Daniil Donchenko
Ukraine
23-years-old
11-2
82% finish rate (7 KO/TKOs, 2 Submissions)
Naiza FC lightweight champion
Combined opponents’ record: 73-51
Pros
-Mixes up striking patterns
-Solid bodywork
-Good ground and pound/Damaging elbows
-Durable/Tough
-Good knees
-Excellent body-head combinations
-Heavy leg kicks
Cons
-Sits in the pocket too long
-Takes too much damage
-Over swings
-Slows as the fight goes
Donchenko was a surprising addition to the TUF cast—but a welcome one. He has avenged one of his two career losses, while the other came against Muay Thai star Jimmy Vienot early in his pro career. A champion in a major Kazakhstan promotion, Donchenko will be moving up a weight class for TUF, as he typically competes at lightweight.
His striking credentials are impressive: he’s a WAKO K-1 European and World Cup winner with a professional Kickboxing/Muay Thai record of 18-2. While primarily known for his striking, Donchenko has a solid ground game for a striker. He’s willing to shoot for takedowns, though he isn’t the most technical wrestler. Instead, he does his best work on the mat by inflicting damage—whether cutting up opponents with elbows or finishing them after knocking them down.
On the feet, Donchenko is relentless. He thrives in close-range exchanges, willing to take damage to get inside. His bodywork is brutal, often setting up devastating elbows and knees. When he’s in rhythm, mixing leg kicks and hooks into his combinations, he’s a problem for anyone standing in front of him. However, his biggest weakness is his gas tank—his cardio dips after the first round. Even when fatigued, he keeps throwing, but he also absorbs a lot of damage in return.
In terms of pure excitement, Donchenko has all the makings of a UFC-level fighter. He’s going to put on a show every time he steps into the cage. However, to win TUF and reach the top, he’ll need to sharpen his defense, improve his cardio, and tighten up his technique.
“It’s the same every time. I’m the youngest everywhere,” Donchenko said when informed he was the youngest fighter to be part of The Ultimate Fighter 33. On what fans can expect from him, “My fighting style, actually, is to put a lot of damage. All my fights, every time is blood, it’s elbows, it’s knees, it’s KOs. I don’t want to put this damage on my opponents, but then I start to fight, my body does its fighting style.”
