Israel Adesanya has offered an eye-watering $3million, or around £2.47m, to anyone who can provide evidence he has taken steroids during his UFC career.
The middleweight champion will face Jared Cannonier this weekend at UFC 276 to headline International Fight Week, and was presented with a jacket by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for completing 50 clean drug tests. However, conspiracy theorists are still not convinced, arguing that his gynecomastia, an issue with his breast tissue, is the result of steroid use.
Adesanya has now moved to put rumours of his drug use to bed by offering a bounty to anybody who can provide concrete proof that he has cheated. The Nigerian-born New Zealand fighter suffers from the medical condition which is often associated with steroid use, but has checked with doctors to make sure there are no issues.
“When you’re great, they talk about ‘Tittygate,'” Adesanya quipped at a media event, referencing the comical nickname for his allegations. “At the same time, I’m like, ‘How the f***?’
"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 $3m to anyone who can ever have concrete evidence that I even know what the f*** I’m doing with steroids or how to take steroids.
"I promise you - $3m 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."
Adesanya is referencing the 2017 Netflix documentary by filmmaker Bryan Fogel where he discovers an international doping scandal. The fighter would need to have put together an incredibly detailed doping system to pass 50 of the intensive USADA tests he has taken since signing with the promotion in 2018.
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“So, $3m for anyone who can ever find any concrete evidence that I’ve been using performance-enhancing drugs," Adesanya explained. "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 f***ing c***s are just trying to take away my greatness, because I had a f***ing spectacular performance.’
"I’m like, ‘how the f*** are you trying to take that away with accusations based on nothing.’ I’m like, 'pull up and show me what’s up'. three million, I know you don’t have that in the bank but I do.”
Adesanya is a heavy favourite to successfully defend his title for a fifth time against Cannonier this weekend on a card that has great interest for his middleweight division. Old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira can burst into the top five with a win over Sean Strickland and set up a possible MMA rematch after viciously knocking out the Nigerian during their ring meeting.
