MMA Fighters with 2 Million Followers Visit Ancient Shiloh Ahead of Tel Aviv Event

Ahead of the international MMA event GFN1 scheduled for Monday at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, prominent fighters from Israel and abroad visited the ancient site of Shiloh. The group, collectively boasting around 2 million social media followers, toured the historic location, learned about the Tabernacle of Shiloh, and prayed for success in their upcoming fights. The visit was led by Israel Gantz, head of the Benjamin Regional Council and chairman of the Yesha Council, alongside Eliana Penstin, head of the council's international desk.

Among the visitors were notable fighters such as Israeli UFC competitor Natan Levy, with approximately 282,000 followers, and former Bellator champion John Lineker, who has around 235,000 followers. Other international fighters included Lando Vannata, Maximus Bagnotti, Jose Alberto Quinones, and Radek Stadler. The day before, local fighters and former Shiloh residents, the Ahavat Hashem brothers and Kevadi Gordon, also visited the site to pray ahead of the fights.

One of the fighters' coaches showed deep respect for the site's sanctity by removing his shoes and walking barefoot while praying for several minutes. He expressed profound emotion, stating it was an honor to walk where biblical figures such as Hannah and Samuel once prayed and where the tribes of Israel gathered. Israel Gantz emphasized the importance of cultural and historical awareness, noting that influential visitors to Benjamin become ambassadors for the Jewish people's historical narrative in Israel.