Denys Berinchyk: The Ukrainian Fighter Who Conquered Mahatch FC
When Mahatch Fighting Championship staged its biggest event in July 2021, pitting a credentialed Ukrainian fighter against former UFC veteran Artem Lobov in front of more than 2,000 fans at the Palace of Sports, it was Denys Berinchyk who walked away with the victory. In a single night, Berinchyk established himself as the most notable fighter to compete under the Mahatch banner, defeating a man with genuine international combat sports credentials and validating the Ukrainian bare knuckle promotion's ability to produce meaningful, high-stakes fights. For a promotion inspired by BKFC and operating in the shadow of the dominant Russian bare knuckle scene, Berinchyk's victory was a statement moment.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Name | Denys Berinchyk |
| Origin | Ukraine |
| Weight Class | Lightweight / Welterweight |
| Foundation Style | Boxing |
| Organization | Mahatch FC |
| Known For | Defeating Artem Lobov at Mahatch FC |
| Notable Event | Mahatch FC, July 2021 (Palace of Sports, 2,000+ fans) |
| Profession | Fighter / Boxer |
Overview
Denys Berinchyk's name is synonymous with the single most significant bout in Mahatch Fighting Championship history. The Ukrainian bare knuckle promotion, founded in January 2020 by co-founder Andriy Limontov and inspired by the global growth of BKFC, had been building toward a marquee event that could put the promotion on the international map. That event arrived in July 2021, when Berinchyk was matched against Artem Lobov -- a fighter known globally for his stint in the UFC and his close friendship with Conor McGregor.
The matchup was a masterstroke of promotion. Lobov brought international name recognition and a built-in audience that followed him from his UFC career through his subsequent ventures in bare knuckle fighting with BKFC. Berinchyk brought Ukrainian pride, boxing credentials, and the home-field advantage of competing in front of a partisan crowd at one of Kyiv's most storied sporting venues.
The fight itself delivered on the stakes. Berinchyk's boxing ability proved to be the decisive factor, as he used his technical superiority to outwork Lobov over the course of the bout. The victory was a landmark moment for Mahatch FC, demonstrating that the promotion could attract internationally recognized fighters and produce competitive, high-profile bouts that resonated beyond Ukraine's borders.
Background
Ukrainian Boxing Tradition
Denys Berinchyk emerged from a country with one of the deepest boxing traditions in the world. Ukraine has produced a staggering number of world-class boxers -- from the Klitschko brothers, who dominated the heavyweight division for over a decade, to Vasiliy Lomachenko, widely regarded as one of the most technically brilliant boxers of his generation, to Oleksandr Usyk, who unified the heavyweight titles. The country's boxing infrastructure, built during the Soviet era and refined in the decades since independence, produces technically proficient fighters at a rate that far exceeds what its population size would suggest.
Berinchyk's boxing background places him squarely within this tradition. Ukrainian boxers are known for their technical foundations, their amateur pedigrees, and their ability to adapt to different competitive formats. These qualities made Berinchyk particularly well-suited for the bare knuckle environment, where boxing fundamentals -- footwork, timing, distance management, and clean punching technique -- are the most directly transferable skills.
The Rise of Mahatch FC
Mahatch Fighting Championship launched in January 2020, entering a bare knuckle landscape that was rapidly expanding globally. The promotion's format was directly inspired by BKFC but adapted for the Ukrainian market: bare knuckle fighting in a ring bordered by sandbags, with mandatory jeans and sneakers, no ground fighting, and elbows and clinch blows allowed. A 10-second knockdown count added a boxing flavor to the proceedings.
The promotion secured sponsorship from Parimatch through its PM Club partnership, giving it financial backing that most startup bare knuckle promotions lack. With this support, Mahatch FC was able to attract high-profile talent and stage events at prominent venues -- a combination that would prove crucial in landing the Artem Lobov fight.
For Berinchyk, Mahatch FC offered an opportunity to compete in a format that honored his boxing skills while providing the raw, unfiltered intensity of bare knuckle combat. The promotion's no-gloves, standing-only format eliminated the wrestling and ground-fighting dimensions that might have complicated matters for a pure boxer, creating an environment where Berinchyk's hands were his only necessary tools.
Fighting Style
Denys Berinchyk's fighting style is rooted in the Ukrainian boxing tradition -- technically sound, tactically intelligent, and built on fundamentals that translate directly to bare knuckle combat.
Technical Boxing
The foundation of Berinchyk's approach is clean, orthodox boxing technique. His stance is balanced, his guard is disciplined, and his punches travel in straight lines with minimal wasted motion. In the bare knuckle context, where hand injuries are a constant concern and every punch lands with unpadded force, this kind of technical precision is invaluable. Clean technique reduces the risk of hand fractures (which plague fighters who rely on wide, looping shots) while maximizing the impact of every connection.
Footwork and Angles
Ukrainian boxing places particular emphasis on footwork, and Berinchyk's movement in the ring reflects this training. He does not stand flat-footed and trade -- he circles, creates angles, and uses lateral movement to put himself in positions where he can land while minimizing his exposure to return fire. Against Lobov, this footwork was a decisive advantage, allowing Berinchyk to control the distance and dictate the pace of the fight.
