--- title: "Zhan Belenyuk: MMA Debut, Conor McGregor Challenge, and Views on Usyk's 'Last Dance'" description: "Olympic champion Zhan Belenyuk made his MMA debut in Kyiv, defeating Haim Ghozali. In an interview, he commented on the criticism, named Conor McGregor as an interesting opponent, and evaluated Usyk's fight against Verhoeven. πŸ₯ŠπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦" date: 2026-07-21T06:34:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zhan-belenyuk-mma-debut-mcgregor-challenge-usyk tags: [zhan-belenyuk, mma, kyiv, alexander-usyk, ukraine-sports] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Zhan Belenyuk: MMA Debut, Conor McGregor Challenge, and Views on Usyk's 'Last Dance' ![Zhan Belenyuk with Ukrainian flag on shoulders in MMA octagon, after winning debut fight, challenge to Conor McGregor](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/21/zhan-belenyuk-debyut-v-mma-vyzov-makgregoru-i-usik/zhan-belenyuk-debyut-v-mma-vyzov-makgregoru-i-usik-1.webp) On July 11, a historic moment for Ukrainian sports took place in Kyiv: Olympic wrestling champion Zhan Belenyuk officially transitioned to mixed martial arts. In his debut MMA bout, he secured a convincing victory over opponent Haim Ghozali. Immediately following the fight, amidst a flurry of reactions on social media, the athlete gave an exclusive interview to Sport RBC.UA, where he commented on his first octagon appearance, assessed the prospects of his new career, and shared his thoughts on recent events in boxing. ### "Zhan beat up a grandpa" or "Beautiful Debut"? Public reaction to Belenyuk's first fight was divided into two camps. A debate unfolded online: some users praised the Olympic champion for his beautiful technique and confident start, while others criticized the choice of opponent, using ironic expressions like "Zhan beat up a grandpa." The athlete himself reacted to this with restraint and professionalism. Belenyuk emphasized that he stepped into the cage against an opponent proposed by the tournament organizers. He expressed respect for Haim Ghozali and his sporting experience, noting that for him, this fight was an opportunity to test himself in a completely new discipline. "In this case, I am a person who is only gaining experience in a new sport," the champion admitted. ### Prospects in MMA and Challenges Outside the Comfort Zone Immediately after the victory, Zhan stated that he wants to understand his real prospects in mixed martial arts. However, after a few days, he admitted that the final answer has not yet been found. According to Belenyuk, one can speak concretely about the future in MMA only after gaining certain experience and conducting several fights. For the athlete, the transition to MMA is first and foremost a challenge and an opportunity to step out of his comfort zone. He set himself the task of mastering martial arts techniques and testing himself in new conditions. As for specific opponents, Belenyuk noted that he is not yet deeply immersed in this sport to name real options. As a hypothetical interesting fight, he named Conor McGregor. The name of Nikolai Valuev also came up in the interview. Previously, Belenyuk challenged the former world champion, but, according to him, Valuev did not accept the offer, so the question of their fight is not currently relevant. ### Octagon Specifics: Time and Endurance The first fight showed Belenyuk the key differences between MMA and his native wrestling. If in Greco-Roman wrestling the bout lasts six minutes (two periods of three minutes) and is quite compact, then in MMA the time spent in the octagon is significantly stretched. "Here, I was afraid to exhaust myself and spend all my resources halfway through the distance," Zhan said. He noted that one of the main difficulties for a beginner is the correct distribution of strength so that there is enough energy for the entire duration of the fight. ### From Boxing to Table Tennis: Sporting Thrill Today, Zhan Belenyuk is a unique phenomenon in Ukrainian sports, combining the status of an Olympic champion, a People's Deputy, and an MMA fighter. He does not rule out the possibility of trying himself in other disciplines, for example, in boxing, to improve his fighting skills. At the same time, he admits that it is difficult to provoke him with a sporting challenge. "I am quite a thrill-seeking person when it comes to sports," he noted. As an example, he cited his recent participation in the Ukrainian table tennis championship, calling it a certain adventure as well. However, he admitted that there are things to which he will respond with a refusal, although there may be many such limitations. ### Usyk's "Last Dance" and Trends in Sports Separately, Belenyuk touched upon the topic of the departure of great athletes, commenting on Oleksandr Usyk's words about his "last dance." Zhan believes that every athlete understands this moment in their own way, and there is no universal approach here. Some adequately assess their capabilities, others do not, which over time leads to problems. As for the recent fight of Oleksandr Usyk against Rico Verhoeven, Belenyuk perceived it as an element of a show. He noted that as long as viewers are ready to follow such events, such manifestations will exist. He assessed the fight itself positively, calling it a competitive and spectacular battle, after which he had no questions regarding the actions of the Ukrainian boxer.