Belarusian fighter drops 6 kg in one day to face Vietnam's champion

A poster for the showdown between Zakhar Dmitrychenka and Pham Cong Minh at LC22 on May 10, 2025. Photo by LION Championship

The 84 kg championship fight is the headline event of LION Championship 22 (LC22), set for Saturday evening at Tay Ho Stadium in Hanoi. At the official weigh-in on Friday morning, both fighters met the required weight, with Zakhar weighing 83.9 kg and Minh at 83.7 kg.

To reach the weight limit, Zakhar underwent a grueling weight-cutting regimen. Just a day earlier, he weighed 90 kg. His process included applying Vaseline to his body to retain heat, followed by high-intensity kickboxing workouts to trigger sweating. He then wrapped his body in foil to continue inducing sweat and soaked in hot water for hours, repeating the cycle until he hit his target weight.

Born in 1996, Zakhar is a Master of Sports in Belarusian wrestling. In Greco-Roman wrestling, he placed in the top 10 at the 2017 U23 World Championships and won bronze in the 97 kg division at the 2018 World University Championship. He moved to Vietnam in 2024 and transitioned to MMA, joining SilverBack MMA Club. Zakhar earned his first win via decision against Le Hong Giang at LC15 in July 2024, and four months later, secured a knockout victory over Tran Quoc Toan at LC19.

Zakhar has gained popularity among Vietnamese fans for his appearances at traditional northern village wrestling festivals. Nicknamed "Thor" for his tall frame, muscular build, and long blond hair, he remains unbeaten against Vietnamese wrestlers. In his latest outing last month, he drew with wrestling giant Ha Van Hieu after 12 rounds at a village festival in Bac Ninh.

 

 

Belarusian fighter drops 6 kg in one day to face Vietnam's champion

'Thần sấm' Zakhar giảm 6 kg trong một ngày để đấu nhà vô địch Việt Nam

Minh, born in 1994 in Quang Ngai, is considered invincible in the 84–85 kg sanda (Chinese kickboxing) division. He won the national championship for eight consecutive years from 2014 to 2022 and claimed silver at the 2019 World Championships, falling in the final to Iran's Milad Arefi.

He later joined the Wushu King Club and began his MMA career. In 2023, he won all four of his LION Championship bouts by knockout. He has held the 84 kg belt since December 2023 and currently holds the record for the fastest knockout in LION Championship history — a 15-second finish with a dislocating kick at LC09.