Haim Gozali | |
---|---|
Born | [1] Bat Yam, Israel | 6 May 1973
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) |
Division | Light Heavyweight Middleweight Welterweight |
Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
Stance | Southpaw |
Fighting out of | Bat Yam, Israel |
Team | Renzo Gracie Israel[2] |
Rank | 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Renzo Gracie[3] |
Years active | 1998–present |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 21 |
Wins | 15 |
By knockout | 1 |
By submission | 14 |
Losses | 6 |
By knockout | 1 |
By submission | 2 |
By decision | 3 |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog |
Haim Gozali (Hebrew: חיים גוזלי; born May 6, 1973) is an Israeli mixed martial artist. He is best known for his tenure in Bellator. Gozali is a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Renzo Gracie.[3]
Background
[edit]Gozali served in the Israel Defense Forces.
In 2005, Gozali was stabbed while working as a bouncer in an Israeli night club.[4][5]
Gozali's nickname, "The Israeli Batman", is related to his obsession with the superhero. He has "collected enough Batman comics and paraphernalia to fill up most of a room in his house in Bat Yam" and he "has enough Batman tattoos to cover a good part of his skin, with the bat-sign prominently carried across his chest."[4]
Gozali's son, Aviv Gozali, is also a mixed martial artist.[6][7]
Gozali is the president of ADCC Israel and the first Israeli to compete in an ADCC event.[8]
Professional career
[edit]Gozali began his mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 1998, losing to Carlos Newton via armbar. He compiled a 6-3 record before debuting for Bellator MMA in 2016.[9]
In 2010, Gozali produced the MMA event Israel FC: Genesis in Israel, featuring multiple UFC veterans.[10] He later signed with Bellator to work as a promoter[4] and produced 4 events in Israel with the promotion - Bellator 164, Bellator 188, Bellator 209, and Bellator 234, which took place at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv.
Bellator MMA
[edit]On June 24, 2017, Gozali faced Ryan Couture in a welterweight bout on the Bellator 180 preliminary card, becoming the first Israeli MMA fighter to compete in Madison Square Garden.[11][12] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[13]
At Bellator 188 on November 16, 2017, Gozali fought Mykyta Mikhno, winning via submission. Gozali then fought Jose Campos at Bellator 192, losing via unanimous decision. Gozali fought Ryan Couture in a rematch at Bellator 209, losing again via unanimous decision.[9]
Last fight
[edit]After three straight victories, Gozali competed at Bellator 234 on November 15, 2019, with his son Aviv, in their native Israel. Gozali faced Artur Pronin, winning the fight via first-round submission. Gozali retired after the fight.[14] Gozali and Pronin's performances led to accusations of the bout being fixed. Criticism included no serious head strikes and light striking that resembled a sparring session, Pronin putting himself in inferior positions despite his experience, and the end of the fight where Gozali transitioned from an armbar to a heel hook without proper control of Pronin's leg, with Pronin tapping out immediately instead of trying to defend the submission. It was noted that Pronin was on a seven-win streak at the time with several submission victories, while this was a "hometown" bout for Gozali and his last fight.[15]
Return
[edit]Gozali returned to MMA and began bare-knuckle boxing in 2020 after his security company faced financial hardship due to COVID-19.[6] He made his bare-knuckle boxing debut on February 5, 2021 at BKFC: KnuckleMania. Gozali faced John McAllister, who had a win/loss record of 0–4. McAllister controlled the first round, out-striking Gozali. Gozali made a comeback in the second round, knocking McAllister down twice for the ref to stop the bout.[16]
Championships and accomplishments
[edit]Mixed martial arts
[edit]- Real Fight Promotion
- RFP Middleweight Championship (One time)
- The Dice Team
- TDT Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
Mixed martial arts record
[edit]21 matches | 15 wins | 6 losses |
By knockout | 1 | 1 |
By submission | 14 | 2 |
By decision | 0 | 3 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 15–6 | Ilya Lupinov | Submission (triangle choke) | RFP 86 | October 3, 2021 | 1 | 1:35 | Kyiv, Ukraine | Middleweight bout; won the vacant RFP Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 14–6 | Andrey Savchuck | Submission (heel hook) | TDT 1 | June 23, 2021 | 1 | 0:05 | Dubno, Ukraine | Light Heavyweight debut; won the TDT Light Heavyweight Championship. |
Win | 13–6 | Dmitriy Makhotskiy | Submission (triangle choke) | RFP 80 | October 4, 2020 | 2 | 1:56 | Kyiv, Ukraine | Return to Middleweight; won the RFP Middleweight Championship. |
