UFC star Israel Adesanya has apologized for making an insensitive comment in a now deleted social media post, as he released a statement admitting that he ‘crossed the line.’
UFC star Israel Adesanya who came under huge backlash after sending a grim taunt to middleweight rival Kevin Holland, in his statement, did not mention Keven Holland, but directed his apologies to those who might have found the comment offensive.
“Last weekend fight talk escalated to a point in which I crossed the line,’ the statement read.
‘I understand the gravity of this word and how it can affect and hurt other people apart from my opponent, although that was NEVER my intention.
‘I am still to growing under the spotlight, and I take this as a lesson to be more selective with words under pressure.’
Adesanya’s comment comes after Robertson, who is also New Zealand’s minister for sport, hit out at the middleweight champion for his ‘flippant comments’.
He said: ‘There is never a time to make flippant comments about rape. It’s just not something anybody should do.
‘I’m sure Israel understands that. I believe he has deleted the tweet in question. It will be up to the UFC as to what they do.
‘But I would certainly be making clear to him, and to anybody actually, that we have to take rape seriously.
‘It’s not an issue that anyone should be making jokes or flippant comments about at all.’
This is not the first time the 31-year-old has landed himself in hot water for disrespectful comments.
Last February he had to issue an apology after saying his then-upcoming opponent Yoel Romero would ‘crumble like the twin towers’ against him and vowed to be ‘more careful with my words in the future’.
He also came under fire recently for pretending to hump Paulo Costa after flooring him in their September fight and saying ‘I’m going to c** all over you’ after he had won the fight.