“After October 7, I Knew I Had to Win”: The Young Israeli Fighter Who Became European Champion

In a nation still bearing the wounds of October 7, Israelis old and young are making a conscious choice. Rather than sink into despair, they are rising with renewed resolve, embodying the truth of Scripture: “For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise” (Proverbs 24:16). Sixteen-year-old Alon Avital’s victory in Belgrade is more than a sports headline, it is a portrait of Israeli resilience, of a generation determined to stand back up and press forward.

Alon Avital became European champion in MMA after winning the gold medal in the under 79 kg category in Belgrade. MMA (mixed martial arts) is one of the most demanding and complex combat sports in the world. It combines techniques from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, kickboxing, and other disciplines, requiring not only physical strength but also self-control, mental discipline, and the ability to make split-second decisions. In the cage fighters have no team to hide behind, only an opponent to face, with a referee standing between them.

“After October 7, I Knew I had to Win”

As the opening notes of “Hatikvah” began to play in Belgrade, Alon Avital from Israel’s Central District stood tall on the podium and took a deep breath. At just 16 years old, with a gold medal from the European Youth MMA Championship around his neck, he already understood that this was about far more than a personal achievement. In a conversation with RegaNews, he spoke about the long road to standing atop the podium.

“When I was younger, I had very little self-confidence,” he admits. “I was embarrassed by a lot of things and didn’t want to stand out. I always preferred to stay on the sidelines.”

At the beginning of seventh grade, he attended his first training session. He had tried karate as a younger kid, and curiosity drew him back onto the mat. “After a year, I already knew: this is what I want to do in life.”

He entered the disciplined routine of someone aiming high, with consistent training and strict self-discipline, and began competing as part of Israel’s youth national team under the supervision of the Israel MMA Association.

He felt something began to change within him. “Competing in MMA gave me so much confidence,” he says. “I fought in a cage against a stranger, in another country. After that, everything else in life just feels much easier.” Each time he stepped into the cage, he pushed a little further past the limits of the boy who once feared standing out.

Then came last year’s European Championship. In his first match, he faced a Ukrainian opponent who would go on to win the entire tournament. “It was a very, very close fight,” Avital recalls. The loss did not remain in the arena for him. “After that fight, I was down for a long time. I was afraid to compete again.”

For someone who had found his confidence on stage, it was a deep blow – not just a professional setback, but a sudden return to doubt.

What brought him back was the inner circle around him. “My parents constantly encouraged me to compete again, and my friends and coaching staff, Asaf Tzemach, Shlomi Vaknin, and Alon Cohen, supported me.” Choosing to return to the cage was not automatic. It was a conscious decision not to let defeat define him.

When he returned, he was no longer the same fighter. At the championship, he stepped into the cage not only to prove himself to the judges, but to prove to himself that he could face his fear. In four consecutive matches, Avital defeated his opponents one after another. In the final bout, he overcame his Austrian rival, earning the emotional moment of hearing “Hatikvah” played on Serbian soil.

Also shaping his motivation was the war. “October 7 made me want  to win even more. To put us on the map. To show that we are good and that we are strong. That Israel is a country people know how to fight for.”

Rising After a Fall

Winning the European Championship is Avital’s greatest achievement to date. “I went through very tough fights, physically and mentally, and after a long and intense day I managed to achieve one of the goals I set for myself. From here, I will continue to work hard, improve, and reach additional goals.”

His message to other youths is simple. “Just start training. Nothing bad can come of it. Even if you don’t want to compete, it builds confidence, fitness, and health. And if you truly want to compete, then go train and don’t give up.”

Avital also noted that the sport itself has been growing steadily in Israel in recent years and invited more young people to step into the arena. “The level in Israel has become very high in recent years, it keeps rising. This year we brought home two gold medals in the youth category and another gold in the adult category, something that never happened before. I used to not really believe that we could reach this point, but today you see that it’s possible.”

 

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And in his rise from defeat to victory, Avital reflects a deeper national story, a people who may fall, but who, by God’s grace, rise again and again and press forward.