Win | 12–6 | Artur Pronin | Submission (heel hook) | Bellator 234 | November 15, 2019 | 1 | 4:12 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
Win | 11–6 | Gustavo Wurlitzer | Submission (triangle choke) | Bellator 222 | June 14, 2019 | 1 | 4:02 | New York, New York, United States | Catchweight (175 lb) bout. |
Win | 10–6 | Dmitriy Makhotskiy | Submission (heel hook) | RFP: International MFC 1 | December 14, 2018 | 1 | 2:57 | Kyiv, Ukraine | |
Win | 9–6 | Alexey Kolesnikov | Submission (armbar) | RFP: International MFC 1 | December 14, 2018 | 1 | 2:37 | Kyiv, Ukraine | |
Loss | 8–6 | Ryan Couture | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 209 | November 16, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
Loss | 8–5 | Jose Campos | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 192 | January 20, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Inglewood, California, United States | |
Win | 8–4 | Mykyta Mikhno | Technical Submission (triangle choke) | Bellator 188 | November 16, 2017 | 1 | 0:45 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
Loss | 7–4 | Ryan Couture | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 180 | June 24, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
Win | 7–3 | Zane Clerk | Submission (heel hook) | Bellator 164 | November 10, 2016 | 1 | 1:41 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
Win | 6–3 | Zdravko Zdravkov | Submission (armbar) | AFN 1 | September 15, 2012 | 1 | 0:33 | Sliven, Bulgaria | |
Loss | 5–3 | Rustam Bogatyrev | TKO (retirement) | MFP: Mayor Cup 2012 | May 26, 2012 | 1 | 5:00 | Khabarovsk, Russia | |
Loss | 5–2 | Ronaldo Souza | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Jungle Fight 7 | December 17, 2006 | 1 | 1:33 | Ljubljana, Slovenia | |
Win | 5–1 | Alcs Plotkin | Submission (triangle choke) | WPKL 2 | May 7, 2004 | 1 | 2:22 | Israel | |
Win | 4–1 | Yakov Mazer | KO (punch) | WPKL 1 | March 23, 2003 | 1 | 1:35 | Israel | |
Win | 3–1 | Dan Koan | Submission (punches) | IVTC 2 | March 11, 2002 | 1 | 4:55 | Israel | |
Win | 2–1 | Guy Micali | Submission (punches) | IFFC 1 | December 5, 2000 | 1 | 3:34 | Israel | |
Win | 1–1 | Maer Cobi Coen | Submission (triangle choke) | IVTC 1 | April 14, 2000 | 1 | 2:34 | Israel | |
Loss | 0–1 | Carlos Newton | Submission (armbar) | IFC: Israel vs. Canada | January 1, 1998 | 1 | 0:00 | Israel |
Bare-knuckle boxing record
[edit]2 matches | 2 wins | 0 losses |
By knockout | 2 | 0 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 2–0 | Bogdan Kotlovyanov | TKO (injury) | IWCC 1 | March 9, 2023 | 2 | N/A | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
Win | 1–0 | John McAllister | TKO (punch) | BKFC: KnuckleMania | February 5, 2021 | 2 | 1:08 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Cruiserweight (205 lb.) bout. |
References
[edit]- ^ "Haim Gozali". Bellator.
- ^ "Haim Gozali". Tapology.
- ^ a b "Certified Black Belts". IBJJF.com. Retrieved 2023-11-24. Search "Haim Gozali"
- ^ a b c Gilboa, Ram (June 14, 2017). "Bellator 180: Israeli 'Batman' prepares to fight in Madison Square Garden". Bloody Elbow.
- ^ Zeitlin, Alan (June 22, 2017). "The 44-year-old Israeli MMA Fighter With a Magen David Tattoo on His Elbow". Tablet.
- ^ a b "COVID forces Haim Gozali, Israeli MMA fighter, out of retirement". The Jerusalem Post. 2021-01-28. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
- ^ Nambiar, Abhishek (2023-11-03). "Usman Nurmagomedov gives a scathing 8-word reply to Israeli fighter Haim Gozali's son over distasteful missile message to Muslim fighters". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2023-11-06.
- ^ Fischer, Emil (3 September 2015). "Haim Gozali and The ADCC: Jiu-Jitsu Transcends Politics". Jiu-Jitsu Times.
- ^ a b c "Haim Gozali MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography". Sherdog. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
- ^ "UFC veterans in Israel". USA Today. November 9, 2010. Retrieved on October 25, 2018.
- ^ "Watch: Meet Haim Gozali, The First Israeli MMA Fighter To Fight In MSG". The Jewish Week. June 26, 2017.
- ^ "Gozali-Couture 2 & Dandois-Rubin Set For Bellator 209". MMA TakeOver. 2018-08-21. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
- ^ Dave Doyle (June 24, 2017). "Bellator 180 results: Ryan Couture grinds out win over Haim Gozali". mmafighting.com.
- ^ "Bellator 234 video highlights with Vassell's dominance, father-son Gozali submissions". mmajunkie.com. November 16, 2019.
- ^ Samuel, Ezra (2023-10-11). "MMA analyst throws shade at Bellator over suspicious looking bout featuring Israeli star". Calfkicker.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
- ^ Christ, Scott (2021-02-05). "BKFC KnuckleMania results and highlights: Bloodbaths, knockouts, and a one-legged man winning an ass-kicking contest". Bad Left Hook. Retrieved 2023-11-06.