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Accused Neo-Nazi Hooligan Benjamin Brinsa Signs With the UFC

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#1 ·
Earlier this month, the UFC signed Benjamin “The Hooligan” Brinsa, a 13-0 welterweight prospect from Leipzig, Germany. That name might not mean anything to you, but for followers of the German MMA scene, it carries some very negative connotations.

True to his nickname, Brinsa is a member of the Leipzig-based hooligan group Scenario LOK. Brinsa’s MMA team, La Familia, reportedly has connections to the local Neo-Nazi scene, and Brinsa himself used to help run a mail-order service for Neo-Nazi rock music. Here are a few excerpts from German news articles that share more details about Brinsa’s questionable background and connections (rough translations via Google)…

Linksunten, 5/10/13

La Familia borders on xenophobia and extremism…La Familia [is where] violent neo-Nazis from the spectrum of the “National Boys” train (JN) and the sponsors and fighters of LaFamilia are known neo-Nazis. The most famous of them is Benjamin Brinsa, a fighter [who] in the past was in combat sporting events such as the “Respect Fighting Championship” in Essen, but was discharged because of his right machinations.

Brinsa is a member of the right-hooligan group “Scenario LOK” from Leipzig and posed behind a banner reading “ultras LOK – National Resistance”. In addition, he was with Thomas Persdorf, a nationally known neo Nazi and operator of the shipment “Front Records”, registered as a director of a company that managed the site “Aryan Brotherhood”. According to information from the Leipzig anti-fascist magazine “Gamma,” he is said to have worked as a janitor in the “national center” in Leipzig-Lindenau. Brinsa received a stadium ban in Leipzig due to his violence. He and his friend Christopher “Joker” Henze, also a member of the right-hooligan group “Scenario LOK” were received with open arms by La Familia and courted as “two powerful new additions” with “aggressive fighting style”…

La Familia’s prominent members include a number of neo-Nazis [who] train there for their attacks on other people. These include several people in the “National Boys” (JN) (the NPD youth organization). Among them, Mario Alexander Müller, convicted neo-Nazi from Delmenhorst. He was recently convicted of an attack on an anti-fascists from Delmenhorst…

One of the ticket agencies and sponsors of LaFamilia “Fight Night” is the Tattoo & Piercing Studio White Skull in the street Köthener Halle-Trotha. There works Florian Jass, a neo-Nazi from the area…who participated in the neo-Nazi rally on May 01, 2011 in Halle…

Taz.de, 8/3/12

On Thursday of last week, there suddenly appeared in the “Martial Arts Board,” an MMA Internet forum, an anonymous open letter titled: “Nazis during Respect Fighting Championship 7?”. It [gave] evidence that Benjamin Brinsa [belonged to] the Leipzig hooligan scene – and has close ties to Nazi scene.

In an article of the German magazine “contrasts”, also linked to the anonymous writer explains a hooded hooligan hatred of Jews, foreigners and blacks. A comparison of language and voice with an interview of the fighter Benjamin Brinsa suggests: it is the same man. [Ed. note: That part is sort of hard to parse out, but basically, a video of a masked hooligan was shown on German TV talking about his hatred of the aforementioned minority groups, and he was identified as Brinsa from his voice.]

[Respect Fighting Championship] organiser Ben Helm was initially reluctant. In “Martial Arts Board,” he explained, “we will have no room for a neo-fascist or racist fighter in RESPECT.FC,” [but] quoted at the same time from a statement that Brinsa had made to him, in that he rejects the allegations and explained to have nothing to do with Nazis. Helm left him on the fight card.

However, it lasted only one day, until the swarm intelligence of the network had further researched. Came to light: Leipzig Antifa activists have written several times about Brinsa and published photos. On we see him in a group of men behind a “fan” Poster: “ultras locomotive – National Resistance”…

Brinsa, as is apparent from the Commercial Register of the Local Court of Leipzig is also registered Managing Director of A & B UG Service, which is responsible for the site of an “Aryan Brotherhood” (Aryan Brotherhood). Co-CEO is Thomas Persdorf – and the latest on this point, the level of Nazi prominence is achieved because Persdorf was also owner of Front Records, a leading distributor of Nazi music clothing and other right accessories.

On Monday this week, [Helm] decided to take Brinsa off the fight card: “I wanted beforehand obviously a few things not quite see,” [??] confessed Helm contrite. The good fight record, the sporting successes Brinsas had been important to him. Rumors about the Brinsas’s tied to the hooligan scene he had not taken seriously, and says he regrets, because he had “absolutely no desire to [have] Nazis, either in the ring or in the audience.”

Antifa Infoblatt, 5/1/13

The 23-year-old middleweight fighter of “La Familia Fight Club” teams (Halle / Saale) was [removed from] the largest MMA event Respect.FC” earlier this year, after his connections in the Saxon neo- scene were detected…Moreover Brinsas hooligan group Scenario Leipzig “was belligerent together with various neo-Nazis, also members of the group in football riots. Pictures show him behind a banner reading “Ultras locomotive – National Resistance”. For Respect.FC organizer Ben Helm that was enough: He made it clear that he was “absolutely no desire [have] to Nazis, either in the ring or in the audience,” The influential German-language martial arts portal “Groundandpound” welcomed the decision at the time, but also quoted Brinsa as saying “I’m not a Nazi.” Given the facts, a preposterous claim.

