FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Esteemed UFC veteran and mixed martial arts lightweight expert, Natan Levy, recently spent a weekend immersed with U.S. Army soldiers at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California. He was part of a distinguished delegation of combat sports professionals who provided extensive martial arts instruction, combat training, and officiated a base championship competition.
Levy joined a group of martial arts luminaries in leading a four-hour seminar. This comprehensive session covered both competitive combat sports techniques and essential military combatives, designed to prepare soldiers for the upcoming base championship. Levy served as a judge for the competition, alongside the renowned Jiu-Jitsu Master Carlos Machado. The training initiative aimed to integrate elite combat sports methodologies with practical military readiness applications.
“The soldiers I had the privilege of meeting at Fort Irwin demonstrate a profound commitment to their training. Their intensity in grappling and full-contact competition mirrors that of the professional fighters I’ve encountered throughout my career,” stated Natan Levy. “It was truly an honor to share the mats with the men and women of the United States military and witness their competitive spirit and warrior ethos. I eagerly anticipate a return visit.”
The delegation was expertly organized by martial arts legends Dr. Neil Farber and Shihan Vince Cecere. Command Sergeant Major Lyles and Colonel Chadwick hosted the event, which highlighted a powerful synergy between professional combat sports and military service. This collaboration underscored the shared foundational values of discipline, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of physical excellence inherent in both domains.
