UFC veteran reacts to Kanye West's mockery of Benjamin Netanyahu on Alex Jones' show: "This was brilliant performance art"

Controversial hip hop star Kanye West drew recent praise from another controversial figure, former UFC welterweight Jake Shields. The ex-170-pounder took to X/Twitter to voice his pleasure over a subtle dig the rapper made at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a 2022 interview with Alex Jones.

For reference, the rapper brought a net and Yoo Hoo bottle with him, with the 'net' and 'Yoo Hoo' being a play on words relating Netanyahu's surname. Both West and Shields are staunch critics of Israel, with much of their rhetoric drawing controversy and criticism for being antisemitic.

Nevertheless, Shields praised West in a recent tweet.

"This was brilliant performance art. I think at the time it flew over most people's heads."

Both Shields and West are known for propagating antisemitic conspiracy theories about Israel and Jewish people as a whole, with the former UFC welterweight title challenger's rhetoric only heightening in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, which began on Oct. 7, 2023.

The rapper, however, takes his rhetoric a step further, as he has even spoken positively about Adolf Hitler, who served as the leader of the Nazi Party, sparked World War II, and started the Holocaust, the systematic genocide of six million Jews.

While Shields and West have never spoken to each other, the ex-UFC welterweight will continue to look for allies in his ideological corner. He recently joined another controversial public figure, Andrew Tate, in attacking Jordan Peterson, who also courts controversy himself.

---

Kanye West was called out by an Israeli UFC fighter

Although Kanye West is supported by the likes of Jake Shields, there are others in the MMA sphere who do not appreciate his comments on Israel and the Jewish people as a whole. This includes UFC lightweight and one of the promotion's few Israeli fighters, Natan Levy, who called the rapper out.

After beating Genaro Valdéz, the Israeli 155-pounder challenged the hip hop icon in a backstage interview.

"To all these hateful people, sucks for you. I pity you, and other than that, Kanye West, if you've got a problem with me or my people, come see me, bro."

Check out Natan Levy's callout of Kanye West (2:15):

West, though, never replied to Levy's challenge, with the lightweight refocusing his attention on climbing the rankings of his division.