How Loai Abushaar became ‘Captain’ of Hebron in Palestine
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MMA has created many interesting personalities that we recognize as top talents and entertaining fighters. There are a select few who use their platforms to assist those in need. The UFC is home to many fighters who are actively involved in charity work. Names like Dustin Poirier, Jiri Prochazka, and Beneil Dariush all give back to their communities. These fighters are well-known to both casual and hardcore audiences today. However, on the regional scene worldwide, thousands of fighters share their passion for giving back to their communities.
One standout among them is, Loai Abushaar, who has done incredible work for his people.
From War Zones-CFFC
Loai Abushaar began his fighting journey at Fight Ready MMA, home to Coach Henry Cejudo, a two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist. Before his most recent fight, Abushaar transitioned to MMA Lab to train with Benson Henderson.
Holding a record of 4-1, all of Loai’s wins come before the end of the first-round buzzer. He’s a lengthy, tall, 6’4″ lightweight fighter. In his UFC Fight Pass debut at CFFC 136, he notched another first-round finish against Joe Boerschig. The win came after a year-long layoff following a quick KO loss, plus an eventful journey to Palestine. Abushaar spent three months in a war zone helping those in need due to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel. Upon returning home, he only had a few weeks to prepare for the fight, making his quick win that much more impressive.
“It felt great to win. It feels way better than losing,” said Abushaar. “If I lost I wouldβve been 3-2 which wouldnβt have been good. Alhamdulillah, Iβm grateful that I won. I feel good now that Iβve won in CFFC. My face is now a little bit out there. Finishing the fight that way and not taking any damage is also good.”
“I went in, I broke the first-time cage jitters from not being in there for a year. Iβve had the mental burden of my last fight being a loss out of the way. It was honestly just a massive learning experience for me. Now I can analyze, take what was good, remove what was bad, and make sure the next fight I’m coming in 100% no matter what. It looked easy, but I couldβve finished him faster.”
Helping Palestine
Loai Abushaar’s fighting abilities alone make him an interesting prospect. But it’s what he has done outside of his career that is arguably more impressive.
Before his last victory, Abushaar embarked on a three-month trip to Palestine. He assisted various communities, supplying food, water, clothes, schooling supplies, and more to those who were in need. The motivation for the trip was simple… He saw that his people needed help, so without hesitation, he took action.
Despite the backlash from family and friends on his decision, Abushaar quit his job in the financial industry. He also put his relationship and training on hold, and broke his lease before making the trip. Loai was well aware that this trip was going to take an emotional and physical toll on him. But the lasting effects and experience were nothing he couldβve ever prepared for.
Leaving Everything Behind
“When I took the trip, people said I was out of my mind,” he shared. “They would say ‘youβre going to go there in the middle of a war? What about your career?’ I would decline. I was stubborn because I told myself this is what Iβm going to do, and I did it. That was it. There was no negotiation. I wasnβt going to consider someoneβs personal opinion on this choice. I was just stubborn about it, and Iβm glad I was. Before I took the trip I was in a very good spot in my life. I was a financial analyst for the government and in a good position in my MMA career. I kinda just said no to everything and decided to go there.”
“There are a lot of reasons why I went. I wanted to see what it was like out there. My grandmother also passed away earlier in the year before my trip. I felt like a failure because of how long it took me to become something in my MMA career. I wouldβve loved to win a fight and kiss her hand afterward, and now I’ll never get that. That affected me a lot, and ultimately, I couldnβt sit here and talk about helping my people overseas. I went out of unconditional love. For them, because I saw Palestinians in tears, in sadness, and at a very low overall point. I saw that through the phone. You donβt think that I saw that, and was okay with the position I was in? Iβm not okay with that.”
Abushaar’s decision to leave Arizona took those around him by surprise. Many were astonished that he would leave everything behind in America to lend a hand.
