Photo courtesy of @stylebender / @champagnepapi
For those still “catching up” to Honestly, Nevermind, Drake caught another bag following his 11th Billboard No. 1 album.
After placing a hefty bet on Israel Adesanya defending his title, “The Last Stylebender” unanimously retained the middleweight belt Saturday night (July 2) at UFC 276 — making a winner out of Drizzy’s wager.
Prior to his victory, the 6 God shared news of his $1 Million ante to Instagram (July 1), as he posted a friendly FaceTime call between him and the superstar brawler. Nonchalantly mentioning the “light million” he put on his “brother,” the Toronto emcee also revealed the “love” and admiration he has for the reigning UFC champion.
“You’re different,” Drake said. “I have a deep, deep love and respect for you.” Adesanya returned the sentiment, showing Drizzy praise near the end of the clip. “Everytime you drop on the mic, it’s game over,” the fighter added.
Champagne Papi is known to gamble at the highest of stakes. Betting a seven-figure sum on the Los Angeles Rams winning Super Bowl LVI, he also put down $200,000 on the Golden State Warriors advancing to the 2022 NBA Finals. Uncannily, Drake was spotted performing with The Backstreet Boys on the night of the fight.
Easily fending off challenger Jared Cannonier in the UFC 276 main event, Adesanya (23-1) was a heavy favorite (-500) leading up to his bout — which fully showcased the Nigerian-born, New Zealander’s versatility in the ring and larger-than-life persona. As one of the most entertaining and tantalizing athletes the UFC has seen since Conor McGregor, Adesanya has launched to the forefront of professional sports following his 12th consecutive win.
Not only mimicking legendary WWE superstar The Undertaker on his opening walk — donning his signature hat and urn — the champ’s technical and methodical win saw him patiently pick at Cannonier’s cautious approach. WWE royalty in Triple H and Vince McMahon were also in attendance at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, watching him fully embody The Undertaker’s unrelenting essence.
To top it off, he already has his sights set on his next opponent. “Next time I put you on skates, you’re gonna get frozen, like Elsa,” he challenged Alex Pereira — the only man who’s beaten Adesanya in a kickboxing fight in 2017.
With a rematch potentially on the way, here’s hoping that Adesanya walks out to a Drake tune on his next go-around.
Check out the UFC 276 recap below!
