Now w all of his students can say: “My rabbi can beat up your rabbi.”
A California rabbi stepped into the cage for his first amateur MMA bout recently and won via TKO in the second round, according to FOX News (via The Algemeiner). Yossi Eilfort began training just six months ago under former UFC fighter Thierry Sokoudjou and said he never hit anyone in the face before.
His goal was to promote self-defense and fitness in the Orthodox Jewish community. Eilfort wanted the “physical, personal, mental challenge” — not to injure someone.
“I believe if we’re not challenging ourselves, then we’re wasting time,” Eilfort said.
“I never thought that a rabbi would be interested in fighting,” he said. “But I was stoked. He never quits.”
Eilfort, 22, trained just about every day while juggling his duties at the synagogue. He even trained on Friday mornings, but had to skip his last few days of preparation before the fight to observe the Shabbat.