Muslim MMA champion in Türkiye, standing for Gaza

Jeff Monson, a world-renowned mixed martial artist and recent convert to Islam, is visiting Türkiye to show his support for Gaza. With deep respect and admiration, Monson praised Türkiye’s commitment to supporting Gaza and fostering global unity.

Monson’s spiritual experience in Türkiye

• Jeff Monson, who embraced Islam two months ago, performed his first Friday prayer at the Turkish Parliament mosque. Reflecting on the experience, Monson said, “It was a spiritual experience for me, something I have been looking forward to for a long time.”
• Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor Monson recalled how his journey to Islam began years ago in Dubai, where he saw his Muslim friends praying. He felt a profound connection to God and the brotherhood shared among Muslims. “That is a reason I converted to Islam, to be with this brotherhood,” he explained.

Monson praises Türkiye’s support for Gaza

• Monson’s visit to Türkiye was also a testament to his solidarity with Gaza. He expressed deep gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people for their unwavering support of the Palestinian cause. Monson noted, “I knew that Mr. Erdogan supported Palestine, but I didn’t know it was at this level.”

Türkiye is not just talking about supporting; they are actually doing support. If every country followed Türkiye’s example, we could alleviate this humanitarian crisis

Jeff Monson

• The Russian-American boxer also praised Türkiye’s efforts to support not only the Palestinian people and Muslims but the global community, emphasizing, “Türkiye is trying to bring the world closer together, trying to bring peace.”

MMA fighter meets with Turkish officials

• During his visit, Monson met with Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, who hosted him alongside Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela. Monson described Kurtulmus as “not only knowledgeable but also exceptionally kind,” admiring his commitment to global humanitarianism.
• Kurtulmus, in turn, thanked Monson and Mandela for their courageous stance against Israel’s oppression. “I would like to sincerely thank our two esteemed brothers for their courageous stance on the side of justice and humanity against the oppression of Israel,” he said.

How did Manson decide to convert to Islam?

• Despite facing negative reactions since his conversion, Monson shared that he has received messages of support from around the world. “I feel good now, and I feel really close when I looked upon the people from Gaza. They showed love, they showed compassion. They praised Allah, they hugged each other, and I was like, I want this,” he said.
• Reflecting on his previous religious experiences, Monson contrasted his observations of Christian leaders in the United States with what he found in Islam.

I grew up Christian, I grew up Catholic, and like some of these things just did not make sense to me. I saw the actions of Christians, especially Christian leaders, in the United States, and I was like, this is not what I think God intended.

Jeff Monson