Doing As Much As Possible
Loai’s experience was a significant character-building chapter in his life, free of any regrets. The relationships he built, the people he helped, and the effort he invested were all worthwhile. His goal upon returning to his homeland was simple: Do as much as possible for as many people. Once he touched land, Loai immediately sought out shelters. He found schools nearby in need of supplies, as well as children in need of food, clothing, and school supplies.
“It was never about what I got out of it, it was what I could do to help them,” said Abushaar. “If Iβm human, then Iβm going to help somebody who asks for help. At first, I was linked up with an organization called Go Palestine. I ended up in a city called Hebron. What I was only supposed to do was go there and teach English. But I knew that was far from the end of what I’d do.”
“As I was teaching English, I made connections left and right. I ended up becoming great friends with this guy named Ibraheem, and heβs still my best friend today. He owns a warehouse where he supplies the Bodegas with chips, crackers, candy, sodas. He had so many connections in Palestine, but his Mom was a charity organizer. I got to make about 150 Eid packages for children, and each package would have candy, a toy, a book, and stuff like that, and I just distributed that amongst children in need.”
“I also started working with the SOS Childrenβs Village in Bethlehem, which is an organization that takes care of orphans. My boy Ibraheem connected me with them and they gave me a whole list of supplies that they needed. I bought them backpacks, toiletries, food, and other things. We had this big bus, and we filled the entire trunk with supplies, dropped it off to them, and just went on my way. As I was doing this, I was posting to Instagram and people were sending me money. I spent every dollar on charity.”
“Another thing I did was buy a whole bunch of clothes for children. I also worked for the Lajee Center in Bethlehem which directly works with one of the refugee camps. I tried to get as much work as I could do there. It was nice to just help. Thatβs all I wanted to do, just help.”
‘Captain’ Abushaar
While that only scratches the surface of what the three-month journey, Loai Abushaar remains in close contact with those he met in Palestine. He remains humbled and grateful for the experience. While in Palestine, he began to reach out to more people. Whether it was by word-of-mouth, social media, or the work he did. It got to the point where he became a recognized figure in Hebron. The locals even gave him the nickname of “Captain” for his unconditional support of their city.
Abushaar holds fond memories of his time abroad, but it wasn’t without challenges. He stayed near areas considered war zones, enduring immense stress throughout his journey. As you could imagine, the weight of his experience stayed with him upon his return to the United States. It was incredibly difficult to readjust to normal life.
“I felt depressed when I came home and homesick because I had met a lot of family and friends over there,” he shared. “But I didnβt know how to emotionally explain my experience to anybody. I went through a lot of shit. It was easier out there because I had my Palestinian brothers who understood. There was a lot of empathy because they had to go through it too.”
“When I saw rockets for the first time from Iran shooting over my head, Iβm like holy shit, Iβm actually in a war zone. The craziest thing is this is what my people see daily, and nobody seems shaken by it. Iβm watching the skies, and no doubt my heart rate shot way up. Iβm saying to myself ‘What have I gotten myself into?’. I got beat by an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) soldier, and thrown into a corner, and six IDF soldiers were pointing weapons at me, screaming at me in Hebrew and Arabic. I saw Palestinian men getting frisked by IDF soldiers on a wall. Things you see in movies. I went through some crazy shit.”
“Iβm a very clean person. I donβt drink, smoke, go to clubs, or anything like that. It got to the point where my last month there, I started smoking cigarettes because I couldnβt handle how stressful the situation was at some points.”
For Palestine
Through an hour-and-a-half-long conversation with Loai, much is revealed about his character. He stayed true to his word, helping his people unconditionally and embracing both the challenges and rewards that came with it. Abushaar’s swift return to MMA only added to the hurdles he faced upon coming back to the United States.
Nevertheless, in less than three months, Abushaar was back, found a new place to live, found a job, switched from Fight Ready to MMA Lab, and got his very first win on UFC Fight Pass. All while dealing with the emotional burden he carried with him from his experiences.
Loai Abushaar now aims to channel his renewed motivation into building a successful and lucrative MMA career. He strives to unite people through his unconditional love and compassion, while representing Palestine as a fighter and inspiring his community.
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