Jab Control
Berinchyk's jab serves as both a scoring weapon and a range-finding tool. He uses it to establish distance, disrupt his opponent's rhythm, and set up power shots behind it. In the Mahatch FC format, where the sandbag ring limits movement and fighters cannot clinch and stall as easily as in traditional boxing, a strong jab is particularly effective because it keeps opponents at the end of its range and prevents them from establishing the close-quarters brawling that many bare knuckle fighters prefer.
Defensive Responsibility
What separates technically trained boxers from brawlers in the bare knuckle context is defensive awareness, and Berinchyk possesses it in abundance. He keeps his guard tight, moves his head offline to avoid clean connections, and does not engage in the kind of reckless, chin-up exchanges that produce spectacular highlights but also produce spectacular knockouts. This defensive discipline allowed him to navigate the Lobov fight with minimal damage while consistently landing clean shots of his own.
Notable Fights
Berinchyk vs. Artem Lobov -- Mahatch FC, July 2021
The defining fight of Berinchyk's bare knuckle career, and the defining fight in Mahatch FC history, was his victory over Artem Lobov in July 2021 at the Palace of Sports in Ukraine. The event drew more than 2,000 fans and generated significant international attention due to Lobov's high profile.
Artem Lobov entered the fight with a reputation that extended far beyond his official record. A former UFC featherweight who fought as a teammate and close friend of Conor McGregor, Lobov had previously competed in BKFC, where he engaged in memorable bouts with Jason Knight and Paulie Malignaggi. His willingness to compete in bare knuckle formats and his association with McGregor gave him a global audience that most fighters at his level could only dream of.
Berinchyk, however, was the better boxer. From the opening moments of the fight, his technical superiority was apparent. He controlled the distance with his jab, used footwork to create angles that Lobov could not cut off, and landed clean combinations that accumulated damage over the course of the bout. Lobov, to his credit, brought his customary toughness and forward pressure, but he could not close the technical gap between himself and a fighter whose boxing foundation was simply more polished.
The victory was significant on multiple levels. For Berinchyk personally, it established him as a fighter capable of beating a name-brand opponent on a major stage. For Mahatch FC, it proved that the promotion could produce fights with genuine competitive and commercial significance. And for the broader bare knuckle landscape, it demonstrated that Ukrainian fighters and Ukrainian promotions had a role to play in the global growth of the sport.
Lobov's decision to retire from fighting after the loss added additional weight to the result. Berinchyk had not just beaten Artem Lobov -- he had ended his career.
| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2021 | Mahatch FC (Palace of Sports) | Artem Lobov | Win | Decision |
Legacy
Denys Berinchyk's legacy is tied inextricably to the moment that defined Mahatch Fighting Championship as a promotion worth watching. His victory over Artem Lobov was the kind of statement result that every young promotion dreams of producing -- a fight that generated international headlines, attracted a large live audience, and demonstrated that the promotion's fighters could compete with and beat internationally recognized competition.
Within the Ukrainian combat sports community, Berinchyk's bare knuckle success adds another chapter to the country's remarkable boxing heritage. Ukraine has produced champions across every major boxing organization, and Berinchyk's dominance in the bare knuckle format shows that the technical foundations of Ukrainian boxing translate even when the gloves are removed. In a sport stripped to its most fundamental elements, the fighter with better boxing wins -- and Berinchyk's performance against Lobov was proof.
The broader context of Mahatch FC's operations has been complicated by geopolitical events. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 disrupted life across the country and created uncertainty about the future of Ukrainian sporting events, including bare knuckle promotions. The war has added a layer of gravity to the story of Ukrainian fighters like Berinchyk, whose athletic achievements exist alongside the far more serious reality of a nation at war.
Regardless of what the future holds for Mahatch FC, Berinchyk's victory over Lobov will remain a landmark moment in both the promotion's history and the broader story of bare knuckle fighting's global expansion. It was the night that proved Ukrainian bare knuckle could produce fights that mattered, and Denys Berinchyk was the fighter who delivered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Denys Berinchyk?
Denys Berinchyk is a Ukrainian fighter with a boxing background who is best known for defeating former UFC fighter Artem Lobov at Mahatch Fighting Championship in July 2021 in front of over 2,000 fans.
What happened in the Berinchyk vs. Lobov fight?
Berinchyk defeated Artem Lobov by decision at a Mahatch FC event in July 2021 at the Palace of Sports in Ukraine. Berinchyk's superior boxing technique proved decisive, and Lobov retired from fighting after the loss.
What is Mahatch FC?
Mahatch Fighting Championship is a Ukrainian bare knuckle promotion founded in January 2020. It features bare knuckle fighting in a sandbag ring with mandatory jeans and sneakers. The promotion is inspired by BKFC and has been sponsored by Parimatch.
Did Artem Lobov retire after losing to Berinchyk?
Yes. Artem Lobov, the former UFC fighter and close friend of Conor McGregor, retired from professional fighting after his loss to Berinchyk at Mahatch FC in July 2021.
Where can I watch Berinchyk's fights?
Berinchyk's fight against Artem Lobov and other Mahatch FC events are available on the promotion's YouTube channel. Highlights and clips from the Lobov bout have also been widely shared across social media platforms.