Israel Adesanya reveals flabby ‘boob’ that went viral at UFC 253 was due to ‘smoking too much weed’

Israel Adesanya has revealed all about the flabby pectoral muscle that sent Twitter into a frenzy at UFC 253 in September – and says it occurred because he was ‘smoking too much weed’ in the build-up to the fight.

Adesanya was pictured at the event with an abnormally large right pectoral, and he was forced to strenuously deny rumours that he had used performance-enhancing drugs, which can cause inflammation of that area.

He went on to beat Paulo Costa in the second round of their Fight Island bout, and now Adesanya has explained to fans the reason for the bizarre change in his chest.   

Israel Adesanya went viral due to his abnormally large right pectoral muscle at UFC 253

He went on to beat his rival Paulo Costa in the bout at Fight Island back in September

‘My pituitary gland was checked, hormone levels are fine, so are estrogen and testosterone [levels],’ he told TMZ Sports.

‘Yesterday we had an ultrasound and a mammogram, I had one for the first time. To be honest, it might have been the unhealthy living a little bit.

‘Like smoking weed, that’s what the doctor from the UFC said. He said I need to stop but I said I’m not stopping. I’m just going to slow down on the smoking weed.’

In the aftermath of the fight, reporters were quick to question him about whether he had taken steroids to cause the change in his appearance, but he was adamant that ‘skills pay the bills’.

Adesanya celebrates after the fight, but he was later forced to deny the use of steroids

Adesanya (left) says he has turned down advice from doctors to smoke less marijuana

In response to a question from ESPN reporter Ariel Helwani about whether he had ever used steroids, he said: ‘F*** no! F*** no! I know you believe me, but come on!

‘I’m not one of thsoe people that need a crutch that when that s*** is taken away, they feel weak, they feel inadequate.

‘You saw that when USADA came through, a lot of bodies changed and a lot of people didn’t feel good enough without their little magic supplements.

‘But that’s not me. Skills pay the bills.’