Is Israel Adesanya gay? What has he said about his sexuality?

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Israel Adesanya is one of the biggest names in MMA, but is he gay?

There has been a lot said about Israel Adesanya and his sexuality. The current two-time UFC Middleweight Champion has often adorned nail polish and put up some weird content on social media.

This has led to some questioning his sexuality and even considering that he is gay. However, the New Zealander did have a girlfriend and there was quite a bit of news regarding her over the past few months. 

Charlotte Powdrell, his ex-girlfriend, recently came out wanting to sue the UFC star. She wanted half of Adesanya’s assets as a settlement and claimed that the pair dated for too long and she was supporting his career.

This caused quite a bit of ruckus in the MMA world, and a few even came out in support of The Last Stylebender. 

Powdrell, a real estate agent in New Zealand, did not marry Adesanya, but the pair have been seen quite a few times.

Adesanya has also been seen and pictured with Australian model Shana Evans. However, neither of them has confirmed their relationship, but many have speculated that Evans is Adesanya’s girlfriend. 

Israel Adesanya China
Feb 9, 2019; Melbourne, Australia; Israel Adesanya (red gloves) gestures to Anderson Silva (blue gloves) during UFC 234 at Rod Laver Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

Adesanya also hasn’t spoken out much about his rumoured girlfriend or other relationships, but he has spoken out about the gay rumours.

Israel Adesanya opens up on gay rumours

The Last Stylebender has often spoken about being in touch with his feminine side, and did so while speaking on the IMPAULSIVE podcast.

The New Zealander spoke also about his sexuality and opened up on rumours of his agent being his partner and ‘sugar daddy’ (h/t Low Kick MMA):

“We still have a feminine side, and a masculine side,” Israel Adesanya explained. “I’m in touch with both. You know, this is why online people think I’m gay, or they literally think I’m gay – it’s the whole thing. That’s my boyfriend, apparently. Ash (Belcastro) – my manager, I guess. They see me in the cage with him all the time. ‘They’re always hugging and sh*t.’”

Adesanya has always advocated for people to be themselves and this is another example of that. The Kiwi has never spoken much about his side of things when it comes to dating, and it doesn’t seem like he wants to discuss that anytime soon.

However, he has posted quite a few times on social media. In one 2022 post, Adesanya wrote that he wasn’t gay but his shoes were.

Adesanya remains an enigma in the MMA world, and there is no doubting his ability in the Octagon. 

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