Haim Gozali
Haim Gozali (Hebrew: חיים גוזלי; born May 6, 1973), also known by the nickname The Israeli Batman, is an Israeli mixed martial artist who competed in the welterweight division. He is best known for his tenure in Bellator. Gozali is also a 5th degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie. He is also the first Israeli to compete in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Haim also the founder of IWCC Israeli world combat championship.
| Haim Gozali | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 6 May 1973[1] Bat Yam, Israel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | Israeli | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 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 | 5th Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu[3] Black Belt in Ninjutsu[4] Black Belt in Karate[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1998–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By knockout | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By submission | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By decision | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Background
Gozali served at the Israel Border Police in the Israeli army. Later, Gozali was stabbed six times while working as a bouncer in an Israeli night club.[5][6]
Gozali's nickname, "The Israeli Batman", was given to him by Bellator's announcer Mike Goldberg, and is related to his obsession with the legendary 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."[7]
Gozali son, Aviv, is also a mixed martial artist and is currently signed to Bellator.
Mixed martial arts career
In 2010, Gozali produced the MMA event Israel FC: Genesis in Israel, that featured multiple UFC veterans.[8] Following the event's success, he later signed with Bellator MMA to work as a promoter and produced 4 events in Israel with the promotion - Bellator 164, Bellator 188 and Bellator 209, Bellator 234, which took place at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv.
Gozali is the president of ADCC Israel and the first Israeli to compete in an ADCC event.[9] Gozali is also the head of Renzo Gracie Israel Academy in Bat Yam.[10]
Gozali is the first Israeli MMA fighter to compete in Madison Square Garden.[11]
On November 16, 2017, Gozali scored the second fastest submission in Bellator's Welterweight division, ending the fight 45 seconds into the first round.
In 2023 Haim organised the biggest MMA event in Israel IWCC Israeli world combat championship.
Bellator MMA
Gozali faced Ryan Couture in a welterweight bout at Bellator 180 on June 24, 2017.[12] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[13]
After racking three straight victories, Gozali was scheduled to appear on the same event, Bellator 234, with his son Aviv in their native Israel. Haim faced Artur Pronin and won the fight via first-round submission. Haim retired after the fight.[14]
Mixed martial arts record
| 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 | Arsen Faitovich | 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 |
Bareknuckle boxing record
| 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 |
References
- "Haim Gozali". Bellator.
- "Haim Gozali". Tapology.
- "Bellator 188 results: 'Lahat vs Labiano'". MMA Mania. November 17, 2017.
- "עוף גוזלי: לוחם ה-MMA הישראלי ששבר את תקרת הזכוכית". sport1.maariv.co.il.
- "The 44-year-old Israeli MMA Fighter With a Magen David Tattoo on His Elbow". Tablet. June 22, 2017.
- "Israel's Haim Gozali discusses how getting stabbed altered MMA career". MMAFighting. June 21, 2017.
- "Bellator 180: Israeli 'Batman' prepares to fight in Madison Square Garden". Bloody Elbow. June 14, 2017.
- "UFC veterans in Israel". USA Today. November 9, 2010. Retrieved on October 25, 2018.
- "Haim Gozali and The ADCC: Jiu-Jitsu Transcends Politics". 3 September 2015.
- "AFFILIATED". RENZO GRACIE.
- "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.
- Sherdog.com. "Haim Gozali MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography - Sherdog.com". Sherdog. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
External links
- Haim Gozali at BoxRec (registration required)
- Haim Gozali at Bellator
- Haim Gozali at Sherdog
- Haim Gozali at Tapology.com
- Haim Gozali at Fight Matrix
• Haim Gozali at Facebook
• Haim Gozali at Instagram
• Haim Gozali at Twitter
• Haim Gozali at Telegram
• Haim Gozali at TikTok
• Haim Gozali at private Facebook