The Drake curse has struck again! The Canadian rapper supported Israel Adesanya to defeat Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 on Saturday night.
However, Plessis submitted Adesanya in the fourth round to defend his middleweight title and add a decisive new chapter to their intense rivalry.
The South African executed a rear naked choke to clinch the win after executing the ‘Style Bender’ with a left hook and a series of right punches before taking him down.
However, fans have taken to social media to blame Drake for Adesanya’s loss, as the rapper placed a $450,000 (£348,000) bet that the 35-year-old would win and regain the title in the 185lb class.
If Adesanya had won, Drake would have gotten $855,000 back, but he ultimately lost, reinforcing the idea that he is cursed when it comes to betting.
Drake has become known in recent years for his huge bets on sporting events
Plessis submitted Adesanya in the fourth round to defend his middleweight title and add a decisive new chapter to their intense rivalry
The South African executed a rear naked choke to clinch the win after using the ‘Style Bender’ with a left hook and a series of right punches before taking him down
Drake reportedly ranks 17-189 in sports betting, meaning he has lost 92 percent of his lifetime bets – according to Nice Punch.
The “Drake Curse” has become a well-known superstition in the sports world. It seems that whenever Drake publicly supports a particular athlete or team, disaster often follows, often resulting in unexpected losses or disappointing performances.
The Canadian rapper is an avid sports fan and is known for his affiliations with numerous athletes and teams across various sports, including basketball, football, and MMA.
From wearing certain team uniforms to betting on specific outcomes, Drake’s involvement in various sports has led to some funny and often creepy coincidences and mishaps.
The ‘Drake Curse’ has been gaining popularity on social media, and now fans and athletes alike are sometimes cautious when Drake publicly supports them.
One of the first instances of the curse came in 2014 when Drake supported tennis star Serena Williams. At the US Open that year, Williams was expected to win and continue her dominant run, but she shockingly lost to unseeded Roberta Vinci in the semifinals.
Fans on social media were quick to point out that Drake had been spotted cheering on Williams on the side of the road, sparking the first rumors of the infamous curse.
Over the years, many more incidents followed, cementing the legend of the Drake Curse. In 2018, Drake was seen supporting Conor McGregor ahead of his highly anticipated fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
McGregor, the favorite, eventually lost the bout by fourth-round submission. Drake’s appearance at the weigh-in with an Irish flag only reinforced the idea that his support brought bad luck.
Similarly, Drake’s curse struck again in the world of football. In April 2019, Drake took a photo with Paris Saint-Germain’s Layvin Kurzawa ahead of their crucial match against Lille.
PSG, the dominant team in Ligue 1, suffered a painful 5-1 defeat to Lille in one of the worst defeats in recent history, with many pointing the finger at Drake.
Around the same time, Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also fell victim to the curse. After a photo with Drake, Arsenal lost 1-0 to Everton, putting a dent in their top four ambitions.
The curse even extended to basketball. Drake, a global ambassador for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors, supported the Golden State Warriors during the 2016 NBA Finals.
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury in May, costing Drake over half a million dollars
Drake has lost money several times because of the Argentina national football team
Drake placed two bets on Odell Beckham Jr. during the 2022 Super Bowl and won one
Despite being the favorites, the Warriors were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing LeBron James to make an epic comeback. Ironically, Drake’s Raptors would later overcome the curse themselves and win the 2019 NBA championship, though Drake’s vocal support during their run was met with nervous fan reaction.
More recently, the curse struck during the 2022 World Cup, when Drake bet $1 million on Argentina to win the final against France. Although Argentina won the match, there was a moment of fear when France, trailing 2-0, staged a shocking comeback to tie the match going into extra time.
Argentina eventually won on penalties, narrowly avoiding another entry into the history books.