Athletes
Natan Levy Focusing On The Now
Lightweight Returns To Competition For The First Time Since December 2022 With A Lot To Represent
Natan Levy had big plans for 2023. But we all know what happens when you try to make plans. So instead of making a couple trips to the Octagon to build on his two-fight winning streak in the UFC lightweight division, the 32-year-old saw fights against Pete Rodriguez (twice) and Alex Reyes get scrapped, leaving him to be content with a gym fight against an internet troll that went viral.
“Oh my God, if you call it a fight,” laughs Levy. “I had harder fights in sparring, for sure. But yeah, it's kind of funny that this is the closest thing to a fight I had.”
It’s a moment of levity at a time where those moments are few and far between. A month after his September fight against Reyes fell by the wayside, Levy was in Israel for a family wedding when the October 7 attack by Hamas took place.
“It's very hard,” said Levy. “A lot of people have been moved from their homes, sirens all the time to get into the bomb shelters from rockets, and everybody probably has anxiety and a little bit of PTSD. Everybody I know has lost someone.”
On Saturday, Levy returns to the Octagon for the first time since December of 2022 when he faces Mike Davis at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Matters have not improved in the Middle East, and while it weighs on Levy, he’s had to find ways to focus on getting back to work.
“It’s a terrible thing and I’m not getting over it whatsoever,” he said. “But if I just focused on it all the time, I would have no energy left to train or to fight. I have to let myself forget for part of the day or, more likely, just be mindful of what I'm doing at the moment and the task at hand, rather than give in to fear or overthink the situation and the safety of my family. And yeah, it runs into you online all the time. I'm still connected to the news, and I want to know what's happening, of course. But, at first, I was on the news 24/7, if I want to fight and represent my country well, I need to get off the news a little bit so I can have some hours in the day where I can actually relax and recover from training.”
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
This is a serious time in Levy’s life, and that’s understandable, so maybe this is the wrong moment to ask him this question, but in talking to him over the last few years, he always seems serious. Is this the case?
“I'm serious all the time, but I am happy to do an interview with you,” he deadpans.
I don’t believe him.
“People tell me, ‘Why don't you smile?’ I'm like, I'm smiling on the inside. I just got a resting fight face.”
We both laugh. And having that resting fight face is probably a good thing because it shows that he’s focused and ready for a new year, one that he is positive that will be better than the last one.
Tuivasa vs Tybura Main Event Breakdown
“It is frustrating, but this is life,” Levy said. “If every time something negative happens in life, you'll get negative, then there is nothing positive. You're sad, you're frustrated for a minute, for a day, for a week, and then you’ve got to get back to living and being positive because life is way more positive than negative. So don't let those negative moments drag you down. I didn't fight last year, but I got other stuff done. I've improved a lot as a fighter and as a martial artist. I wish I could have had those fights, but I'm still where I needed to be. So everything, at the end of the day, is for the better.”
I can’t see him through the phone, but I’m guessing that he’s smiling.
UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs Tybura took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 16, 2024. See the final Prelims and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass.
Tags
