--- title: "Daniil Donchenko Handles Soriano in Paris: Third Win of 2026 and a Challenge to Daniel Rodriguez" description: "Ukrainian welterweight Daniil Donchenko defeated American Punahale Soriano by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in Paris, claiming his third win of 2026 and moving closer to the division's top 15." date: 2026-09-06T08:34:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/daniil-donchenko-ufc-paris-soriano-win tags: [ufc, mma, daniil-donchenko, punahale-soriano, ufc-paris, welterweight] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Daniil Donchenko Handles Soriano in Paris: Third Win of 2026 and a Challenge to Daniel Rodriguez ![Daniil Danchenko throws a strike in his UFC fight against Soriano in Paris, securing his third win of 2026](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/06/daniil-donchenko-pobeda-ufc-paris-soriano/daniil-donchenko-pobeda-ufc-paris-soriano-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Daniil Donchenko defeated Punahale Soriano by unanimous decision (30:27, 30:27, 29:28) at UFC Fight Night 287 in Paris. - It is the Ukrainian's third win of 2026 and his fourth consecutive in the UFC (4-0). - In the first round, Donchenko dropped his opponent twice, and in the third round he handled the grappling defense. - After the fight, the Ukrainian stated his desire to face Daniel Rodriguez and moved closer to the top 15 of the rankings. Ukrainian welterweight fighter Daniil Donchenko secured another convincing victory under the UFC banner. At UFC Fight Night 287, held in Paris, the 24-year-old Ukrainian went three rounds against American Punahale Soriano and won by unanimous decision with scores of 30:27, 30:27, and 29:28. According to Sport RBC.UA, the bout was part of the event's main card and marked Donchenko's fourth consecutive win in the organization (4-0 in UFC), as well as his third victory of the 2026 calendar year. ### Bout progression: distance control and two knockdowns in the first round The Ukrainian seized the initiative almost from the opening minutes. In the first five-minute round, Donchenko worked confidently on the feet, smartly defending against Soriano's takedown attempts and sending the American to the canvas twice. Despite such an aggressive start, the fight did not end early, and Soriano managed to recover to continue the contest. ### Second round and a below-the-belt incident In the second five-minute round, Daniil continued to dictate the terms, maintaining a comfortable range for himself. The round featured an unpleasant incident involving an accidental below-the-belt strike, which required the American to take time to recover. Nevertheless, in terms of the volume of accurate and impactful strikes, the Ukrainian clearly outperformed his opponent, building his lead in the judges' eyes. ### Grappling in the finale and a unanimous decision In the final round, Soriano changed tactics and shifted his focus to grappling, managing to take the fight to the mat. However, this did not give the American an edge: even from the bottom position, Donchenko actively attacked his opponent with elbow strikes and quickly escaped the dangerous spot. In the end, all three judges scored the bout for the Ukrainian — 30:27, 30:27, and 29:28. ### Third win of the year and the road to the top 15 This success marked Donchenko's third victory of 2026: earlier in February he defeated American Alex Moreno, and in June he knocked out Sweden's Theodor Berggren. As observers note, the win in Paris significantly brings the Ukrainian closer to entering the top 15 of the UFC welterweight rankings, strengthening his position in the upper part of the division. ### Next target: a challenge to Daniel Rodriguez Following his latest success in Paris, Donchenko publicly stated his desire to face veteran American Daniel Rodriguez in his next fight. Such a challenge, if accepted, would represent a serious step forward for the Ukrainian and a potential bout for a spot in the welterweight elite. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Ukrainian UFC star put on a striking show at the Paris event and threw down a challenge to the top](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/othersport/ukrayinska-zirka-ufc-vlashtuvav-skravu-rubku-1788683485.html) - Первичный источник: результат 30:27/30:27/29:28, ход раундов, нокдауны, вызов Родригесу, третья победа в 2026-м. - [Daniil Donchenko – Punahale Soriano. UFC Paris. Watch online LIVE](https://sport.ua/news/904422-daniil-donchenko-punahele-soriano-ufc-parizh-smotret-onlayn-live) - Подтверждает кард и участников поединка на UFC в Париже. - [Donchenko named the weight he will make for the Paris fight](https://vringe.com/mma/news/203666-donchenko-nazval-ves-s-kotorym-vyydet-na-boy-v-parizhe.htm) - Подтверждает факт выступления Донченко на турнире в Париже. - [Donchenko on the UFC main card. A big challenge and a dangerous opponent](https://sport.ua/news/904450-donchenko-v-osnovnom-karde-ufc-bolshoy-vyzov-i-opasniy-sopernik) - Подтверждает кард и участников поединка на UFC в Париже. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How did Daniil Donchenko defeat Punahale Soriano? **A:** By unanimous decision with scores of 30:27, 30:27, and 29:28 after three rounds at UFC Fight Night 287 in Paris. ### Q: How many wins does Donchenko have in 2026? **A:** Three: over Alex Moreno in February, a knockout over Theodor Berggren in June, and over Soriano in Paris. In total, he is 4-0 in the UFC. ### Q: Who does Donchenko want as his next opponent? **A:** Veteran American Daniel Rodriguez; following his win in Paris, the Ukrainian moved closer to the top 15 of the welterweight rankings.