Israeli UFC Fighter Encourages All Jews to Learn Self-Defense Against Antisemitic Attacks
Natan Levy, the world’s only Israeli fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), explained in a new podcast interview on...
Natan Levy after his win against Mike Breeden in a lightweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on April 30, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo: YouTube screenshot.
Natan Levy, the world’s only Israeli fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), explained in a new podcast interview on Thursday about the need to support Holocaust survivors and why it’s necessary for all Jews to learn self-defense.
After Levy won his first UFC match on April 30 taking down Mike Breeden in a lightweight fight in Las Vegas days after Israel’s annual Holocaust commemoration day (Yom HaShoah), the Israeli athlete announced his plans to auction off his fight gear and donate the proceeds to Holocaust survivors.
In the latest episode of “Podcast Against Antisemitism,” Levy talked about the decision to donate his gear from the fight in April.
“At one point I was so nervous for my fight, it was the biggest fight of my life, and on the other hand, it’s Holocaust Memorial Day and I said to myself, ‘Why am I stressed out? Look at what these people went through, the atrocities,'” he said.
He explained that thinking about what Holocaust survivors had to endure during World War II put things in perspective for him and before stepping into the cage, he told himself, “fight as if you had an opportunity to fight for them.”
When news spread about Levy’s decision to auction his gear to support Holocaust survivors, the athlete was targeted with antisemitic and “Free Palestine” comments online. Levy said he was “not surprised” by the remarks and unbothered by the comments made by what he called “sad trolls” online. He said in the podcast episode, “I’d rather they comment and everyone can see how disgusting they are.”
Levy also called on governments around the world to do more to help Holocaust survivors, especially those living under the poverty line. He told world leaders, “take care of them … because soon there won’t be any [still alive].”
Born in France but raised in Israel, Levy started training in mixed martial arts at the age of 15 and signed with the UFC in 2020. He was recently inducted in the Federation of Israeli Martial Arts’ Hall of Fame.
During the podcast interview, Levy also addressed the rise in physical antisemitic attacks and bullying in France, some of which his Jewish family members in Paris have experienced, and urged “every Jewish person in the world” to learn martial arts in order to defend themselves against antisemitic violence.
He additionally talked about leaving politics out of sports, saying: “I’ve trained many times with Palestinians, Muslims, Christians and we all get along just fine. And on the mats you can train, and kick each others asses, and still be friends, and leave politics out of it, even if you disagree on politics.”
He said that as a mixed martial artist, he hopes to show the global community how Israelis and Jews don’t back down from a fight. He noted, “I think you represent who you are and what you are in everything you do, just how you talk to people [and] how you handle yourself. For me, I represent Israel and the Jewish people, I think, and therefore when I’m in the cage and fighting, definitely I want to show that we are brave and we can fight, we can take care of ourselves [and] we are not weak.”
Levy concluded with some final words for the podcast’s listeners.
“Be proud of who you are. Never be ashamed of who and what you are. It’s a dangerous world out there, please learn self-defense and don’t let anybody tell you what you can and cannot do.”