was pulled over on August 19, 2023, three weeks ahead of his UFC 293 title loss to Sean Strickland, and failed a blood alcohol test, blowing 87 mg per 100 mL which is significantly over the the 50 mg legal limit and narrowly exceeding the 80 mg threshold to turn the incident into a jailable offense. Per a report from MMA Mania, ‘The Last Stylebender’ faced up to three months behind bars and a $4,500 fine.

However, Adesanya’s lawyer, Karl Trotter, indicated that a conviction would come with “adverse consequences” that would be “monumental” to his client.

Trotter was specifically referring to an affidavit confirming that Adesanya may have to repay up to 50 percent of a six-figure sponsorship if the deal was terminated because of bad behavior on his part. Adesanya would also face travel restrictions, preventing him from making a trip to Canada later this month for the UFC 297 pay-per-view in Toronto.

Israel Adesanya Shown Leniency in New Zealand Court

In the end, Adesanya’s good standing with the country and his charitable contributions earned him some leniency with New Zealand Judge Peter Winter. “You’ve bought credit on the country … I accept that in all other respects, you are an exemplary citizen,” he said before delivering a six-month driving suspension and a $1,500 fine. He must also complete an anti-drunk-driving program.

After surrendering his title for the second time in less than a year, Adesanya opted to take some time away from the Octagon. Despite that, rumors have continued to fly about his potential return at the promotion’s next big milestone event, UFC 300, on April 13.

No official announcements have been made, but the ‘Stylebender’ is expected to be in attendance for this month’s highly anticipated middleweight title tilt between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis.

Khamzat Chimaev vows to compete for championship in return ahead of UFC 297: ‘They promised me that fight’

Khamzat Chimaev says he has been guaranteed a shot at middleweight gold ahead of UFC 297 later this month. …

Khamzat Chimaev says he has been guaranteed a shot at middleweight gold ahead of UFC 297 later this month.

While Chimaev’s career may not have panned out exactly how man saw, the 29-year-old is still undefeated and Is not far off getting his shot at UFC gold. For a while, Chimaev winning the welterweight title, but weight issues has forced ‘Borz’ to seek for a title at 185lbs.

That shot may come against the reigning middleweight champion, Strickland, who Chimaev seems confident of beating.

Chimaev is undoubtably physically talented but also sees his faith as a massive part of his success. In fact, Chimaev claims that those who compete against Muslim fighters should ‘be afraid’.

“I don’t know, man,” Khamzat Chimaev said during a recent interview with Mohammed Hijab. “He has to be afraid. Inshallah we fight with everyone, so the fights in the cage is not that big thing. If we can make some people happy who is going through hard times and all Muslims watching us and me and Khabib, all the Muslim fighters, Belal, we know all of the kids, our kids they’re watching, they want to be like us. (H/T MiddleEasy)

“They [fighters competing against Muslims] should be afraid of us,” Chimaev continued. “We fight not just for us like they do, we fight for all Muslims.”

Khamzat Chimaev confident of title shot being next

The middleweight divison is wide open at the moment as there is several fighters who could realistically end up as champion by 2024. However, Chimaev sees only himself being in that discussion and is suyre that he will fight for, and win, UFC gold next.

“A hundred percent,” Chimaev said. “He [Sean Strickland] has good fighter who he’s fighting with, Du Plessis, and if he wins against this guy for sure we’re gonna fight 100 percent. They promised for me that fight, so now we’re gonna wait who’s winning the fight and then take the belt.”

Strickland and Du Plessis are set to square-off in the main event of UFC 297 on January 21 and settle their bubbling feud.

Who wins, Sean Strickland or Khamzat Chimaev?

Ian Garry eyes fight with UFC foe Sean Strickland: ‘I’ll beat him so bad that he’ll forget that trauma, he’ll thank me’

Unbeaten welterweight contender, Ian Garry may be preoccupied by a February fight with Geoff Neal at UFC 298, however,…

Unbeaten welterweight contender, Ian Garry may be preoccupied by a February fight with Geoff Neal at UFC 298, however, the Dubliner claims the prospect of a future middleweight fight with rival, Sean Strickland attracts him, before mocking the latter’s much-discussed traumatic childhood.

