FORT IRWIN, Calif. — UFC veteran and mixed martial arts lightweight expert Natan Levy recently spent a weekend at Fort Irwin, California, engaging with soldiers from the U.S. Army National Training Center. He was part of an elite delegation of combat sports professionals who delivered intensive martial arts instruction and combat training, culminating in judging a military base championship competition.
Levy, alongside other distinguished martial arts figures, led a comprehensive four-hour seminar. This session integrated advanced combat sports methodologies with practical military combative techniques, specifically tailored to prepare soldiers for the upcoming base championship. Following the training, Levy served as a judge for the competition, an honor he shared with Jiu-Jitsu Master Carlos Machado.
Reflecting on his experience, Natan Levy commented, “The soldiers at Fort Irwin whom I had the pleasure of meeting take their training very seriously. They test themselves through grappling and full-contact competition with the intensity of the professional fighters I’ve spent my career competing against. It was an honor to share the mats with the men and women of the United States military and watch them compete and display their warrior spirit. I’m looking forward to coming back.”
This significant event was orchestrated by martial arts legends Dr. Neil Farber and Shihan Vince Cecere, and hosted by Command Sergeant Major Lyles and Colonel Chadwick. The weekend underscored a powerful collaboration between professional combat sports and military service, highlighting their shared foundations in discipline, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of physical excellence.