Belenyuk is preparing for his MMA debut alongside a UFC fighter
Zhan Beleniuk, an Olympic champion and member of the Ukrainian Parliament, is preparing for his first mixed martial arts (MMA) fight and is already planning joint training sessions with Ukrainian UFC fighter Yaroslav Amosov. He will make his MMA debut in July 2026 in Kyiv, facing experienced Israeli veteran Haim Gozali.
The athletes already have experience training together, so the preparation for this new challenge promises to be intense and quite symbolic for Ukrainian sports.
Olympic champion Zhan Beleniuk has decided to try his hand at mixed martial arts and is already actively preparing for his debut fight, which will take place on July 11, 2026, at the Kyiv Sports Palace.
According to the athlete, he plans to conduct part of his training alongside the renowned Ukrainian UFC fighter Yaroslav Amosov, who recently returned to Ukraine after his fight and already has experience competing at the highest level. “We’re planning to train with Yaroslav. We’ll wait for him to return to Ukraine after his fight. I think we’ll start working together soon,” Beleniuk said.
He also noted that this isn’t their first collaboration—the athletes previously trained together in Greco-Roman wrestling before Amosov’s move to the UFC, so their connection has remained strong and is now reaching a new level. Belenyuk’s opponent in his debut fight will be the experienced Israeli fighter Haim Gozali, who is 52 years old and has extensive experience competing in global promotions, including Bellator.
Beleniuk himself is one of the most decorated figures in Ukrainian sports: a Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, a Rio 2016 silver medalist, and a Paris 2024 bronze medalist, as well as a multiple world and European champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
It is worth noting that in 2019 he began a political career and became a member of the Ukrainian Parliament representing the Servant of the People party; however, sports have not disappeared from his life and are now taking on a new format. This was reported by Xsport.ua.
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