Ukrainian Olympic champion Zhan Beleniuk defeated Israeli Haim Gozali in his debut MMA fight

On July 11, 2026, the first tournament of the new Ukrainian organization ARENA Championship took place at the Kyiv Sports Palace. The main event of the evening was the debut of Olympic champion and Ukrainian MP Zhan Beleniuk in mixed martial arts. His opponent was the experienced Israeli fighter Haim Gozali.

The fight ended in the first round. Beleniuk quickly used his main advantage — years of training in Greco-Roman wrestling, took the Israeli to the ground, and began striking from above.

Gozali found himself in a very difficult position. A severe cut appeared on his face, and the blood hindered his ability to see the attacks and defend himself fully. Around the fourth minute of the first round, the Israeli fighter’s corner threw in the towel, after which the match was stopped.

The official result — victory for Zhan Beleniuk by technical knockout in the first round.

What is ARENA Championship

ARENA Championship is a new Ukrainian promotion in the field of mixed martial arts, not a long-established international league like UFC or Bellator.

The organization’s first show took place on July 11, 2026, at the Kyiv Sports Palace. The fight between Beleniuk and Gozali was chosen as the main event of the debut tournament.

The launch of the new league was officially announced at a press conference in Kyiv on June 12, 2026. At that time, the organizers announced that the 35-year-old Beleniuk would perform under professional MMA rules for the first time, and his opponent would be the Israeli veteran Haim Gozali, nicknamed ‘Batman’.

For the new promotion, this fight was an obvious media choice. On one side — one of Ukraine’s most recognizable athletes, an Olympic champion, and a current member of the Verkhovna Rada. On the other — an Israeli with many years of experience in professional martial arts and performances in Bellator.

As a result, the first ARENA Championship show attracted the attention not only of the Ukrainian sports audience but also of viewers in Israel.

Who is Zhan Beleniuk

Zhan Vensanovich Beleniuk was born on January 24, 1991, in Kyiv.

He is one of the most titled Ukrainian athletes in Greco-Roman wrestling.

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Beleniuk won a silver medal. At the Tokyo Games, which due to the pandemic took place in 2021 under the official name ‘Olympics-2020’, the Ukrainian became the Olympic champion in the weight category up to 87 kilograms.

In 2024, at the Paris Olympics, he won a bronze medal, after which he announced his retirement from Greco-Roman wrestling.

Thus, Beleniuk ended his Olympic career with three medals — gold, silver, and bronze. He also became a world champion twice and repeatedly won European championships.

Beleniuk has been in politics since 2019. He was elected as a member of the Ukrainian parliament from the ‘Servant of the People’ party. His term began on August 29, 2019.

The transition to MMA was a significant change in sports discipline for him. In Greco-Roman wrestling, strikes and leg holds are prohibited, whereas mixed martial arts combine wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and other disciplines.

However, it was Beleniuk’s Olympic wrestling base that decided the outcome of his first fight. He did not spend much time working with Gozali in the stand-up, but almost immediately took the fight to the ground, where he controlled his opponent and delivered strikes.

Who is Haim Gozali

Haim Gozali was born on May 6, 1973, in Bat Yam. On the day of the fight, July 11, 2026, he was 53 years old.

The Israeli is known as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist and participant in professional mixed martial arts tournaments. He trained in the system of the famous American and Brazilian master Renzo Gracie and performed under the nickname ‘Batman’.

Before the fight with Beleniuk, his professional record was 15 wins and 6 losses. Of the 15 wins, 14 were achieved by submission or choke holds. This shows that Gozali’s main weapon throughout his career was ground fighting, not striking technique.

Gozali competed in Bellator from 2016 to 2019. According to Tapology statistics, he had seven fights in this organization — winning four and losing three.

This is an important clarification because the initial publication by Sport.ua claimed that the Israeli had 21 fights under the Bellator banner. In reality, the number 21 corresponded to his overall professional record before the fight with Beleniuk — 15 wins and 6 losses. In Bellator itself, Gozali had seven fights.

The Israeli also participated in the development of MMA in his country and was involved in organizing major fighting shows in Israel. His career was largely built around Brazilian jiu-jitsu, quick submission holds, and the ability to find opportunities for early victory on the ground.

However, in Kyiv, this advantage did not work. Beleniuk proved to be physically stronger, quickly executed a takedown, and took a dominant position from above.

Why the fight was so one-sided

On paper, the match was presented as a confrontation between two strong wrestling schools: Greco-Roman wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

The organizers even promoted the fight as a clash of jiu-jitsu versus Greco-Roman wrestling.

In practice, the difference in age and physical condition was too significant.

Beleniuk was 35 years old, Gozali was 53. The Ukrainian had recently ended his Olympic career and maintained the form of a world-class athlete. The Israeli had significantly more experience in MMA, but his best years in major organizations were behind him.

Moreover, Beleniuk did not allow his opponent to calmly look for a submission or choke hold. The Ukrainian took the top position and delivered heavy strikes, forcing Gozali mainly to defend.

When the Israeli fighter’s face was covered in blood due to a cut, continuing the match became dangerous. Gozali’s corner decided to stop the fight by throwing in the towel in the fourth minute of the first round.

Ukrainian-Israeli fight with an ambiguous outcome

For Zhan Beleniuk, the debut in MMA was successful and spectacular. He confirmed that the Olympic wrestling school can be a serious foundation for transitioning to mixed martial arts.

For Haim Gozali, this fight was a difficult return to a notable international stage. Despite the Israeli’s vast experience, the age difference and current physical form of the opponents made the fight inherently unequal.

At the same time, the match gained additional interest precisely because of the Ukrainian-Israeli composition of the main fight. For the Israeli audience, Gozali’s name is associated with the development period of Bellator in the country, and for Ukraine, Beleniuk remains not just an athlete but also a well-known public and political figure.

NAnews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency continues to follow events where Ukrainian and Israeli sports agendas intersect.

Now the main question is whether the victory over Gozali will mark the beginning of a full-fledged career for Beleniuk in MMA or remain a one-time media performance at the first ARENA Championship tournament.

After such a confident debut, interest in his next opponent will be significantly higher. But for an objective assessment of the Ukrainian Olympian’s prospects, he will need a match with a younger and active MMA fighter capable of maintaining a high pace, defending against takedowns, and posing a threat not only on the ground but also in the stand-up.