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MMA Fights Honor
BY MOSHE KATZ
CEO
ISRAELI KRAV INTERNATIONAL
August 2, 2026, Johannesburg, South Africa
Gordon Fight night advertised in our local mall, right next to a table for people to put on a prayer shawl and tefilin and use the prayer book for morning prayers, Values.
Disabled fights, Israeli soldiers who lost their legs defending our nation against despicable terrorists, stand on their new legs as proud warriors. Never give up the fight. The fight ended in a draw.
I respect MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fighters for their courage, for entering the ring, facing a tough opponent and not backing down. Unless you have fought, you will not understand; the fear, the moments before the fight, the moving around until the first blow is struck, the sensation of the first punch to your face, the first kick to your ribs. To feel the tiredness which comes faster than anyone in the audience can understand, when you are being hit time slows down, the pain increases, and a minute can seem like an eternity. Fighting is not easy.
And yet there are aspects of MMA full contact fighting that I loath; the fighters who taunt and mock their opponents before the fights, that is not sport, that is simply a bad upbringing, bad manners, lack of civilized behavior. and then when the fight is over, the winner will jump on the ropes like a monkey, waving his arms in the air and shouting "I am number one! I am the best in the world! I am the best there ever was! I am Great!"
But he, or she, has forgotten the Talmud lesson, remember, an insect preceded you in the act of creation. and a little bug, a virus, can take you down and bring your life to a sudden halt. Be humble! Humble is always in style, humble is always dignified. Acting like a baboon is not.
We must remember that we do not remain young and beautiful for ever, we will all grown old, well, at least the fortunate ones. Our strength, our muscles, our beautiful bodies will not stand the test of time, our wisdom will, our kindness will.
I am in currently in South Africa and I missed the one fight night I would have liked to attend the Gordon Fight Night. To give a little background there is an amazing Israeli family that is taking the country by storm. After years of hard work suddenly they are a household name, not only among fighters and martial artists, but among everyone, the entire nation. They are a family of seven offspring. Their father, Dr. Azriel Gordon was from the USA, sadly he passed away a few years ago. The mother, Haninat Hashem Gordon, is a convert to Judaism of Thai and Filipino ancestry. Her name means the Grace of God. All the children have names that praise God, such as (boys) Ahavat Hashem, love of God, or the Love of God, Ozmat Hashem, the Strength of God, Roach Hashem behayenu, The Spirit of God in our lives, Kibdi - Kibed Ya Mishalti, God has honored my wish, Simchat HaShem (female) The Happiness of God, and Tshurat HaShem (female) the Gift of God. The family name, Gordon, comes from the city of Grodno, which was once Lithuania and now is Belarus. The city once boasted a very large and proud Jewish community. The Gordon fighting family of Israel is related to one of Prof. Cohen's top instructors in the USA, and thus I am indirectly connected to them. They are proud and devoted Jews. Three of the boys are professional fighters, taking the world by storm and winning fights all the world. This past week was their big debut in Israel where all three brothers took on formidable opponents. The Gordon brothers won all three fights.
What made this evening so special, and the reason I am writing about it, is the sharp contrast between this Fight Night and the ones you typically see around the world. The Gordon brothers entered the arena accompanied by bereaved families of fallen soldiers. Ahavat HaShem already dedicated some of his fights to fallen Israeli soldier Asaf Hamami. and in each and every fight the Gordon family honors family, country, soldiers, and God. At the conclusion of the recent fights when asked to say a few words, they began with - Nothing is possible without the Master Creator of the world, I thank God. When I was hit hard I prayed to God, give me the strength to endure the pain and finish the fight with honor.
What glory these boys give to God, what respect for family, community and nation. Surely one must say, Who is like thy nation Israel One Nation in the land! (Samuel book 2, chapter 7, verse 23)
After the main fights there was yet another fight, two men without legs! These were Israeli soldiers, Elkana and Kobi, who lost their legs fighting to protect our nation from the evil genocidal enemy. Standing on prosthetic legs and wearing kipas (yarmulkes) they put up a good fight, which was declared a draw. The spirit of a nation that will not give up.
We have been through tough times, and the road is far from over, but when we see such spirit, such faith, such honor, we know that our hope is not yet lost.
The synagogue in Grodno, Belarus (formally Lithuania) from which the Jewish family name is derived.
Moshe Katz, 7th dan Black Belt, Israeli Krav Maga. Certified by Wingate Institute. Member Black Belt hall of fame, USA and Europe.
Understand the Israeli Fighting Mentality - Israel a Nation of Warriors by Moshe Katz
What is the cultural background of Krav Maga? What makes it unique? What makes the Israeli military so effective? Why are Israeli security systems used all over the world?
What are the Biblical origins of Krav Maga and who was the first Krav Maga instructor?
What weapons and military strategies did our Biblical ancestors use?
How has Krav Maga developed in Israel and what are its goals?
All that and more in this unique book.
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