Mohamed Hoballah

DEARBORN — Mohamed Hoballah lived in five countries by the time he was a sophomore in high school. Chased away by war and economic conditions, the Kuwait-born Lebanese American found his passion in wrestling as a teenager after settling in Michigan.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a self-defense combat sport where fights can be won by points or submission after grounding opponents. The annual tournament was held in Las Vegas.

Hoballah said even as a child he would wrestle with his friends in the playground for fun. He joined the wrestling team during his junior year of high school. 

“I wasn’t all that, but I kept doing it,” he said.

The fighter had to quit because of lack of time and resources, but the passion stayed with him. Years later, he noticed a martial arts gym in Dearborn.

“It took me about six months to have the courage to call in my coach,” Hoballah told The Arab American News. “I decided to take my shot at it and see what happens. From there I realized I could make something out of myself and channel my frustrations.”

Hoballah left Kuwait when he was 5 because of the first Gulf War. His family returned to Lebanon, but their homeland was not stable, either. After a year in Lebanon, the Hoballahs immigrated to Senegal and lived in the United States and Canada before returning to the area.

“It didn’t work out in Canada and finally my father won the green card with the Lotto,” he said. “That’s how we came back to Dearborn and I’ve been here ever since.”

Hoballah, who got married in August, owns two cell phone stores. He has sharp features, brown eyes and a strong jaw that is extenuated by his shaved, balding head. Judging by his casual speech, he does not seem emotionally invested in martial arts.

His advice to young people who are pursuing Jiu-Jitsu is to have fun. “Don’t take it seriously. Just remember; it is the least important thing in the world.”

Asked how important martials arts are to him, he said, “First comes family, work, religion.”

Hoballah said he trains five to six hours every week.

He said the key to success is to put your ego on the side while training.

“When you walk in, be ready to get your ass beat,” he said. “Be passionate. Have a positive attitude. Learn. Ask questions. You have to surround yourself by good people.”

Hoballah wants to keep competing, but is hoping for a sponsorship after winning the tournament.

“Being a world champion, I’ve beat guys who have over 10 sponsorship each,” he said. 

In 2009, Hoballah’s younger brother Khodor Hoballah came in third place in the state’s high school wrestling championship. 

The older Hoballah said he has always encouraged his brother to succeed.

“When I was grappled in high school, I did not have the means to keep doing it; none was pushing me,” he said. “When he came up, I was pushing him. I made sure he had everything he needed.”

Danny Agemy, Hoballah’s trainer at the Detroit Jiu-Jitsu Academy, said people refer to the Jiu-Jitsu champion as “psycho Moe” because of his vigorous, unorthodox fighting style.

“Within two weeks of joining the gym, he decided to join a local tournament,” Agemy said. “He didn’t know what the hell he was doing. I was describing to him how to apply the submission, as he was doing it. The other player tapped out before the submission because he was scared of Moe’s aggressiveness.”

Hoballah ended up winning the tournament, according to Agemy.

“I knew since the first day that he was going to be something special,” the trainer said.

He added that the 30-year-old fighter’s best athletic attribute is his fearlessness in the ring.

Radwan Hoballah, the fighter’s father, said he is grateful that his sons have pursued sporting passions, instead of being caught up in drugs and other vices.

Mohamed Hoballah is the oldest of five children. His father said he trusts his children’s character, crediting his wife, Samira Wazzani, with holding the family together and leading it to success despite the successive relocating.

“Mohamed loves sports,” Radwan Hoballah said. “He is a devout Muslim. He respects his family and helps his siblings. He is ambitious, always challenging himself.”