Who is Haim Gozali? Ex-Bellator Israeli MMA fighter sparks controversy with anti-Islam posts

Haim Gozali, a former Bellator MMA fighter from Israel, has recently found himself at the center of controversy due to his social media posts that have been labeled anti-Islamic.

Gozali has faced backlash for a deeply insensitive Instagram post targeting prominent Muslim UFC fighters. The post featured an image of a missile with the names of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Khamzat Chimaev, and Belal Muhammad engraved on it, alongside a distressing caption.

This behavior is widely condemned, especially given the ongoing distressing events in the region.

Haim Gozali is an Israeli mixed martial artist who made a name for himself within the Bellator MMA promotion. Born on May 6, 1973, Gozali has a background in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he skillfully incorporated into his MMA career. He's a 5th-degree jiu-jitsu black belt under the renowned Renzo Gracie. He competed in both middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, amassing a career record of 15 wins and 6 losses.

Gozali has also previously served with the Israel Border Police during his time in the Israeli military. Subsequently, while employed as a bouncer in an Israeli nightclub, he was subjected to a harrowing incident in which he suffered six stab wounds.

Haim Gozali made history in 2021 as the first Israeli athlete to step into the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship arena. Additionally, Gozali is also the founder of the Israeli World Combat Championship (IWCC), an organization that continues to shape the landscape of combat sports in the region.

Despite his accomplishments in the MMA world, Gozali has recently come under scrutiny due to his social media posts. Several of his online comments and posts have been labeled as anti-Islamic, and this has raised concerns and criticism from various quarters.

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Haim Gozali's son competes in the Bellator lightweight division

Aviv Gozali, the son of former Bellator MMA fighter Haim Gozali, is making strides in Bellator's lightweight division at just 22 years old. Carrying on the family legacy, Aviv, known as 'The King,' has already amassed an impressive professional MMA record of 6 wins and 1 loss.

What sets him apart is his remarkable submission prowess, with all 6 victories achieved through submissions, highlighting his exceptional grappling skills.

He received training and guidance from his father, Haim Gozali, a former Bellator fighter, undoubtedly contributing to his rapid development in the sport. Aviv's recent win via a heel hook submission against Sean Felton at Bellator 259 in May 2021 exemplified his technical excellence, and his Kimura submission victory against Logan Neal at Bellator 249 in October 2020 showcased his versatile skill set.