UFC Fighters Give God Glory After Victory Matches

Guest Commentary

Audio By Carbonatix

By Amber Ginter, Crosswalk.com

When most people think of fighting, they don’t think about giving God glory or credit. But for UFC 328 fighters, praising God in this way is fulfilling what they were always created to do.

Following the major Ultimate Fighting Championship, MMA fighter Joshua Van addressed his win at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey by noting, “First of all, I want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Van continued: “At the end of the day, man, I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody who saved my life, and His name is Jesus Christ.”

In a longer post-fight press conference, after the postgame interview, Van was asked why he wears a cross necklace. Van explained, “My faith is everything. It’s what keeps me centered.”

“Without Jesus Christ, man, I wouldn’t be nothing,” he added. “It’s always to give glory to Him.”

Over the course of his career, Van has gone through a transformation in his faith.

“I’m not the perfect [Christian], the perfect believer,” Van began, “but Christianity keeps me humble.”

Grant Dawson, another fighter at UFC 328, also publicly gave Jesus credit in his postgame interview.

“I was given a gift and a platform, and I plan on using that gift and that platform to tell every man, woman, and child that will listen, ‘There is no other God but Jesus Christ, there is no other judge but Jesus Christ, and, most importantly, there is no other way to salvation except through Jesus Christ,’” he said.

According to the Christian Post, “UFC 328 is the latest in a growing number of UFC events where fighters have openly discussed their Christian faith after winning matches.”

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Amber Ginter is a teacher-turned-author who loves Jesus, her husband Ben, and granola. Growing up Amber looked for faith and mental health resources and found none. Today, she offers hope for young Christians struggling with mental illness that goes beyond simply reading your Bible and praying more. Because you can love Jesus and still suffer from anxiety. You can download her top faith and mental health resources for free to help navigate books, podcasts, videos, and influencers from a faith lens perspective. Visit her website at amberginter.com.