---
title: "Zhan Belenyuk on his MMA debut: \"Opponent's age did not determine the outcome\""
description: "Zhan Belenyuk responds to criticism after his MMA debut: \"Opponent's age did not affect the result\". The fight with 53-year-old Haim Gozali lasted 3 minutes — but the Ukrainian does not consider this an \"easy\" victory. 🥊🔥 #Belenyuk #MMA #Sports"
date: 2026-07-21T11:14:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zhan-belenyuk-on-his-mma-debut-opponents-age-did-not-determine-the-outcome
tags: [zhan-belenyuk, haim-gozali, mma-debut, bellator, arena-promotion]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zhan Belenyuk on his MMA debut: "Opponent's age did not determine the outcome"

![Zhan Belenyuk after his MMA debut: interview in the octagon with Arena microphone](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/21/zhan-belenyuk-otvetil-na-kritiku-posle-debyuta-v-mma/zhan-belenyuk-otvetil-na-kritiku-posle-debyuta-v-mma-1.webp)

Ukrainian Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling Zhan Belenyuk responded to criticism following his first fight in mixed martial arts. Social media users could not resist sarcasm due to the significant age difference between the 35-year-old Ukrainian and his 53-year-old opponent from Israel, Haim Gozali. However, Belenyuk himself insists that the victory was well-deserved and not the result of an "easy" choice of opponent.

### Debut in the octagon: three minutes to victory

The bout, held under the auspices of the Arena promotion, ended swiftly. The fight lasted just over three minutes, after which Belenyuk secured a confident victory. Despite Haim Gozali being an experienced fighter with 21 fights in his career (15 wins) and a former Bellator contract, he could not withstand the pressure from the Ukrainian.

A wave of mockery immediately arose on the internet. Many believed that the organizers specifically chose an older opponent to guarantee a win for the newcomer. However, Zhan himself remains calm regarding such comments.

### "I am only gaining experience"

In an exclusive interview with Sport RBC.UA, Belenyuk emphasized that he stepped into the ring against whoever the organizers offered. He expressed respect for Haim Gozali and his athletic journey, noting that for himself, this was an important step into a new discipline.

"For me, this was a debut and an opportunity to test myself in a new sport. In this case, I am a person who is only gaining experience in a new sport," said Belenyuk.

### Who is Haim Gozali?

The Israeli fighter is no stranger to the world of combat sports. In addition to MMA, he made his debut in bare-knuckle boxing in February 2021, where he defeated John McAllister, knocking him down twice. His career in Bellator and successful performances in other formats make him a worthy opponent, even if his age is no longer what it used to be.

### What's next?

Following this fight, there is active discussion online about a possible bout between Zhan Belenyuk and Nikolai Valuev under MMA rules. There are no official confirmations yet, but interest in the Ukrainian wrestler's transition to mixed martial arts is growing with each day.

Belenyuk does not hide: he is ready for new challenges. And if the first fight was a successful debut, the next one could become a real test of his skills in the octagon.