Garry, the current number ten ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since he featured on the main card of UFC 292 back in August in Boston, landing a one-sided unanimous decision win over the division’s most winningest fighter, Neil Magny in Massachusetts.

Forced from a return at UFC 296 back in December, Garry was removed from the card amid a battle with pneumonia, resulting in the cancelling of a scheduled fight with training partner, Vicente Luque, and the rebooking of a bout with Neal for February.

Ian Garry addresses Sean Strickland rivalry

Releasing a ‘hitlist’ of fighters he hopes to stand opposite in 2024, Garry first penned the above-mentioned, Neal, before then listing former interim champion, Colby Covington, and finally, incumbent middleweight best, Strickland.

And divulging his desire to fight the outspoken middleweight champion, Garry, who predicted Strickland would be without his championship in tow come the end of the year, also vowed to give him such a bad beating he would forget the childhood trauma he has openly discussed.

“I’m gonna get my hands on him (Sean Strickland),” Ian Garry told MMA Fighting. “In an ideal world, towards the end of the year – I don’t think Sean Strickland is going to be world champion anymore.”

“And I believe there’s an absolutely ideal opportunity for me to step up to middleweight and give him a hiding,” Ian Garry explained. “And maybe, maybe I’ll beat him so bad that he’ll forget all that trauma from his childhood. And he can thank me.”

Slated to make his comeback at UFC 297 this month, Strickland takes on South African contender, Dricus du Plessis in a middleweight championship headliner.

Who wins in a future middleweight clash: Sean Strickland or Ian Garry?

Sean Strickland closing as betting favorite to beat Dricus du Plessis in title grudge fight at UFC 297

Largely considered a live dog to successfully defend his middleweight title at UFC 297 later this month in Canada,…

Largely considered a live dog to successfully defend his middleweight title at UFC 297 later this month in Canada, Sean Strickland is closing, however, as quite an impressive betting favorite to topple incoming foe and arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis in ‘The Great White North’.

Strickland, the current undisputed middleweight champion, most recently headlined UFC 293 back in September, clinching the divisional crown in a massive upset win over former two-time gold holder, Israel Adesanya in Sydney, Australia.

As for du Plessis, the promotional perfect contender earned his first title charge back in July of last year at UFC 290 during International Fight Week, landing a blistering second round TKO win over Robert Whittaker.

Sean Strickland closing as betting favorite ahead of UFC 297

And slated to headline the promotion’s return to Canada later this month, Sean Strickland – likely to some surprise, is closing as short as a -130 betting favorite to beat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 – with the South African a +110.

If you’re interested in placing bets or wagers on this coming UFC 297, including the championship fight doubleheader, you can find out more about MMA betting in Canada through the link provided.

Sharing the stage during a heated press conference last month ahead of their massive UFC 297 title affair, Strickland and du Plessis traded fists and blows at UFC 296 on fighter row in Las Vegas ahead of their bout, with the two ramping up their developing rivalry in recent weeks.

And sharing his thoughts on Strickland’s emotional outburst which resulted in the pair’s scuffle, du Plessis claimed the former’s ‘hard-man’ mindset should not be credited as much as it appears to be by his fans.

“It is what it is,” Dricus du Plessis said during a recent interview. “I’m glad he (Sean Strickland) cried and got it out, it’s the end of that. I think we give him a lot more credit than he deserves in terms of mindset. I don’t think he thinks about anything.”

“I think he goes out there and he fights, he fights the way Sean Strickland fights,” Dricus du Plessis explained. “He always has and he’s an incredible fighter. I have a lot of respect for him as a fighter.”

Enjoying a stunning run of fights and victories consecutively since he landed in the UFC back in 2020, du Plessis has turned in recent stoppage wins over former title challenger, Darren Till, as well as PFL newcomer, Derek Brunson – to go with his July knockout stoppage of Whittaker in ‘Sin City’.

Initially earmarked to fight the above-mentioned rival, Adesanya at UFC 293 back in September ‘Down Under’, du Plessis was ruled from the bout with the City Kickboxing striker due to a lingering injury, with now-champion, Strickland drafting in in a reworked fight to take du Plessis’ title claim, and land the crown himself.