Even though German MMA promoters have started to keep their distance from Brinsa, “The Hooligan” somehow managed to land a contract with the biggest MMA promotion in the world. You’d think that Zuffa would have learned its lesson about not doing basic background checks on its fighters. Brinsa is not the kind of the person that should be representing the UFC, and we hope the promotion re-considers the signing once they learn a little more about his past associations.

Update #1: UFC president Dana White tweeted earlier today that he’s “looking into it,” in response to one of his followers sending him this story. White later deleted the tweet.


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#6 ·
who gives a shite, like rolf said unless he plans to get in any kind of legal trouble no one should care what stupid club he's in.
 
#8 ·
People make mistakes so let him fight and lets see his MMA skills.
People do stupid things especially when they are young and naive. I am sure this guy has moved on and probably seems ashamed of his past.
 
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#17 ·
Aside from his personl/political leanings, Brinsa is an amazing fighter and a great addition to the WW (Although I thought he fought at MW) Division. He could give problems to the majority of the current roster including GSP.
 
#20 ·
As a German it pains me that one of the few MMA fighters we have, who are high level is related to these circles.

I'm kind of surprised that most of you guys are quite relaxed when it comes to this. I expected more comments like:" we didn't expect anything else from Germany" or something like this.

So cheers for that :)

Our football (YES football! Soccer doesn't exist)scene is packed with so called Ultras. Hardcore fans of which some indeed have right wing attitudes. Some are hools. Some are skins with no right wing agenda. It's just part of every football club out there, especially the smaller ones and often ones from east Germany.

You can't get rid of these currents. Italy, Poland, England and almost every other European country/soccer club have those fans as well.

As troubling this may seem for some, there is always another side to each story. Without these fans, loads of soccer clubs would be flat out dead.

Just the way things are I suppose. But yeah I'm all for "let him fight and prove himself as a fighter" .
If you boil things down to political views, LOADS of fighters could be banned then.

I don't see a big difference between some right wing hool or some fundamental evangelist, right wing super republican. (not talking down on the "normal" republican voter / politician. I consider myself rather conservative)
 
#23 ·
In case this got lost in translation somehow...

In Germany 'hooligan' means 'violent football fan' (i.e. 'soccer', 'not handegg'). There are some ultra fan groups that are associated with being neo-nazis and the group he belongs to is one of them. A few years ago they were waving flags with a black celtic cross in a white circle on a red background (basically the nazi flag with the swastika replaced by a celtic cross).

Long story short, if you're with these guys you can't claim to not be a neo-nazi.
 
#24 ·
I hate 2013. If the guy can fight, then he should be in the best fighting company. I really couldn't give a fuk about his ideology or beliefs. The guy was probably brought up to believe something like that. Ben Henderson has his brought up beliefs plastered on his back and I don't give a shit about that either. Just let fighters fight and forget everything else.
 
#34 ·


When using proper Queens English, the word "hooligan" is often used as an endearing term. As an example, my most favourite Foxhound, Marmaduke Betty III, is often referred to as a "naughty hooligan" by myself and my brethren huntsmen. For many many reasons, but mainly for the sheer amusement she bestows on us, as we bear witness to her desperate attempts at buggering the Fox carcasses. We all jolly well love Betty, the hooligan. What.

So, you see, even your most loved ones can be referred to as hooligans. With correct context, of course.
 
#66 ·
Yes, yes it is. As long as you dont assault anyone or violate any laws you should be free to believe what you want.

Fighting intolerance with intolerance breeds... intolerance.

You realize the head of NASA was a real nazi not some MMA fighter with racist friends but an actual member of Hitlers nazi's.

The thing is we have given REAL Nazi's a pass and absorbed them into our government in mass, not just one or two individuals. After reading up on this, he's making money off racists, so what?

Lets ban any fighter who's ever played a song off the "deathrow records label" because the artists are racist or anyone who has played a walkout song by a racist. 2pac, biggie, eminem AC/DC...

Its not like this country isn't fascist or racist. To much is made out of racism these days especially if the racist is white.
 
#42 ·
We should only let people fight who agree with us about everything. :confused02:

Speaking of which I just saw my first Neo-Nazi here in my hometown just a couple of weeks ago. Well I assume he was because he had a swastika tattooed on his bicep. I have lived in this town for over 40 years and I don't think I have ever seen anyone with a swastika tattoo. He wasn't what I expected he had long hair and wore a an old ratty cowboy hat. He was standing in line at an Arby's helping a blind guy, so at least they help the handicapped.
 
#43 ·
I'll start off by saying that I've had family who perished in nazi concentration camps.

That being said, I couldn't care less about someone who aligns himself with Nazi views and belongs to a neo-nazi party. Same way that I couldn't care less about communists. If I hate him for those views, I'm only feeding the machine and continuing the progression.

His views also have no bearing on his competition. If these views lead him into serious legal trouble outside the ring, then he should be subjected to the conduct policy just like every other fighter, but he shouldn't be more aggressively looked at due to his views.
 
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