Bassil Hafez’s post-fight interview stood out for a different reason at UFC 302 in Newark. He earned a hard-fought victory over Mickey Gall at the PPV event. The Egyptian-American fighter used his platform to raise awareness about the ongoing conflict in Palestine.
Joe Rogan spoke to Bassil Hafez after his unanimous decision victory over Mickey Gall. He gave a passionate speech about the importance of life and shunned the genocide in Palestine. Hafez revealed that he was against the killings of women and children in pointless wars.
There is something I wanna say. I have been having it in my heart for a long time. I don’t support genocide. I don’t support innocent women and children being killed for war and for money and power. We are all God’s children and we all deserve a fair chance in life. Free Palestine.
Bassil Hafez via UFC 302 octagon interview
The Israel-Palestine conflict has impacted every aspect of the world, including the UFC. Hafez’s actions continued a long-standing tradition in a world where athletes increasingly use their platforms to raise awareness about important issues. In the midst of a brutal sport that celebrates physical dominance, he chose to highlight the plight of a people yearning for peace and dignity.
Hafez’s words carry extra weight for those closely following the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In such a climate, every voice raised in support of a peaceful resolution takes on added significance. The future looks bright for Hafez, who has set his sights on new challenges inside the octagon.
Bassil Hafez sets his sights on a rematch with welterweight prospect
Bassil Hafez wasted no time in setting his sights on a bigger prize. The welterweight division remains a stronghold of excellent fighters. As such, the Egyptian-American fighter now has his eyes set on a rematch with Australian phenom Jack Della Maddalena.
Bassil Hafez hopes to rematch welterweight prospect (via MMA News)For those unfamiliar with their backstory, Hafez’s UFC debut came on short notice against Della Maddalena last year. Despite his valiant efforts, he fell short, losing a closely contested split decision. During the post-fight presser, Hafez indicated his plans to the media members.
I fought a guy [Jack Della Maddalena] in my debut who I have respect for and I look forward to working my way up and getting that rematch one day.
Bassil Hafez via UFC 302 post-fight press conference
Hafez’s confidence is not misplaced. After all, he pushed Della Maddalena to the brink, nearly spoiling the Australian’s undefeated record. JDM is a top-ranked fighter. As such, Hafez definitely needs to go through some ranked contenders to rematch the Australian again. The future in the welterweight division looks bright, with new talents emerging for the top prize in MMA – the undisputed UFC gold.