Prior to his decision win over Adesanya, Strickland snapped a two-fight losing skid with a decision win over the incoming Nassourdine Imavov, as well as the once-highly-touted prospect, Abusupiyan Magomedov.

Who wins at UFC 297 in Canada: Sean Strickland or Dricus du Plessis?

Dricus du Plessis reacts to Sean Strickland’s emotional outburst ahead of UFC 297 fight: ‘I’m glad he cried’

Reacting to a recent outburst of emotion from undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland ahead of the pair’s title fight…

Reacting to a recent outburst of emotion from undisputed middleweight champion, Sean Strickland ahead of the pair’s title fight in Canada later this month at UFC 297, Dricus du Plessis claimed he was “glad” to see the outspoken titleholder in tears, and questioned his supposed hardened mindset as a result.

Strickland, the current undisputed middleweight champion, is slated to make his return to the Octagon at UFC 297 later this month in a trip to ‘The Great White North’ – in search of his first successful title defense.

Winning gold in the most unlikely of circumstances back in September, the outspoken Strickland turned in a one-sided unanimous decision win over two-time champion, Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in a massie upset judging win.

And as for du Plessis, the promotional-perfect finisher earned his first shot at Octagon gold courtesy of a blistering win over former undisputed champion, Robert Whittaker last July during International Fight Week, laying waste to the New Zealander with a second round TKO at UFC 290.

Dricus du Plessis challenges Sean Strickland at UFC 297

Engaging in a recent brawl and scuffle in the crowd at UFC 296 last month with Strickland amid a war-of-words between the two, Pretoria native, du Plessis has claimed he was “glad” to see the champion in tears during a recent podcast appearance with comedian, Theo Von, where he recounted stories from his abusive childhood.

“It is what it is,” Dricus du Plessis said during an interview with MMA on Point. “I’m glad he (Sean Strickland) cried and got it out, it’s the end of that. I think we give him a lot more credit than he deserves in terms of mindset. I don’t think he thinks about anything.”

Who wins at UFC 297 this month: Sean Strickland or Dricus du Plessis?

Mayra Bueno Silva coy on Raquel Pennington title clash at UFC 297: ‘Nobody wants to watch this fight’

Slated to make her return to the Octagon at UFC 297 later this month, incoming vacant bantamweight championship challenger,…

Slated to make her return to the Octagon at UFC 297 later this month, incoming vacant bantamweight championship challenger, Mayra Bueno Silva has claimed “nobody” is looking forward to viewing her siege against former title chaer, Raquel Pennington in Canada.

Bueno Silva, the current number three ranked bantamweight contender, will enter her first championship fight under the banner of the promotion this month at UFC 297, taking co-main event honors as part of a championship doubleheader.

Sidelined since July, Brazilian contender, Bueno Silva recently served a suspension after testing positive for ritilinac acid, seeing her blistering second round ninja choke submission win over former champion, Holly Holm overturned to an official ‘No Contest’ as a result.

For Pennington, the surging number two ranked bantamweight contender, is in the midst of an eye-catching five fight winning run, most recently landing a decision win over Bueno SIlva’s compatriot, Ketlen Vieira.

Mayra Bueno SIlva plays down UFC 297 title fight

However, Bueno Silva – who has already seen her title fight with Pennington played down with UFC 297 headliner, Sean Strickland, claims nobody is tuning in to see their bantamweight title clash.

“I will dominate Raquel Pennington,” Mayra Bueno Silva told MiddleEasy during a recent interview. “I promise to give a big show. In the paper, it’s no good fight because nobody wants to watch this fight, I know.”

“This fight, on paper, is no good,” Mayra Bueno Silva explained. “But I promise I will give a big show for everybody. Everybody [will] go home and think about, ‘Hey, this girl, Mayra Bueno Silva, is the chosen one.’”

The most recent holder of the undisputed bantamweight championship came in the form of former two-weight gold holder, Amanda Nunes, who relinquished the undisputed crowns after calling time on her illustrious career back in June of last year.

Who wins at UFC 297 later this month: Raquel Pennington or Mayra Bueno Silva?