Fight for Palestine!
UFC Fighters supporting Palestine!
The UFC, short for the Ultimate Fighting Championships, is a cavalcade of characters - from its bald-headed front man in Dana White, to polarizing fighters such as Connor McGregor, Colby Covington, “Suga” Sean O'Malley, and the list goes very deep. Granted, a lot of these names aren’t the best of role models - and that’s putting it lightly. Plenty can enlighten you on the corruption and evil covering this fight sport. While not as “fake” as pro wrestling, it doesn’t stop the WWE from becoming partners with the UFC. If you have watched how fights are promoted in this sport, you would see why those two parties would fit very well. There are plenty of heels and heroes for an audience to root for. But, I want to focus on a particular aspect here and some characters with better convictions.
So, I’m going to start very far back in fight sports - with Henry VIII, who used the medieval tourney (the “UFC of his day”) for political means. Using his money, power and status to showcase his own military prowess and abilities in combat as well as those of the surrounding region.
Back in the modern era, the UFC plays a similar role. Like many sports these days, it is used to push political agenda both good and bad, showcase the combat skills of different regions, and, like the Knights fighting in tourneys before them, each athlete has a media spotlight to talk about issues that are important to them. However, just like any media, if you say something that goes against the approved narrative, you will be silenced. Take, for example, Colin Kaepernick; who spoke about police violence and criminal justice reform. Or Muhammad Ali. Mike Tyson still has Che Guevara and Mao Zedong tattooed on him, so international politics is important to a lot of these fighters.
So, I’m here to bring you what the champions of today find important enough to risk their careers to talk about.
PALESTINE!
Like the late Muhammad Ali, who in 1985 went to Israel in an attempt to secure the release of Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners imprisoned in, what was at that time occupied southern Lebanon.
This followed his visits to Palestinian refugee camps in 1974, when he declared that “the United States is the stronghold of Zionism and imperialism.” While visiting Palestinian refugee camps in South Lebanon, he declared “In my name and the name of all Muslims in America, I declare support for the Palestinian struggle to liberate their homeland and oust the Zionist invaders.”
Recently, a new group of fighters have taken up that mantle and there are lots of direct political ramifications to this groups support, which i will get to later in this article.
Let me introduce you to the fighters of Dagestan.
Khabib Nurmagamedov
Islam Makhachev
Khamzat Chimaev
There are others I wont list here from this region of the world, all equally skilled. Dagestan is home to a large Islamic population in the mountainous coastal region south of Moscow. These names, if not champions in their sport, wouldn’t be so important, but something in the water of that region produces some of the best fighters/warriors/wrestlers the world has yet to know.
Khabib Nurmagamedov
Khabib (now retired) was argued as one of, if not the greatest, of all time in his weight class - lightweight - he was undefeated for his entire career. With 29 wins and no losses, he retired with an undefeated record and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on June 30, 2022. His time in the Russian combat sambo scene before his time in the UFC was equally as decorated.
This talent of the fighters of Dagestan became a story even neo-Nazis in Ukraine couldn’t avoid. Vice writes in the description of this video “From California to Kiev, far-right MMA groups are training their members for political violence.”
Vice showed how the Dagestani were shunned from right-wing fight clubs because they were Brown Muslim Russians who just so happened to be dominant athletes in their respective sports that no one else could beat. Fight sports have, for a long time, been stages where civil rights issues and international conflict are put in a cage for only one side to exit after rounds of trial by combat. Now is no exception.
So, fast forward to the present, where the next generation of Dagestani take the stage. Most recently at UFC 294, held in Abu Dhabi (a favorite hangout and training ground for the Dagestani) on Oct 21st, 2023.
The event featured a card that was stacked with Dagestani and Russian fighters - 2 in particular - *whom I’ve already mentioned* who won their bouts - one of which had a title belt on the line.
Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev both had incredible performances that Saturday, but their skill in the cage isn’t what I want to speak to you about in this article - but rather, their words and actions after their fight was over.
We’ll start with Islam - who, after a first round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski by way of head kick, chose not to celebrate the victory in his championship belt defense - in solidarity with Palestine. During the post fight octagon interview, Daniel Cormier put the mic in his face and Islam said:
“I am not celebrating [the] win today because [of] the crazy things that are happening around the world. Palestine, we stand with you,”
After some more fight specific questions, he left the octagon with the flag of Palestine raised.
Oddly enough, the UFC “conveniently” has this part of the octagon interview missing from their recording on YouTube.
