UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya apologises for ‘rape’ commentary
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has apologised after he stated on social media he would “rape” fellow fighter Kevin Holland.
Nigerian-born Adesanya posted an expletive-laden video on Instagram previous this week directed at Holland, who had centered him in a chain of remarks.
The 31-year-old, who these days is living in New Zealand, later deleted the video and stated he had “crossed the road”.
“I perceive the gravity of this phrase and the way it can have an effect on and harm people excluding my opponent, even supposing that was once by no means my aim,” Adesanya tweeted.
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— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) March 25, 2021
“I’m nonetheless rising beneath the highlight, and I take this as a lesson to be extra selective with phrases beneath force.”
Adesanya’s apology got here after Grant Robertson, New Zealand’s deputy top minister and minister of game and game, condemned his remark.
“We need to take rape severely. It’s now not a subject matter that any one must be making jokes or flippant feedback about in any respect,” Robertson stated.
Adesanya was once undefeated in MMA with a 20-Zero report till he was once crushed by means of Jan Blachowicz in a mild heavyweight identify fit at UFC 259 on March 6.
