A dejected looking Israel Adesanya post-fight. Photo: PhotoSport / David Neilson
New Zealand mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya has escaped a conviction after being caught drink-driving in August 2023.
The judge instead ordered the City Kickboxing star to pay $1500 to a drink driving charity and take part in an education programme.
Court documents show the international star was charged with driving a car on Wellesley Street in Auckland Central with 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
The legal limit is 80 milligrams.
"I want to apologise to the community, my family and my team for the decision I made to get behind the wheel after drinking at dinner," Adesanya said in a statement provided to the New Zealand Herald.
"I was pulled over and gave an evidentiary blood test - the reading was 87 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood."
He added: "I am disappointed with my decision to drive, it was wrong.
"I know that people might follow me and I want them to know I do not think this behaviour is acceptable."
The charge came just weeks before losing his middleweight title to Sean Strickland in Sydney at UFC 293.
Adesanya is currently on a hiatus from fighting, though has expressed a desire to return soon.