Rabbi wins first MMA fight: ‘I never hit anyone in the face before’
Rabbi Yossi Eilfort who won via TKO last Sat, fought to encourage security and fitness in the Orthodox Jewish community. He ays he never hit anyone in the face before.
California rabbi Yossi Eilfort, 22, began training in MMA with Thierry Sokoudjou in Encinitas, just six months ago. On Jan 18 he won his first amateur match, via TKO in the second at Mansion Fights in North Hollywood.
I never knew a Rabbi could fight! said Sokoudjou. I never thought a rabbi would be interested in fighting…I needed to give him a kill-pill—he’s too nice!
It was not a very large kill pill.
It’s very uncomfortable to hit someone else, said Eilfort. I make sure I’m hitting him on the side of the face, I make sure not to hit him in the head. I made sure not to strike as hard as I could. Everyone who watched said, ‘You were way too nice!’ but I feel that I did what I needed to do, and I didn’t do any extra.
I wanted a physical, personal, and mental challenge, said Eilfort, who in addition to six months of MMA, did Krav Maga for 12 years. I believe if we’re not challenging ourselves, we’re wasting time.”
Eilfort took the fight to encourage security and fitness among the Orthodox Jewish community, and hopes to one day become a police chaplain and provide security and safety seminars to religious students.
An interview with Rabbi Eifort:
Footage from the fight:
