Daniil Donchenko Record: 14-2-0

Building the resume

His climb was not without adversity. In October 2023 he dropped a five-round unanimous decision to veteran Kanybek Zhanybek uulu, a setback he answered emphatically the following July by submitting the same opponent with a fourth-round rear-naked choke. That kind of corrected rematch – turning a points loss into a finish – underlined his trajectory. He closed out his pre-UFC run with a five-round decision over Rustem Kudaybergenov in late 2024, showing he could win deep into championship rounds as well as end nights early.

UFC arrival

Donchenko broke through on the biggest stage in September 2025, scoring a first-round TKO of unbeaten Rodrigo Sezinando on a UFC Fight Night card – a finish that capped his run on The Ultimate Fighter. He backed it up in his next outing in February 2026, outworking the durable, vastly experienced veteran Alex Morono over three rounds for a clear unanimous decision. Now 13-2, he meets Andreas Gustafsson in June 2026 as one of the division's fast-rising names.

Fighting style

Donchenko is a pressure striker who hunts the finish, and the numbers back it up: eight of his 13 wins have come by knockout and another two by submission, a 77% finish rate. He marches opponents down behind heavy hands and damaging elbows, breaking them in close quarters, and his back-taking ability gives him a real submission threat when fights hit the mat. His two losses have both come by decision, never by stoppage, and the Morono fight proved he can also out-grind a savvy veteran across 15 minutes when the knockout doesn't come.

Career highlights

• The Ultimate Fighter finalist run — first-round TKO of unbeaten Rodrigo Sezinando in September 2025 capped his breakout on the reality series.
• Beat a UFC veteran — outpointed the experienced Alex Morono over three rounds in February 2026 to improve his record to 13-2.
• Elite finishing rate — 10 of 13 wins by stoppage (77%) and never finished himself, a hallmark of his pressure-heavy style.