Israel Adesanya arrested at airport for possession of metal knuckles; manager says matter dismissed

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was arrested Wednesday at JFK Airport days after his UFC 281 loss to Alex Pereira.

Adesanya was arrested for possession of metal knuckles, New York’s Port Authority Police Department (PAPD) spokesperson Lenis Valens told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. TMZ Sports was first to report the news.

The arrest came at approximately 1:57 p.m. local time. No further details were made available and PAPD didn’t respond to MMA Junkie’s inquiry about Adesanya’s current status.

Adesanya’s manager Tim Simpson, of Paradigm Sports, issued a statement Wednesday to MMA Junkie that indicated the issue has been resolved.

“Israel was handed a gift by a fan, which he put in his luggage,” Simpson said. “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’s on his way home.”

Metal knuckles are illegal in New York. Possession is a Class A misdemeanor. TSA rules allow metal knuckles to be stored in checked luggage, but bans passengers from possessing them in carry-on bags.

Adesanya, 33, was defeated for the first time as a middleweight Saturday when he lost a fifth-round TKO to longtime rival Pereira. The bout took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.