Asked by a reporter why he dedicated his win to Palestine, Makhachev added,
“Because all my last month, all my camp, I watch the video, I watch the story about the situation, what happens in Palestine (and) Gaza.
“It makes me very sad because the people in Palestine or (…) Gaza, they don’t have nothing.
“They close them and attack them everyday,” he said, referring to the Israeli closure on besieged Gaza and the prevention of allowing international aid to reach the devastated Strip.
“This is crazy what is happening in (…) Gaza in Palestine and I want to send a message. Stand with Palestine, we are with you. That’s it.”
So censorship - for saying he stands with Palestine - while not a week prior, Brazilian UFC fighter Michel Pereira was definitely NOT censored when he paraded around the Octagon in an Israeli flag, supporting Israel.
After the fight, Pereira said:
“It is because of the war. I have many friends in Israel, and I saw same videos that broke my heart. I have a kid now, and I saw some videos with kids… I felt like I had to show support to Israel,” said Michel Pereira [translated by @AgFight].”
Pereira was already on thin ice with UFC fans after missing weight against fellow welterweight Stephen “Wonder Boy” Thompson. He came in 5 pounds overweight at weigh-in - which really means he would have been at least 15 to 20 pounds over weight during the fight.
Seeing how both fighters had to cut weight to fight, Pereira was at a substantial advantage in what was said to be a close fight. Thompson decided not to fight, which he’s allowed to do under contract in this case. Then, the UFC decided to not pay Thompson for the fight he had trained and made weight for - because, well, as Dana White said, “we pay for fights, he didn’t fight.”
So Next up is Khamzat - who also won his fight against former champion Kamaru Usman. Seen here with fellow fighter Belal Muhammad.
Chimaev had a slightly more interesting tactic in his post-fight octagon interview after his win. He spoke in his native language to a supportive crowd in Abu Dhabi
Khamzat Chimaev after his win at #UFC29
Translated into English, he said:
“Guys, you know what’s happening in the world right now. I wasn’t happy in the cage fight this week, and seeing kids dying,”
Currently Khamzat represents the UAE, he thanked Chechnya and switched to his native language to address Ramzon Kadyrov. We’ll get to that relationship later, but Khamzat asks:
“With your support, it’s not a problem for me to fight in the octagon, and if you’ll grant me permission – I swear – I’ll be the first to travel there. I’m asking you, give me a weapon and allow me to go fight for Palestine,”
Earning the support of new fans by speaking to issues that affect them.
So why is all of this so important? That relationship with Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of Chechnya, is one of many connections these fighters have. Take Khabib, for example, in his recounting of meeting Putin for the first time.
These fighters are heavily connected to heads of state and the perks that come with that including having the ears of these world leaders.
Take Khamzat seen here https://www.facebook.com/mmasound/videos/khamzat-chimaev-dancing-lezginka-visiting-ramzan-kadyrov/227015172917459/
and here, dancing in the home of Kadyrov.
or here, where he tells the story of the free luxury car gifted to him by the Chechen leader
or here, where Khamzat mentions the support of Kadyrov during his cancer/covid ordeal
These two men even spar together
My point being, that when a man like Khamzat asks for the leader of Chechnya for a rifle and to send him to fight for Palestine - a man with ties to Dagestan and Russia and Khabib and Putin - don’t be surprised if they DO send him, along with many men with the same convictions, with rifles to fight - which they apparently are EXTREMLY GOOD at - along with any allies whom they may be friends with.
There is another Dagestani the West fears… HASBULLA! Seen along side his Russian brothers and comrades at every event even he stands: short in stature he may be, with Palestine
Look - I’m not asking for you to watch every fight like I do, and follow all the podcast and fighters - but it can be a useful barometer for where the world is. You see outstanding reporters like
of The Grayzone feel the need to “punch back” at UFC fighter Tim Kennedy for his propaganda
Journalists like Abby Martin from The Empire Files end up on the podcasts of UFC Commentator Joe Rogan to talk about the Palestinian struggle back in 2021:
Even the “Notorious” Connor McGregor has to weigh in
Now, feel free to ask Jason Bermas - or do some cursory Googles of the dark side of Connor - he is “notorious” for a lot more than his fight antics. But, I digress.
Like I said - keep an eye on some of these names; you never know how the gladiators of today will pull the ears of many a Caesar.
I think, in closing I will leave you with this, the real threat the west should be worried about…..
Beautiful piece. Can’t say I typically care about MMA but this article shows me I should watch more often..